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20, February 2024

Marseille sack Gattuso and replaced him with Gasset recently fired by Ivory Coast ⁰

Marseille have sacked Gennaro Gattuso as their manager and replaced him with Jean-Louis Gasset.

Gattuso took over at the French club in late September and leaves with the club ninth in Ligue 1.

The Italian claimed just nine wins from his 24 matches as manager, losing six times during his spell in charge.

Gasset, 70, was recently sacked by Ivory Coast after the group stage of the Africa Cup of Nations, before they went on to win the tournament.

“Olympique de Marseille announces the end of its collaboration with Gennaro Gattuso,” Marseille said in a statement.

“Marseille would like to extend its special thanks to Gennaro and his entire staff for the unfailing commitment and professionalism they have shown on a daily basis, and wishes them all the best for the future.”

Gattuso joined Marseille as a replacement for now Villarreal manager Marcelino, who himself had only been at the helm in the south of France for three months.

Gattuso, who as a player won the World Cup with Italy in 2006, has also had spells managing AC Milan, Napoli and Valencia.

After a slow start to his time in France, four straight league wins in December took Marseille up to sixth in the table.

But Marseille have not won any of their last six Ligue 1 matches, four of which have ended in draws.

Gattuso took charge of 15 league matches at the Stade Velodrome, winning five, drawing five and losing five.

Marseille were also knocked out of the Coupe de France last month after a penalty shootout defeat to league rivals Rennes.

Despite the poor run of form, Marseille remain in the Europa League. Finishing second in Group B behind English debutants Brighton, Marseille host Ukrainian outfit Shakhtar Donetsk on Thursday (20:00 GMT) in the second leg of their knockout round play-off match, having drawn 2-2 last week.

Source: BBC

20, February 2024

Football: Kylian Mbappe agrees Real Madrid deal to join in summer ⁰

Paris St-Germain striker Kylian Mbappe has agreed to join Real Madrid this summer.

The France captain, 25, has told PSG he intends to leave the club with his contract expiring in June.

Mbappe has not signed a contract with Real yet, but the deal could be announced once it is no longer possible for the clubs to meet in this season’s Champions League.

The World Cup winner is PSG’s record goalscorer with 244 goals.

Mbappe wanted his future sorted before March, so on 13 February, before training, he met PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi and told him he was leaving and joining Real.

After reports emerged last Thursday that he would leave, Mbappe was left out of the starting line-up for Saturday’s match against Nantes, but came off the bench to score a penalty as PSG went 14 points clear at the top of Ligue 1.

He is set to sign a five-year deal with Real, earning 15m euros (£12.8m) a season, plus a 150m euro (£128m) signing-on bonus to be paid over five years, and he will keep a percentage of his image rights.

Real manager Carlo Ancelotti has already thought how he will use Mbappe in his team, with England midfielder Jude Bellingham playing a deeper role, Brazilian Vinicius Jr playing on the left and Mbappe playing left of centre.

If Croatia midfielder Luka Modric leaves this summer, then Mbappe would inherit the number 10 shirt he wears for France.

PSG are 2-0 up against Real Sociedad after the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie, while Real lead RB Leipzig 1-0.

How have we got here?

Mbappe won the French title with Monaco before joining PSG as an 18-year-old in 2017, initially on loan before a 180m euro (£165.7m) move.

Overall, he has 244 goals and 93 assists in 291 games for PSG and has helped the club to five Ligue 1 title wins.

Mbappe was set to leave PSG on a free transfer at the end of the 2021-22 season but ultimately signed a two-year contract extension, with the option of a further year.

However, after Mbappe told PSG he would not agree to the additional 12 months of the deal, he was not selected for their pre-season tour to Japan last July.

He subsequently refused to meet with representatives of Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal, who made a world record £259m offer for him.

He later returned to first-team training following what PSG said were “very constructive and positive” talks.

Mbappe turned down a move to Real when he agreed to his current deal with PSG in May 2022.

He has a one-year extension clause, so it is expected his departure will involve either a sale with a transfer fee or financial sacrifices on the player’s part.

“He is no doubt one of the players anyone would love to have on his side. He is an amazing player,” former Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon told the BBC’s Football News Show.

