Latest news with #Ivorians
Morocco World
43 minutes ago
- Politics
- Morocco World
Cote d'Ivoire's President Ouattara Bans Opposition to Consolidate Power
Rabat – Cote d'Ivoire's young democratic journey is backsliding as the incumbent president looks to tighten his grip on a presidency he is no longer supposed to run for. In a move aimed at strengthening his position of power in the Ivorian political makeup, President Alassane Ouattara has banned the most influential presidential candidates from the 2025 election. President Ouattara originally came to power in 2010 after an election against then incumbent president Laurent Gbagbo turned into a civil war, which killed 3000 people. Ouattara changed the constitution in 2016 to allow himself to run for a third term in 2020, and Ivorians fear he will stand again for reelection in 2025. He has also been accused of gradually becoming increasingly autocratic throughout his presidency. A popular opposition figure, particularly among young voters, Tidjane Thiam of the Democratic and Peace Party had been rising quickly in the polls. In addition to being the nephew of the country's first President Houphouet-Boigny, Thiam is widely perceived as experienced and competent to run a country that often prides itself as the economic leader in Francophone West Africa. Disqualifying popular candidates Despite Thiam receiving overwhelming support within his party and his popularity among younger Ivorians, a court blocked his bid to become presidential candidate in April 2025. The court notably cast doubt on Thiam's Ivorian nationality, arguing that his holding of French citizenship made him unreliable as the future leader of a sovereign nation. Thiam has contested what he sees as a political trial, noting that he had renounced his French citizenship long before launching his bid to become president of Cote d'Ivoire. And this week, in a decision that has polarized the West African nation and sent it into crisis, the Independent Electoral Commission announced banning Tidjane Thiam from the electoral list. Even more controversially, the ban applies to three other candidates whose popularity and political influence could prove a headache for President Ouattara's camp in any election: former president Laurent Gbagbo, former youth leader and political organizer Charles Blé Goudé, and former Ouattara acolyte Guillaume Soro. A very dependent electoral commission In a telling sign of political intervention from the presidential camp, the Commission contentiously stated that this list is definitive and would not be revised under any circumstances prior to the October elections. Both independent observers and supporters of the banned presidential hopefuls have accused Ouattara of illegally disqualifying his most formidable opponents to centralize power. Once hailed in the West as the savior of Ivorian democracy, President Ouattara is now roundly denounced by his opponents and some of his former advocates in the Western press as a power-hungry agent of democratic backsliding in the West African nation. Thiam has called on the UN to oppose Ouattara's dictatorial project, arguing that the past few years have seen Cote d'Ivoire 'slide towards a total lack of democracy.' Other candidates are qualified to participate in the coming elections, however. These include former First Lady Simone Ehivet Gbagbo and former Minister of Commerce Jean-Louis Billon. But neither of these candidates have the same popular support as Thiam and the other banned contenders. While it is not clear whether the media protestations of the banned candidates will bear any meaningful fruit on the actual political scene, one thing is for certain: this decision means that the October elections will be deeply divisive. Tags: Cote d'Ivoireivory coastOuattarapolitics
CAF
an hour ago
- Sport
- CAF
FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup 2025™: Morocco to Face Brazil in opening match
