Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Monseigneur Fridolin Ambongo
Deux Evêques congolais ont lancé un appel pressant à la communauté internationale pour stopper le "génocide silencieux" qui se déroule à l'Est de la République Démocratique du Congo (RDC). Il sagit de Mgr Fridolin Ambongo, Evêque de Bokungu-Ikela, et Mgr Fulgence Muteba, Evêque de Kilwa-Kasenga.
"les richesses du Congo sont la cause du malheur de son peuple. Nous voulons que ces richesses soient exploitées dans la plus grande transparence"
"les richesses du Congo sont la cause du malheur de son peuple. Nous voulons que ces richesses soient exploitées dans la plus grande transparence"
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
‘US armed Israel for Iran attack’
A New York Times article says the US has armed Israel in case the regime decides to launch an attack against Iran (file photo).
The United States has provided Israel with the military technology and arms to aid Tel Aviv in a possible attack against Iran nuclear facilities, a prominent American journalist says.
“Arm the Syrian rebels! And, while we’re at it, give the Israelis the tools they need - bunker-busters, refueling aircraft - so that if they decide to strike Iran’s nuclear facilities, they’ll get it right the first time,” David Sanger wrote in The New York Times.
The article says although “the White House has been deliberately vague on what kind of technology it has shared with the Israelis,” it has been aimed at sabotaging Iran’s nuclear energy program which the West claims contains a covert military dimension by using “bombs, sanctions or covert action.”
Sanger says from the perspective of many US politicians, “Syria and Iran are hardly unrelated problems,” as nothing would undermine Iran’s influence in the region more than the overthrow of Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad.
According to the article, this approach stems from the fact that Americans are fed up with their government's warmongering around the globe and also from the White House talks of “nation-building at home.”
“There is something tempting about handing off weaponry to the rebels and the Israelis, wishing them good luck and reminding them to drop a line back to the White House if any of it works,” Sanger says.
Israeli officials have recently ramped up their war rhetoric, threatening Iran with military strikes in case the US-engineered sanctions against the country fail to force Tehran into abandoning its civilian nuclear energy program.
The United States, Israel and some of their allies accuse Tehran of pursuing military objectives in its nuclear energy program, using this pretext to impose sanctions against Iran and threaten the country with military attack.
This is while the International Atomic Energy Agency has never found any evidence indicating that Tehran's nuclear energy program has been diverted towards nuclear weapons production.
Putin puts words of caution against strike on Iran
Russia’s Prime Minister Vladimir Putin
Russia’s Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has expressed concern over the growing threat of a military strike on Iran, saying such an attack will have catastrophic repercussions.
“Russia is alarmed by the growing threat of a military strike” against Iran, Putin wrote in article in the daily Moskovskiye Novosti newspaper on Monday.
“If this happens, the consequences will be truly catastrophic, their real scope impossible to imagine,” he added.
“We propose to recognize Iran’s right to develop a civilian nuclear program, including the right to enrich uranium” in exchange for placing the country’s nuclear activities under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Russian premier further said.
Putin added that in this case, all unilateral and international sanctions imposed against Iran need to be lifted.
In 2011, Russia proposed a “step-by-step” approach that would enable Iran to adopt measures to address IAEA questions on Tehran's nuclear program.
According to the plan, Iran can revive negotiations to alleviate individual concerns of the IAEA about its nuclear activities and be rewarded along the way by a partial removal of sanctions.
The United States, Israel and some of their allies accuse Tehran of pursuing military objectives in its nuclear program, using the pretext to impose sanctions against Iran and threaten the country with a military attack.
Iran has denied the allegations and promised a crushing response to any military strike against the country, warning that any such measure could result in a war that would spread beyond the Middle East.
Monday, February 27, 2012
Cardiff City 2-2 Liverpool (aet, 2-3 on penalties): Reds edge thrilling Wembley final to taste League Cup glory
Liverpool took a shootout win over Cardiff to earn the League Cup title.
Liverpool broke Cardiff City hearts and secured League Cup glory with a dramatic penalty shootout victory.
Joe Mason sent the Championship side into a shock first half lead, and it held out courageously until Martin Skrtel pounced from a corner to level the score after an hour.
Kenny Miller spurned a glorious chance to secure victory in the dying moments and Cardiff seemed to have paid the price when Dirk Kuyt scored in extra time.