“We have very young players – he will join Vinicius, Rodrygo, Bellingham – and I think we have a very strong team. That’s why we are leading La Liga and also we’ve won all our matches in the Champions League.

“So, for him it would be fantastic. Every fan of Real Madrid would like to see him playing in the Bernabeu.

“He will leave a mark. If he continues to play as he has up until now, for sure he will be one of the important players we have had in our history.”

Source: BBC

20, February 2024

Ambazonia Interim Government: No option but armed Amba fighters to fight off Yaoundé aggression ⁰

There is no option left for the people of Southern Cameroons but armed Amba fighters to fight off the genocide campaign the French Cameroun regime in Yaoundé is exercising in the Ambazonia homeland, says Vice President Dabney Yerima.

“The Southern Cameroons struggle has its roots in strong historic facts and faith and Southern Cameroons young men and women are now willing to make sacrifices for the complete liberation of their homeland. The struggle will emerge triumphant,” Dabney Yerima said on Monday during a zoom meeting with some Ground Zero commanders.

The exiled Southern Cameroons leader said British Southern Cameroons will be independent through sacrifices and that soon and very soon, the world will eventually witness an independent Federal Republic of Ambazonia with the French Cameroun regime wiped off its face.

The Ambazonia Interim Government official said the recent surprise Amba operation in Buea exposed the frailty and weakness of the Biya French Cameroun regime, and drove it closer to downfall.

“After more than six years, the people of Southern Cameroons are still steadfast and fighting to inflict painful losses upon the French Cameroun enemy’s ranks,” Dabney Yerima stated.

By Chi Prudence Asong

20, February 2024

Widow of Haiti’s president indicted in his assassination ⁰

A Haitian judge in charge the investigation into the 2021 assassination of the Caribbean nation’s last president has charged some fifty people, including his widow and a former prime minister, according to a document leaked to local media.

According to the 122-page document from Judge Walther Wesser Voltaire, made public by AyiboPost, the president’s widow Martine Moise conspired with former Prime Minister Claude Joseph to kill the president in order to replace him herself.

Moise was shot dead when armed men broke into his Port-au-Prince bedroom on the night of July 7, 2021, a raid that left the former first lady injured.

The judge’s order calls for the arrest and trial of those charged.

The former first lady did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment, nor did Joseph. Moise has criticised on social media what she calls unjust arrests and political persecutions.

Joseph meanwhile told the Miami Herald the president’s de-facto successor, Prime Minister Ariel Henry, was the main beneficiary and was now “weaponising the Haitian justice system” to persecute opponents in “a classic coup d’etat.”

A spokesperson for Henry’s office said the judge was independent and “free to issue his order in accordance with the law and his conscience.”

Henry was appointed to replace Joseph, who now leads an opposition party, days before the assassination. He pledged to hold elections but has postponed these indefinitely citing a devastating earthquake and the growing power of heavily-armed criminal gangs, for which he has sought foreign aid.

The gangs are now estimated to control most of the capital, and Kenya is preparing to lead a UN-ratified international force to support Haitian police, though prior abuses by foreign missions and allegations against Henry’s government have left countries wary of volunteering support.

A separate case on Moise’s killing is being tried in Miami, where six of 11 defendants have pleaded guilty to a plot to send Colombian mercenaries to kidnap Moise, a plan which was at the eleventh hour changed to a plot to murder him.

The conspirators had according to US charges sought to replace Moise with Haitian-American pastor Christian Emmanuel Sanon.

Source: REUTERS

20, February 2024

Douala: Escalating fuel prices are hurting! ⁰

For years now, the cost of living around the world has left many people in difficult financial times. The rising housing cost in the country has left many people around the world homeless while escalating food and oil prices have left many hungry and desperate. To gain a better understanding of the tough financial times in which the increasing fuel prices have dumped Cameroonians, Cameroon Concord News sent its Douala-based reporter to the streets of the city where he talked to ordinary citizens who did not hide their pain and frustration with the government following the recent fuel price increase. To protect the identities of the speakers, Cameroon Concord News prefers to use their first names. This is what they had to say.

