Manchester United were in full support of the decision that led to Paul Pogba undergoing ankle surgery, manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said on Friday.
The Norwegian boss appeared to suggest after the New Year's Day defeat to Arsenal that Pogba's "people" had recommended the surgery, raising questions over how much input the club had in the decision.
The French World Cup winner made his comeback after nearly three months out with an ankle injury in a 2-0 defeat at Watford on December 22 and also made an appearance off the bench in a 4-1 thrashing of Newcastle four days later but has since been sidelined again.
Speculation continues to surround the 26-year-old, who has been regularly linked with a move away from Old Trafford and whose agent, Mino Raiola, has been scathing about the club in comments made in the Italian media.
But Solskjaer was keen to play down any suggestion of a disagreement regarding the injury, and said: "Paul came back after a long spell out, (featured in) a few ...

Man Utd in full support of Pogba operation, says Solskjaer

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Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp admits he has some tough decisions to make ahead of Sunday's FA Cup meeting with Everton after the injury toll mounted for the Premier League leaders.
Midfielder Naby Keita became the latest player to be added to the injured list, having sustained a groin problem before Thursday's 2-0 win over Sheffield United, which restored Liverpool's 13-point lead at the top of the Premier League.
With defenders Joel Matip, Dejan Lovren and Nathaniel Clyne, midfielders Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Xherdan Shaqiri, Fabinho and forward Rhian Brewster all out, Klopp finds himself down to just 12 senior outfield players, plus new signing Takumi Minamino and a number of youth team members for the Merseyside derby.
"I won't tell Carlo Ancelotti my line-up, but I will do what I think is right to do," said Klopp, who fielded a youth team in the League Cup quarter-final defeat at Aston Villa last month as his senior side were in Qatar winning the Club World Cup.
"Some things I ...

Klopp counts injury toll ahead of FA Cup tie with Everton

Kagiso Rabada struck shortly before lunch to spoil what had been a solid morning for England on the first day of the second Test against South Africa at Newlands on Friday.
England were 67 for two at lunch after captain Joe Root won the toss and decided to bat.
Rabada ended a 55-run second-wicket partnership between Dom Sibley and Joe Denly when he had Sibley caught behind for 34 in the second over of his second spell.
Sibley and Denly (21 not out) batted solidly on an easy-paced pitch after the early dismissal of Zak Crawley, who was caught behind off Vernon Philander for four in the third over of the match.
Crawley was playing in place of Rory Burns, who was ruled out of the rest of the four-match World Test Championship series after damaging ligaments in his left ankle while playing football in a warm-up before Thursday's final net practice.
In a second blow for England, fast bowler Jofra Archer did not play because of a right elbow injury.
Crawley's wicket was a typical dismissal .

Rabada spoils England's morning

Iraqi President Barham Saleh called for restraint on Friday after a US strike killed top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani and Iraqi paramilitary chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis outside Baghdad airport.
"We call on everyone to restrain themselves," Saleh said in a statement, characterising the strike as an "aggression" and saying Iraq would be destabilised if "voices of reason" did not prevail.

Iraq president calls for restraint after deadly US strike

China on Friday confirmed more cases of a mystery viral pneumonia that has sparked fears about a resurgence of SARS, the flu-like virus that killed hundreds of people more than a decade ago.
The 44 cases, up from the initial 27 announced Tuesday, include 11 "severe cases," health authorities in the central Chinese city of Wuhan said in a statement.
"The vital signs of the other patients are generally stable," the statement said.
The authorities are still in the process of identifying the cause of the infection, but "influenza, avian influenza, adenovirus infection and other common respiratory diseases have been excluded," the Wuhan health commission said on Friday, without mentioning SARS, which is caused by a coronavirus.
News of the mystery pneumonia outbreak earlier this week led to speculation online that it might be linked to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, a highly contagious respiratory disease.
Wuhan police on Wednesday said they had punished eight people for "publishing or 

China confirms more cases of mystery viral pneumonia

Iran's supreme leader named the deputy head of the Revolutionary Guards' foreign operations arm Esmail Qaani to replace its commander Friday after he was killed in a US strike in Baghdad.
"Following the martyrdom of the glorious general haj Qasem Soleimani, I name Brigadier General Esmail Qaani as the commander of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps," Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a statement posted on his official website.
Qaani was described by Khamenei as one of the "most decorated commanders" of the Guards during the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war.
"The orders for the (Quds) force remain exactly as they were during the leadership of martyr Soleimani," said the supreme leader.
"I call on the members of the force to be present and cooperate with General Qaani and wish him divine prosperity, acceptance and guidance," he added.