Ben Turner poked home from a corner to seal a phenomenal Cardiff comeback, but Anthony Gerrard missed the decisive spot kick at the end of a tumultuous shootout.
Both teams lined up in much the same fashion, with target men Andy Carroll and Rudy Gestede looking to provide an aerial threat up front. Luis Suarez and Kenny Miller supplied pace and guile alongside them.
Steven Gerrard has a knack for making his presence felt in cup finals and he signaled his intent as early as the second minute here. Driving a Liverpool counterattack forward from midfield, he picked out Stewart Downing on the left. Glen Johnson, controlling the winger's subsequent pass just outside the box, deftly curled a shot that dropped beyond goalkeeper Tom Heaton and hit the crossbar.
Cardiff kept its composure and Miller might have done better when Don Cowie cleverly flicked Andrew Taylor's pass into his path. Generally, though, Mackay's side was happy to sit deep and soak up pressure.
After a tame Liverpool attack ended in Heaton comfortably saving from Carroll, the Bluebirds ventured downfield and showed their Premier League counterparts how it should be done with a simple opening goal. Miller, dropping into space in front of the Reds defence, slipped a through ball into the path of Mason, who finished through the legs of Pepe Reina to stun the red half of Wembley.
Downing's form has come under scrutiny in recent weeks but, while unspectacular, he offered an improved display here. With halftime approaching and Liverpool searching for some sort of inspiration, he gave the Reds' support a glimpse of what he is capable of by turning Kevin McNaughton inside out before seeing his cross missed by Jordan Henderson and sent flying into the stands by Steven Gerrard.
Steven Gerrard was to create a better chance for Daniel Agger moments later. Mackay will have been less than pleased with his team's marking from the 31-year-old's free-kick as Agger, entirely unchallenged, headed straight at Heaton from point blank range.
With victories in rugby and boxing on Saturday, Cardiff was looking to hold out in the second half to crown a terrific weekend for Welsh sport but it was their Scottish element causing Liverpool the most problems. McNaughton and Miller had combined to create the opening goal and Cowie's intuitive flick was driven narrowly wide by Miller from distance.
Cardiff continued to defend bravely, surviving a couple of minor appeals for handball in the penalty area along the way, and Dalglish opted to introduce Bellamy, who entered the fray to applause from both sets of supporters, just before the hour mark.
Bellamy was not involved but Liverpool grabbed an equalizer almost immediately. Downing's corner from the left was diverted towards goal by a crowd of bodies and headed on to the post by Suarez, with Skrtel on hand to control and drive home the rebound from close range.
Mackay will have been desperately disappointed to see his side's lead slip away at a set-piece, as Liverpool continued to struggle in its approach play in open play. It might have been better off playing for corners, as Skrtel again latched on to a loose ball from a Downing delivery to force a superb save from Heaton.
Cardiff was tiring but continued to restrict its opponents to efforts from range, Downing and Charlie Adam testing Heaton, before carving out a golden chance to grab a dramatic winning goal. Cowie acted quickly to catch Liverpool unawares from a freekick, sending a pass into Miller who controlled the ball with a brilliant spin only to blast his finish over the crossbar.
Neither side could find a way through within 90 minutes but Liverpool came out on top in the early stages of extra time. After Suarez and Carroll had gone close from yet more corners, Bellamy powered an effort over the bar as Dalglish's team inched closer to a decisive second goal.
It seemed to have arrived after 108 minutes. Kuyt, who as a substitute had added his usual energy to the Liverpool attack, burst down the right and reacted swiftly when his initial shot rebounded straight back to his feet, slamming the ball past Heaton before the 25-year-old had time to move.
With Aron Gunnarsson barely able to walk, Hudson already withdrawn with cramp and Gestede also struggling, Cardiff somehow summoned the energy to push back. Kuyt had already made one goalline clearance when the Bluebirds grabbed an incredible equalizer. Turner diverted the ball home from close range after a corner had been flicked into his path.
Their delight was short-lived. After Steven Gerrard and Miller both missed their opening penalties, Gestede and then, crucially and cruelly, Anthony Gerrard could not hit the target as Liverpool earned their first trophy since 2006.
Jose Mourinho secures 50th Liga win as Real Madrid beats Rayo Vallecano
The Portuguese coach saw his side edge out their city rivals in an evenly disputed contest at Vallecas to bring up a half-century of victories in just 62 Primera Division matches
Getty Images
Real Madrid's 1-0 win at Rayo Vallecano on Sunday afternoon was the 50th Liga success for coach Jose Mourinho at the capital club.