Jean Mark (Taxi driver): We are really dying in silence. The recent fuel price increase is going to kill us. Business is not as lucrative as it used to be. The roads are untarred, and we are already spending a lot on car maintenance. Following the government’s decision to increase pump prices, we too have decided to download the price increase on passengers. This is threatening our bottom-line as many young men and women now prefer to walk as a means of cutting down on their transportation cost. The government must do something. Cameroonians are hurting. Car owners require us to bring more money, but with this type of fuel prices, how do we balance our bosses. To cope with the new situation, I drive for almost 16 hours a day just to go home with something for my family. Things are deteriorating and if support measures are not taken, the economy will take a nosedive.

Marie-Irene (Housewife): I am happy that you have come to interview me right in the market. As you can see, the “Bonassama Market” is almost empty. The market women are complaining that they cannot sell their produce because the buyers do not have the money. Take a look at my market basket and you will see that it is almost empty. With CFAF 50,000 I could only buy a few items. A few years back, CFAF 50,000 could feed a family of five for almost ten days, but with increasing fuel prices, CFAF 50,000 cannot take us anywhere. We are straining. It is hard for us to make ends meet. My husband is the bread winner. For more than five years, he has not received any salary increase but food and fuel prices have been on the rise. The inflation has eroded our net family income, pushing us into poverty. What is even more annoying is that the government does not seem to care. Since the cost of living increased, the government has not taken any reasonable supporting measures. The best it has done is to announce a 5% increase in the salaries of civil servants. 5% is simply nothing. With average salaries in Cameroon standing at CFAF 200,000, a-5% increase will imply that someone with CFAF 200,000 will earn an additional CFAF 10,000. What can that buy for a typical Cameroonian family? The government seems to have put us on a diet, and we are losing weight amazingly fast.

Edimo (civil servant): Honestly, things are falling apart for me. As you can see, I am heading to work on foot. I am a civil servant but look at the way I am dressed. It is as if the government is punishing us for agreeing to serve our country. I am overwhelmed. With a family of six, my salary of CFAF 220,000 cannot carry us. My wife also works but we are still under enormous stress. When you look at Cameroonians, you can easily figure out that they are under pressure. Many Cameroonians are on high blood medication. Stressed-induced diabetes is taking down Cameroonians. Escalating prices are hurting us and our families. Many Cameroonians no longer go to shops to shop. The prices there are well beyond their purchasing power. We all now do purchase our clothes from the second-hand market. We are finished! The government is clearly indifferent to our plight. Many Cameroonians can no longer get the health care they need because of high care cost. This is not the country we all hoped for in the early 80s. And this explains why many people are leaving the country.

Peter Martin (Teacher): I am a government teacher. Times are hard and they will continue in for many years. Prices are constantly moving upward while salaries are stagnating. I have parked my car following the recent increase in fuel prices. I cannot afford to run a car with such a meagre salary. To make ends meet, I must organize extra classes in my home. There are many students who are missing classes because they cannot afford to take taxis to school. Cameroon has not got a real mass transit system, and this makes life challenging to the poor. In a few years’ time, drop-out rates in our schools will be high. Literacy levels are also bound to decline as many parents are instead pushing their children into small businesses. The government must take a look at the situation to ensure that rising fuel prices do not have very serious adverse effects on the economy.

By staff man Alain A. Ebot

19, February 2024

Indomitable Lions: Hugo Broos Opens Up on Why He Was Fired As Coach ⁰

The head coach of the South African national football team, Hugo Broos, has opened up on what went wrong during his time with the Cameroonian national team.

Barely 10 months after guiding the Indomitable Lions to the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations title, the tactician was shown the door.

Broos has detailed all that transpired before he was sacked, including allegations that he was extorting money from players before they were called up to the national team.

He explained that there appeared to be some similarities with his present situation with South Africa, having led them to a third-place finish at the just-concluded 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.

In 2017, Cameroon lost 4-0 to Nigeria and then fell out of their 2018 World Cup campaign. Commenting on the manner of his departure, Broos said this week-

“I was in the hotel with the staff, I forget before which game, and there was a sports programme [on TV]. There were two guests, and one of them said, ‘I know the coach, team manager and team doctor asked for money for players to be in the national team. €5,000 if they want to play’.

