Xavi said it was "too early" for him to coach Barcelona as he confirmed on Thursday that he had received an offer from his former club but would remain at Qatari side Al-Sadd.
World Cup winner Xavi, 39, said Barcelona's director of football Eric Abidal made him the offer, before settling on Quique Setien to replace Ernesto Valverde as coach.
"I received an offer from Barcelona in the presence of Eric Abidal... but I did not agree to this offer, especially as it is too early for me to coach Barcelona," he said in a statement issued by Al-Sadd.
"But it will still be my dream to coach the team in the future.
"I love the new Barcelona coach, I love the way he works, and I expect him to succeed with the team."
Valverde left Barcelona after his sacking on Monday, closing the page on a brutal few days.
Barcelona confirmed Setien's appointment following a board meeting that lasted more than four hours on Monday.
His contract runs until 2022 although there is a break clause in 2021, to allow ..

Xavi says it was 'too early' for Barcelona top job

PTI Automatic

The suspicion that World Athletics could ban Nike's Vaporfly shoes over fears they give runners an unfair edge gave a boost to the performance of some of the sportswear giants' rivals on Thursday.
A World Athletics spokeswoman said that a committee composed of officials, athletes, doctors, scientists and legal experts, was still looking at the shoes, which athletes have worn to set a string of records in recent months, but is expected to make recommendations by the end of January.
"The panel is still deliberating but we hope to be able to make an announcement by the end of the month," the spokeswoman told AFP, adding that any changes to the rules would then have to be approved by the World Athletics council.
After renewed speculation on Wednesday that the Vaporfly could be banned, Japanese sports shoe makers Asics, which has launched its own elite running shoe, and Mizuno surged on the Tokyo Stock Exchange on Thursday before sinking back. Asics still closed up 2.52 percent.
Later in ..

Anticipation of Nike 'miracle shoe' ban lifts commercial rivals

Scores at close of play on the first day of the third Test between South Africa and England at St George's Park on Thursday:
England, first innings
Z Crawley c Van der Dussen b Nortje 44
D Sibley c Elgar b Rabada 36
J Denly lbw b Maharaj 25
J Root b Rabada 27
B Stokes not out 38
O Pope not out 39
Extras (lb8, nb3, w4) 15
Total (4 wkts, 90 overs) 224
Fall of wickets: 1-70, 2-103, 3-134, 4-148
Bowling: Philander 11-5-15-0, Paterson 15-1-46-1, Rabada 17-3-48-2, Nortje 15-4-52-1, Maharaj 32-11-55-1.

South Africa v England 3rd Test scoreboard

World cricketer of the year Ben Stokes survived three reviews by South Africa as he and Ollie Pope regained the initiative for England on the first day of the third Test at St George's Park on Thursday.
England were 224 for four at the end of an attritional day during which South Africa had briefly claimed the advantage.
England were 148 for four when Stokes and Pope came together, in danger of failing to capitalise on batting first on a placid pitch on a hot, sunny day.
But the pair added 76 without being parted and were able to lift a slow scoring rate after England were able to score only 117 for two in 58 overs before tea. Stokes was unbeaten on 38 at the close while Pope made 39 not out.
Stokes came into the match a day after being named player of the year by the International Cricket Council and on the back of a man-of-the-match performance when England levelled the four-match series by winning the second Test in Cape Town by 189 runs.
Stokes made a shaky start, surviving a leg .

Stokes, Pope regain advantage for England in third Test

Dozens of fighters and civilians were killed in Syria's Idlib province as the government pressed a deadly offensive on Thursday towards a key town in the country's last rebel bastion.
The latest violence, which followed air strikes that killed 19 civilians on Wednesday, buried a ceasefire deal announced by Russia and rebel backer Turkey that never really took hold.
"Clashes broke out around midnight on Wednesday south of the city of Maaret al-Numan, together with heavy bombardment despite the Russian-Turkish truce," Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said.
According to the Britain-based war monitor, the fighting raged in areas south of Maaret al-Numan, the key target of the Syrian government's latest military offensive.
At least 26 anti-government fighters were killed, most of them members of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a group that includes fighters from the former Al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria.
The Observatory said 29 government troops and allied militia ...

