After becoming Prince Harry’s girlfriend and then a Duchess, Markle leaned on Serena for mentoring on how to handle the paparazzi and the international media. And last summer, Meghan watched Serena play at two matches during Wimbledon, before flying to the US to watch the tennis star in the US Open Tennis final. Jolly good fellow Serena and Meghan In November last year, she opened up about their close friendship, telling Access Hollywood that the Duchess of Sussex was ‘always’ there for her. Read Also Tennis ace asks shocked ball-girl to peel his banana at Australian Open She said: ‘I call her, text her anytime, crying, she’s always there. ‘It doesn’t matter what she is going through, she sets time aside and that’s amazing.’ Promoted Content18 Beautiful Cities That Are Tourist Magnets6 Extreme Facts About Hurricanes7 Mysterious Discoveries Archaeologists Still Can’t Explain2020 Tattoo Trends: Here’s What You’ll See This YearBest Car Manufacturers In The WorldThe Very Last Bitcoin Will Be Mined Around 2140. Read MoreCan Playing Too Many Video Games Hurt Your Body?9 Facts You Should Know Before Getting A TattooWho Earns More Than Ronaldo?The Best Cars Of All TimeYou’ve Only Seen Such Colorful Hairdos In A Handful Of AnimeBirds Enjoy Living In A Gallery Space Created For Them FacebookTwitterWhatsAppEmail分享 Loading… Twenty four Grand Slam chasing Serena Williams parried questions about her close friend Meghan Markle on Monday at the ongoing Aussie Open in Melbourne. The 37-year-old mother of one was questioned about the Harry, Duke of Sussex, 35, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, 38, after playing in her first match in which she defeated Russian Anastasia Potapova in straight sets 6-0 6-3. The 23-Grand slam champion appeared visibly uncomfortable when asked about the royal couple, folding her arms and stating: ‘I have absolutely no comments on that.’ Over the weekend it was announced that the Sussexes – who will split their time between Canada and Windsor – would no longer be using their HRH titles or perform royal duties. Serena and Meghan have become close friends after meeting at the Super Bowl Party in 2010 and the duo oiled the friendship through frequent phone calls and texts. Serena chats with Potapova after defeating the Russian in two straight setsAdvertisement
Rugby’s Hong Kong, Singapore Sevens postponed over virus
The Singapore Sevens is due to take place a week after the tournament in Hong Kong “It’s obviously a real shame but they have to put the health of those involved and attending first so it’s the right thing to do if it’s postponed,” Ben Ryan, who coached Fiji to Olympic sevens gold in 2016, told the South China Morning Post.Asia’s sports schedule has been hammered by the coronavirus, with Singapore’s HSBC Women’s World Championship, starting on February 27, among two golf events cancelled this week.The start of China’s Super League football is indefinitely on hold, and Chinese clubs are mostly sidelined from Asia’s Champions League until April. The flagship Hong Kong Sevens was scheduled for April 3-5, with Singapore a week later. Both cities are scrambling to deal with the virus, with 50 confirmed cases each and one death in Hong Kong.The Singapore tournament will now take place on October 10-11 and Hong Kong a week later on October 16-18, concluding the 10-stop world series.The COVID-19 death toll leapt to 1,367 on Thursday with nearly 60,000 infections in China, where the virus is thought to have emerged in the city of Wuhan.– ‘Real shame’ –The Hong Kong Sevens, an annual springtime fixture since 1976, is an important source of revenue and prestige for a city which has plunged into recession following months of pro-democracy protests and the US-China trade war.The colourful, three-day tournament, a guaranteed sell-out, is the signature event of the sevens series and was a driving force behind the sport’s Olympic inclusion.The Hong Kong Sevens is the signature event on the global sevens series Loading… “The health and safety of our players, fans and everyone working on the event is always our highest priority,” it added in a statement. The announcement comes a day after the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai, scheduled for April 19, was postponed, becoming the biggest single sports event affected by COVID-19 so far.