“We were all in front of the TV saying, ‘What is this guy saying?’. The team manager and the doctor went to court. They stopped the programme and the guy got a fine. That’s Cameroon.”

Source: Sportsbrief.com

19, February 2024

Southern Cameroons Crisis: Bishop George Nkuo says God is ‘close to the broken–hearted’ ⁰

In a heartfelt homily on Sunday, Bishop George Nkuo of Kumbo in Cameroon reminded the faithful of God’s constant presence and care in times of trouble amid a new spat of violence.

He urged all parties to renounce violence and seek peace in the Anglophone regions of Cameroon, where a secessionist uprising has claimed thousands of lives and displaced millions since 2017.

“No more bloodshed in our land. No more violence in our land. No more hatred in our land,” the bishop said.

His message on February 18 came in the wake of attacks on February 11, Cameroon’s National Youth Day. Suspected separatists carried out these attacks on students in Nkambe, leaving one student dead and over 40 wounded.

They detonated an improvised explosive device as students marched past, killing 14-year-old Cherish and injuring several others. Armed men, also suspected to be separatists, marched into a Catholic Church in Jakiri, in the Kumbo Diocese. They ordered Christians out of Mass, accusing them of using a church service to celebrate Youth Day.

February 11 is celebrated in Cameroon as a Youth Day. However, historically it is the day Cameroon’s Anglophones – the part of Cameroon initially administered by the British before independence – voted in a 1961 plebiscite to gain independence by joining the already independent Republic of Cameroon, which is the part of the country initially administered by the French. The two entities then formed a Federal Republic of Cameroon, which only lasted for a decade.

The federal system was dissolved in favor of a unitary state. The Anglophone minority has long felt marginalized and subjugated by the Francophone-dominated administration in Yaoundé. Therefore, Feb. 11 has been a date that separatists love to hate. As one separatist put it, it was the day Anglophones were “packaged, sold and delivered.”

Impeding the celebration of that day in Cameroon’s English-speaking regions is part of a larger strategy for separatists to undermine state sovereignty as they seek separation from the country and the creation of a new state called Ambazonia. The fighting, now in its seventh year, has resulted in the loss of at least 6,000 lives, according to the International Crisis Group. Over a million people have been forced to flee from their homes.

Nkuo said that despite the escalating violence, God remains a permanent presence in the lives of the people.

“God is close to His people, He is close to the broken-hearted especially in times of difficulty,” the bishop said.

“We worship a God who is close to those who are weak. We worship a God of Peace, a God who does not tolerate any form of violence, a God who has called us to have deep respect for the dignity of every human person. It is a God who has ‘conquered every form of darkness with the light of the risen Christ,” he said.

Lemnyuy Cherish Bongeh, the lone-girl killed in the Nkambe blast, had initially escaped fighting in her native Kumbo to the economic capital Douala, where she continued schooling. However, her father preferred that she return and relocate to the relatively peaceful Nkambe. The Feb. 11 attack would shatter that peace.

“What has happened cuts a deep wound into my heart,” Cherish’s father said, asking that his name not be used.

The murdered girl’s classmate gave one of the bidding prayers, painting a gory picture of what has been going on in the two English-speaking regions.

“Merciful Lord, for over seven years now, we have known no peace. The blood of the innocent, especially young people, has been shed in many places in our country. You are our only hope. Hear our prayer and grant us peace,” the student said.

“Show compassion to the people of Nkambe in their sorrow,” Nkuo said.

In a February 14 statement, the bishop condemned “in the strongest terms” the Youth Day attacks.

“We strongly condemn and denounce any form of violence perpetrated during public and spiritual gatherings and within the sacred spaces of Churches and Hospitals,” Nkuo said. “We condemn in the strongest terms this heinous and senseless attack on innocent civilians during the Youth Day celebration in Nkambe.”

The bishop said the violence meted out on innocent civilians “shatters the very core of our moral fabric and calls for our collective condemnation.”

He said disrupting a Eucharistic celebration “not only violates the sanctity of these institutions but also undermines the values of compassion, empathy, and respect that lie at the core of our faith.”

