Uefa optimistic over quota system
The News Review:
- Uefa optimistic over quota system
- Reform Agenda Has Created Enemies for Us – Obasanjo.
- Same-sex honeymooners? Are we ready?
- Good tidings on Saarc front
Uefa optimistic over quota system
Times Online – Dec 17, 2004
After two days of talks at their headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, Uefa failed to reach an agreement on the proposal, but Lars-Christer Olsson, the organisation’s chief executive, believes the delay is a postponement of the inevitable, with plans due to be finalised at the next meeting of its executive committee on February 3. Under the proposal, clubs would be restricted to naming a 25-man squad at the start of each season and would be required to name either seven or eight home-grown players in their 18-man squad on any particular match day. Although the definition of home-grown has not yet been fully determined, none of the 20 Barclays Premiership clubs would have met the requirements in last weekend’s fixtures. The clubs’ response, through the auspices of the European Clubs Forum, was initially one of outrage at a potential restriction of trade, but Uefa, while bracing itself for a legal challenge, is hopeful that the final proposal will be lawful because, it claims, it does not discriminate on the basis of nationality. “We are still in the process of discussing the proposal and there are still some open issues,” Olsson said yesterday. “We are also having talks with the European Union to identify what is meant by home-grown without discriminating on grounds of nationality. I think there will be a legal challenge, which is why it’s important to get consensus now.
Reform Agenda Has Created Enemies for Us – Obasanjo.
Free with registration – Asia Africa Intelligence Wire – AccessMyLibrary.com – Dec 17, 2004
–> COPYRIGHT 2004 Financial Times Ltd. (From This Day (Nigeria) – AAGM) Byline: Josephine Lohor President Olusegun Obasanjo has stated that the reform agenda of the Federal Government has created a lot of enemies for his administration. At an audience yesterday with the World Bank Vice President, Africa Region, Mr Gobind Nankani, at the State.
Same-sex honeymooners? Are we ready?
Jamaica Observer – Dec 17, 2004
It might seem like a joke for now, but it is not going to be easily laughed away. Already, we have seen the Sandals hotel chain pilloried for defining “couple” as one he and one she. The Caribbean’s most vibrant, home-grown tourism enterprise has had to sing slow in its advertising campaign in Europe. What will it do in Canada when it advertises honeymoon packages? Who is an acceptable honeymooner? Canadian law forbids any kind of discrimination towards same-sex couples and expects entities doing business with them to respect their laws. Of course, we could ignore the whole issue or put out the word that they should go holiday somewhere else, which they most likely will do. IN SPEAKING to my good friend and fellow journalist Phillip Mascoll of the TORONTO STAR, he said we cannot escape the issue. Can Jamaica afford to turn away the Canadian dollars, considering our dependence on tourism revenue? As much as homosexuality offends his sensibilities, he says, he feels that none of us can escape it.
Good tidings on Saarc front
Pakistan Dawn – Dec 17, 2004
With Asean, the work plan of annual Saarc activities is being discussed and cooperation with the ADB is also under active consideration. The World Bank recently sponsored a major workshop in Islamabad on Pakistan’s work plan on implementation of the Saarc Social Charter signed at the 12th summit. The authors of the World Bank strategy for the country’s social development realized that it had numerous commonalities with the home grown social charter. Hence, the World Bank decided to incorporate the Saarc concept in its own initiative on social development and offered to help in implementation of the charter. As a first step, the bank has committed services of its consultants to help prepare a work plan for implementation of the charter. Another positive development has been the reactivation of the Saarc-Japan Special Fund a few months back. The fund, meant to support Saarc-related activities, was put on hold last year due to some procedural differences on its spending.