BANGUI – Fresh fighting has broken out in the conflict-torn Central
African Republic, witnesses said Saturday, as the deadline closed for
candidates to register for a vote by the transitional parliament for a
new interim president.
At least three people were killed in Sibut,
about 160 kilometres (100 miles) north of the capital Bangui, a
resident told AFP by telephone.
“I’m putting out a cry of alarm,”
he said on condition of anonymity. “The (ex-rebel) Seleka movement is
reigning like warlords in the city and there is no foreign force to
protect us.”
The fighting, which broke out Friday in the town’s
bus station and market, has forced residents indoors or prompted them to
flee into the bush, the source said.
A Catholic Church source
said the parish premises came under attack in Sibut. “We tried to
contact (the African peacekeeping force) MISCA and (the French force)
Sangaris for quick help, but so far there is no one,” he said.
MISCA told AFP that teams were on their way to the town of about 25,000 people, an important transport hub known for its market.
The religious official said fighting has also broken out in the western town of Bossemptele near the border with Cameroon.
“The parish was sacked, the priest’s car was stolen and the hospital was looted,” he said. “There were some injuries.”
International
forces are trying to restore order after the former French colony
plunged into sectarian fighting following a March coup in which the
mainly Muslim Seleka rebel group overthrew president Francois Bozize.
Violence
in the highly unstable country has not let up despite the January 11
resignation of strongman Michel Djotodia under intense regional
pressure.
He had proved unable to control his forces, whose
looting, killing and raping spree sparked revenge attacks from Christian
militias.
The Central African Republic’s new interim president
will be elected on Monday, the country’s transitional authorities
announced.
The United Nations warned Thursday that bloodshed in the country could turn into genocide.
Saturday, 18 January 2014
SPORT (CHAN: We won’t give Nigeria breathing space, says SA coach)
South African coach, Gordon Igesund has said that the Bafana Bafana
will unleash a relentless attack against the Super Eagles in their last
group A encounter, Sunday in Cape Town.
The hosts of the CAF African Nations Championship, need only a draw to scale through to the quarter-final, but Igesund said nothing short of a win will do his team good. The Eagles led by Stephen Keshi are in a must win situation after garnering only three points from two games, while South Africa and Mali have four points each.
“Why should I be scared of Nigeria? We’re not scared of anybody. We’ve just beaten Spain, I should be scared of Nigeria?” Igesund said at Bafana’s headquarters in Cape Town.
“My philosophy has always been play to win. When you start thinking about trying to play for a draw, you start doing the wrong things,” he said.
He added that Nigeria is coming into the game with one aim to win and progress, but they will not be given the chance to settle down to play.
“We know that Nigeria are going into this game with only one thing on their mind, and that’s to win the game.
“We will be offensive against them, that’s the plan, we want to go forward.
“I want to attack them down the sides, have over-lapping fullbacks and let’s ask the questions, we need to ask a lot of questions defensively and we’ll try and do that.”
He admitted that his team was under pressure.
“The only thing is that it would have been nicer not to have this kind of pressure.
“But then again that is what makes this game so exciting, the anxiety of not knowing whether you will qualify or not, because if you know it will mean nothing.”
The hosts of the CAF African Nations Championship, need only a draw to scale through to the quarter-final, but Igesund said nothing short of a win will do his team good. The Eagles led by Stephen Keshi are in a must win situation after garnering only three points from two games, while South Africa and Mali have four points each.
“Why should I be scared of Nigeria? We’re not scared of anybody. We’ve just beaten Spain, I should be scared of Nigeria?” Igesund said at Bafana’s headquarters in Cape Town.
“My philosophy has always been play to win. When you start thinking about trying to play for a draw, you start doing the wrong things,” he said.
He added that Nigeria is coming into the game with one aim to win and progress, but they will not be given the chance to settle down to play.
“We know that Nigeria are going into this game with only one thing on their mind, and that’s to win the game.
“We will be offensive against them, that’s the plan, we want to go forward.
“I want to attack them down the sides, have over-lapping fullbacks and let’s ask the questions, we need to ask a lot of questions defensively and we’ll try and do that.”
He admitted that his team was under pressure.