The draw for the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup Morocco 2025™, held on Wednesday in Rabat, set the tone for a highly anticipated edition of the tournament featuring competitive groups and a dazzling, historic opening match between the host nation and Brazil. The African flag will be flown by hosts Morocco, Cameroon, Nigeria, Côte d'Ivoire, and Zambia during the 3-week tournament taking place between 17 October – 8 November. As hosts of this eighth edition, Morocco have not been dealt an easy hand. Drawn into Group A alongside Brazil, Italy, and Costa Rica The opening match, scheduled to take place in Rabat, will see Morocco go head-to-head with a Brazilian side renowned for its strength at youth level. This high-profile fixture will serve as an important benchmark for Morocco, as they gauge how far they've come in their footballing development. Cameroon to Tackle a Formidable Group B Group B presents a stern test for Cameroon, who will face North Korea, Mexico, and the Netherlands in a compelling mix of footballing philosophies and playing styles. The Lionesses will need to combine tactical discipline with physical strength to compete effectively. Although Cameroon have never advanced beyond the quarterfinals in this competition, their U-17 side will be hoping to break new ground. Their recent success on the regional stage, particularly within the UNIFFAC zone, offers a solid foundation for optimism. Nigeria Aim to Maintain Their Legacy As one of the most successful African nations at youth level, Nigeria arrive with a proud legacy to uphold. Drawn into Group D, the Super Flamingos will take on France, Canada, and Samoa. It's a challenging group, but well within reach for a team known for its athletic prowess and technical quality. The Nigerian class of 2025 is attracting a lot of attention. With the right momentum, they have the potential to reach the quarterfinals or even further. Their encounter with France could very well be the pivotal fixture of the group. Debut Challenge for Côte d'Ivoire Côte d'Ivoire will make their tournament debut in Group E, where they'll face Spain, Colombia, and South Korea. The Ivorians will need to demonstrate character and determination to compete at this level. Their match against Spain, the runners-up in the previous edition, will be a formidable test. However, it's not insurmountable. Should the Little Elephants manage to hold off the Spanish onslaught, an upset could be on the cards. Their attacking line known for its speed and unpredictability could be their biggest asset. Zambia Ready to Make a Statement in Group F In Group F, Zambia is set to face Japan, New Zealand, and Paraguay. Though less experienced than their opponents, the U-17 Copper Princesses arrive with a clear goal: to surpass the performance of previous African teams at this stage of the tournament. It's a demanding draw, particularly against a Japanese side famed for its collective organisation and fluidity.
Hamilton Spectator
3 days ago
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
Ivory Coast's Elephants look forward to facing Canada, New Zealand in Toronto
TORONTO - Ask Ivory Coast soccer coach Emerse Fae about Canada and he is quick to praise — and reel off names. 'I like this team because the Canada team has very good players — good players like Jonathan David, like (Cyle) Larin, a good striker. Alphonso Davies, (Derek) Cornelius, (Moise) Bombito from Nice. (Ismael) Kone from Rennes,' Fae said from France. 'So it will be a good team with good organization, a good attacking team. A good challenge for Ivory Coast to play and to see how the team is one year before the World Cup.' Fae is bringing firepower of his own to the inaugural Canadian Shield Tournament, where the 41st-ranked Ivorians face No. 86 New Zealand on Saturday after No. 30 Canada plays No. 25 Ukraine in the early game at Toronto's BMO Field. Ivory Coast and Canada, which will be without the injured Davies, then meet June 10 after New Zealand plays Ukraine. Canada has never faced Ivory Coast before and has played Ukraine just once, a 2-2 draw in Kyiv in an October 2010 friendly. The Ivory Coast roster draws on players from clubs in Belgium, Denmark, England, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland and Turkey. Fae's squad includes winger Amad Diallo, who joined Manchester United in January 2021 at the age of 18 in a package worth 37.2 million pounds ($69 million) from Italy's Atalanta. Midfielder Franck Kessié, formerly of AC Milan and Barcelona, plays for Al-Ahli in the Saudi Pro league while defender Odilon Kossounou is currently with Atalanta, on loan from Germany's Bayer Leverkusen, and forward Nicolas Pépé, formerly with England's Arsenal, plays for Spain's Villarreal. Diallo made headlines recently after a photo showing him apparently making an obscene gesture to fans during a Manchester United tour to Asia. He later said he was reacting to 'insulting words directed at my mother.' At 5-0-1, the Ivorians lead their 2026 World Cup qualifying group by one point over Gabon (5-1-0). Group F also includes Burundi, Kenya, Gambia and the Seychelles. The group winner qualifies for the World Cup with the runner-up moving to the second round of qualifying. 