Madrid triumphed at Vallecas thanks to Cristiano Ronaldo's wonderful improvised backheel and moved provisionally 13 points clear of title rival Barcelona ahead of the Catalans' clash at Atletico later on Sunday.
Mourinho's 50th win came in only his 62nd Primera Division match, with six draws and six defeats in the other 12 games.
Madrid has now won nine away games this term in La Liga, equaling a record set last season, and could conceivably surpass the 100 points mark in 2011-12, having won an impressive 21 of 24 Primera Division fixtures in the current campaign.
Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo's strike was the Portuguese's 123rd goal in 125 official matches for the Santiago Bernabeu side.
The 27-year-old now has 29 goals in 24 league fixtures, meaning he is well on target to beat his own record of 40, which he set last season. In total, the Portuguese has netted 37 times in 36 games for Mourinho's side this term.
Madrid triumphed at Vallecas thanks to Cristiano Ronaldo's wonderful improvised backheel and moved provisionally 13 points clear of title rival Barcelona ahead of the Catalans' clash at Atletico later on Sunday.
Mourinho's 50th win came in only his 62nd Primera Division match, with six draws and six defeats in the other 12 games.
Madrid has now won nine away games this term in La Liga, equaling a record set last season, and could conceivably surpass the 100 points mark in 2011-12, having won an impressive 21 of 24 Primera Division fixtures in the current campaign.
 | JOSE MOURINHO | 50 WINS IN LA LIGA |
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Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo's strike was the Portuguese's 123rd goal in 125 official matches for the Santiago Bernabeu side.
The 27-year-old now has 29 goals in 24 league fixtures, meaning he is well on target to beat his own record of 40, which he set last season. In total, the Portuguese has netted 37 times in 36 games for Mourinho's side this term.
Wenger: Today shows Arsenal is more alive than anybody thought
The Gunners boss believes his side's stirring comeback win at home against its north London rival proves that rumors of the club's demise have been greatly exaggerated.
Getty
LONDON - Arsene Wenger believes Arsenal’s “perfect” comeback to thrash Tottenham proves his side can still finish above its bitter rival in the Premier League this season
The Gunners staged a sensational fightback from two goals down at Emirates Stadium on Sunday to win 5-2 with a sparkling attacking display to humiliate Spurs.
Bacary Sagna, Robin van Persie and Tomas Rosicky scored to put Arsenal in the lead before Theo Walcott capped the win with two goals, having been jeered by his own fans earlier in the game.
The Gunners came into the game under pressure after back-to-back defeats to Milan and Sunderland but the result takes Arsenal back into fourth place as the team targets a place in next season’s Champions League. It also closed the gap to the Gunners north London enemy to seven points.
“Today shows that Arsenal is alive more than anybody thought before the game,” said Wenger. “We had a performance today where the technical side and drive of the team was perfect. Everything was perfect despite a very bad start.
"I think Tottenham started well for the first five minutes. After, it was all us for 85 minutes. We dominated the game. We were 2-0 down and refused to lose the game. We were determined to win. We had a great spirit.
“It is still possible to finish above Tottenham if we keep our run going. It is possible but it will be down to consistency. Everybody in the Premier League now can lose points. We both have difficult schedules but if we continue to play like that, why not?”
Wenger reserved special praise for Walcott and admitted he considered substituting the winger after fans started to express their frustration with his lack of end product in the first half.
“The crowd was starting to get on Theo’s back,” Wenger added. “You don’t know whether to do him a favor by taking him off or leave him on. I felt he had the qualities to get behind defenders. He’s a very direct player. Sometimes he misses a first touch but I felt it was important to keep him in the team for the balance of our side.
“We had a good balance between offense and defense. We had creativity and went into the space behind defenders. I felt it was a performance of good maturity.”
The Gunners staged a sensational fightback from two goals down at Emirates Stadium on Sunday to win 5-2 with a sparkling attacking display to humiliate Spurs.
Bacary Sagna, Robin van Persie and Tomas Rosicky scored to put Arsenal in the lead before Theo Walcott capped the win with two goals, having been jeered by his own fans earlier in the game.
The Gunners came into the game under pressure after back-to-back defeats to Milan and Sunderland but the result takes Arsenal back into fourth place as the team targets a place in next season’s Champions League. It also closed the gap to the Gunners north London enemy to seven points.
