Trump leans on Nigeria, Africa to support bid for 2026 World Cup

US President Donald Trump lobbied publicly on Monday for Nigeria to support the North American bid to host the 2026 World Cup.

In a press conference with Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari in the White House Rose Garden, Trump appealed for support from the region for the joint bid submitted to FIFA by the United States, Canada and Mexico for the 2026 tournament, which is in competition with Morocco's hosting candidacy.

"I hope all African countries and countries throughout the world - that we also will be supporting you - and that they will, likewise, support us in our bid, along with Canada and Mexico, for the 2026 World Cup," Trump said.

"We will be watching very closely, and any help that they could give us in that bid, we would appreciate."

Last week, Trump seemed to warn US allies not to oppose the "STRONG bid" by the North American neighbours.

"It would be a shame if countries that we always support were to lobby against the U.S. bid. Why should we be supporting these countries when they don't support us (including at the United Nations)?" he tweeted.

The 2026 World Cup follows Qatar in 2022 and will be the first with 48 teams.

After the scandals which surrounded the voting for the World Cups in Russia in 2018 and Qatar in 2022, it will be the first World Cup to see the host elected by FIFA members at their congress, and no longer by the former executive committee.

The vote is planned for the FIFA congress on June 13 in Moscow, on the eve of the opening match of the World Cup.

DPA

Terrorism risen globally by 61 percent

LONDON Boko Haram and Islamic State Jihadists have contributed to the number of people killed globally in terrorist attacks as it increased by 61 percent in 2013, according to Australian research group, the Institute for Economics and Peace.

In its 2014 Global Terrorism Index launched in London, the research group reported there were almost 10,000 terrorist attacks in 2013, a 44 percent increase on 2012.

These attacks resulted in 17,958 fatalities, up from 11,133 in 2012, with over 80 percent of the deaths occurring in just five countries: Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nigeria and Syria.

Iraq was found to be the country most affected by terrorism, recording a 164 percent rise in fatalities, to 6,362, with IS responsible for most of the deaths.

Four groups: IS, Boko Haram, al-Qaeda and the Taliban were blamed for 66 percent of all fatalities.
But the report found that attacks had also increased in the rest of the world, with fatalities rising by half the previous figure, to 3,236 in 2013.

A total of 60 countries recorded deaths from terrorist attacks last year.
The report highlighted Angola, Bangladesh, Burundi, Central African Republic, Ivory Coast, Ethiopia, Iran, Israel, Mali, Mexico, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Uganda as countries at increased risk from terror attacks.

Despite the global spike, the report stressed that the risk to westerners remained slim.
According to its figures, a person in Britain was 188 times more likely to be victim of a
murder, and in the US 64 times more likely.

Peralta double stuns Brazil in men's football final

LONDON A goal in each half by Oribe Peralta helped Mexico to a shock 2-1 victory over tournament favourites Brazil in the men's Olympic football final at Wembley on Saturday.
 Peralto put Mexico ahead after just 29 seconds, taking advantage of a defensive error by Fabio to open the scoring with a firm strike from the edge of the area.
The 28-year-old netted his second of the game on 75 minutes, heading home a Marco Fabian free-kick.  Hulk reduced the deficit in additional time and Oscar even had a chance to equalise for Brazil but headed over to give Mexico its first men's Olympic title and leave the five-time world champions still in search of their first Olympic gold.
Mexico's previous best finish was fourth at Mexico City 1968 while Beijing 2008 bronze medallists Brazil took silver at Los Angeles 1984 and in Seoul four years later.
Poor Brazil...