'I'm happy with the way that we are winning,' said Fae. 'Even if I expect more quality from the team. Because we have many good players who play in the best clubs in Europe … Even when we didn't play well, we won. It's a good thing to be able to win the game, but we have to improve the way we play.' After Toronto, Ivory Coast plays its four remaining World Cup qualifiers — against No. 140 Burundi, No. 79 Gabon, the 203rd-ranked Seychelles and No. 111 Kenya — in September-October. The team then shifts its focus to defending its African Cup of Nations title in December in Morocco, where Ivory Coast has been drawn with No. 50 Cameroon, Gabon and No. 96 Mozambique in Group F. The Ivorians posted a pair of 1-0 wins in March, defeating No. 126 Gambia and Burundi in World Cup qualifying play. Ivory Coast appeared at the World Cup in 2006, 2010 and 2014, failing to advance to the knockout round after finishing third in its group each time. It missed out on the 2018 tournament in Russia and 2022 in Qatar. Fae expects Ivory Coast to build on it 2023 Africa Cup of Nations title by qualifying for the World Cup while also pointing to the expanded 48-team FIFA field. Nine African teams take part in the 2026 soccer showcase, with a shot at a 10th side via the FIFA Playoff Tournament. 'It would be a shame for our country not to be qualifying for the next World Cup,' said Fae. Football is huge back home, so there is pressure to succeed. Fae also knows that winning will help more Ivory Coast players earn contracts to further their development abroad. Ivory Coast is ranked fifth in Africa, behind No. 12 Morocco, No. 19 Senegal, No. 32 Egypt and No. 36 Algeria — after jumping five places in the latest FIFA numbers. It reached No. 12 in early 2013. Born in Nantes, Fae was a French youth international and won the Under-17 World Championship in 2001 — beating Nigeria in the final. He played for his hometown club before switching his international allegiance to Ivory Coast, the land of his parents, in 2005. He went on to play for Reading, then in England's Premier League, and Nice before he retiring in 2012. Fae coached Nice's youth teams and the reserve side of French Ligue 1 club Clermont before being appointed as Jean-Louis Gasset's assistant with Ivory Coast in May 2022. Gasset was fired midway through the 2023 Africa Cup, after a record 4-0 loss to Equatorial Guinea, with Fae named interim head coach. The Ivorians advanced as the last of the four best third-placed teams and Fae rallied the team to wins over defending champion Senegal, Mali, DR Congo and Nigeria, in the final. That earned Fae Confederation of African Football (CAF) Coach of the Year honours in 2024. Fae was given the permanent coaching job in February 2024. The trip to World Cup co-host Canada marks his first visit to the country. —- Ivory Coast Goalkeepers: Yahia Fofana, Angers (France); Mohamed Koné, Charleroi (Belgium); Badra Ali Sangaré, Sekhukhune United (South Africa). Defenders: Clément Akpa, Auxerre (France); Jean-Phillipe Gbamin, Zurich (Switzerland); Cédric Kipré, Rems (France); Ghislain Konan, Burgos CF (Spain); Odilon Kossounou (Atalanta, Italy, on loan from Bayer Leverkusen, Germany); Christopher Opéri, Başakşehir (Turkey); Wilfried Singo, Monaco (France); Luck Zogbé (Brest), France. Midfielders: Lazare Amani, Standard Liège (on loan from Union Saint-Gilloise, Belgium); Mohamed Diomande, Rangers (Scotland); Maho Dorgeles, FC Nordsjælland (Denmark); Franck Kessié, Al-Ahli (Saudi Arabia); Parfait Guiagon; Charleroi (Belgium); Ibrahim Sangaré, Nottingham Forest (England). Forwards: Simon Adingra, Brighton & Hove Albion (England); Jérémie Boga, Nice (France); Amad Diallo, Manchester United (England); Evann Guessand, Nice (France); Sébastien Haller, Utrecht (the Netherlands); Nicolas Pépé, Villarreal (Spain). —- This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 2, 2025.