Rugby’s Hong Kong and Singapore Sevens were postponed from April to October over the coronavirus on Thursday, joining the Chinese Grand Prix, golf and football fixtures on the growing list of sporting casualties. The decision, which disrupts sevens rugby in the run-up to the Olympics, was made “in response to continued health concerns relating to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak”, World Rugby said. The Hong Kong Sevens rugby tournament attracts fans from all over the worldAdvertisement Read Also: Pogba keen to play for Man United again, steps up recovery from surgeryAthletics’ World Indoor Championships, due to be held in Nanjing in March, were postponed for a year, while boxing, tennis, basketball, skiing, diving, snooker and badminton have also been affected in China.But the biggest domino to fall was Shanghai’s Formula One grand prix, which was postponed “to ensure the health and safety of the travelling staff, championship participants and fans”, the FIA, motorsport’s governing body, said on Wednesday.No new date was proposed for the race – one of 22 on this year’s calendar – and there has been no announcement about the inaugural grand prix in Vietnam, scheduled for April 5.FacebookTwitterWhatsAppEmail分享 Promoted ContentYou’ve Only Seen Such Colorful Hairdos In A Handful Of AnimeWhich Country Is The Most Romantic In The World?Portuguese Street Artist Creates Hyper-Realistic 3D Graffiti2020 Tattoo Trends: Here’s What You’ll See This YearEvery Movie Starring Sylvester Stallone From Best To Worst8 Superfoods For Growing Hair Back And Stimulating Its GrowthCouples Who Celebrated Their Union In A Unique, Unforgettable Way11 Most Immersive Game To Play On Your Table Top14 Hilarious Comics Made By Women You Need To Follow Right NowDisney’s Live-Action Simba Was Based On The Cutest Lion Cub Ever10 Hyper-Realistic 3D Street Art By Odeith7 Ways To Understand Your Girlfriend Better
Step up your game, Eto’o urges Chukwueze
Promoted ContentThe Very Last Bitcoin Will Be Mined Around 2140. Read MoreWho Earns More Than Ronaldo?10 Greatest Disney Female Villains We Love Anyways6 Extreme Facts About Hurricanes5 Of The World’s Most Unique Theme Parks10 Places On Our Planet Where The Most People Live18 Beautiful Cities That Are Tourist MagnetsYou’ve Only Seen Such Colorful Hairdos In A Handful Of AnimeThis Guy Photoshopped Himself Into Celeb Pics And It’s Hysterical10 Phones That Can Easily Fit In The Smallest Pocket7 Black Hole Facts That Will Change Your View Of The Universe6 Incredibly Strange Facts About Hurricanes Chukwueze was snapped up by the Spanish top-flight team from Diamond Football Academy thanks to his impressive outing where he helped Nigeria win the 2017 Fifa Under-17 World Cup in Chile. There, he was named third-best player behind Johannes Eggestein and compatriot Victor Osimhen. Having impressed for Villarreal’s reserves in the third tier, he was promoted to the senior team – making his debut in a Europa League game against Rangers – as manager Javi Calleja brought him in as a 79th-minute replacement for Nicola Sansone. He made his league debut on November 5, 2018, playing every minute in a 1-1 draw against Levante. Since then, he has been a regular in the Yellow Submarine setup – while accentuating his importance to the team with eye-catching performances which got him among last year’s Golden Boy 40-man shortlist and also earned him a call-up to Nigeria’s senior national team. The 20-year-old was part of Gernot Rohr’s Super Eagles team that finished third at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations – scoring his maiden goal in the 2-1 defeat of South Africa in the quarter-finals. Loading… When asked about what the future holds for the in-demand player, the four-time African Player of the Year underlined the Nigerian’s quality but tasked him to step up in terms of scoring goals. “He is an incredible player who is growing in leaps and bounds and it’s just a matter of time,” Eto’o told Goal. “He is a quality player and he needs to score more goals, but he has the quality and ability to be more than just a goalscoring forward. Once he gets all of that he will be top.” Chukwueze has recorded three goals in 26 La Liga appearances for Villarreal this season, with his latest strike coming in a 3-1 home defeat against Celta Vigo in November 2019. Read Also:Football analysts tell Barcelona to sign Chukwueze as Dembele replacement Although he is reportedly attracting plenty of admirers across Europe, the Nigeria international would be hoping to help Calleja’s men end the season well in the Spanish top-flight. Currently, they are placed eighth in the log after accruing 38 points from 27 league outings. FacebookTwitterWhatsAppEmail分享 Former Barcelona star, Samuel Eto’o has urged Villarreal’s Samuel Chukwueze to work more on his goalscoring abilities.
Lionel Messi: Could Barca wage cut impact star’s future?