Iran names Quds Force number 2 to replace slain Soleimani

Yemen's pro-Tehran rebels, who control the capital Sanaa, called Friday for "swift reprisals" for the killing of senior Iranian commander Major General Qasem Soleimani in a US strike in Baghdad.
"We condemn this killing and direct and swift reprisals are the answer," senior rebel political official Mohammed Ali al-Huthi tweeted.
The Saudi-led coalition, which has been fighting the rebels since March 2015, accuses Iran of providing them with sophisticated weapons to use against Saudi airports and oil facilities, something Tehran denies.
In September, the Yemeni rebels claimed responsibility for twin drone and missile strikes on Saudi oil facilities that briefly knocked out half the kingdom's output, sending world prices soaring.
The United States dismissed the rebel claim and alleged that it was Iran itself which orchestrated the attacks, something Tehran again denied.

Yemen rebels urge 'swift reprisals' for Soleimani killing

Russia has stopped shipping oil to Belarus, the Belarusian state energy firm said on Friday, after the two countries failed to reach a deal on supplies by a January 1 deadline.
Moscow said oil flow through Belarus -- a key transit route for Russian oil and gas to Europe -- was continuing. But a dragged-out dispute could threaten supplies.
Belneftekhim said in a statement that loading to Belarus's two oil refineries had been reduced to a technical minimum after supplies from Russia were halted.
"Work is ongoing on concluding the January contracts," said the statement, quoted by state media.
The ex-Soviet neighbours have a long history of energy disputes and complicated bilateral ties, with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko running hot and cold on Moscow's push for a closer trade and political union.
A previous deal on oil prices, transit fees and volumes expired on December 31.
Lukashenko and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a series of calls ahead of the deadline but ...

Russia stops oil supplies to Belarus after no deal signed

Britain on Friday called for calm after a US strike in Baghdad killed top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani, increasing tensions between Tehran and Washington.
Foreign minister Dominic Raab said London had "always recognised the aggressive threat" posed by Soleimani and his Quds Force, adding: "Following his death, we urge all parties to de-escalate. Further conflict is none of our interests.

London urges 'all parties to de-escalate' after US kills Iran general

US lawmakers return to Washington Friday with President Donald Trump's upcoming impeachment trial looming over the first Senate session of 2020, but congressional leaders are locked in stalemate over how to proceed.
As Congress braces for a frenetic January, newly uncovered evidence could bolster Democrats' demands for testimony from key witnesses with firsthand knowledge of Trump's Ukraine pressure scheme at the heart of the impeachment scandal.
A series of emails published Thursday signal that the order to maintain a freeze on military aid to Ukraine came directly from Trump, and reveal that the Pentagon raised serious concerns about the legality of the directive. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has so far refused to transmit the two articles of impeachment against Trump -- abuse of power and obstruction of Congress -- to the Senate until the chamber agrees on trial parameters that she considers fair.
No progress was made over the holiday break as to the rules of the trial, after Trump ..

US Senate returns amid standoff over impeachment trial

Indonesian conservationists say they've spotted the biggest specimen ever of what's already been billed as one of the world's largest flowers.
The giant Rafflesia tuan-mudae -- a fleshy red flower with white blister-like spots on its enormous petals -- came in at a whopping 111 centimetres (3.6 foot) in diameter.
That's bigger than the previous record of 107 centimetres on a bloom also found in the jungles of West Sumatra several years ago.
"This is the largest Rafflesia tuan-mudae that has ever been documented," said Ade Putra at the Agam Conservation Agency in Sumatra.
The flower's bloom will only last about one week before it will wither and rot, he added.
It was named Rafflesia after British colonialist Sir Stamford Raffles who spotted one in Indonesia in the early 19th Century.
The species grows in several Southeast Asian countries, including the Philippines where a 100 centimetre specimen was recorded.
The parasitic bloom, sometimes referred to as corpse flower, mimics the ...