“The only thing is that it would have been nicer not to have this kind of pressure.
“But then again that is what makes this game so exciting, the anxiety of not knowing whether you will qualify or not, because if you know it will mean nothing.”
Eto’o richest man in planet football
Samuel Eto’o admitted that he had never heard about Anzhi Makhachkala
all his life, but with a 20m euro (N4.2b) a year salary, Makhachkala
must be heaven and Eto’o is enjoying every bit of it.
He scored his second goal in two matches for his new club in Russia and he declared that he was very happy and comfortable in Russia.
Nearly
10,000 fans filled the crumbling Dynamo stadium last weekend to welcome
the Cameroon striker to the shores of the Caspian Sea and showed why
billionaire Suleiman Kerimov an Oil and steel magnate made him the
richest footballer on earth.
The goal helped Anzhi to a 2-1 victory over Volga Nizhny Novgorod and lifted them into fourth place, six points behind joint leaders Zenit St Petersburg and CSKA Moscow.
“I’ve visited Russia many times but it’s only been Moscow and Kazan,” Eto’o told a packed news conference before the match, referring to trips to Spartak Moscow and Rubin Kazan for Champions League games with former club Inter Milan.
“This is my first time in Makhachkala. I must admit I didn’t know much about this place but I have to say that I’m pleasantly surprised with what I’ve seen.”
The wealthy Makhachkala club, who also boast Brazilian left back Roberto Carlos and former Chelsea midfielder Yuri Zhirkov, last month paid around 30 million euros to surprisingly lure the four-times African Footballer of the Year from Italy.
Eto’o had already begun to pay back some of that huge investment, making a cameo appearance in last month’s league game in Rostov and scoring a late equaliser to earn a 1-1 draw.
Huge billboards picturing Eto’o greet visitors along the entire 20km dusty road from the Makhachkala airport to the capital of the Dagestan province.
Local fans do almost anything to try to catch a glimpse of their favourite players, who all live in or around Moscow and fly to Makhachkala for home games only.
The team’s open practice session had to be halted several times after dozens of teenage fans jumped over the fence and ran towards Eto’o, trying to touch or shake hands with their idol as security looked on.
One overzealous fan even started kissing his feet before being whisked away.
After changing into a business suit, Eto’o talked to the media. He said he was determined to fulfil his contract with Anzhi and was not scared of harsh Russian winters, poor pitches or outdated arenas in many cities across the country.
“I’ve played football at sub-zero temperatures many times so I’m well prepared for the Russian cold,” he said.
After team mate Roberto Carlos was racially abused at least twice in his first season in Russia, Eto’o was asked if he was prepared to tolerate racial taunts from rivals fans.
“Racism exists worldwide, not only in Russia,” said the Cameroon captain, who once tried to leave the pitch because of abuse during a league match in Spain playing for Barcelona at Real Zaragoz
“It can happen in France, Italy or Spain. Players face racist abuse in many countries, but every time I come onto the field I try to do my best for those who love football.”
He scored his second goal in two matches for his new club in Russia and he declared that he was very happy and comfortable in Russia.
RUSSIAN
FEDERATION, Makhachkala : Cameroonian footballer of the Russian team FC
Anji, Samuel Eto'o, poses with a girl as he visits a high school in the
Dagestan's capital Makhachkala, on September 12, 2011.. AFP PHOTO
The goal helped Anzhi to a 2-1 victory over Volga Nizhny Novgorod and lifted them into fourth place, six points behind joint leaders Zenit St Petersburg and CSKA Moscow.
“I’ve visited Russia many times but it’s only been Moscow and Kazan,” Eto’o told a packed news conference before the match, referring to trips to Spartak Moscow and Rubin Kazan for Champions League games with former club Inter Milan.
“This is my first time in Makhachkala. I must admit I didn’t know much about this place but I have to say that I’m pleasantly surprised with what I’ve seen.”
The wealthy Makhachkala club, who also boast Brazilian left back Roberto Carlos and former Chelsea midfielder Yuri Zhirkov, last month paid around 30 million euros to surprisingly lure the four-times African Footballer of the Year from Italy.