With La Liga suspended indefinitely, so too the battle to be elected Barcelona’s figurehead has ground to a halt, with the next presidential election set for June 2021. Messi had hoped for an outcome before committing to a new deal, but amid reports that he has vowed to quit if Josep Maria Bartomeu is allowed to stay on for another term, the club’s attempted strategy to enforce a hefty wage cut casts further doubt over his future. Messi is the captain and Bartomeu knows this move will likely lead to his departure in 15 months’ time, but his final objective is to tie the club’s talisman down to a ‘contract for life’. Messi responded to comments Abidal made to a Spanish newspaper this year Read Also: Djokovic donates €1m to help Serbia combat coronavirus Earlier this season, sporting director Eric Abidal became embroiled in a public dispute with the Argentine when he called out several unnamed players for not having the right attitude under former manager Ernesto Valverde. Messi replied on social media: “Those responsible for the area of sports management must assume their responsibilities and above all take charge of the decisions they make. “I think that when talking about players, we should give names because otherwise, we are getting everyone dirty and feeding things that are said and are not true,” he added. FacebookTwitterWhatsAppEmail分享 Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu agreed Messi’s last contract in 2017 Lionel Messi set to be hit with wage cut as part of Barcelona’s response to coronavirus crisis as Spain remains in a “state of alarm”, activated by the prime minister Pedro Sanchez a fortnight ago. This is a country that is struggling to cope with a mounting coronavirus crisis as its death toll exceeded China’s this week with 769 lives lost on Friday – Spain’s largest single-day surge – bringing the total number of fatalities to 4,858 from 64,000 cases. Lionel Messi has scored has 24 goals in 31 games for Barcelona this season With the pandemic at the forefront of people’s minds, the country’s second-richest football club is not immune from feeling the effects. Barcelona have announced plans to reduce player and staff wages in a bid to “minimise the economic impact” caused by the outbreak. During the crisis, it is understood that Barcelona want to reduce salaries by 70 per cent while the players have offered to cut their wages by 30 per cent for the rest of the season. As it stands, no agreement has been reached. The club are adamant there will be wage cuts, beginning retrospectively from March 19, so where does this leave Lionel Messi? The Argentine faces a significant wage cut as a result of the coronavirus crisis The Argentine, whose contract expires next summer, earns a reported £500,000-a-week. His salary amounts to over £31m, before bonuses. Barcelona sit two points clear at the top of La Liga, but the fractious relationship between the club and its players has brought scrutiny to a clause in Messi’s deal which would allow him to leave on a free transfer this summer. The changing room is divided, and with the reduction in wages set to be felt across the board – even for the women’s team – Messi’s view on the situation could prove decisive. The Catalan club’s wage costs exceed any other team in sport, while matchday income of around £5.5m per game has also stopped helping offset expenditures. Despite last season’s revenue being recorded at £726m, megastores and the club museum have also been closed. Barcelona hope to push through the wage cut under “ERTE”, the temporary employment regulation that has been set up, but the true cost of potentially alienating its players may only be felt further down the line.
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Mbappe, Neymar to remain at PSG this year – report
L’Equipe are reporting that either Neymar or Mbappe leaving the Parc des Princes in the coming months is close to impossible, particularly with the season now likely to be played out between June, July and August. The club are convinced that Mbappe will stay beyond the summer, while Neymar could still depart though it’s now looking increasingly unlikely. Read Also: Neymar employs two very fast opponents to train withThe Brazilian is now at a point that could see him terminate his contract, provided 180 million euros are paid, but that figure now seems improbable given the circumstances.Barcelona, additionally, refused to put forward that amount last summer.FacebookTwitterWhatsAppEmail分享 Advertisement Kylian Mbappe and Neymar are set to continue at Paris Saint-Germain beyond the summer and into the next season. The coronavirus’ impact on football has shaken things up and will affect clubs’ transfer plans, to PSG’s benefit.
