Nigerian military air strike kills at least 20 civilians: Residents
A Nigerian military air strike in the country's embattled northwest has killed at least 20 civilians, three residents told AFP on Monday.
A group of local vigilantes were struck as they were pursuing a criminal gang in Zamfara state, the residents said. The Nigerian army did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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Arab News
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- Arab News
Chaabani believes debutants Berkane can win CAF Champions League
JOHANNESBURG: Renaissance Berkane coach Mouin Chaabani believes the Moroccan club could go one better than CAF Champions League title-holders Pyramids and win the competition at the first attempt. Cairo outfit Pyramids won the premier African club competition last Sunday in only their second appearance by beating South African rivals Mamelodi Sundowns 3-2 on aggregate. Berkane last month became Moroccan champions for the first time, finishing 13 points ahead of runners-up FAR Rabat. Called the Orange Boys as they are based in the citrus-growing northeast of Morocco, Renaissance will debut in the Champions League this year. It is a milestone for a club formed in 1938 and overshadowed for decades by Casablanca giants Raja and Wydad, both three-time African champions. Berkane finally conquered Morocco by winning 21 of 30 matches, drawing seven, losing just two, scoring 49 goals and conceding only 14 in a championship ranked the second toughest in Africa. While Berkane are Champions League debutants, they are no strangers to Africa having competed in the past eight editions of the second-tier CAF Confederation Cup, winning three finals. They were also runners-up twice to Egyptian opponents Zamalek, losing one title decider after a penalty shootout and another on away goals. Chaabani, a 43-year-old Tunisian, acknowledges that competing in the Champions League will be more challenging than the Confederation Cup. 'The Champions League is a tougher competition, with high-level opponents,' the coach who won back-to-back titles in the most prized African club competition with Tunis outfit Esperance told reporters. 'Thanks to repeated appearances in the Confederation Cup, I think Berkane have acquired continental experience. We have an ambitious squad capable of competing at the highest level. 'We will approach the Champions League campaign with great respect for opponents, but also with a desire to go far. Why not aim for the title? 'Our supporters can play a key role. Their unwavering backing, at home and away, has carried us through difficult times as well as joyful moments.' The Municipal Stadium in Berkane accommodates just 15,000 spectators, and their closeness to the pitch creates what many visiting coaches have called 'an intimidating atmosphere.' Berkane won 43 of 49 home Confederation Cup matches since debuting in 2015, drew the other six, scored 113 goals and conceded only 18. En route to the latest Confederation Cup triumph, they excelled at home, firing five goals past Dadje of Benin and Stellenbosch of South Africa and four past CS Constantine of Algeria in the semifinals. The Champions League is becoming increasingly competitive and unpredictable with the success of Pyramids not foreseen when the competition kicked off last August. The Cairo club boast a prolific scorer in Congolese Fiston Mayele, whose nine goals won him the Champions League Golden Boot. Pyramids, fellow Egyptian challengers and record 12-time African champions Al Ahly, Sundowns and Esperance of Tunisia will hope to claim the $4 million (EUR3.5 million) first prize. Mouloudia Alger of Algeria, who are poised to qualify, and FAR were quarter-finalists last season and capable of going further this time. Apart from the regular campaigners, there will be newcomers like Wiliete of Angola, Colombe of Cameroon and possibly Police, who need one point from two matches to become Kenyan champions. Originally due to kick off in August, the Champions League will be delayed as the African Nations Championship (CHAN) has been rescheduled for that month.
Asharq Al-Awsat
7 hours ago
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Zimbabwe to Cull Elephants and Distribute Meat to People
Zimbabwe will cull dozens of elephants and distribute the meat for consumption to ease the ballooning population of the animals, its wildlife authority said Tuesday. The southern Africa country is home to the second-biggest elephant population in the world after Botswana. The cull at a vast private game reserve in the southeast would initially target 50 elephants, the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Authority (ZimParks) said in a statement. It did not say how many of the animals would be killed in total or over what period. An aerial survey in 2024 showed the reserve, the Save Valley Conservancy, had 2,550 elephants, more than triple its carrying capacity of 800, ZimParks said. At least 200 have been translocated to other parks over the past five years. "Elephant meat from the management exercise will be distributed to local communities while ivory will be state property that will be handed over to the ZimParks for safekeeping," it said. Zimbabwe is unable to sell its stockpile of tusks due to a global ban on ivory trading. Tuesday's announcement came a day after four people were arrested in the capital Harare with more than 230 kilograms (500 pounds) of ivory for which they were allegedly seeking a buyer. In 2024, Zimbabwe culled 200 elephants as it faced an unprecedented drought that led to food shortages. It was the first major cull since 1988. The move to hunt the elephants for food has drawn sharp criticism, particularly as the animals are a major tourism draw.
Arab News
9 hours ago
- Arab News
Ten Palestinians killed in Israeli attack on school in Gaza's Khan Younis
CAIRO: An Israeli airstrike on a school housing displaced Palestinian families killed at least 10 people, including children, on Wednesday, local health authorities said. Residents said Israeli military escalated airstrikes and tank shelling on parts of Khan Younis, a day after it dropped leaflets warning residents to leave their homes and head west, saying forces would fight Hamas and other militants in those areas.