Eto’o had already begun to pay back some of that huge investment, making a cameo appearance in last month’s league game in Rostov and scoring a late equaliser to earn a 1-1 draw.
Huge billboards picturing Eto’o greet visitors along the entire 20km dusty road from the Makhachkala airport to the capital of the Dagestan province.
Local fans do almost anything to try to catch a glimpse of their favourite players, who all live in or around Moscow and fly to Makhachkala for home games only.
The team’s open practice session had to be halted several times after dozens of teenage fans jumped over the fence and ran towards Eto’o, trying to touch or shake hands with their idol as security looked on.
One overzealous fan even started kissing his feet before being whisked away.
After changing into a business suit, Eto’o talked to the media. He said he was determined to fulfil his contract with Anzhi and was not scared of harsh Russian winters, poor pitches or outdated arenas in many cities across the country.
“I’ve played football at sub-zero temperatures many times so I’m well prepared for the Russian cold,” he said.
After team mate Roberto Carlos was racially abused at least twice in his first season in Russia, Eto’o was asked if he was prepared to tolerate racial taunts from rivals fans.
“Racism exists worldwide, not only in Russia,” said the Cameroon captain, who once tried to leave the pitch because of abuse during a league match in Spain playing for Barcelona at Real Zaragoz
“It can happen in France, Italy or Spain. Players face racist abuse in many countries, but every time I come onto the field I try to do my best for those who love football.”
SPORT (Crunchy Bafana tie: We need total concentration, Keshi declares)
After picking their first maximum points in Wednesday’s 4-2 triumph
over Mozambique, Super Eagles Chief Coach, Stephen Keshi has said that
his wards need a 100 % concentration and focus as they play host, South
Africa in a make or mar last group game that would guarantee the winner a
ticket into the quarter finals of the ongoing CHAN tournament.
After a disappointing 1-2 loss to Mali in their first game, the Eagles were again to trail 0-1 against Mozambique in the second half but they came back to beat the southern Africans who cashed in on skipper and goalkeeper, Chigozie Agbim’s floppy performance to draw level at 2 – 2 before crashing 2-4. Even as Nigerian fans in South Africa and back home castigated Agbim for his poor showing so far in the competition, Keshi came to his defence, saying that he should not be singled out for blame in a team game where some players also failed to score in front of an empty net.
”It’s a team work and we cannot single out one individual for blame, otherwise we had a situation in the game against Mozambique when a player had an empty net and yet could not slot the ball in until the opposing defender cleared it.
“I have worked with Agbim now for two years plus and if he was not good he will not be here. We must learn to understand our players and forgive errors, especially as he is the last man in the defence and his own errors are easily seen by all.
“I am happy with the boys and the character they showed in the game (against Mozambique) mostly in the second half, I know that in the first game, the players showed stage fright as most of them never played under flood lights before and there were a lot of factors that affected them against Mali.
“Before the game, I told the players to go out there and play like they do in training sessions not minding the match officials and the crowd and so that was what they did in the game and we won,”he told Brilafm.net.
Keshi also blamed the Nigerian Premier League which is on break for the players rustiness, stressing that Bafana Bafana players are fit and well conditioned because their league is in session.
“Most of the teams here have their domestic leagues on like the SPL for example; and so the players are better in shape, the condition level is great but we are just starting because we have been out for like 3 or 4 months now and so we need to remain very focus,” he said.
Also speaking on Brila FM, Free State stars of South Africa and Eagles defender, Gege Soriola gave tips on how the Eagles can beat the Bafana Bafana, stressing that even though it won’t be easy, the Eagles could triumph if they give a good fight.
“It is going to be a difficult game as South Africa will come at us but we should not relax and my message to the players is that they should keep on fighting for the ball, support each other and communicate well.
“I think if they can do exactly the same thing they did against Mozambique, I don’t see anything holding us back from getting a victory,” he said.
After a disappointing 1-2 loss to Mali in their first game, the Eagles were again to trail 0-1 against Mozambique in the second half but they came back to beat the southern Africans who cashed in on skipper and goalkeeper, Chigozie Agbim’s floppy performance to draw level at 2 – 2 before crashing 2-4. Even as Nigerian fans in South Africa and back home castigated Agbim for his poor showing so far in the competition, Keshi came to his defence, saying that he should not be singled out for blame in a team game where some players also failed to score in front of an empty net.
