Haiti
Moise announces economic measures to deal with Coronavirus
President Jovenel Moïse announced economic decisions on Saturday and called on the population to limit their travel to counter the spread of the coronavirus two days after the first two cases were confirmed in the country. The address reinforces the measures already taken by the Bank of the Republic of Haiti (BRH). “The moment is serious. Our attitude and actions will make the difference. [This is why] the government, the bosses and the unions will define a mechanism to give wage compensation to workers in factories in the textile sector, teachers in schools and private universities,” said Moïse. Continue reading
Minister Claude Joseph received religious leaders on Friday
The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Worship, doctor Claude Joseph and the religious leaders of the country met on Friday to speak about the Coronavirus pandemic. They expressed their willingness to support the new measures adopted by the Haitian Government to curb the spread of COVID-19. The Dean of the Diplomatic Corps assured that “the Catholic Church will follow the instructions of the State ” starting with the prohibition of any public religious activity in the country. Continue reading
Partially respected curfew in the metropolitan area
The population is struggling to observe the curfew decreed by the government from 8PM to 5AM to fight against the coronavirus. In downtown Port-au-Prince as in other points of the metropolitan area, shops and recreational activities have not been unemployed. At the Champ de Mars on Saturday evening, the usual decor was in place with merchants and consumers of barbecued chickens, ice cream or alcoholic drinks. Motorcycle drivers have also been noticed around the area as well as sex workers. They were closed at the post waiting for customers. Continue reading
Ministry of Commerce says to tackle ‘black market’, without known price structure
While pricing, except petroleum products is completely free in Haiti, the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MCI) conducted checks in supermarkets and pharmacies in the metropolitan area over the weekend. The Ministry of Commerce had warned traders who take advantage of Covid-19 to increase their margins that they were exposed to prosecution. The ministry has not yet made a balance sheet on the fallout from these verifications but on social networks circulate videos of punching actions. Continue reading
Sports
Chelsea’s Emerson urged to return to Serie A
Italy manager Roberto Mancini says he would like to see Chelsea’s Emerson Palmieri return to Serie A as he considers his selection for the delayed European Championship.
Emerson left Roma for Stamford Bridge in 2018, and has been in and out of the Blues’ side ever since.
After Euro 2020 was pushed back until the summer of 2021 due to the coronavirus crisis, players will have more time to work their way into Mancini’s thoughts – but Emerson isn’t the only defender in the mix.
“As for the full-backs, we knew Adam Masina, although he disappeared from the radar a bit after his move to Watford,” Mancini told the Gazzetta dello Sport.
“Luca Pellegrini already spent time with the senior squad and can improve.
“It would be nice if Emerson Palmieri, who hasn’t played much for Chelsea, could come and play in Italy.” Continue reading
Why did Carlos Vela never make it to Barcelona or Real Madrid?
Carlos Vela has broken plenty of records with Los Angeles FC in his first two seasons in Major League Soccer.
The Mexican has scored 50 goals in 61 games in the United States and, having only just turned 31, he’s a few years away from retirement yet.
Due to his outstanding performances in the States, American fans are all asking the same question – how come he never played for a big club?
Vela’s most successful spell in Europe came at Real Sociedad and one of his coaches in San Sebastian was Eusebio Sacristan, who spoke to MARCA Claro about his former player.
“He’s been everything he wanted to be and he’s achieved everything he wanted to achieve,” the coach said.
“He wanted to be happy playing football, doing great things, and he did that in Spain.
“He ended up doing it at Real Sociedad, where he was an important and attractive player who enjoyed each day he was at La Real because he was happy, playing in that team and trying to do his best.” Continue reading
Neymar, Barcelona and Article 17
Article 17 was drawn up in 2001 when the European Commission threatened to outlaw the transfer system within the European Union because it undermined players’ freedom of movement compared to other workers. It states that players can leave their contracts “without just cause” once the three-year protection period ends.
The consequences of that are far from clear, but sources have explained to ESPN that Barca will look to the Webster transfer as a precedent this summer when, for the second year running, they try to bring Neymar back to Camp Nou after he completes the third year of his Paris Saint-Germain deal. A source at the club tells ESPN that Neymar, 28, is still “an incredible footballer and the natural heir to Lionel Messi,” adding that Barca “will do everything possible to bring him back.”
Few clubs have tried this method due to the often unspoken agreements between teams not to manipulate the system. But snatching him from PSG via article 17 would represent one of the most incredible transfers in football history, not least for the way it should shatter these “gentlemen’s rules” that have seen this method go unused for over a decade. In terms of ambition, it would rank on par with Neymar’s €222 million move to Paris in 2017, Luis Figo’s switch from Barca to Real Madrid in 2000 and Madrid’s signing of Alfredo Di Stefano under Barca’s noses in the 1950s. Continue reading
Paul Pogba remains Juventus’ ‘dream’ summer signing
In case you haven’t been around these parts for the last year or two, Juventus’ midfield is still in need of a major upgrade despite plenty of money — in annual salaries, mostly — being spent on the center of the park.
And it’s not exactly a secret these days that a possible reunion with Paul Pogba is something the club will consider if the price is right.
That price will be a lot.
Which is probably why Pogba is considered the “dream” summer signing rather than the completely obtainable as compared to some of the other names that have been linked with Juventus over the past couple of months.
That “dream” scenario where Pogba makes his way back back to Turin is what Sky Sport Italia regarded it as on Sunday night. The biggest caveat, according to Sky Italia, would obviously be the financial obligations that would have to put forward both in terms of a transfer fee and then an annual salary that would have Pogba be the second-highest paid player at the club behind Cristiano Ronaldo.
According to Sky Italia’s report, Pogba earns around €14 million per season at Manchester United.
Bringing in somebody like Pogba would mean a number of things and would have a number of dominos fall as a result of such a high-profile acquisition. Continue reading
Schick: ‘I made the right choice’
Patrik Schick has rediscovered his form on loan at RB Leipzig and the Roma flop is “sure I made the right choice,” naming the clubs he turned down.
The 24-year-old striker has scored seven goals in 15 Bundesliga appearances since he made the transfer on loan for €3.5m with option to buy for another €29m.
“Leipzig was absolutely the right choice for my career,”
“I had also talked to Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen and Schalke 04 here in Germany. In England, there were Everton and Crystal Palace, plus Valencia in Spain.
“I just felt that Leipzig wanted me more and I was also attracted to the playing style of coach Julian Nagelsmann. I am sure that I made the right choice.” Continue reading