Zabaleta to leave Manchester City after 9 years

Pablo Zabaleta will leave Manchester City at the end of the season after nine years at the English Premier League club. City said on Saturday that the Argentina international, who is out of contract this summer, informed the club of his intention to leave. Zabaleta has made 332 appearances for City since joining from Espanyol in 2008, and has become a fans' favorite. City said it hasn't made a decision on other players whose contracts…

United cling on against Celta to reach Europe League final

United, who won 2-1 on aggregate, will face Ajax Amsterdam in Stockholm on May 24 after the Dutch side overcame Olympique Lyonnais 5-4 on aggregate after a 3-1 defeat in Lyon.

United will play in their first Europa League final and their first European showpiece match since losing in the 2011 Champions League. They also never reached the UEFA Cup final.
Leading 1-0 from the first leg of the semi-final in Spain, United thought they had killed off the tie when Marouane Fellaini headed them in front after 17 minutes.
United sat back and allowed Celta to dominate possession but looked comfortable until Facundo Roncaglia headed the visitors level in the 85th minute, meaning another goal for the Spaniards could have put them through on away goals.
Tempers flared shortly afterwards when United's Ivory Coast defender Eric Bailly lashed out at John Guidetti, who fell to the ground, before Argentina international Roncaglia got involved. Roncaglia and Bailly were sent off.
Guidetti had a chance to win the tie for Celta with the last kick of the game but failed to control the ball six metres from goal.
Best team
"We were the best team in the first leg but we never kill, we never score goals related to the chances we have. It was an open game at home, all the pressure on our side," said United coach Jose Mourinho.
"We suffered until the end... After 14 matches we are in the final. If we win the Europa League I am more than happy. It would be amazing."
Mourinho, who has targeted a Europa League triumph as a way for United to qualify for next season's Champions League, described Ivorian defender Bailly's performance as phenomenal.
"The game was emotional for everyone. Some kept control better than others," he said.
"Facundo Roncaglia is not new in these situations, Bailly was probably naive. We now lose a very important player for the final, and we don't have many."
Celta, whose fans made most of the noise, were lively from the start but United went ahead when Fellaini got in front of his marker to head in at the far post after Marcus Rashford drifted out to the left and delivered a perfect cross.
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The hosts were then happy to sit back and contain Celta, making the game strangely subdued. The visitors moved the ball around nicely but failed to make the most of their chances.
The game changed dramatically when Roncaglia headed home Theo Bongonda's cross.
United kept the visitors at bay during six minutes of stoppage time and the Celta players sank to their knees in despair as the whistle blew seconds after Guidetti's miss

ICC Champions Trophy Prize Money details announced

 

 

 

 

The upcoming ICC Champions Trophy in England and Wales from 1-18 June carries a total prize money of $4.5 million with the winner of the eight-team tournament taking home a cheque of $2.2 million, the International Cricket Council announced today.

The eighth edition of the tournament sees an increase of $500,000 in prize money from the 2013 edition, which too was played at the three venues being used this time - Cardiff Wales Stadium, Edgbaston and The Oval, according to ICC’s media release.
The runner-up of the tournament will get a cheque of $1.1 million, while the other two semifinalists will earn $450,000 each. Teams finishing third in each group will take home $90,000 each, while the teams finishing last in each group will get $60,000 each.
Meanwhile, the ICC has also announced the schedule of media conferences that will take place in the lead up to the tournament.
Pakistan and Bangladesh captains will hold their pre-tournament media conferences at Edgbaston in Birmingham on Friday, 26 May, at 1300 and 1400 respectively.
The ICC has also confirmed the schedule of mixed zone activities post the warm-up matches.
Each team, except England and South Africa, which will be busy in their bilateral series, will attend mixed zone in which they are expected to put up, at least, four players each who will only take questions that are related to the tournament. The same format will be repeated during the tournament proper.

China says all welcome at Silk Road forum after US complains over North Korea

China welcomes all countries to a forum this weekend on China's new Silk Road plan, the foreign ministry said on Saturday, after the United States warned China that North Korea's attendance could affect other countries' participation.
Two sources with knowledge of the situation said the US embassy in Beijing had submitted a diplomatic note to China's foreign ministry, saying inviting North Korea sent the wrong message at a time when the world was trying to pressure it over its repeated missile and nuclear tests.

Next budget to be 'best' in my life: Muhith

Finance Minister AMA Muhith today said the upcoming budget for 2017-18 fiscal year will be the 'best budget' of his life.

"We will increase the revenue growth up to 30 percent in the upcoming fiscal year," he said while addressing a pre-budget meeting with editors and managing directors or chief executive officers (CEO) of different print and electronic media at the finance ministry conference room in the city.

Employment Injury Scheme soon for workers: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today said her government is going to introduce a long-term and sustainable Employment Injury Scheme soon to ensure better benefits and support for workers.

"In the wake of recent incidents in RMG factories, we've got an impression that we need huge funds to provide compensations in case of any severe accident. The way-out is to introduce a long-term and sustainable employment injury scheme. We've already started working to this end," she said.
Sheikh Hasina was addressing a function marking the distribution of cheques of financial assistance among 64 people, including successors of the deceased workers and their meritorious children studying in medical, engineering and agriculture disciplines from the fund of Bangladesh Workers Welfare Foundation at her office.