”It’s a team work and we cannot single out one individual for blame, otherwise we had a situation in the game against Mozambique when a player had an empty net and yet could not slot the ball in until the opposing defender cleared it.
“I have worked with Agbim now for two years plus and if he was not good he will not be here. We must learn to understand our players and forgive errors, especially as he is the last man in the defence and his own errors are easily seen by all.
“I am happy with the boys and the character they showed in the game (against Mozambique) mostly in the second half, I know that in the first game, the players showed stage fright as most of them never played under flood lights before and there were a lot of factors that affected them against Mali.
“Before the game, I told the players to go out there and play like they do in training sessions not minding the match officials and the crowd and so that was what they did in the game and we won,”he told Brilafm.net.
Keshi also blamed the Nigerian Premier League which is on break for the players rustiness, stressing that Bafana Bafana players are fit and well conditioned because their league is in session.
“Most of the teams here have their domestic leagues on like the SPL for example; and so the players are better in shape, the condition level is great but we are just starting because we have been out for like 3 or 4 months now and so we need to remain very focus,” he said.
Also speaking on Brila FM, Free State stars of South Africa and Eagles defender, Gege Soriola gave tips on how the Eagles can beat the Bafana Bafana, stressing that even though it won’t be easy, the Eagles could triumph if they give a good fight.
“It is going to be a difficult game as South Africa will come at us but we should not relax and my message to the players is that they should keep on fighting for the ball, support each other and communicate well.
“I think if they can do exactly the same thing they did against Mozambique, I don’t see anything holding us back from getting a victory,” he said.
Friday, 17 January 2014
SPORT (FIFA contemplates Women’s Club World Cup)
Nairobi - FIFA, world football governing body, is examining the possibility of introducing a Women’s Club World Cup.
The proposal was floated at the first meeting of the FIFA Task Force for Women’s Football which was chaired by co-opted FIFA Executive Committee member and former Australia international, Moya Dodd.
The men’s Club World Cup was founded in 2000 and the intercontinental competition has been contested every year since 2005 with European champion, Bayern Munich, overcoming home favourite, Raja Casablanca, to take the 2013 title in Morocco, FIFA said on its website.
Elsewhere
at the meeting, which analysed FIFA’s strategy for women’s football in
the short and long term, issues of governance, development, marketing,
communications and gender equality came under the microscope.
The outcome and proposals of the task force will be presented to the FIFA Committee for Women’s Football and the Women’s World Cup at its next meeting on Feb. 13.
“We are well on track after a very constructive first meeting,’’ Dodd said.
“We now need to implement our proposals and work to bring our views and ideas into reality.
“FIFA must be the engine of women’s football development and the task force will do its best to succeed in its mission.’’
The proposal was floated at the first meeting of the FIFA Task Force for Women’s Football which was chaired by co-opted FIFA Executive Committee member and former Australia international, Moya Dodd.
The men’s Club World Cup was founded in 2000 and the intercontinental competition has been contested every year since 2005 with European champion, Bayern Munich, overcoming home favourite, Raja Casablanca, to take the 2013 title in Morocco, FIFA said on its website.
Fifa president Joseph Blatter gestures during a press conference. AFP PHOTO
The outcome and proposals of the task force will be presented to the FIFA Committee for Women’s Football and the Women’s World Cup at its next meeting on Feb. 13.
“We are well on track after a very constructive first meeting,’’ Dodd said.
“We now need to implement our proposals and work to bring our views and ideas into reality.
“FIFA must be the engine of women’s football development and the task force will do its best to succeed in its mission.’’
SPORT (Chelsea not desperate to win the Premier League title – Mourinho)
COBHAM (AFP) – Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho insisted on Friday the
club were “not desperate to win the Premier League title” this season,
saying he was more concerned about long-term success.
And ahead of his side’s match at home to Manchester United on Saturday, he said there was “no reason” for Red Devils manager David Moyes to be in trouble, despite the champions’ faltering form.