“Today shows that Arsenal is alive more than anybody thought before the game,” said Wenger. “We had a performance today where the technical side and drive of the team was perfect. Everything was perfect despite a very bad start.
"I think Tottenham started well for the first five minutes. After, it was all us for 85 minutes. We dominated the game. We were 2-0 down and refused to lose the game. We were determined to win. We had a great spirit.
“It is still possible to finish above Tottenham if we keep our run going. It is possible but it will be down to consistency. Everybody in the Premier League now can lose points. We both have difficult schedules but if we continue to play like that, why not?”
Wenger reserved special praise for Walcott and admitted he considered substituting the winger after fans started to express their frustration with his lack of end product in the first half.
“The crowd was starting to get on Theo’s back,” Wenger added. “You don’t know whether to do him a favor by taking him off or leave him on. I felt he had the qualities to get behind defenders. He’s a very direct player. Sometimes he misses a first touch but I felt it was important to keep him in the team for the balance of our side.
“We had a good balance between offense and defense. We had creativity and went into the space behind defenders. I felt it was a performance of good maturity.”
Bayern Munich 2-0 Schalke: Ruthless Ribery strikes twice to earn Bavarians confident victory
Jupp Heynckes' men managed to bounce back from their disappointment against Basel in the Champions League with a confident victory over the Royal Blues.
Getty Images
Bayern Munich has claimed three important points in its quest for the Bundesliga crown as the club beat title rival Schalke 2-0 at the Allianz Arena.
Franck Ribery scored either side of halftime as the Bavarians managed to keep the pressure on league leading Borussia Dortmund.
Jupp Heynckes' men imposed a fast tempo from the start, and caught Schalke's defense by surprise on a couple of occasions. In the sixth minute the Royal Blues had Timo Hildebrand to thank as the former Stuttgart goalkeeper pulled off a stunning double save to deny Thomas Muller and Arjen Robben.
The World Cup 2010 Golden Boot winner nearly got on the score sheet just before the half-hour mark as he flashed a shot from inside the box just wide of the Schalke's left post. Bayern Munich was dominating the proceedings, however, and was soon rewarded with the opener.
In the 34th Luiz Gustavo did superbly to wrestle Marco Hoger off the ball and pick out Ribery with an immense 30-yard-pass. The Frenchman did brilliantly to bypass the onrushing Hildebrand with an exquisite touch before slotting into an empty net.
Bayern Munich nearly doubled the advantage just before halftime when a spilled ball caught Holger Badstuber by surprise on the goal line, but the defender failed to turn the rebound into the net from point-black range.
The Germany international was in for more frustration as just after the break he saw a towering header cannon off the bar as the Bavarians were turning on the heat.
However, Schalke nearly punished the home side for its inefficiency in front of goal in a subsequent attack, as Joel Matip was released in a one-on-one with Manuel Neuer, but failed toconvert.
Bayern Munich was soon back on top of the game, though, as a minute of brilliance from Ribery created two superb chances for Mario Gomez and Robben, but the duo failed to make these opportunities count.
The Frenchman took the matters into his own hands as in the 55th minute he went on a good run on the left flank before slotting with a precise finish past Hilderbrand to make it 2-0 for the Bavarians.
Bayern Munich was still not content with the result, and had a goal wrongly disallowed with a quarter of an hour before the final whistle as Muller flicked in a free kick from Robben, only to see the strike disallowed for an offside on Ivica Olic.
This victory leaves the Bavarians second in the standing with 48 points, while Schalke sits fourth with 44. Bayern Munich visits Bayer Leverkusen on March 3 in its next league game, while Huub Stevens' men travel to Freiburg on the same day.
Franck Ribery scored either side of halftime as the Bavarians managed to keep the pressure on league leading Borussia Dortmund.
Jupp Heynckes' men imposed a fast tempo from the start, and caught Schalke's defense by surprise on a couple of occasions. In the sixth minute the Royal Blues had Timo Hildebrand to thank as the former Stuttgart goalkeeper pulled off a stunning double save to deny Thomas Muller and Arjen Robben.
The World Cup 2010 Golden Boot winner nearly got on the score sheet just before the half-hour mark as he flashed a shot from inside the box just wide of the Schalke's left post. Bayern Munich was dominating the proceedings, however, and was soon rewarded with the opener.
