Qatar wrap up Asian Cup preparation with win

Qatar defeated Team Wellington in a friendly match in wild conditions at the Australian Institute of Sport to conclude their warm-up for Qatar's Asian Cup campaign on Monday, which opens against the United Arab Emirates at Canberra Stadium on Sunday.

The match against ASB Premiership leaders was tough and keenly contested, exactly what coach Djamel Belmadi wanted to test his team.

Qatar scored early goals and a disallowed Team Wellington goal meant the Gulf Cup of Nations champions led 2-0 at halftime. First was Ibrahim Majed’s glancing header that beat Michael O'Keefe following a free kick from Hassan Haydos.

The second goal by Meshaal Abdullah showed how strong and confident the Al Ahli striker been recently. He received a through pass from Khalfan Ibrahim and moved on his stride into the box, staving off the challenge of Team Wellington skipper to roll the ball past the hapless custodian O'Keefe.

The Matt Calcott-coached side then dominated for periods before conceding a third goal with 15 minutes to play. Boualem Khoukhi registered his name on the scoresheet with a side foot tap in after scored the third with a tap in after a teammate dispossess an opponent to lay a pass for the Al Arabi forward to score in the last 15 minutes of the encounter.

Qatar to pose stiff test to Iran for group supremacy

Qatar’s eight appearance in the Asian Cup is different from their previous outings considering Djamel Belamdi’s team is the most in-form side ahead of next week’s Asian Cup kickoff but must contend with Iran considered favourites to win Group C.

While Qatar played 18 international matches in 2014, winning nine, drawing eight and losing just once.  Iran have only managed a single win since the World Cup, beating  South Korea 1-0 in an international friendly in November. Qatar defeated Asian Cup host, Australia during a friendly in October and then a month later, won the Gulf Cup with convincing victories over fellow Asian Cup representatives Oman, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.

Belmadi’s team though youthful but has garnered experience over the past year with successes in West Asian Football Federation (WAFF) championship and Gulf Cup. The team’s strength is their attacking options which has Boualem Khoukhi as the star man to watch in the tournament. The Al Arabi striker pumped in six goals last January to win the WAFF title for Qatar and scored the winner in the Gulf Cup in November. Khalfan Ibrahim, Hassan Haydos and Meshaal Abdullah provide enough power going forward and the options vary from Abdqulqadir Illyas, Ismael Mohammed, Muhammed Muntari to overlapping left back Abdelkarim Hassan.

One thing is for sure, it will be interesting tournament for Qatar and if they have a good game in their opening match against UAE, then the against Iran in Sydney on January 15 could well decide top spot in Group C.  Winning the group could well prove decisive for Qatar or Iran as they face prospect of meeting defending champions Japan expected to dominate in Group D ahead of Jordan, Iraq and Palestine.

Iran is the 51^st ranked team in the world and the best in Asia, will be led by Portuguese boss Carlos Queiroz once again as Team Melli continue in their efforts to reclaim the mantel as Asian's leading football nation.

The Iranians are captained by  veteran midfielder Javad Nekounam, who plies his trade with Osasuna in the Spanish La Liga. Iran's team boasts a potent mix of youth and experience and have a strong European flavour. The 34-year-old Nekounam has been the backbone of Iran's national team for more than decade, playing in three previous Asian Cups, and is approaching 150 caps.

There are four members of the Iranian who play in Qatar Stars League and will some idea on Qatari players. They are alal Hosseini (Al Ahli), Masoud Shojaei (Al Shahniya), Ashkan Dejagah (Al Arabi) and Mehrdad Pooladi (Al Shahniya).

Iran’s World Cup campaign in Brazil was not too impressive as they did not make it out of their group, but Quieroz's team proved they could compete with the best with a breathtaking performance against Argentina. After playing out a goalless draw with Nigeria in their group opener, Argentina captain Lionel Messi struck a 91st-minute injury-time winner to break the hearts of Iran, who went on to lose 3-1 to Bosnia-Herzegovina in the final match.

Iran, thee three-time Asian Cup champions will contend with United Arab Emirates and Bahrain in the group’s other matches. Both teams are tricky and would provide good test in the group for both Qatar and Iran.

Bahrain won their group ahead of Qatar with a slim victory over Al Anabi and forcing a draw in Doha.