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Moyes volunteers to take pay-cut
The source suggests that West Ham are looking at ways to reduce their expenses without having to furlough their non-playing staff. read also:Moyes warns Sheffield to forget Tevez ahead of EPL clash They have not yet asked players to take a pay cut or deferral, but they are considering all the available options. FacebookTwitterWhatsAppEmail分享 Loading… Since there is no football due to the COVID-19 outbreak, clubs are experiencing a financial dry spell. Some players have already taken pay cuts, and it appears that Moyes is willing to lower his salary during these months, per the Evening Standard.Advertisement West Ham United boss David Moyes has volunteered to take a pay cut. Promoted ContentWhich Country Is The Most Romantic In The World?10 Risky Jobs Some Women Do9 Facts You Should Know Before Getting A Tattoo7 Mind-Boggling Facts About Black HolesWhat Happens When You Eat Eggs Every Single Day?What Are The Most Delicious Foods Out There?This Guy Photoshopped Himself Into Celeb Pics And It’s HystericalWho Is The Most Powerful Woman On Earth?40 Child Actors Who Turned Into Gorgeous AdultsWho’s The Best Car Manufacturer Of All Time?Birds Enjoy Living In A Gallery Space Created For ThemCouples Who Celebrated Their Union In A Unique, Unforgettable Way
Bago City farmers get 3,000 bags of certified rice seeds
Bago City agriculturist Carlito Indencia (right) with farmers who received an initial 3,000 bags of certified rice seeds from the Department of Agriculture in Western Visayas during the turn-over rites at the Manuel Y. Torres Memorial Coliseum and Cultural Center on Dec. 12. PHOTO COURTESY OF BAGO CITY AGRICULTURE OFFICE The city is releasing a total of 5,000bags of certified rice seeds this year, he added. Farmers with an area of 0.5 hectare orless will get a bag of rice seeds while those with 0.5 to one hectare will havean allocation of two bags. Bago City agriculturist CarlitoIndencia said the first tranche will benefit over a thousand farmers and theywill get around 7,000 bags more to cover a total of 5,000 hectares of ricefarms. “Insteadof purchasing seeds, farmers can use their funds for other inputs and farmactivities instead,” Indencia said. Last May, Bago City was awarded – forthe second straight year – as one of the top rice-producing local governmentunits in the country during the DA’s Rice Achievers Awards. The city government also distributedseeds to rice farmers using the local government fund. BACOLOD City – Farmers of Bago City inNegros Occidental have received an initial 3,000 bags of certified seeds fromthe Department of Agriculture (DA) as part of the Rice CompetitivenessEnhancement Fund. “Some farmers have already planted for2019. We will accommodate those in the north area for third cropping,” headded.
Those with farms from one to 1.5hectares will be given three sacks, and farmers will receive four bags if theyplant on more than 1.5 hectares. Indencia said they have releasedaround 3,500 40-kg bags during the first cropping season and the release forthe 1,500 bags for the second cropping is still ongoing. Its average yield per hectare hasincreased from 4.2-metric tons in 2017 to 4.43-metric tons last year. From the previous 20 percent, the citynow contributes 25 percent to the total rice production of Negros Occidental. For Bago City dubbed as “the ricegranary of Negros Occidental,” the seeds will largely help farmers reduce theirproduction cost. According to the city Agricultureoffice, Bago City has a total of 119,528 metric tons of palay production from an area of 11,879 hectares in 2018. The ceremonial turnover was held atthe Manuel Y. Torres Memorial Coliseum and Cultural Center in Bago City lastThursday.(With a report from PNA/PN)
Malay eyes lifting of virus border control checkpoints
The new measure, which came into effecton Feb. 7, for border control checkpoints in Sitio Bacolod-Caticlan,Dumlog, and Union (Nabas)-Caticlan, and the Caticlan port for travellersof motorized pump boats from Romblon and roll-on roll-off vessels fromMindoro and Batangas as a precautionary move against COVID-19. “Titingnannatin ang lifting ng bordercheckpoints sa Feb. 15 or 16, mga 14 days mula Jan. 31 directive niPresident Rodrigo Duterte. Ditona sa Caticlan port anginspection bago makarating saBoracay ang mga visitors ayon sa pag-uusap namin ni Governor (FlorencioMiraflores),”the acting mayor added. Acting town mayor Frolibar Bautista saidthe lifting, however, would entail stringent health screenings atthe Caticlan port for tourists entering Boracay. Last week, Bautista issued ExecutiveOrder (EO) No. 4, which temporarily bars the entry to Malay and Boracay Islandof any persons, regardless of nationality, who travelled to China andits special administrative regions for the past 14 days. The local task force also reported atleast 65 persons under monitoring in Boracay Island as of Feb.11. These are tourists who travelled to the country before the lockdown imposed bythe national government. (With a reportfrom Akean Forum/PN) “Mahigpitang pagbabantay natin na hindi makapasok sila sa Caticlan. Pag-aaralan din natin ang mga galingTaiwan dahil sa EO No. 4 hindi included ang Taiwan,” Bautista said. Police officers flag down this vehicle at a border control checkpoint in Malay, Aklan. The local government unit put up checkpoints in strategic parts of the town to lessen the risk of spreading the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). MALAY PNP Bautista said45 Chinese tourists tried to enter a border checkpoint inbarangay Caticlan on February 11, but they were denied by the task force. Bautista said Boracay is safewith no reported persons under investigation (PUIs) as wellas no cases of coronavirus. However, the acting mayor admittedthe deadly outbreak in China would impact the tourism industry ofBoracay Island. Transiting tourists were‘intercepted’ in border control checkpoints by Malay task force anti-COVID-19after learning they had travel history to China, Hong Kong andMacau. “Malakiang impact dahil saChinese market. Mga 40 percent ang nawala natourist arrivals sa Boracaydahil sa coronavirus,”he added. BORACAY – The local government unit ofMalay, Aklan considers lifting of border control checkpoints imposed tolessen the risk of spreading the coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19). Local police and health authorities manningthe border control checkpoints required travellers to present theirpassports to identify travel history, and to see whether they have symptoms ofcoronavirus. 
