Timor Leste urged to be more aggressive in the second leg

After losing 3-0 in the first leg of their Asia Cup 2019 playoff against Malaysia, Timor Leste head coach, Fabio Maciel has urged his players to be more aggressive in order to overturn the tie.

While admitting that it will be a tough for them to find a win, Maciel wants his players to keep on fighting and give a good game against the Malayan Tigers.

According to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) website, Maciel stated: “It will not be easy to overcome the first leg loss, especially when we did not score the important away goal, but we will concentrate to make a good game tomorrow.”

“There will be a few changes in my side as we need to be more aggressive and have more possession of the ball. We have to be more intelligent in the way we play.”

The second leg of the tie will take place at the Tan Sri Hassan Yunos Stadium again and as they have spent some time in Johor, Maciel believes that they are more ready for the second leg.

“My boys are ready for the second leg. We have adapted better to the environment and corrected some mistakes from the first leg during training these few days.”

“If Malaysia relax after the big lead, we will be looking to take advantage and hope to spring a surprise.”

Malaysia took a comfortable lead going into the second leg, after a brace by Hazwan Bakri and a goal by Amri Yahyah gave them a 3-0 win in the first leg.

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Is the Sky Falling for Independents? Film Execs Say Not Yet

Is the Sky Falling for Independents? Film Execs Say Not Yet

A trio of newbie distribution outfits — Bleecker Street, Broad Green Pictures and Saban Films — remain upbeat amid the profound changes percolating through Hollywood.

Execs with each, plus “Sicario” producer Molly Smith, appeared Saturday at the Produced By conference at the Sony lot on the panel alarmingly titled “Is the Sky Falling? The Challenges and Opportunities Facing Independent Film Producers.”

“I don’t think the sky is falling,” said Bleecker Streets’s Andrew Karpen. “There’s clearly a market for over-35 audiences in  theatrical releases.”

Bleecker Street’s successes so far include “Eye in the Sky” with $18 million, “I’ll See You in My Dreams” and “Trumbo” — the latter two with over $7 million each, despite limited theatrical release. Karpen noted that it’s crucial to not overreach with more screens than needed, and to recognize where the audience is going to be.

“If we can’t determine who that core audience is, we’re probably not going to get involved,” he added.

Daniel Hammond, chief operating officer for Broad Green, noted that the new studio decided that “A Walk in the Woods” had enough broad appeal to merit a wide release of nearly 2,000 screens, taking in nearly $30 million — despite mixed reviews.

“On a wide release, reviews are less important,” a bemused Hammond noted.

He added that Broad Green sees a focus on wide release as the sensible approach, underlined by making “Straight Outta Compton” producer Matt Alvarez its president of production as the majors focus most of their resources on tentpoles and franchises.

“We’re pushing in-house development,” he added. “We’re strongest in wide release.”

Smith said a similar approach worked with drug war drama “Sicario,” financed by herBlack Label Media which found plenty of traction and wound up grossing $46 million domestically via Lionsgate. “You have be nimble today, disciplined and conservative,” she noted.

Jonathan Saba of Saban Films noted that his label has often opted to go the VOD route rather than theatrical. Saban released 2014’s “The Homesman,” starring Tommy Lee Jones and Hilary Swank, and generated $2.4 million theatrically, a move it will make perhaps once a year.

“We’re agnostic to the medium of distribution,” Saba said. “We have not lost money on a film yet.”

The hour-long panel, moderated by Landmark Theater’s Ted Mundorff, lacked any bashing of the new giant players Amazon and Netflix. ‘For an independent producer, Amazon and Netflix are great partners,” Hammond said.

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Hot Football Transfer Gossip: Man Utd ‘make record swoop’ for Lionel Messi Kevin Darling

Hot Football Transfer Gossip: Man Utd ‘make record swoop’ for Lionel Messi Kevin Darling

No matter how boring it gets watching Manchester United, there will always be something good for their fans to read about them. And today is one of those moments when Red Devils supporters can feel like they’re following the most exciting club in the world.

The Daily Mail has reported that Lionel Messi could be on his way to Old Trafford in a world record transfer.

The Red Devils have reportedly made “two approaches in three weeks” for the Barcelona superstar as they “explore the potential of a sensational move”. We’re not told what Barca’s response was to these approaches, so we can assume for now that it was complete silence.

But the Mail has helpfully dug up some “sources close to Messi” (agent? butler? cat?), who have revealed that the 28-year-old Argentine is “frustrated and hurt” by the media circus surrounding his tax evasion court case in Spain. What this has to do with any potential transfer is unclear.

The Mail then goes on to add that Messi would not move to Old Trafford until next season, because even they aren’t foolish to suggest that the world’s best player would sign for a club that wasn’t in the Champions League.

The paper ends by saying that Messi will “require certain assurances” if he is to remain at the Nou Camp beyond his current contract (ending 2018) but it gives no indication of what this assurances are.

So in summary, Man Utd would like to buy Messi but there is absolutely nothing to suggest that they will. 

It’s the poor United fans you have to feel sorry for in all this, reading all these stories and getting their hopes up.