Biggest bloom: 'world's largest' flower spotted in Indonesia

Dutch police were puzzled Friday by a spate of letter bombs sent to seemingly random targets in three of the Netherlands' main cities as it warned the public to be on the lookout.
The latest incident happened early Friday when staff at Amsterdam's Okura hotel alerted police after they received a suspect parcel bearing the hallmarks of a letter bomb.
Explosive experts rushed to the luxury hotel and police later tweeted: "The letter is the same as the other ones."
"The hotel does not have to be evacuated, but the military's explosives clearing team is on the scene."
The letter is one of at least seven that have been sent to various addresses in the three cities in the past week, including two hotels, two service stations, an estate agency, a car dealership and the central debt collecting agency.
The director of the car dealership in Rotterdam told NOS public news a receptionist Thursday opened the letter and saw "something that looked like a battery" before calling the police.
So far, ..

Spate of letter bombs puzzles Dutch police

A British woman convicted of falsely claiming she was gang-raped in Cyprus has urged Prime Minister Boris Johnson to intervene nd bring her home, according to The Sun newspaper on Friday.
"I am 19 and all I want to do is clear my name and come home to my family," she was quoted as saying by the daily.
"Time is running out for me. Please, please help."
The teenager, who has not been named, was convicted by a court in Cyprus last week of lying about being attacked by 12 young Israeli tourists at a hotel in the holiday resort of Ayia Napa in July.
But she claimed police had pressured her into withdrawing her complaint. The accused Israelis were then released while she was charged and later convicted of "public mischief".
Britain's Foreign Office has said it was "seriously concerned" about whether she had received a fair trial, and the case has been taken up by rape survivors and rights groups.
A protest march from the Cyprus high commission in London is set to take place on Monday, a day 

British woman in Cyprus rape claim case appeals to PM

The Syrian government on Friday condemned the killing of top Iranian and Iraqi commanders in a US strike which was hailed by the opposition.
The strike outside Baghdad airport killed top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani and the deputy chief of Iraq's pro-Iran paramilitary organisation, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis.
Syria is "certain that this cowardly US aggression... will only strengthen determination to follow in the path of the resistance's martyred leaders," a foreign ministry official was quoted as saying by the state news agency SANA.
The official described the killings as "a serious escalation of the situation" in the region and accused the United States of resorting to "the methods of criminal gangs".
The unnamed official said the strike was "part of the (US) policy aiming to create tensions and fuel conflict in countries in the region." Soleimani had been a key backer of President Bashar al-Assad and helped him save his position after an uprising that began in 2011 threatened to ...

Syria regime condemns Iraq strike, opposition rejoices

Marnus Labuschagne hit his fourth century in just 14 Tests to guide Australia into a commanding position against virus-hit New Zealand on the opening day of the third Test in Sydney on Friday.
The rock-solid number three, last year's leading Test scorer with 1,104 runs at 64.94, again proved the Black Caps' nemesis with his second ton of the series to continue his remarkable scoring sequence.
Supported by Steve Smith's 28th Test half-century, Australia reached stumps at 283 for three with Labuschagne unbeaten on 130 and Matthew Wade a breezy 22 not out.
The South African-born Labuschagne has now scored four centuries in seven Test innings this southern summer against Pakistan and New Zealand.
"Terrific day," he said. "When you bat on day one you know it can be a real prosperous day but if you get off to a shaky start it can be tough work.
"It's all a bit of a whirlwind at the moment. I haven't really sat down and completely thought about how amazing this summer has been for ...

