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Tag: Italy

  • Italian Govt. pledges 1.5m Euros to support study on Lake Chad Basin

    The Italian Government has pledged 1.5 million Euros to support the feasibility study of water transfer from the Congo River to the Lake Chad basin.

    Mr Stefano Pontesilli, the Italian Ambassador to Nigeria, announced the pledge during the High-Level Session of Presidents of the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) meeting of member states on Wednesday in Abuja.

    According to Pontesilli, Italy is concerned about the humanitarian crisis revolving around the Lake Chad shrinkage, and “there is the need for immediate attention’’.

    He said the Lake Chad basin Water transfer was an opportunity to restore its potential.

    He said that Italy was ready to partner with the proposed “Transaqua Project” to see the success of the water transfer.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Lake Chad replenishment project, codenamed ‘Transaqua’ is a proposed major water diversion scheme that would involve damming the Ubangi River at Palumbo in the Central African Republic

    It also involves channelling of some of the water to Lake Chad through a navigable canal.

    The Ambassador recalled that the conduct of the feasibility study was awarded to a Canadian firm, CIMA International, which began work Oct. 13, 2009 for 28 months.

    He expressed hope that the Ubangi-Lake Chad Inter-Basin Water Transfer project would be technically feasible and economically viable with the Trsnsaqua project.

    Earlier, some African leaders pledged to support all programmes and policies to solve the humanitarian needs of the Lake Chad area.

    President of Gabon, Ali Bongo, said restoring the Lake Chad was a dear project that should be vigorously pursued for the betterment of the lives of those in the region.

    He said this commitment was evident in the establishment of a monitoring system for water losses through the help of the Gabonese Space Agency.

    Bongo said his country had developed the adaptation to strengthen climate action to reduce the impact of climate change on the Lake basin region.

    Pontesilli commended the African Development Bank (AfDB) for financial support to the region, calling on other member-states to support the Africa of their dream.

    Dr Muhammad Ibn-Chambers, who represented the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, expressed sadness over the environmental tragedy that has led to violent extremism.

    He said the recent abduction of Dapchi schoolgirls was a matter for regret, saying that in spite of efforts of the multinational joint task force to maintain security, there were still skirmishes of abduction.

    Guterres pledged the commitment of the UN to work with the LCBC, Africa and international partners to change the narratives of the Lake Chad region.

    He called on all African countries to take decisive actions to save the basin and foster regional integration and economic cooperation

    The conference was attended by Presidents Muhammadu Buhari, Mahammadou Issoufu of Niger Republic, Idriss Debby of Chad, Faustin-Archange Touaderae of Central African Republic and Ali Bongo of Gabon.

    NAN recalls that in 1992, a decision was taken to develop a master plan for the Lake Chad basin to include the establishment of an environmentally sound management of the natural resources of the conventional basin.

    The feasibility study for the water transfer from the Congo basin to the Lake Chad was the second priority project selected for implementation by the LCBC.

     

    NAN

  • I’ll accept offer to play for Italy again – Buffon

    Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon is prepared to go back on his decision to retire from international football if he is picked for the friendlies against England and Argentina next month.

    Buffon had called it a day in November immediately after Italy’s astonishing failure to qualify for this year’s World Cup, ending a 20-year international career in which he made 175 appearances.

    However, on Monday, Italy’s interim coach Luigi Di Biagio said that it was not right that the 40-year-old’s international career should end with the infamous 0-0 draw against Sweden.

    The draw had condemned them to a first World Cup absence for 60 years.

    “I had thought about going on holiday for a few days with my family, but when the national team needs you, you must be present and not desert them,” replied Buffon.

    “There’s nothing to add to Di Biagio’s words other than I feel a sense of responsibility and loyalty which I must give to the national team in this transitional moment,” added the 2006 World Cup winner.

    “I repeat, it’s a way of showing loyalty and a sense of responsibility towards Italy. A new national team is being born and the first games are not comfortable ones because we will face Argentina and England.

    “I think that any experienced player can be useful at the start, even if it’s just to give advice to the young ones.”

  • AC Milan lost $300 million the past three seasons

    AC Milan lost $300 million the past three seasons

    Italian soccer team AC Milan has reportedly lost a total of $300 million the past three seasons.

    According to Calciomercato.com, “The reason for AC Milan’s quiet January transfer window has been revealed and it does not make happy reading for the accountants. The Rossoneri’s financial records from 2015 to 2017 show a loss of €250M ($307 million at today’s exchange rate); a colossal amount compared to Uefa’s ruling that the permitted limit should be no more that €30M.”