 UAE ranked 85^th in the world will take inspiration from their third place finish in the Gulf Cup. Before then, they had played out four straight draws in friendly matches, notably a 0-0 with Australia. They will rely on the services of Ahmed Khalil who was in good form in the Gulf Cup.

Fog disrupts flights at Abu Dhabi Airport

Etihad Airways flights to and from Abu Dhabi have been disrupted this morning (3 January) by the closure of Abu Dhabi International Airport due to severe fog.

Following the closure at 2.30am, the airline diverted seven inbound flights to three other airports in the UAE – Dubai World Central, Al Ain and Al Bateen.

Other inbound flights have been delayed, and departures from Abu Dhabi have been affected.

The runways were re-opened at 3.40am. Etihad Airways is working to minimise disruption to its customers, and will provide updates.

Passengers are advised to contact the Etihad Airways Contact Centre on +971 (0) 2599 0000 or visit the Etihad Airways website at www.etihad.com/flightstatus for more information on the status of flights in and out of Abu Dhabi Airport.

The Christian factor in 2015 Presidential Election

It was with great joy I received the announcement that General Muhammed Buhari, All People’s Congress (APC) presidential aspirant chose Professor Yemi Osinbajo as vice presidential running mate for the 2015 presidential election. Though under the guidance and anointing of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who withdrew himself from consideration on the presidential ticket of the party, described his move as a patriotic duty and personal contribution towards rescuing Nigeria from the clutches of poverty which he said the ruling government had plunged the country.

That’s another topic for another day how the PDP under President Goodluck Jonathan has fared in delivering the promises made to Nigerians. My interest today is the emergence of Osinbajo as the number two man for Buhari. Their task is to wrestle the instruments of power from the present administration and the onus is on Nigerians to vote for their choice of candidates. But the Osinbajo emergence is a clear prove that religion is among the chief plausible that can actually deliver block votes in an election in Nigeria. The Nigerian case is a proof that one might not just be as good as the best or better than the best but your religious affiliation or beliefs might just be a support base.

Osinbajo is a Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) pastor in Lagos, where it is believed they have the largest congregation of Christians in the country. On paper, Osinbajo should get a sizable votes of Christians considering he’s a senior pastor and an associate of Pastor E.A Adeboye, the General Overseer of the church. Though the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, has denied that the church endorsed the aspiration of one of its pastors, Prof. Yemi Osibajo, as the vice presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress.

Osinbajo pastors the Olive branch of the RCCG on Banana Island, Lagos, has said he has the blessings of Pastor Adeboye.  Adeboye, while reacting to the subtle endorsement of Osibajo by a Twitter handle: @rccgworldwide, presumed to be the official Twitter handle of the RCCG, denounced the page.

Though Adeboye has never supported any candidate in time past, same like other mega church pastors but it is time they present blueprints for Christian politicians who seek the church's blessings in whatever guise. There is nothing wrong for the church to identify with a candidate or policy especially when you don’t use the church as a campaign tool for any political party or candidate.

Christians as we all know are when rightly informed and motivated, change the character of political debate. They bring the moral standards of God’s kingdom into the civic realm and thereby become agents of His common grace — of His provision for those who believe as well as those who don’t. The church I mean the Christians should be able to use the opportunity having a Christian incumbent president and a Christian vice presidential aspirant to present an agenda for a change for the good of Nigeria. The church should bring the God’s standard into society as we have suffered too much corruption and stealing from supposed Christians in high offices including Muslims, but my focus is on Christians be it in political offices, private or public offices. One wonders what exactly the church has done to curb these excesses. Is it that the gospel is not preached effectively for people to sincerely convert to better persons for society?

 People are no longer their brother’s keeper, they steal and sleep with each other’s wives in reference to Obasanjo's book "My watch", and how political officers flirt with each other’s wives. Of course I and you know some of these rogues are Christians who attend churches.

We need the church to be the shining light in politics and help change the system for better. The church should task Goodluck Jonathan and General Buhari ahead of the 2015 elections, since the pulpit is where some of them will still come for special anointing and Holy Spirit direction to win an election. There is no time to seat on the fence and wait after the deed is done and task millions of Christians to go on 40-day dry fasting to heal the land. Let’s act now and save the church from becoming a laughing stock in the polity. The prayers of the saint have sustained the country to where we are at today but it is enough to always pray for change when the instruments of change can be used to instill change.

