Harry Kane happy to stay at Tottenham – if they start winning trophies*

*Harry Kane happy to stay at Tottenham – if they start winning trophies*

Harry Kane has said he is happy to stay at Tottenham as long as the club starts to win trophies. The striker denied he was in talks over an extension to his contract, which is worth more than £100,000 a week and expires in 2022.

Doubts surrounding Kane’s future have resurfaced after Mauricio Pochettino admitted the England international could not be forced to stay if he wanted to leave his boyhood team.

“I’ve always said, just keep progressing, keep getting better,” Kane said. “We want to start winning trophies so that’s the aim. As long as the club keeps doing that then I’m happy here.”

With Philippe Coutinho having joined Barcelona from Liverpool, Pochettino was asked whether Kane could prove a one-off when it comes to players leaving for the world’s top clubs. Pochettino said: “The player needs to choose to stay here, you cannot force the player to stay here.”

Kane was asked more generally about players now having the power to dictate their futures. “If a player wants to go then why would you stop him?” Kane said. “He’s not going to be in the club, he’s not going to want to play every game, he’s not going to put his heart on the line.”

*Stop Pampering Fulani Herdsmen, Shehu Sani Tells President Buhari*

: *Stop Pampering Fulani Herdsmen, Shehu Sani Tells President Buhari*

Shehu Sani, the senator representing Kaduna Senatorial District, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari's administration to stop protecting Fulani herdsmen, saying their murderous attacks on farmers in various parts of the country have eroded the integrity of the government.

Mr. Sani's offered his advice in a press statement issued on Sunday. Titled "Herdsmen and Helmsmen", the statement condemned the repeated horrors visited on farmers by the herdsmen.

”The mass murder in Southern Kaduna, Taraba, Benue, Numan and other affected places are unpardonable and despicable crimes. These killings and bloodletting threaten the peace, stability and unity of our country," Mr. Sani said. He urged helmsmen, an allusion to political leaders, to urgently confront the herdsmen, adding that repeated condolences will not end the bloodshed.

Azarenka Withdraws😟 From Australian Open*

*Azarenka Withdraws😟 From Australian Open*

Twice champion Victoria Azarenka has withdrawn from this month’s Australian Open as she continues a legal battle over the custody of her son.

The Belarusian had been granted a wildcard for the season-opening grand slam but withdrew on Monday, organisers said.

Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic has instead been awarded the wildcard for the tournament, which runs from Jan. 15-28.

Mahathir Mohamad: Ex-Malaysia PM, 92, to run for office*

*Mahathir Mohamad: Ex-Malaysia PM, 92, to run for office*

Malaysia's long-serving former prime minister, Mahathir Mohamad, has been chosen once again as a candidate to run for the top job, at the age of 92. On Sunday, he was picked by the opposition alliance as its prime ministerial candidate for a general election that must be called by August. Mr Mahathir stepped down as prime minister in 2003. He had served in the post for more than two decades.

If he wins, he will become one of the world's oldest leaders. In recent years, he has been drawn back into politics because of his vocal opposition to current Prime Minister Najib Razak, who has been embroiled in a multi-billion dollar financial scandal involving a state development fund called 1MDB. Mr Mahathir cut links with the ruling UMNO party and in 2016 started a new party, Bersatu, which joined the Pakatan Harapan opposition alliance.

The former leader's authoritarian but essentially pragmatic policies at home during his tenure helped transform Malaysia into an Asian economic tiger, correspondents say. However throughout his rule, he took a tough stand against those who opposed him or threatened his power, they add.

Ibrahimovic in Swedish media 'latent racism' claim: If I was blonde & robbed a bank they'd defend me!*

: *Ibrahimovic in Swedish media 'latent racism' claim: If I was blonde & robbed a bank they'd defend me!*

Manchester United striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic claims that he suffers from "latent racism" in Sweden, suggesting that if he was blonde he would get more support.

The forward recently completed his comeback from a serious knee injury, but has since picked up a further problem that will likely see him sidelined for much of January.

Ibrahimovic, though he has enjoyed a glittering career that has seen him win multiple trophies in the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, France and England, says that he is still subject to unfair criticism from the media in his homeland.

"They still attack me today because they do not accept me being Ibrahimovic,” the 36-year-old told Canal+.

“If another player made the same mistakes as me, they would defend him. When it's me, they do not defend me. But it's okay, it's what made me stronger.

“I'm talking about racism. I'm not saying it's asserted racism, but latent racism. That's it, I'm sure. If my name was Svensson or Andersson, or if I was blonde, they would defend me even if I robbed a bank."

NIGERIA TO SUPPLY US 1440 TONNES OF YAMS IN 2018

: *Nigeria to supply US 1,440 tonnes of yams in 2018*

The Technical Committee on Nigeria Yam Export Programme says it is targeting the export of about 480 tonnes of yams per month in 2018. According to the committee, the United States has already requested for the supply of five containers monthly, which amounted to 120 tonnes of yams monthly and 1,440 tonnes of yams in a year.

The Chairman of the committee, Prof. Simon Irtwange, on Monday in Abuja said that the target would be achieved if all the challenges, which yam exporters experienced in 2017, were surmounted.

Irtwange said that the Nigerian Ports Authority had made available the Ikorodu Lighter Terminal to facilitate the packaging and movement of yams meant for export. He said that the committee was also working with the NPA to get people who would invest in constructing yam pack houses at the terminal. “That way, we will avoid the gridlock in Apapa because now, we are using batches to move the yams from Ikorodu to Apapa,’’ he added.