Winnipeg Free Press
3 days ago
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Ivory Coast's Elephants look forward to facing Canada, New Zealand in Toronto
TORONTO – Ask Ivory Coast soccer coach Emerse Fae about Canada and he is quick to praise — and reel off names. 'I like this team because the Canada team has very good players — good players like Jonathan David, like (Cyle) Larin, a good striker. Alphonso Davies, (Derek) Cornelius, (Moise) Bombito from Nice. (Ismael) Kone from Rennes,' Fae said from France. 'So it will be a good team with good organization, a good attacking team. A good challenge for Ivory Coast to play and to see how the team is one year before the World Cup.' Fae is bringing firepower of his own to the inaugural Canadian Shield Tournament, where the 41st-ranked Ivorians face No. 86 New Zealand on Saturday after No. 30 Canada plays No. 25 Ukraine in the early game at Toronto's BMO Field. Ivory Coast and Canada, which will be without the injured Davies, then meet June 10 after New Zealand plays Ukraine. Canada has never faced Ivory Coast before and has played Ukraine just once, a 2-2 draw in Kyiv in an October 2010 friendly. The Ivory Coast roster draws on players from clubs in Belgium, Denmark, England, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland and Turkey. Fae's squad includes winger Amad Diallo, who joined Manchester United in January 2021 at the age of 18 in a package worth 37.2 million pounds ($69 million) from Italy's Atalanta. Midfielder Franck Kessié, formerly of AC Milan and Barcelona, plays for Al-Ahli in the Saudi Pro league while defender Odilon Kossounou is currently with Atalanta, on loan from Germany's Bayer Leverkusen, and forward Nicolas Pépé, formerly with England's Arsenal, plays for Spain's Villarreal. Diallo made headlines recently after a photo showing him apparently making an obscene gesture to fans during a Manchester United tour to Asia. He later said he was reacting to 'insulting words directed at my mother.' At 5-0-1, the Ivorians lead their 2026 World Cup qualifying group by one point over Gabon (5-1-0). Group F also includes Burundi, Kenya, Gambia and the Seychelles. The group winner qualifies for the World Cup with the runner-up moving to the second round of qualifying. 'I'm happy with the way that we are winning,' said Fae. 'Even if I expect more quality from the team. Because we have many good players who play in the best clubs in Europe … Even when we didn't play well, we won. It's a good thing to be able to win the game, but we have to improve the way we play.' After Toronto, Ivory Coast plays its four remaining World Cup qualifiers — against No. 140 Burundi, No. 79 Gabon, the 203rd-ranked Seychelles and No. 111 Kenya — in September-October. The team then shifts its focus to defending its African Cup of Nations title in December in Morocco, where Ivory Coast has been drawn with No. 50 Cameroon, Gabon and No. 96 Mozambique in Group F. The Ivorians posted a pair of 1-0 wins in March, defeating No. 126 Gambia and Burundi in World Cup qualifying play. Ivory Coast appeared at the World Cup in 2006, 2010 and 2014, failing to advance to the knockout round after finishing third in its group each time. It missed out on the 2018 tournament in Russia and 2022 in Qatar. Fae expects Ivory Coast to build on it 2023 Africa Cup of Nations title by qualifying for the World Cup while also pointing to the expanded 48-team FIFA field. Nine African teams take part in the 2026 soccer showcase, with a shot at a 10th side via the FIFA Playoff Tournament. 'It would be a shame for our country not to be qualifying for the next World Cup,' said Fae. Football is huge back home, so there is pressure to succeed. Fae also knows that winning will help more Ivory Coast players earn contracts to further their development abroad. Ivory Coast is ranked fifth in Africa, behind No. 12 Morocco, No. 19 Senegal, No. 32 Egypt and No. 36 Algeria — after jumping five places in the latest FIFA numbers. It reached No. 12 in early 2013. Born in Nantes, Fae was a French youth international and won the Under-17 World Championship in 2001 — beating Nigeria in the final. He played for his hometown club before switching his international allegiance to Ivory Coast, the land of his parents, in 2005. He went on to play for Reading, then in England's Premier League, and Nice before he retiring in 2012. Fae coached Nice's youth teams and the reserve side of French Ligue 1 club Clermont before being appointed as Jean-Louis Gasset's assistant with Ivory Coast in May 2022. Gasset was fired midway through the 2023 Africa Cup, after a record 4-0 loss to Equatorial Guinea, with Fae named interim head coach. The Ivorians advanced as the last of the four best third-placed teams and Fae rallied the team to wins over defending champion Senegal, Mali, DR Congo and Nigeria, in the final. That earned Fae Confederation of African Football (CAF) Coach of the Year honours in 2024. Fae was given the permanent coaching job in February 2024. The trip to World Cup co-host Canada marks his first visit to the country. — Ivory Coast Goalkeepers: Yahia Fofana, Angers (France); Mohamed Koné, Charleroi (Belgium); Badra Ali Sangaré, Sekhukhune United (South Africa). Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. Defenders: Clément Akpa, Auxerre (France); Jean-Phillipe Gbamin, Zurich (Switzerland); Cédric Kipré, Rems (France); Ghislain Konan, Burgos CF (Spain); Odilon Kossounou (Atalanta, Italy, on loan from Bayer Leverkusen, Germany); Christopher Opéri, Başakşehir (Turkey); Wilfried Singo, Monaco (France); Luck Zogbé (Brest), France. Midfielders: Lazare Amani, Standard Liège (on loan from Union Saint-Gilloise, Belgium); Mohamed Diomande, Rangers (Scotland); Maho Dorgeles, FC Nordsjælland (Denmark); Franck Kessié, Al-Ahli (Saudi Arabia); Parfait Guiagon; Charleroi (Belgium); Ibrahim Sangaré, Nottingham Forest (England). Forwards: Simon Adingra, Brighton & Hove Albion (England); Jérémie Boga, Nice (France); Amad Diallo, Manchester United (England); Evann Guessand, Nice (France); Sébastien Haller, Utrecht (the Netherlands); Nicolas Pépé, Villarreal (Spain). — This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 2, 2025.