“The Mass is a sacred and solemn occasion where the faithful gather to worship, seek spiritual nourishment, and strengthen their relationship with God. Such disruptions not only disrespect the sanctity of the Mass but also infringe upon the rights and freedom of religious expression,” Nkuo said.

“God’s house should be a haven of peace, where all can come together in reverence and unity,” he said.

The bishop cited international humanitarian law, which makes places of worship and other religious sites “sanctuaries where worshippers feel safe to practice their faith, sanctuaries of peace, healing, and solace for all individuals seeking comfort and divine intervention.”

He called on Cameroonians to stand united “against this brutality and affirm our commitment to peace, justice, and compassion.”

“We must stand together in denouncing such atrocities and demand that every child be granted the right to live in safety, peace, and dignity,” he said.

Nkuo appealed to the warring parties to “give peace a chance” by engaging in sincere dialogue.

“Let us pray for the victims and their loved ones, offering solace, support, and strength during this difficult time,” the bishop said.

Source: Crux

18, February 2024

Southern Cameroons Crisis: 8 separatist fighters killed in Ayukaba ⁰

At least eight separatist fighters have been killed in a military offensive in Cameroon’s war-torn English-speaking region of Southwest, security and local sources said on Sunday.

The raids were carried out from Friday to Saturday in the Ayukaba locality of the region.

The fighters had arrived at the locality and were preparing to set up a base there when the information reached the army, a military official in the region said.

“Our brave soldiers immediately entered the area and succeeded in driving them out for two days. Eight (separatist fighters) were killed, and several of their weapons and ammunition were seized,” said the official, who asked not to be named.

Officials said on Saturday that troops were succeeding in most operations in the region thanks to the cooperation of the local population.

Fighting between government forces and separatist fighters has persisted in Cameroon’s two English-speaking regions of Northwest and Southwest since 2017 when separatists attempted to establish an independent nation in these regions.

Source: Xinhuanet

17, February 2024

Donald Trump hit where it hurts most in New York fraud ruling ⁰

Donald Trump’s latest legal loss hits him where it hurts most because it takes aim at his very identity.

For decades, he has marketed himself as a genius business mogul who made it big in one of the world’s most cut-throat cities.

That image – forever tied to New York deal-making and reinforced by relentless self-promotion – catapulted him to international fame, allowing him to reinvent himself first as a reality TV star and then ultimately president of the United States.

But Judge Arthur Engoron’s ruling in a civil fraud case – related to the inflation of property values and lying on financial statements to obtain better loan terms – undermines Mr Trump’s entire narrative. It instead paints him as a fraud and inflicts a massive blow to his business empire and wealth.

Donald Trump once remarked that the mind can overcome any obstacle. But what an obstacle this is.

The verdict significantly curtails the Trump Organization’s ability to do business in New York. He has personally been banned from holding any directorships for three years and his company cannot secure loans with financial institutions registered with the city during that time either.

He has been hit with an enormous financial penalty of $355m (£282m; €329m) – which jumps to more than $450m once interest is included – that far exceeds how much cash he has to hand. His business will continue to be be watched by an independent monitor, with a separate independent director of compliance also signing off on major business decisions.

In perhaps the only bright spot for the former president and Republican frontrunner, the Trump empire was spared from the equivalent of the corporate death penalty – the cancellation of its business licences.

Mr Trump has for decades seemed to rally and recover from scandals and legal challenges that could irreparably damage others, so much so that he has been referred to as Teflon Don, because nothing sticks.

The nickname previously belonged to the mob boss John Gotti after he won a series of high-profile acquittals in the 1980s. But today’s verdict signals that Donald Trump’s luck, like Gotti’s, may be running out.

Judge Engoron noted Mr Trump and the other defendants’ lack of remorse and history of repeated and persistent fraud. In this case, he said the examples of fraud over more than a decade at the company “leap off the page and shock the conscience”.

Yet the defendants were incapable of admitting the error of their ways, he said, writing: “Their complete lack of contrition and remorse borders on pathological.”

Unsurprisingly, Mr Trump sees things very differently. He says he built a “perfect company” and rejects that he should be punished for fraud because banks were paid back in full. He continues to repeat claims, without evidence, that his legal challenges are just a plot by elite Democrats to keep him out of the White House.

