SPORTS

Rabat, Morocco | AFP |  The 2019 Africa Cup of Nations will expand from 16 to 24 teams and be staged in June and July, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced on Thursday. The tournament has traditionally been held in January and February, with the timing of the tournament …

 Sarah Chelangat  ??  10th in 1500m final at Commonwealth Youth Games in Bahamas  #BahamasCYG2017 Nassau, Bahamas  | THE INDEPENDENT |  Uganda’s Sarah Chelangat finished 10th in the final of the girls 1500m Commonwealth Youth Games on Thursday. She finished in 4.26.88, well outside her personal best in the 1500m of 4:21.62 set …

Houston, United States | AFP | Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho said he plans to treat Thursday’s exhibition match against Manchester City as a training session as the two Premier League rivals prepare to clash in Houston. The two teams meet at the NRG Stadium — home of the Houston …

Shanghai, China | AFP | Arsenal were ravaged by food poisoning in Shanghai that ruled several key players out of their preseason friendly with Bayern Munich on Wednesday, manager Arsene Wenger said. The Frenchman revealed the sickness that had swept the Arsenal camp, coupled with the severe heat in China …

Nassau, Bahamas  | THE INDEPENDENT |   ThreeUgandan teenagers are in Bahamas to fly the country’s flag at the Commonwealth Youth Games that started on Tuesday. Uganda has a rich history in the Commonwealth Youth Games, having won 14 medals in track and field athletics at the last three games in  Samoa in …

London, United Kingdom | AFP | Middlesbrough have broken their transfer record to sign striker Britt Assombalonga from second-tier Championship rivals Nottingham Forest for a fee in the region of £14 million (15.8 million euros, $18.2 million). Boro, who were relegated from the Premier League last season, are believed to have …

Barcelona, Spain | AFP | Barcelona vice-president Jordi Mestre insisted Tuesday that Brazilian star Neymar will be staying in Spain despite rumours linking him with a move to Paris Saint-Germain. Asked during a press conference if he could confirm Neymar would remain at Barca ahead of the 2017-18 season, Mestre replied: …

Shanghai, China | AFP | Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said Tuesday he wants to make more new signings before the season begins next month and batted away fresh doubts about the future of Alexis Sanchez. Wenger is under pressure after the Premier League side failed to qualify for the Champions League …

Los Angeles, United States | AFP | Tiger Woods has dropped outside the top 1,000 players in the world for the first time in his professional career, latest rankings showed Monday. The official World Golf Ranking showed Woods placed at 1,005, reflecting the former world number one’s injury-hit two years that …

CAF ‘think tank’ to mull Nations Cup changes Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP |  New-look Africa Cup of Nations and CAF Champions League competitions could emerge this week from discussions in Morocco that will include FIFA president Gianni Infantino. A two-day CAF symposium begins Tuesday in Rabat and officials, coaches …