Chelsea head into this weekend’s matches in third place, just two points behind leaders Arsenal.
United, however, are 11 points off top spot and nine adrift of Chelsea.
Mourinho, who guided Chelsea to back-to-back titles in 2005 and 2006 in his first spell at Stamford Bridge, returned to the London club before this season.
But he was adamant he was in no rush for more success.
“We are not desperate to win the title, I keep saying the same,” he told reporters at the club’s training ground on Friday.
“We want to build a team for the future, find a transition between the Chelsea of the last decade and Chelsea of the next decade. But we will try to fight for the title until the end.”
The Portuguese added: “Everyone’s going to lose matches I believe.
“Let’s see what is going to happen unless Man City (currently a point behind Arsenal in second place) win every game and kill everyone with 20 points difference.”
Were United to lose at Stamford Bridge on Saturday it would be another blow to their hopes of Moyes defending the title won by former United manager Alex Ferguson in his final season before retirement.
Yet while many have sympathised with Moyes in having to follow Ferguson, British football’s most successful manager, Mourinho said his rival manager was in an enviable position.
“I said before, I don’t think there’s a reason to have sympathy. He has a fantastic job and is very, very stable.
“The club gave him an incredible trust when they chose him to be the next United manager after Sir Alex.
“They believe in the power of the manager, the support of the manager. It’s not because they had a couple of bad results and aren’t top of the league, as they normally are,” Mourinho explained.
“There’s no reason for David to be in trouble. He’s very stable. He will have at least the time of his contract to build a team, to reach success, and to be there for many years. I don’t think he needs sympathy. He has a fantastic job and no problems.”
Asked to account for the differences between Chelsea and United’s results this season, Mourinho said: “No two seasons are the same. Some teams improve. Others don’t.
“Some players have a phenomenal season one season, then injuries or don’t perform the next. Some players have problems with managers or playing.
“Globally, our team is a better team. It improved not just in terms of what we do in the present, but especially in terms of what we’re building to build the future.
“And I think, also, by the individual point of view, not all, many of them are improving a lot as players. So I think we’re doing a fine job.”
Meanwhile, Mourinho said Nemanja Matic would not start against United after coming back to Chelsea this week following the 25-year-old midfielder’s transfer from Benfica, three years on from being used as a makeweight in the deal that brought David Luiz to Stamford Bridge.
“Matic is not starting the game. I feel that I owe that respect to my players. He’s my player now, but I owe this to my other players.
“They are doing well and playing well. It wouldn’t send the right message to them if a new player came and immediately played in the team. So I won’t use Matic from the beginning.”
And ahead of his side’s match at home to Manchester United on Saturday, he said there was “no reason” for Red Devils manager David Moyes to be in trouble, despite the champions’ faltering form.
Jose Mourinho
United, however, are 11 points off top spot and nine adrift of Chelsea.
Mourinho, who guided Chelsea to back-to-back titles in 2005 and 2006 in his first spell at Stamford Bridge, returned to the London club before this season.
But he was adamant he was in no rush for more success.
“We are not desperate to win the title, I keep saying the same,” he told reporters at the club’s training ground on Friday.
“We want to build a team for the future, find a transition between the Chelsea of the last decade and Chelsea of the next decade. But we will try to fight for the title until the end.”
The Portuguese added: “Everyone’s going to lose matches I believe.
“Let’s see what is going to happen unless Man City (currently a point behind Arsenal in second place) win every game and kill everyone with 20 points difference.”
Were United to lose at Stamford Bridge on Saturday it would be another blow to their hopes of Moyes defending the title won by former United manager Alex Ferguson in his final season before retirement.
Yet while many have sympathised with Moyes in having to follow Ferguson, British football’s most successful manager, Mourinho said his rival manager was in an enviable position.
“I said before, I don’t think there’s a reason to have sympathy. He has a fantastic job and is very, very stable.
“The club gave him an incredible trust when they chose him to be the next United manager after Sir Alex.
“They believe in the power of the manager, the support of the manager. It’s not because they had a couple of bad results and aren’t top of the league, as they normally are,” Mourinho explained.