Dozens killed as Damascus presses Idlib offensive

Southwest Airlines announced Thursday it will once again delay resumption of Boeing 737 MAX flights until June 6, because of continued uncertainty over the troubled aircraft's return to service.
The airline thereby joins American Airlines and United Airlines which also have taken the 737 MAX out of their flight schedules until June 4.
"By proactively removing the MAX from scheduled service, we can reduce last-minute flight cancellations and unexpected disruptions to our customers' travel plans," Southwest said.
Southwest has 34 737 MAX's in its fleet, the most of any airline.
The delay affects about 330 weekday flights, or about eight percent of the airline's total flights on peak travel days, it said, promising to transfer concerned customers to other flights.
"We offer our apologies to our customers impacted by this change, and we thank them for their continued patience," the company said.
The 737 MAX was grounded worldwide March 13, 2019 after two crashes claimed the lives of 346 ..

Southwest delays resumption of Boeing 737 MAX flights

Bangladesh's wicketkeeper-batsman Mushfiqur Rahim has declined to visit Pakistan for the forthcoming series, a team official said on Thursday.
"Mushfiq(ur) rang me today to inform that he will not go to Pakistan. We are now waiting for his formal letter. Once he does that, we will leave him out of the series," chief selector Minhajul Abedin told AFP.
Bangladesh are scheduled to play three Twenty20 internationals, two Tests and one one-day international in Pakistan between January and April.
Mushfiqur's absence could be a blow for Bangladesh who are already without suspended all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan.
Minhajul said they are likely to announce the squad for the series in a day or two.
International cricket has gradually returned to Pakistan in the last four years after it was suspended in the wake of terrorist attacks on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore in March 2009.

Bangladesh's Mushfiqur declines to visit Pakistan

Greece will elect its first woman president on January 22 after leading opposition parties on Thursday approved the government's nomination of top judge Ekaterini Sakellaropoulou.
Main opposition leftist leader Alexis Tsipras said Sakellaropoulou was an "exceptional judge" and a defender of human rights.
The socialist KINAL party also said it would support the nomination of the 63-year-old current head of the Council of State, Greece's top administrative court.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis had announced Sakellaropoulou's candidacy in a surprise televised address on Wednesday.
"The time has come for Greece to open up to the future," Mitsotakis said, emphasising that the selection breaks with tradition not only because Sakellaropoulou is female, but also because she is not a member of a political party.
He said the choice "embodies unity and progress".
A total of 200 votes is required to elect the new president for a five-year term.  Sakellaropoulou, a French-educated expert in ...

Greece to elect first woman president on January 22

The White House budget office "violated the law" by freezing military aid to put political pressure on the government of Ukraine, a US congressional watchdog announced on Thursday as President Donald Trump's impeachment trial looms.
The damning report from the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office says it "issued a legal decision concluding that the Office of Management and Budget violated the law when it withheld approximately USD 214 million appropriated to DOD (Department of Defense) for security assistance to Ukraine."
The House impeachment inquiry concluded that Trump's administration improperly withheld the aid as leverage in an effort to get Ukraine to open investigations that would help Trump politically.
"OMB withheld funds for a policy reason, which is not permitted under the Impoundment Control Act," the GAO said.

White House 'violated the law' on Ukraine aid: watchdog

Four Nigerian soldiers have been killed in an attack by IS-affiliated jihadists in the country's restive northeast, two security sources said on Thursday.
Fighters from the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in trucks fitted with machine guns late Wednesday launched a "surprise attack" on troops in Auno village, 25 kilometres from Maiduguri, the Borno state capital, they said.
"Four soldiers were killed in the attack and seven were injured," said the first security source.
Another security official confirmed the attack.
"The terrorists came through the bush at the rear instead of the usual highway, taking troops by surprise," said the source who gave the same casualty toll.
The jihadists were said to have overwhelmed the troops, and went into the village, looting and burning shops before withdrawing.
It was not immediately clear whether the militants suffered any casualties.
ISWAP, which split from Boko Haram in 2016 has intensified attacks against the military since the ...

4 Nigerian troops killed in jihadist attack

Hundreds of parents picketed a top Bangladesh school and blocked a major road in the capital to protest against a decision to make Islamic dress optional for students.
Some 200-300 parents held hands and blocked a road in front of an Ideal School and College campus in Dhaka's Banasree neighbourhood on Wednesday, said local police chief Abdul Kuddus.
Ideal is one of the country's best private school chains, with branches in several middle-class neighbourhoods. Its students regularly top nationwide exam tables.
Parents said the school this year dropped a requirement for boys to wear Islamic skull caps and for girls to wear an "orna", a loose scarf-like shawl that covers the chest.
"It has been a tradition of this school since 1973 and we don't have any problem with it," said Tofazzal Hossain, a parent.
"Why did the authorities suddenly take such an anti-Islamic decision without discussing it with us?"
College principal Shahan Ara Begum said neither item of clothing had been banned, but .