Christians in Nigeria, then, must enter politics because the Church conveys moral values. As the late James Boice once wrote, “Religious people are … the only citizens who actually advance the nation in the direction of justice and true righteousness.” Christianity not only provides for individual concerns, but for the ordering of a society with liberty and justice for all. Christianity provides both a transcendent moral influence and a transcendent ordering of society without an oppressive theocratic system.

Society’s well-being, then, depends on a robust religious influence. We don’t need more laws, Boice stated, arguing that without a moral citizenry even existing laws can be used immorally. The nation needs people willing to live by God’s moral laws. That’s the only way to retard evil’s advance. It’s also how the moral standards of God’s kingdom gain ground and community life becomes packaged in the image and likeness of the heavenly city.

Civil government benefits from a community of people whose lives testify to God’s standard according to Bible teachings.  The whole of human society requires a community that believes some things are right and some wrong, and which adheres to the God-given wisdom that pervades all creation (see Proverbs 8 and Proverbs 22).

Christians are restraining influence in any society. If injustice, corruption and insecurity are the problems of our society and Christians are not talking about it then we are in serious problem. Contrary to popular belief it is not government that is to promulgate moral vision for society. That duty belongs to other social institutions, especially the Church. When the state steps beyond the bounds of its intended authority, the Church becomes a veritable source of moral resistance.  But it doesn't resist for its own sake; it doesn't resist gathering power or broadening its own following; it resists for the common good. As Christians — those in government as well as those outside — should bring their Christian conscience, into the main polity. Christians needed to be involved, not to force their godly life or morals onto society as a whole, but to advocate for justice, show respect for life, and support the poor.

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.

Intervention team faciliate e-passport for Nigerians in Qatar

Nigerian expatriates in dire need of new passport in Qatar will enjoy the services of the Nigerian Immigration Service passport intervention team that arrived Doha, the Qatari capital on Thursday.

The intervention team from the Nigerian Embassy in the United Arab Emirates will collect data and take thumb prints from Nigerians interested in renewing their expired passport or those seeking issuance of new passports for new newborns.

The four-day exercise that started on Friday will take place at the Embassy of Nigeria in Qatar.

Before now, Nigerians in Qatar faced challenges in this regard in the absence of e-passport machine from the embassy in Qatar.

Interested applicants can visit the Nigerian Immigration website to complete the application online.
Apart from the payment online, a processing fee of QR240 is required. 

British pensioner returns Benin Kingdom Bronze after 117 years

Two statues from among thousands of works of art looted by British soldiers in the 19th century have been returned to Nigeria, prompting calls for other "stolen" treasures to be repatriated.
For more than a century, the artefacts from the "Benin Bronzes" collection had been in the family of retired medical consultant Mark Walker, whose grandfather was involved in a 1897 British raid in which they were taken.


But on Friday, the statues -- depicting a fabled ibis bird and the traditional monarch's bell -- were given back to the Oba (King) of Benin, Uku Akpolokpolo Erediauwa I, at a ceremony attended by royal officials and local dignitaries.
Walker said he decided to return the statues to Nigeria in September last year after learning of their history, in part from his grandfather's diary from the time, which described the treasures as "loot".
"That gave me the idea that perhaps they should go to the place where they will be appreciated for ever," he said in Benin City, 240 kilometres (150 miles) east of Lagos.
"I'm very proud to be part of this because it is clearly seen as an historic occasion.
"I had no idea it would be regarded with such importance and it is very gratifying to me to have been able to play some small part in the history of the restoration of the bronzes because I think more will come back."
The tale of the precious artefacts is one of intrique and tragedy. It began when nine British officers were killed while on a trade mission to Erediauwa's grandfather, ruler of the then independent kingdom of Benin.
The British reaction was fierce. Walker's grandfather was part of a British military deployment to the kingdom to avenge the deaths of the officers. The overwhelming show of strength left several thousand local people dead and the city set ablaze, while the oba was forced into exile.
The royal palace was looted, resulting in the removal of hundreds of artworks, including the Benin Bronzes, which showed highly decorative images of the oba and his courtiers from centuries earlier.
Most of the ornate bronzes -- in fact melted down and refashioned brass from bracelets and other objects offered by Portuguese traders in the 15th century -- have been at the British Museum in London ever since.
They include a 19th century depiction of the head of the oba, who has divine status for the Edo people, and 16th century plaques taken from the walls of the royal palace, showing court life.


Nigeria has previously requested the return of the Benin Bronzes but without success.

AFP.