If that transfer has about a 2 per cent chance of happening, let’s move on to another one that seems a bit more likely (probably about 13 per cent). The Sun claims that new Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has made Arsenal’s Jack Wilshere his “number one target” at the Etihad.

Although the occasionally fit England midfielder may find this flattering, the reasons for Pep’s pursuit aren’t very romantic, with City seemingly interested just to boost the quota of English players in their squad (currently there are just three - Joe Hart, Fabian Delph and Raheem Sterling).

Southampton manager Ronald Koeman’s proposed move to Everton could prompt an exodus (another one) from St Mary’s, with the Sun claiming that Victor Wanyama, Graziano Pelle and Shane Long will seek moves if the Dutchman leaves.

Elsewhere, Stoke have won the race to sign £10m-rated Norwich winger Nathan Redmond (Mirror), Barcelona have joined Chelsea and Man City in the pursuit of Atletico Madrid defender Jose Gimenez (Talksport) and Liverpool’s Martin Skrtel is wanted by a couple of clubs in Turkey (Liverpool Echo).

Finally, at the exact opposite end of the scale to the Messi to Man Utd rumour, Talksport have claimed that West Ham are in talks to sign Besiktas’ 33-year-old Canadian midfielder Atiba Hutchinson. WOW!

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Spain's Muguruza wins French Open title

Spain's Muguruza wins French Open title

Spain's Garbine Muguruza, right, hugs Serena Williams of the U.S. after their final match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium, Saturday, June 4, 2016 in Paris. Muguruza won 7-5, 6-4. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

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German citizenship is ranked the most valuable in the world

German citizenship is ranked the most valuable in the world

Not only do Germans have the most powerful passports in the world, they also have the highest quality of citizenship, according to a new report. The consultancy Henley & Partners’ first Quality of Nationality Index (QNI) ranks the value of 161 nations’ citizenship on a scale of 0 to 100%.

The top spot out of 161 nations went to Germany. The country scored high for its stability, the health, education and standard of living enjoyed by its citizens, and the ease with which Germans can move, work and settle in other stable economies.

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The report takes into account “internal factors” such as a country’s human development (measured using the UNDP Human Development Index that ranks countries on health, education and standard of living); its economic strength (a country’s GDP measured at purchasing power, as determined by the IMF); and its levels of peace and stability (based on figures from the annual Global Peace Index).

The “external factors” it considered include the freedom of both traveling to and settling in a country. The QNI also used measures of “diversity of travel freedom”—that is, the number of destinations that a nation’s citizens can travel to without needing a visa. (This was the ranking that determined the German passport was the world’s most powerful.)

European nations dominated the top 20 spots. The UK came in at 11th place—and the consultancy estimates that the country would fall to 30th place if it leaves the EU. The thinking behind this is its citizens would have less freedom of movement to other countries if the UK leaves the bloc.

In 28th place is the United States. It ranked highly for its economic strength and levels of human development, but fell down on peace and stability, owing to the country’s mid-level ranking on the Global Peace Index, which is heavily affected by the country’s record on militarization and arms.

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Unwed Indian women targeted in 'black-market baby scam'

Unwed Indian women targeted in 'black-market baby scam'

In an intensive care unit, a nurse soothes a crying baby rescued in a raid on a private Indian hospital that police suspect was selling abandoned newborns on the black market.

"She is too weak and needs special care," the nurse said, patting the girl born underweight and premature and receiving treatment at another hospital, run by the government.

"I pray a nice couple adopts her and raises her like their own," the nurse said in the central city of Gwalior.

Police fear staff at the private Palash Hospital were selling babies for as little as 100,000 rupees ($1,500), with agents convincing unmarried mothers to give birth at the facility and then abandon them.

"Their agents meticulously went about searching for pregnant woman who wanted to abort but instead were convinced to give birth," police superintendent Kumar Prateek who led last month's raid and investigating the case told AFP.

"They were unwed woman, vulnerable. And the hospital exploited them, offering them secrecy in return for the newborns," he said of the stigma attached to unmarried mothers in socially conservative India.

Police say they have traced five babies born at the now-shuttered Palash -- located just across the road from the government hospital in Gwalior -- and sold illegally to couples in different cities.

However investigators fear the total number could be much higher, with hospital records showing more than 700 babies were delivered there in recent years.

Experts say stealing and selling babies to couples is not uncommon in India, even directly from hospitals where doctors and nurses are sometimes involved in handing them over to criminal syndicates.

But investigators say this was unusual in that agents targeted pregnant women who agreed to check into the facility and go through with the scam.

"Unlike female foeticide and illegal abortions, which are major problems for us, the live births happening at the hospital never raised any suspicion," Anoop Kamthan, Gwalior's chief medical officer, told AFP.

"Mothers were willingly abandoning their babies," he said.

Police were tipped off by a former disgruntled worker, leading to the raid and arrest of two senior hospital officials.

- 'Well-oiled networks' -

Taposh Gupta, hospital director and one of those accused, insists he is innocent of any wrongdoing, pointing the finger at his staff.