    The losses of the past three years would bring AC Milan’s aggregate net losses since 2005 to about $700 million, or an average of almost $40 million a year.

    In 2016, Silvio Berlusconi sold AC Milan to Yonghong Li for $828 million, with part of the financing coming from the U.S. hedge fund Elliot Management. Three months ago, the soccer team and Highbridge Capital Management, part of JP Morgan, were on the verge of an agreement to refinance Elliott Management’s debt.

    But that deal reportedly fell through because AC Milan was “unwilling to meet Highbridge’s demands for a refinancing deal.”

    The Italian soccer team needs money and a collapsing stock market and rising interest rates will not help. It is increasingly looking like AC Milan could change hands soon at a bargain price.

  • Chelsea Boss, Conte insist on staying at the club till 2019

    Chelsea boss, Antonio Conte has insisted that he will see out his contract at Chelsea amid claims he is set to return to take the Italy manager’s job.
    The Italian says that he embraces his current situation as he thrives under “pressure” situations

    Reports have suggested the former Juventus coach is unhappy at Stamford Bridge and could leave at the end of the season if not before.

    But Conte claims not only will he be staying until the end of the current campaign but will remain in charge for the 2018-19 season.

    “I still have 18 months on my contract with Chelsea. My desire is to respect this contract,” he told reporters.

    “I don’t see any problems with this. I don’t know why there’s speculation about my future. I signed for three years and my will is to to respect the contract.

    “As you know very well, I trust my work and this is the only thing that I trust, my work. This is how I became one of the best coaches or managers.”

    Conte added that he enjoys the scrutiny that both he and the team are under currently.

    “I like this type of situation. If I see there is no pressure, it is not for me or for the players – you lose your fire,” he explained.

    “I don’t understand why it is only around me. Maybe because this is Chelsea. Pressure is life, if I had no pressure I wouldn’t like it.

    “The speculation doesn’t affect me. The situation has been always the same, with a lot of pressure around me.”

  • America first: Protectionism doesn’t work – Italian PM

    U.S. President Donald Trump’s desire to put “America first” is legitimate, but protectionism does not work, Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni warned Wednesday.

    “I consider it legitimate to say, my country first, I could say ‘Italy first,’ why not,” Gentiloni told reporters in Davos, responding to a question about Trump’s trade policies.

    “But at the end of the day, what we need, if we want to have economic growth, and welfare, and protection for our workers … we need free trade, free markets and not protectionism,” he added.

    The exclusive Swiss ski resort of Davos is hosting the annual World Economic Forum, attracting politicians and business leaders from across the globe.

    Gentiloni said international audiences were looking with “great attention and curiosity” at the upcoming Italian general elections, due on March 4.

    “There is a wish for the country not to derail from the path of economic recovery and budget rebalancing” recently undertaken, the prime minister said.

    The election is a three-way race between Gentiloni’s centre-left Democratic Party (PD), a conservative bloc led by ex-premier Silvio Berlusconi, and the populist Five Star Movement (M5S).

    Berlusconi’s alliance leads in polls, with about 37 per cent, followed by the M5S and a PD-led alliance, both on around 27 per cent, according to the Termometro Politico website.

     

  • Gianluigi Donnarumma: AC Milan back Italy keeper after fans abuse

    AC Milan say they “know where the evil comes from” after 18-year-old keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma was left in tears by fans amid reports he wants to leave.

    The Italian is said to want the deal he agreed in July cancelled, as it was signed under “psychological pressure”.

    Fans unfurled a banner during the Coppa Italia win over Verona on Wednesday saying they had “lost patience”.

    The club’s sporting director said they will protect Donnarumma, but that there is “someone who is damaging our image”.

    Massimiliano Mirabelli added that the club have not met Donnarumma’s agent, Mino Raiola and there was “nothing else to say”.

    Donnarumma had looked likely to leave Milan after turning down a new deal in June, but then extended his contract until 2021.

    “I think that one day he [Donnarumma] will realise what’s good and bad,” said Mirabelli, who asked fans to “whistle our opponents, not our players.”

    “Gigio has never said he wants to leave. There’s someone who is trying to organise something deliberately, but we will look out for Milan’s interests in every arena.