New York Post
13-05-2025
- New York Post
Four West African men charged in sick sextortion scam linked to California teen's suicide
Four men from West Africa have been arrested in a sick 'sextortion' scam that caused a California teen to take his own life, the Department of Justice announced. High school senior Ryan Last, 17, killed himself in February 2022 just hours after he sent nude photos online to a scammer he believed to be a 20-year-old woman — who then threatened to make the image public if he refused to pay. 'He didn't realize these people were taking advantage of him, and he was terrified of what it would do to us,' Last's mother, Pauline Stuart, told the Los Angeles Times. Advertisement Last's death sparked a massive international investigation into the scheme that targeted 'thousands of victims' — including minors — in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, France, Spain, and Italy, according to federal prosecutors. 5 Ryan Last, 17, killed himself in Feb. 2022 after he was sextorted on Meta. via San Jose Police Department 5 The high school senior from San Jose planned to attend Washington State University. via San Jose Police Department Advertisement Last was contacted on Meta by Alfred Kassi, of Côte d'Ivoire, who, posing as a young woman, allegedly sent an explicit photo and then asked for one in return. Kassi then immediately demanded $5,000 from the boy, threatening to share the nude photo with Last's friends and family, CNN reported. Kassi lowered the price to just $150 when the desperate teen said he couldn't afford what he'd asked. Stuart said that once her son forwarded the money, the scammers 'continued to hound him.' Before taking his own life, Last wrote a note apologizing for what had happened, his mother said. Advertisement Kassi was arrested by Ivorian law enforcement on April 29. He was found with the sextortion exchange still on his phone, according to the Justice Department. 5 Last had sent a nude photo to a scammer he believed to be a 20-year-old woman. via San Jose Police Department 5 Last's mother she hopes the arrests scare scammers targeting Americans from abroad. Investigators also identified several money laundering accomplices who had helped Kassi move Last's $150. Advertisement One of those alleged money launderers is Oumarou Ouedraogo, who was arrested by Ivorian law enforcement on April 25. Two other Ivorians, Moussa Diaby and Oumar Cisse, were also part of Kassi's sextortion network and confessed to their own sextortion crimes. A US-based accomplice, Jonathan Kassi — unrelated to Alfred Kassi — was convicted in 2023 in a California State Court and sentenced to 18 months in jail. 5 Ryan Last via San Jose Police Department Côte d'Ivoire does not extradite its own citizens, meaning the four defendants living in Africa will be prosecuted in their home country under Ivorian cybercrime laws, according to the DOJ. Stuart said she hopes the arrests send a strong message to scammers targeting Americans from abroad. 'We're feeling grateful that [law enforcement officials] didn't give up and they continued to work,' Stuart said. Advertisement 'Unfortunately, it will never bring Ryan back. It's one of those double-edged swords,' she added. 'My son's still gone, but I'm hoping that, with this arrest, it brings awareness and scares the scammers, because they kind of feel safe over in a foreign country. They don't think they can be touched.'