“There’s no reason for David to be in trouble. He’s very stable. He will have at least the time of his contract to build a team, to reach success, and to be there for many years. I don’t think he needs sympathy. He has a fantastic job and no problems.”
Asked to account for the differences between Chelsea and United’s results this season, Mourinho said: “No two seasons are the same. Some teams improve. Others don’t.
“Some players have a phenomenal season one season, then injuries or don’t perform the next. Some players have problems with managers or playing.
“Globally, our team is a better team. It improved not just in terms of what we do in the present, but especially in terms of what we’re building to build the future.
“And I think, also, by the individual point of view, not all, many of them are improving a lot as players. So I think we’re doing a fine job.”
Meanwhile, Mourinho said Nemanja Matic would not start against United after coming back to Chelsea this week following the 25-year-old midfielder’s transfer from Benfica, three years on from being used as a makeweight in the deal that brought David Luiz to Stamford Bridge.
“Matic is not starting the game. I feel that I owe that respect to my players. He’s my player now, but I owe this to my other players.
“They are doing well and playing well. It wouldn’t send the right message to them if a new player came and immediately played in the team. So I won’t use Matic from the beginning.”
LASU may miss 24th Nigerian University Games – Coach
Lagos – The Lagos State University (LASU) may not participate in the
24th Nigerian University Games (NUGA) scheduled to hold from Feb.12 to
Feb.22 at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile Ife, Osun.
The NUGA Co-coordinating Coach for LASU, Owoyemi Idowu, disclosed this on Friday in Lagos.
He said that there was nothing on the ground for the athletes to be part of the event.
“There is nothing to depict that the school is going to be part of the students’ games which is just about three weeks away from now.
“The management has not made any fund available for the event. As it is now, there is no training of any kind going on in the campus.
“The sports council is at a crossroads at the moment. Finance-wise, everything is at a standstill now,’’ Idowu lamented.
LASU had, participated in eight sports during the preliminaries of NUGA.
These included volleyball, judo, taekwondo, track and field, tennis, table tennis, basketball (male) and soccer.
According to the coach, there is no form of mobilisation of athletes going on as regards the biennial university competition.
“We have made presentations to the university’s management for the release of funds to enable us attend the competition, but to no avail.
“There is no response from the management which is a subtle way of saying we are not ready for the games,’’ the coach said.
Idowu appealed to the management to help the school’s athletes who qualified for the competition to achieve their dreams by providing funds to attend the event.
Four private universities will attend the competition.
The private universities are: Lead University in Ibadan, the Bells University in Ota, Ogun, Benson Idahosa University in Benin and Achievers University in Owo, Ondo State.
LASU won one gold and one silver in long distance race, one bronze in table tennis and two silver in judo at the last NUGA held at the University of Benin in 2011. (NAN).
The NUGA Co-coordinating Coach for LASU, Owoyemi Idowu, disclosed this on Friday in Lagos.
He said that there was nothing on the ground for the athletes to be part of the event.
“There is nothing to depict that the school is going to be part of the students’ games which is just about three weeks away from now.
“The management has not made any fund available for the event. As it is now, there is no training of any kind going on in the campus.
“The sports council is at a crossroads at the moment. Finance-wise, everything is at a standstill now,’’ Idowu lamented.
LASU had, participated in eight sports during the preliminaries of NUGA.
These included volleyball, judo, taekwondo, track and field, tennis, table tennis, basketball (male) and soccer.
According to the coach, there is no form of mobilisation of athletes going on as regards the biennial university competition.
“We have made presentations to the university’s management for the release of funds to enable us attend the competition, but to no avail.
“There is no response from the management which is a subtle way of saying we are not ready for the games,’’ the coach said.
Idowu appealed to the management to help the school’s athletes who qualified for the competition to achieve their dreams by providing funds to attend the event.
Four private universities will attend the competition.
The private universities are: Lead University in Ibadan, the Bells University in Ota, Ogun, Benson Idahosa University in Benin and Achievers University in Owo, Ondo State.
LASU won one gold and one silver in long distance race, one bronze in table tennis and two silver in judo at the last NUGA held at the University of Benin in 2011. (NAN).
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