In the 34th Luiz Gustavo did superbly to wrestle Marco Hoger off the ball and pick out Ribery with an immense 30-yard-pass. The Frenchman did brilliantly to bypass the onrushing Hildebrand with an exquisite touch before slotting into an empty net.
Bayern Munich nearly doubled the advantage just before halftime when a spilled ball caught Holger Badstuber by surprise on the goal line, but the defender failed to turn the rebound into the net from point-black range.
The Germany international was in for more frustration as just after the break he saw a towering header cannon off the bar as the Bavarians were turning on the heat.
However, Schalke nearly punished the home side for its inefficiency in front of goal in a subsequent attack, as Joel Matip was released in a one-on-one with Manuel Neuer, but failed toconvert.
Bayern Munich was soon back on top of the game, though, as a minute of brilliance from Ribery created two superb chances for Mario Gomez and Robben, but the duo failed to make these opportunities count.
The Frenchman took the matters into his own hands as in the 55th minute he went on a good run on the left flank before slotting with a precise finish past Hilderbrand to make it 2-0 for the Bavarians.
Bayern Munich was still not content with the result, and had a goal wrongly disallowed with a quarter of an hour before the final whistle as Muller flicked in a free kick from Robben, only to see the strike disallowed for an offside on Ivica Olic.
This victory leaves the Bavarians second in the standing with 48 points, while Schalke sits fourth with 44. Bayern Munich visits Bayer Leverkusen on March 3 in its next league game, while Huub Stevens' men travel to Freiburg on the same day.
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Friday, February 24, 2012
Arsenal and England star Jack Wilshere arrested after woman left with broken arm during night out in London
Arsenal and England starlet Jack Wilshere has been arrested for assault after a woman's arm was broken and a man suffered facial injuries in a fight outside a nightclub.
Wilshere, who made his international debut this month, was leaving the nightclub with three friends when a brawl broke out.
The 18-year-old, who is teetotal, is believed to have acted as a peacemaker when an alcohol-fuelled row erupted between members of his party and another group made up of four men and a woman.
Brawl: Jack Wilshere was arrested after this fight, captured by security cameras at the Daily Mail's offices in Kensington
The fracas took place on the steps of the Daily Mail's offices in Kensington, West London, shortly after 2.30am yesterday.
The Mail's CCTV cameras captured the incident and appear to show punches being thrown among the warring groups.
It is thought the dispute flared over the woman in the group, although it is understood she broke her arm from a fall rather than in an attack. It is thought that her boyfriend was hit in the face in the fight.
A diamond bracelet belonging to the woman which broke off her wrist was later handed to police.
Midfielder: Wilshere made his international debut this month
Security guards at the nearby Kensington Roof Gardens nightclub rushed across the road to try to separate the two groups of men fighting.
One doorman said: 'It was chaos. They were scrapping at each other viciously. There was a girl screaming on the floor and more girls came rushing out of the club. We tried to separate them but they kept trying to hit each other.
'There was a lot of noise and one boy had blood coming from his mouth and nose. The police came after about five minutes and arrested a group of the lads.
'It all seemed a bit stupid as we rarely have trouble here as it's a nice part of town. Shocking really.'
Wilshere and his friends had been partying in the fashionable Amika nightclub and were on their way home when they clashed with the other group.
It is thought that the player tried to break up the fight. He and his friends then got in a taxi but were stopped by police who had been called to the incident.
Wilshere and three other men, one aged 18 and two aged 21, were all arrested for assault. It is not clear if the other men arrested were all his friends or if some were members of the other group.
A source said: 'Jack was walking down the street with some friends. There were a couple on the kerb-side. I don't know what was said or done but there was an altercation with a friend of Jack's which Jack tried to break up.
'I think during it the girl fell over and broke her arm. Jack's friends and those from the other party all confirmed to police that he was acting as a peacemaker.'
Wilshere's spokesman said: 'The police have made it very clear that he is an important witness to the incident and played the role of peacemaker and is unlikely to face any charges as a result.'
A Metropolitan Police spokesman said those arrested had been bailed until mid-October.
Wilshere, whose father Andrew is a plumber, lives close to his family in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, where he grew up. He was out with friends from Hertfordshire on Saturday after Arsenal's 2-1 victory over Blackburn earlier in the day.