Parents picket Bangladesh school for 'un-Islamic' dresscode

The Taliban have offered a brief ceasefire to the US, two insurgent sources said on Thursday, a move which could allow for the resumption of talks seeking a deal for Washington to withdraw troops from Afghanistan.
Washington has for weeks been calling on the militants to reduce violence, posing it as a condition for resuming formal negotiations on an agreement that would see US troops begin to leave the country in return for security guarantees, after a near two-decade fight.
"It is an offer for a ceasefire either for seven or 10 days," a senior Taliban official who requested anonymity told AFP, adding that the offer was made to US negotiators in Doha.
"It has been finalised and given to the Americans. It is going to pave the way for an agreement."
A second insurgent source, based in Pakistan, confirmed that the offer had been handed to the US.
The Taliban have yet to release an official statement, and Washington has not said whether it has received any offer from the insurgents or ...

Taliban propose brief Afghan ceasefire, say insurgent sources

Model Gigi Hadid was excused Thursday from serving as a juror in former film producer Harvey Weinstein's rape and sexual assault trial, US media reported.
The 24-year-old was greeted by a crowd of photographers as she returned to a New York court on the eighth day of jury selection in the proceedings key to the #MeToo movement.
Hadid strolled into the Manhattan courthouse wearing sunglasses just before 09:00 am (1400 GMT).
She left discreetly about ten minutes afterwards, according to police officers outside.
US media reported that the prosecution and defense had agreed to dismiss the famous model and Instagram star, excusing her from serving on the 12-person jury or as one of six alternates.
The move was expected, owing to her fame.
Hadid, who has modeled for top fashion brands including Chanel, first appeared for the pre-screening of potential jurors on Monday, adding a fresh celebrity twist to the high-profile trial.
She told Judge James Burke that although she knew Weinstein -- ...

Model Gigi Hadid excused from Weinstein jury duty: US media

Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar has agreed to abide by a ceasefire and said he was ready to participate in an international conference in Berlin on Sunday, Germany's foreign minister said.
"General Haftar has made clear: He wants to contribute to the success of the Libyan conference in Berlin and is in principle ready to participate in it. He has agreed to abide by the ongoing ceasefire," said Heiko Maas after talks in Benghazi, according to a tweet posted by the German foreign ministry.

Haftar 'agreed to abide by' Libya ceasefire: German foreign minister

A startup focused on "invisible computing" Thursday unveiled a smart contact lens which delivers an augmented reality display in a user's field of vision.
The Mojo Vision contact lens offers a display with information and notifications, and allows the user to interact by focusing on certain points.
The rigid contact lens, which the company has been developing in stealth mode for some 10 years, may also be used to help people with visual impairments by using enhanced image overlays, and has obtained US approval for testing it as a medical device.
"Mojo has a vision for invisible computing where you have the information you want when you want it and are not bombarded or distracted by data when you don't," said chief executive Drew Perkins.
In a demonstration to an AFP reporter, company executives showed how the contact lens could enable users to see a virtual teleprompter, navigation instructions or other interactions that appear floating in the field of vision by projecting a micro-LED 

'Invisible computing' startup unveils smart contact lens

South Africa grasped the initiative by dismissing both England opening batsmen between lunch and tea on the first day of the third Test at St George's Park on Thursday.
England were 117 for two at tea after captain Joe Root won the toss and decided to bat on a placid pitch on a hot, sunny day.  Zak Crawley and Dom Sibley gave England a solid start, reaching lunch at 61 for no wicket.
But South Africa came back strongly, dismissing both opening batsmen in similar circumstances and keeping a tight rein on the scoring rate after lunch.
Kagiso Rabada had Sibley caught at backward square leg for 36 and Anrich Nortje had Crawley caught in the same position for 44.
Left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj conceded only 22 runs in 19 unbroken overs from the northern end of the ground, enabling South African captain Faf du Plessis to rotate his four fast bowlers from the southern end.
With the four-match series tied at 1-1, batting first appeared to be a considerable advantage on a pitch which had a ...