"I don't have any knowledge about it. My manager was in control of the administration and I am now hearing some eight to nine months ago they sold one or two babies," Gupta told AFP, while in police custody.

Gupta and another face initial charges including of slavery, as police try to piece together details of the racket.

Gupta says he too adopted one of the babies born at the hospital, but stressed that he went through proper legal channels.

Activists say blackmarket adoptions are common in a country with high levels of trafficking of women and children, although there are no official figures.

"We have examples of newborns being fraudulently declared dead and later sold for adoption. These are well-oiled networks spread across the country," said Anjali Pawar who works for international NGO Against Child Trafficking.

Some parents turn to the blackmarket because of the lengthy and frustrating process of legal adoption that has long involved endless red tape, according to experts.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has overhauled the process since coming to power in 2014 in a bid to make it easier and faster, and boost traditionally low official adoption levels.

Some 3,000 legal adoptions took place in 2015, according to government figures.

- 'With love and care' -

Investigations so far have discovered that the hospital was getting about 100,000 rupees from childless working and middle class families who were desperate to start a family.

One couple say they are devastated after discovering from police that their adopted baby is one of those involved in the hospital scandal. They refused to give details of how they adopted the newborn, but insisted they thought they were acting legally.

"We followed all the procedures and adopted the newborn. They took some money on pretext of documentation and it all looked clean," the father said on condition of anonymity.

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Muhammad Ali's funeral 'open to everybody'

Muhammad Ali's funeral 'open to everybody'

The world is invited to the funeral of Muhammad Ali in his hometown on Friday where the boxing legend's life will be celebrated with a public funeral procession and memorial service, a family spokesman said.

Ali, a three-time world heavyweight champion and civil rights activist who was an iconic figure of the 20th century, died Friday aged 74 after health problems complicated by a long battle with Parkinson's disease.

The official cause of death was septic shock due to unspecified natural causes.

The dazzling fighter -- whose words, often delivered in catchy rhymes, were as devastating as his punches -- had been admitted to an Arizona hospital earlier in the week.

Political leaders, sports figures, celebrities and fans around the world paused to remember "The Greatest," whose career spanned three decades.

On Sunday, Ali's relatives will accompany his body from Scottsdale, Arizona to Louisville, his hometown in the southern state of Kentucky.

After a private family funeral on Thursday, Ali's coffin will be transported through the streets of Louisville on Friday, before a public memorial service at an arena, with former president Bill Clinton among celebrities expected to offer eulogies.

The procession has been organized to "allow anyone that is there from the world to say goodbye," family spokesman Bob Gunnell told reporters.

Louisville lowered flags to half-staff in his honor, as fans flocked to the boxer's modest childhood home, now a museum, to pay their respects.

"Our hearts are literally hurting. But we are happy daddy is free now," Ali's daughter Hana Ali wrote on Twitter.

- 'He did not suffer' -

President Barack Obama led tributes for Ali, issuing an unusually personal statement in which he said he keeps a pair of Ali's boxing gloves and a photo in his private study.

"Muhammad Ali was The Greatest. Period," Obama said.

"His fight outside the ring would cost him his title and his public standing. It would earn him enemies on the left and the right, make him reviled and nearly send him to jail. But Ali stood his ground," Obama said.

Obama later called Ali's widow Lonnie to offer condolences, the White House said.

In a possible preview of Bill Clinton's eulogy, he and his wife Hillary, who is seeking the Democratic presidential nomination, said Ali was "a blend of beauty and grace, speed and strength that may never be matched again."

Ali was hospitalized in the Phoenix area early this week, but his condition quickly deteriorated.

"His final hours were spent with just immediate family," Gunnell said. "He did not suffer."

Ali had been living in the Phoenix area with Lonnie, his fourth wife whom he married in 1986. He was survived by nine children -- seven daughters and two sons.

The fighter himself planned much of the memorial events, Gunnell said.

The interfaith service is to be conducted at Louisville's KFC Yum! Center in accordance with "Muslim tradition" and in the presence of an imam.

Ali will be buried at Cave Hill Cemetery in Louisville, where he was born in 1942.

Outside the family home in Louisville and the hospital in Scottsdale, fans left flowers, letters and mementos.

"He just represents everything that was good about mankind and it's sad to see him go," said James Brice.

Fans also gathered in Los Angeles to snap photos and leave flowers at Ali's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Ali had been hospitalized multiple times in recent years.

His Parkinson's had limited his public speaking, but Ali continued to make appearances and statements via his entourage.

- 'The greatest of all times' -

Ali's career stretched from 1960 to 1981 and he retired with a record of 56-5, including such historic bouts as the "Rumble in the Jungle" against George Foreman.

Don King promoted that watershed bout in Kinshasa, Zaire, in 1974, in which Ali used his "Rope a Dope" strategy to best Foreman and become just the second fighter ever to regain the heavyweight world title.

"He hit me with a quick one-two, knocked me down to the canvas and my whole life changed," Foreman told CNN of the epic "Rumble."

"I was devastated," he said. "Little did I know I would make the best friend I ever had in my life."

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