PRO-6 orders operation audit following Alimodian truck crash
Whilehe assured financial assistance to the injured policemen and to the families ofthe four who died, Pamuspusan said an investigation was needed to avert similaraccidents in the future. ILOILOCity – Was the vehicular accident in Barangay Ginomoy, Alimodian, Iloiloon Saturday afternoon that resulted in the death of four policemen and thewounding of 31 others due to lapses inpolice operation? TheRMFB is spearheaded by Police Captain Bonifacio Alabe Jr./PN Theoperational audit should result to “kungano pa ang dapat i-improve, ano paang dapat gawin para hindi na maulit ang ganitong pangyayari,” Pamuspusanstressed. Theydied of severe body and head injuries while the 31 others were confined in somehospitals in Iloilo City. Thepolicemen were on their way back to the town proper of Alimodian from a combatoperation when their truck fell into a deep ravine. Pamuspusanwondered why the policemen did not use a police truck. Four policeofficers died and 31 others were injured after the truck they were running plummetedinto a 100-meter deep ravine in Barangay Ginomoy, Alimodian on Saturday at1 p.m. Thetruck they used was owned by the local government unit of Alimodian. ThePolice Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) wanted to know. “Marami naman tayong trucks dito. We will review system sapag-withdraw ng personnel afterthe operation,” he said, “at makita natinkung ano ang pananagutan ng mga commanders nila.” Allpolice officers were members of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion(RMFB). On their way back to their camp, the truck’s brake malfunctioned,causing it to veer off the highway and plunged deep down into a ravine. PHOTO BY IAN PAUL CORDERO/PN Thecasualties were Police Corporal Emerson Peñarubia, Police Patrolmen PrinceAngelo Supiter, Rex Agupitan and Antonio Tumanday Jr. Therewould be an operational audit, said Police Brigadier General Rene Pamuspusan,regional police director.
Duterte to visit Boracay on March 12
MANILA – To show that the Philippinesis a safe place to visit despite the outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19) elsewhere, President Rodrigo Duterte will kick off his tour of thecountry’s top tourist spots in Boracay Island in Malay, Aklan on March 12. Boracay was closed to tourists fromApril to October 2018 for six months of massive rehabilitation that Dutertehimself ordered. Boracay is experiencing a dip intourist arrivals due to the COVID-19 scare. President Rodrigo Roa Duterte prepares to board a helicopter after gracing the inauguration of the Sangley Airport Development Project in Cavite City on February 15, 2020. PCOO Aside from stressing that Boracay hasbecome environmentally sound, the presidential visit would also drive home thepoint that the island remains safe and free from COVID-19, according to Puyat. Aside from South Korea, the Philippinegovernment also imposed travel bans to mainland China and its specialadministrative regions of Macau and Hong Kong. “March 12, inaanyayahan namin kayo. Pupunta si Presidente Duterte sa Boracay to show that it is safe,”said Puyat. Aside from Boracay, the Presidentwould also be visiting Bohol and Cebu, said Puyat. For several years now, the island’stop visitors are South Koreans. However, the government recently imposed apartial ban on tourists from the northern part of South Korea that has been hitby COVID-19. The Philippines stands to lose anestimated of P42.9 billion in tourism receipts this first quarter of 2020 dueto the COVID-19 scare. This will be the President’s firstvisit to Boracay since the island reopened to tourists in October 2018,according to Department of Tourism (DOT) secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat. Prior to Boracay’s rehabilitation,Duterte likened the island to a cesspool. To counter the tourism industryslowdown, Puyat said DOT has allotted P6 billion for international and domestictourism promotion and development. One has already started – the campaignon popular video-sharing app TikTok where snippets of the country’s touristspots are shown using the tag #gocreateph. Discounts from airlines and hotelswill also continue until April, said Puyat, and DOT will also push through withits travel trade shows to areas with fewer cases of COVID-19 such as WesternEurope, Middle East, Russia and Indonesia./PN