South Africa land twin blow in third Test v England

Britain's Prince Harry was to make his first public appearance on Thursday since he and his wife Meghan's bombshell decision to quit as full-time royals.
The Duke of Sussex was to host the 2021 Rugby League World Cup draw at Buckingham Palace -- with all eyes on whether he will address the still-unresolved royal crisis.
Harry, 35, is patron of the Rugby Football League, the sport's governing body in England, and his participation in the draw was planned long before last week's shock announcement.
The couple want to step back as senior royals, split their time between Britain and Canada, become financially independent from official royal funding and pull out of the palace's media arrangements.
They made the announcement unilaterally on a new website -- without first squaring their wishes with Queen Elizabeth II.
Harry was summoned to a hastily-arranged family meeting on Monday with his grandmother, father Prince Charles and brother Prince William to thrash out a way forward.
The final .

Prince Harry resurfaces after royal bombshell

More than half of millennials fear there will be a nuclear attack somewhere in the world within the next decade, according to a survey by the Red Cross released on Thursday.
Some 47 per cent of respondents to the poll of 16,000 young people also believed it was more likely than not that there would be a third world war in their lifetime.
"Millennials appear to see cataclysmic war as a real likelihood in their lifetime," Peter Maurer, president of the Geneva-based International Committee of the Red Cross, said in a foreword to the report.
Adults aged between 20 and 35 took part in the survey -- both in war-torn countries such as Afghanistan and Syria and largely peaceful ones like Britain and France.
The Red Cross used online panels, face to face interviews and telephone interviews to reach people in 16 countries.
The most striking result came in reply to the question: "In your opinion, how likely or unlikely is it that nuclear weapons will be used in wars or armed conflicts anywhere ..

Millennials fear nuclear attack in next decade: survey

President Vladimir Putin's nominee for prime minister told lawmakers Thursday that the government needs to work harder so that Russians feel real improvements in their lives.
"As the president has stressed several times, people should already now be feeling real changes for the better, so far this is happening far from everywhere," Mikhail Mishustin, currently the head of Russia's tax service, told lawmakers who must approve his candidacy.
On Wednesday Putin nominated the little-known tax chief as the new prime minister after he unveiled sweeping constitutional changes and the government of his loyal lieutenant Dmitry Medvedev resigned.
Mishustin, the 53-year-old prime minister-designate, also said authorities need to restore confidence with the business community.
"To develop further and ensure further growth of GDP we need primarily to stimulate the growth of investment... to restore trust that has perhaps been lost between the authorities and business," he said.
He said the ...

PM nominee says Russians must 'feel real changes for the better'

Hong Kong may be allowed to keep its unique freedoms beyond their 2047 expiry date, its leader said Thursday, but only if inhabitants remain loyal to Beijing's vision of how the city should be run.
Chief executive Carrie Lam, a pro-Beijing appointee, made the comments during a fiery session in the city's legislature, where she was frequently interrupted by opposition lawmakers -- many of whom were ejected.
Hong Kong has been battered by seven months of pro-democracy protests, which Lam and Beijing have taken a hard line against.
The protests are fuelled by fears that the city is losing freedoms under an increasingly authoritarian Beijing.
Under a "one country, two systems" deal agreed ahead of the city's 1997 handover, authoritarian China has allowed Hong Kong to keep key liberties and its capitalist system for fifty years.
But protesters say Beijing is already reneging on that promise, while uncertainty swirls around what might happen when the deadline expires.
On Thursday Lam said ..

Hong Kong leader says city could keep freedoms if it 'stays loyal'

An unprecedented 45 million people in southern Africa are in urgent need of food aid due to drought, flooding and economic hardship, the UN said Thursday.
"This hunger crisis is on a scale we've not seen before and the evidence shows it's going to get worse," World Food Programme (WFP) regional director Lola Castro said in a statement.
The agency warned that it had only secured USD 205 million (184 million euros) of the USD 489 million it requires.
"If we don't receive the necessary funding, we'll have no choice but to assist fewer of those most in need, and with less," Castro said.
Low growth, rising population, drought and floods have combined to worsen food insecurity in the region, with Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe the worst-hit.
Nearly half of Zimbabwe's 15 million people live in a state of chronic food insecurity -- some 2.2 million in urban areas and five million in the countryside, according to UN figures.
Twenty per cent of ..

AFP

AFP

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