According to Mr Trump’s estranged niece Mary Trump, the judge’s ruling amounts to the end of the Trump family legacy. “Today is an emotional day, but one thing is for certain: the Engoron decision is absolutely devastating for Donald,” she wrote on social media.

As the son of a real estate developer whose projects included middle-class apartment buildings in the outer boroughs of Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island, Mr Trump always dreamed of making a name for himself among the skyscrapers of Manhattan.

A seven-year spree of construction from 1976-1983, including the eponymous Trump Tower, solidified his reputation as a real estate giant in New York. ”Not many sons have been able to escape their fathers,” he told the New York Times in 1983 – the implication being that at 37, he already had.

And it’s true that the 1980s era of greed and excess was a prosperous time for a young developer with his ambition.

Donald Trump Sign during Donald Trump's "The Apprentice" Sign Thanking New York City at Trump Tower in New York City, New York, United States. — Image caption,Donald Trump reinvented himself as a reality TV star in the early 2000s – with New York at the centre

Trump Tower, with its prime location on 5th Avenue, put Donald Trump on the map. Once his reputation was established, he subsequently put his name on every project he did.

By the early 1990’s though, Donald Trump filed for several corporate bankruptcies and nearly lost it all.

It was during this time that Rich Herschlag, the chief engineer in the Manhattan Borough President’s office, worked with Mr Trump and his organization on the Riverside South project, a redevelopment in a former rail yard on the Upper West Side.

He says it meant “everything or darn close to everything” for Donald Trump to be seen as a successful real estate developer – and in particular build an empire from his father’s legacy.

“To watch it [potentially] gutted and decimated, I can’t image that’s anything less than an emotional horror,” he told the BBC.

It is not yet clear how Mr Trump will pay the nearly half a billion dollars that he is liable for and if that will involve selling any assets or businesses to raise the cash. His sprawling real estate empire in New York is valued by Forbes at $490m but there are many other properties around the country, including hotels, golf courses, condominiums and even a winery.

He will appeal against the penalty, which would put the decision on hold until a higher court reviews the case.

But if he wants to avoid paying the fine or having his personal assets seized while the appeal process plays out, he still has to deposit the full amount within 30 days or secure a costly bond.

Selling any of his prime Manhattan real estate would be an indignity for the former president – and a decision he would not take lightly.

Whether or not Donald Trump is able to recover from this financial shock, the outcome looks sure to significantly dent his fortune.

The ruling in the city where he rose to the top – while always remaining something of an outsider – is undoubtedly a big loss. And for more than six decades in New York real estate, there’s no figure Mr Trump has derided more than the “loser”.

Source: BBC

15, February 2024

Kylian Mbappé tells PSG he will leave club at end of season ⁰

France captain Kylian Mbappé has told officials at Paris Saint-Germain that he intends to leave when his contract expires at the end of the season, a source close to the Ligue 1 champions said on Thursday.

The 25-year-old, who arrived in Paris from Monaco in 2017, had extended his contract in 2022 until 2024 but last summer declined to activate a clause allowing him to stay another year at PSG.

Mbappé has been widely tipped to move to Real Madrid and, according to a source close to the matter, has already entered negotiations with the Spanish giants.

“The terms of the departure have yet to be fully agreed,” the source said, adding that the club and Mbappé will make an official statement “when everything is finalised in the next few months”.

PSG declined to comment when contacted by AFP

Mbappé will leave PSG on a free transfer but the blow to the club will be softened by an agreement they reached last summer which will see the player waive bonuses amounting to around 60 to 70 million euros ($65.6 million to $76.6 million).

After seven seasons at PSG, Mbappé, the club’s all-time top scorer, looks set to seal a move to Real Madrid, the club that the player has dreamt of since he was a child.

Real have made no secret of their desire to bring him to the Santiago Bernabeu. In 2019, 2021 and 2022, club president Florentino Perez considered signing him, only to be rebuffed each time.

For PSG, the departure of their main star, a year after the exits of Neymar and Lionel Messi, marks the beginning of a new era of uncertainty.

Source: AFP