He has been tipped as England's next big hope having been loaned by Arsenal to Bolton last season to gain Premiership experience.
| Zambia’s win could ‘inspire’ others | |||
Former great Kalusha Bwalya believes African title could shine the spotlight on continent's less traditional teams. | |||
Zambia's largely unknown team upstaged Senegal, Ghana and Ivory Coast, all teams brimming with well-known European-based talent, to take the trophy for the first time this month. It was a hugely emotional event as Zambia beat Ivory Coast in the final in Gabon, playing only a few miles from the site of a plane crash which killed 18 national team members in 1993 as they travelled to Senegal for a World Cup qualifier. "It's psychological shift to think you can beat these teams and these players who people watch on television, week in, week out," Bwalya told news agency reporters at FIFA headquarters. "We were able to beat them or match them man for man. I think we have the right kind of pedigree and right kind of ambition to try and qualify for the World Cup." World-cup dreams The main phase of the African World Cup qualifying competition starts in June with 40 teams vying for five places in Brazil in 2014. Of those teams, 27, including Zambia, have never played at the finals before. Guinea, Burkina Faso, Gabon and Mali are among those with serious intentions of breaking their duck, along with Zambia themselves. "I think our football can speak for itself, I think we play good football, it's not like our team is always defending," said the 48-year-old who has also coached the national side. "Our team can never defend, our team attacks and I'm sure other teams will be wary of meeting us." However, Bwalya said Europe's clubs tended to look only towards the continent's traditional powers such as Nigeria, Cameroon, Ivory Coast and Ghana when signing African players. "I just hope they can believe more in the other teams," said Bwalya, who escaped the plane crash because he was playing for Dutch club PSV Eindhoven at the time and was travelling separately to the game. Zambia's current squad has only one player based with a first division club, Young Boys Berne's Emmanuel Mayuka. The rest of the squad are split mostly between clubs at home, in South Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo or China. Europe-bound Bwalya said it was essential for Zambian players to move to Europe if the country was to progress.
"There have been some people contacting the players and I hope that from this team, three or four players can be able to go even to England. "I'm sure the teams won't be disappointed, I would appeal to them to also figure in our players because it can only help us, the more players you have playing in the top leagues, the better it will be eventually." He was not worried that Zambia could lose their unity if some of the players became household names, with all the trappings that brings. "As Zambians, we have never had any problems in terms of tribes and things, and no civil war, I think we are different in that respect," he said. "This team has been together, eighty per cent of the players were together in 2006 and you can see the boys know each other very well. |
| Will Spain be out of sorts at Euro 2012? | ||||
Spain go into Euro 2012 as favourites but they have a number of attacking players who are not at the top of their game. | ||||
World champion Spain's attack is in trouble only months before they defends their European Championship title, leaving coach Vicente del Bosque with some tough decisions - starting with Friday's squad announcement for an upcoming friendly against Venezuela. Speculation over who can lead the attack has grown as Torres' form at Chelsea hasn't improved, although the striker could still play against Venezuela due to Villa's absence.
Villa, Spain's all-time leading goalscorer, fractured his left leg in December and is not expected back before May. Spain opens Group C play against Italy on June 10, with subsequent matches against Ireland and Croatia. Like Iniesta, Pedro Rodriguez's season has been interrupted by injuries, while Xavi has played sparingly of late, starting only once in his last six matches. Defender Gerard Pique's form has also been less than steady at Barcelona. "There's only four months to go until the European Championship and it's true there are players who aren't at their best right now, but we have time to evaluate and take decisions,'' Del Bosque said. "We have plenty of players and we'll find the right No. 9 - if not the ideal one, one who can play the position.'' Alternatives Fernando Llorente is a regular in the squad and could play a bigger role given the Athletic Bilbao striker's spectacular form of late, although the hulking striker offers different skills to the possession-based, touch football Spain thrives on. Valencia's Roberto Soldado appears the leading candidate to make the squad with Sevilla pair Alvaro Negredo and Jesus Navas, who helped Spain win the World Cup in South Africa, enduring poor seasons. Del Bosque could also adapt his tactics to suit one of his more offensive minded midfielders, with the likes of David Silva, Cesc Fabregas and Juan Mata all enjoying career seasons. There is also an emerging crop of talented players emerging from the nation's youth categories pushing for places, with Bilbao's core of Iker Muniain, Andoni Iraiola and Ander Herrera all helping the Basque club to the Copa del Rey final.