    “Gigio is very young. It’s not entirely his fault. We’ll always protect him, he’s our asset. We know where the evil comes from, we hope to solve this issue over the next few months.”

    The teenager broke into the first team as a 16-year-old, has played more than 80 times in Serie A and won four caps for Italy.

    Rossoneri boss Gennaro Gattuso also backed his player, adding: “He’s not how some people depict him. His team-mates are backing him too, he’s a very humble guy.”

    BBC Sports

  • Conte disclose, Chelsea are going for every trophy ahead of Roma game

    Chelsea boss Antonio Conte says the club are going for the lot this season.

     

    Conte insists there’s no chance of him favouring one competition over another.

     

    Chelsea are in Italy tonight for the Champions League clash with Roma.

     

    “Our group is a tough group with Atletico Madrid and Roma, two really group teams. To stay at the top of this group is really important,” said Conte.

     

    “We are trying to face all competitions this season. We went through to the next round of the Carabao Cup, we won the last two games in the Premier League.

     

    “Roma are in a good moment of form. It’s important for us to overcome this difficult period. We are recovering important players. You know how important it is for me to have all the players available.”

     

     

  • Chelsea’s striker Morata: Wish for Italy return

    Alvaro Morata has admitted he wishes to return back to Italy where he spent two years on loan with the Italian giant, Juventus.

    Morata won two domestic doubles and reaching the 2015 Champions League final with Juventus, before Madrid activated a buyback option in his contract, reportedly valued at €30 million, in 2016.

    Chelsea striker Alvaro Morata also admits he misses living in Italy and feels he should never have left Juventus to return to Real Madrid.

    The Spain international forward said he was “treated like a kid” when he returned to the Bernabeu after a successful spell with Juventus

    The 25-year-old has enjoyed a strong start to his career in England, scoring six times in nine Premier League appearances, but he has confirmed he longs to go back to Italy.

    Morata also slammed Madrid’s attitude towards him following his return and felt he was practically forced to restart his career.

    Morata expressed his love for his little time spent in Italy saying, “I arrived in Italy feeling like a boy and I returned feeling like a true player. I should never have left Italy and Juve.

    “I really miss Italy. My wife would like to live in Spain; I’d like to live in Italy.”

    Morata also believes Serie A is the toughest league he has played in due to the tactical and defensive strength of the teams.

    “In Spain, technique is dominant. In Italy, it’s tactics. In England, the most relevant aspect is physical strength,” he said. “The most difficult is Italy: organised teams and very good defenders.”

     

     

  • Ghanaian footballer, Nyantakyi confesses to killing mother, sister

    Solomon Nyantakyi, a Ghanaian footballer, was arrested by police in Italy on Wednesday morning for the double murder of his mother and sister.

    The former Parma midfielder stabbed his mother and sister multiple times on Tuesday afternoon in the family home in Via San Leonardo in the city of Parma.

    According to Football Italia, a sports news website based in Italy the stabbing was said to have shocked the city of Parma, as his elder brother Raymond Nyantakyi returned home from work on Tuesday evening and discovered the scene of the crime.

    He found 43-year-old Nfum Patience and 11-year-old Magdalene Nyantakyi stabbed to death. Their father Fred was working in London at the time and trying to lay down roots for his family to follow.

    Following hours of interrogation by the cops, the footballer confessed that he’s responsible for the double murder carried out in the home where the whole family (mother, father, two sons and daughter) live.

    Solomon’s father was in London on official duty when the crime was committed. Both bodies were discovered by the 25-year-old son, Raymond, when he returned home after his shift with an engineering company. At the moment, a firm case is being prepared against the suspect by a prosecutor.

    The Ghanaian footballer who was born in Accra moved to Italy when he was eight years old having lived with his family for the past 13 years.

  • Osinbajo departs Abuja for G7 Summit in Italy

    Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo has departed Abuja on Saturday (this morning) for Taormina, Sicily in Italy for the ongoing G7 Summit.

    This was confirmed by the Special Assistant on Media to the Acting President, Laolu Akande.

    “Acting President, Osinbajo, invited to ongoing G7 summit in Italy to represent Nigeria, leaves this morning and is expected back later in the evening today,” he wrote on his Twitter feed on Saturday.

    The leaders of the United States, Canada, Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Japan – countries collectively known as the Group of Seven (G7) – meet annually to discuss a wide range of issues, including global economy, security and energy.

    The summit, which started on Friday, May 26, will end on Saturday, May 27.