Labuschagne ton as Australia take advantage of depleted Kiwis

The world reacted with alarm on Friday after top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani was killed in a US strike in Iraq, with leaders appealing for restraint.
The assassination was praised by US President Donald Trump's Republicans but elsewhere there were warnings of the danger it could inflame regional tensions.
Following are some of the reactions from around the world:
- 'Severe revenge' -
"Martyrdom was the reward for his ceaseless efforts in all these years," Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Twitter, declaring three days of mourning.
"With him gone, God willing, his work and his path will not be stopped, but severe revenge awaits the criminals who bloodied their foul hands with his blood and other martyrs' in last night's incident." Khamenei called Soleimani the "international face of the resistance" and said he was killed by "the most cruel of those on earth".  All people who back the resistance would be his "avengers".
"The lack of our devoted and dear general .

How the world is reacting to US killing of top Iran general

Canadian young gun Denis Shapovalov edged world number six Stefanos Tsitsipas in his country's clean sweep against Greece on the first day of the inaugural ATP Cup on Friday.
The 20-year-old Shapovalov downed the world number six 7-6 (8-6), 7-6 (7/4) in Brisbane to give Canada an unassailable 2-0 lead after Felix Auger-Aliassime thrashed Michail Pervolarakis 6-1, 6-3.
The two then combined in the doubles to beat Pervolarakis and Tsitsipas 6-2, 6-3.
"It was definitely a great start to the event -- these boys played awesome," Canadian captain Adriano Fuorivia said.
"It's easy to support them when they're playing like that." Shapovalov's left-handed serve was working beautifully in his match against Tsitsipas, who faltered at key moments in both tiebreaks.
Tsitsipas, 21, had a superb end to 2019, winning the ATP Finals in his tournament debut and reaching a career-high world ranking of five.
He went into the match as slight favourite over the Canadian, ranked nine places below him.
Both .

Canadian young gun Shapovalov downs Tsitsipas in ATP Cup

The leader of Lebanon's Tehran-backed Hezbollah group called Friday for the death in a US strike of top Iranian commander Major General Qasem Soleimani to be avenged.
"Meting out the appropriate punishment to these criminal assassins... will be the responsibility and task of all resistance fighters worldwide," Hassan Nasrallah said in a statement.

Avenging Soleimani responsibility of 'resistance' worldwide: Hezbollah

World number 11 David Goffin said he was "very motivated" after getting his season off to a winning start Friday at the ATP Cup in Sydney, which was marred by a national anthem gaffe by organisers.
Belgium's top player led his team to a win over Group C rivals Moldova at the inaugural 24-nation event that is also being played in Brisbane and Perth.
He cruised past an error-laden Radu Albot 6-4, 6-1, rarely threatened by the world number 46 who broke new ground in 2019 by becoming his country's first ATP Tour title winner at Delray Beach.
"I was very good intensity, good energy, good attitude. That made the difference," said Goffin, who made two ATP Tour finals last year at Halle and Cincinnati.
"I'm very motivated, happy to start the year with new ambitions, so maybe that's why today was a very good match."
"It's never easy to start the season with the first match, first team competition, the new format, with the team on the bench. And the way I played, I'm very pleased and so it's ...

Goffin 'very motivated' after Belgium make winning ATP Cup start

The US killing of a top Iranian military commander has made the world "more dangerous," France's Europe minister said Friday, calling for efforts to de-escalate the deepening conflict in the Middle East.
"We have woken up to a more dangerous world," Amelie de Montchalin told RTL radio, saying President Emmanuel Macron would consult soon with "players in the region."
The United States confirmed it was responsible for an airstrike early Friday that killed Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani in Baghdad, ratcheting up the proxy war between the two powers.
"In such operations, when we can see an escalation is underway, but what we want above all is stability and de-escalation," Montchalin said.
"All of France's efforts... in all parts of the world aim to ensure that we are creating the conditions for peace or at least stability," she added.
"Our role is not to take sides, but to talk with everyone," Montchalin said.

France says world 'more dangerous' after US killing of Iran general

Moscow warned Friday that the US killing of top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani in Iraq would boost tensions across the Middle East.
"The killing of Soleimani.... was an adventurist step that will increase tensions throughout the region," news agencies RIA Novosti and TASS quoted the foreign ministry as saying.
"Soleimani served the cause of protecting Iran's national interests with devotion. We express our sincere condolences to the Iranian people.

AFP

AFP

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