Still, Del Bosque is maintaining his characteristic cool demeanor before Wednesday's match in Malaga, which will be Spain's last before the former Real Madrid coach names his Euro 2012 squad in May. Spain are looking to become the first World Cup winner to defend their European title at the tournament in Poland and Ukraine between June 8-July 1. "We went into the World Cup with the experience of having won the Euro and the players held themselves together very well,'' Del Bosque said. "I think we're lucky that we can count on a group of players who know football well and whose competitive spirit remains intact. |
| Tensions build in run-up to Senegal vote | ||
Demonstrations in Dakar as protest movement and opposition candidates call on President Wade to drop bid for third term. | ||
While it is business as usual for most in Dakar, an air of uncertainty hovers over the coastal city, the site of daily protests and demonstrations as opposition parties struggle for space to campaign for Sunday's elections. Olusegun Obasanjo, the former Nigerian president, on an observer mission to the West African country, continued to meet opposition leaders on Thursday in a bid to find a solution to their resolve that Abdoulaye Wade, the incumbent president, is not legible to run for a third term. The Senegalese constitution prohibits incumbent presidents from serving more than two terms, but the country's highest court, the constitutional council, validated Wade's candidacy on January 27, saying that his first term did not count since it came before the two-term limit was introduced. The court's decision has outraged many Senegalese citizens, resulting in a series of demonstrations and clashes between opposition supporters and police services. The M23 movement, an umbrella grouping of activists, opposition leaders and youth called the ruling "a constitutional coup". The interior ministry has banned rallies at Independence Square, and conducted a severe crackdown on opposition rallies in various parts of the city. It is a move that prompted Idrissa Seck, a leading opposition candidate, to describe Senegal to Al Jazeera, as a "dictatorship". Calls for revolution Earlier in the week, protesters marched through Avenue William Ponty, close to Independence Square, singing and chanting: "He should go! He must go! He has to go!" in reference to Wade. Protesters waved Senegalese flags and held up placards reading ''Rend Toi" ["You have to surrender" in French], and "Na Deem" ["Must go" in Wolof] and "Wade D'ena" ["Wade is dead" in Wolof] and calling for a "Senegalese revolution", under the watchful eye of a thick security presence. In a crowd dominated by young males, one older protester in his 40s, told Al Jazeera that he was at the rally to support the M23 movement against "President Wade's attempt to put his son in power". Wade is widely believed to be grooming his son, Karim Wade, a powerful government minister, as his preferred successor.The crowd dispersed when riot police used grenade launchers to fire tear gas canisters into the crowd, prompting a stand-off between rock-wielding demonstrators and armed security forces.Another younger demonstrator screamed: "We are tired, we are tired of his policies and wastage of funds!" Clashes between security forces and protesters have already resulted in at least six deaths, according to an official toll, though others suggest that the number has crept up to 10 deaths, since the constitutional council validated Wade's candidacy. While the African Union delegation through the leadership of Olusegun have tried to address the crisis, analysts say it is difficult to see past the political stalemate. "It is a stalemate. On one hand, Wade is obstinate and is at least 90-years-old, meaning that if he wins we would have a president that would finish his term at 97-years-old," Arame Tall, a researcher at John Hopkins University-Sais, told Al Jazeera. Wade is officially 85 years old but is rumoured to be older. "On the other hand, we have a highly divided opposition, animated by personal ambition - and they are also guilty of trapping the public because they simply refuse to unite and create a strong front to confront the old man. "The public has no choice, because they are faced with an old man they do not want and a fragmented opposition with no leadership," Tall said. Regional parallels Observers are at a stretch to draw comparisons and parallels between the West African country and others in the region, though there are repeated murmurs that Senegal might by headed the way of botched elections and a possible violent standoff, as occurred in Ivory Coast following disputed elections in 2010. But security experts in the region say that the assertion is unjustified and that though security might deteriorate, the country has very little in common with Ivory Coast. Around dusk on Wednesday, as informal traders and businesses prepare to close, opposition leaders could be seen driving on the corniche in their motorcade - blaring the signature anti-Wade songs on stacked speakers aboard flat deck pick-up vehicles. But fears of violence remain high, and can be seen in the drawn shutters of department stores and cafes on some of the commercial avenues in Dakar as business lament losses and potential risks to property if the situation turned hairy. There is also fear that pre-election violence could hurt voter turnout on Sunday, prompting calls from some candidates to delay the polls. "People are going about their usual activities, but it is very stressful for locals because no one knows what might happen," Arame Tall said. |
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