2018 Soccer World Cup – Finally the Cup

The French national team was crowned world champions after defeating an underdog Croatian team 4-2 in the World Cup final in Moscow on Sunday, capturing its second World Cup title and its first since it hosted the 1998 tournament 20 years ago. Les Bleus manager Didier Deschamps was the captain in 1998 when his team shocked Brazil in Paris, and on Sunday he became the third to ever win the World Cup as a player and coach.

Overall, the World Cup was very successful and has been seen as a triumph for Russia. There was a lot of revenue brought in by the cup for Russia, the teams and betting companies. Fans who won money through betting and fantasy soccer (see this site for more information on fantasy soccer) also went home happy! The final saw a sold-out stadium celebrate the amazing final match with the bookies favorites France winning.

In a match that featured anything you could have ever imagined, an own goal, a goalkeeper gaffe, pitch invaders and a teenager wunderkind finding the back of the net, France rolled to a convincing 4-1 lead and managed to hold on to earn its second star.

 

 

 

 

A penalty-kick goal from Antoine Griezmann and goals from Paul Pogba and Kylian Mbappe were enough to lift one of the pre-tournament favorites to the title, capping off a magnificent run in the group stage and the knockout stage that featured wins over Australia, Peru, Argentina, Uruguay and Belgium. Here’s everything you need to know about Sunday’s wild final.

First own goal in a World Cup final

It didn’t take too long for this one to get going. Despite Croatia playing better in the first half, a mistake gifted the lead to France. Mandzukic headed the ball into his own goal 18 minutes in on a set piece to make it 1-0. Mandzukic became the first player to score an own goal in the World Cup final. For those counting at home, there have been 20 World Cup finals before Sunday’s match.

One of the best goals of the tourney

Just 10 minutes later, Croatia knotted things up off a lovely set piece that ended with Ivan Perisic’s rocket golazo. It’s probably one of the best goals you’ll have seen this tournament, and it’s significant because it happened in the most important game these players have ever played.

First VAR-assisted goal in a World Cup final

Unfortunately for the underdogs, it was all downhill from there. A handball on Perisic was called a penalty kick after the use of the video assistant referee, and Griezmann finished it in the 38th minute. With this being the first tournament with video assistant referees (VAR), it was the first time we saw it used in the final. Boy, did it have an impact:

Fortnite meets World Cup final

Griezmann scored from the penalty spot, which meant he did his signature Fortnite dance celebration, as seen in the popular video game. The “taking the L” dance has been a celebration of Griezmann’s for a few months, debuting it with Atletico Madrid during the La Liga season.

 

Pogba makes Manchester United history in World Cup final

Aside from being the first Premier League player to score a goal in the final since Emmanuel Petit for France in 1998 against Brazil (it all comes full circle), Pogba became the first Manchester United player to score a goal in the final.

The 25-year-old star midfielder made it 3-1 with this fine finish inside the box 59 minutes in:

Move over, Pele

Croatia, trailing every knockout stage match this Cup, had to do something to try and comeback but it couldn’t find the creativity in the final third. Instead, Mbappe ended it. The young Paris Saint-Germain star made it 4-1 with this stunning hit atop the box 65 minutes in.

Mbappe became the first teenager to score in a final since Pele. No big deal at all. He is the second youngest player to score in a World Cup final at 19 years and 207 days.

Goalkeeper gaffe by Lloris

Croatia was able to get one back from Mandzukic on an error by Hugo Lloris. Mandzukic capitalized on the gaffe and became just the second player in World Cup history to score a goal for his team and an own goal in a single game. The other? Ernie Brandts for the Netherlands against Italy in 1978.

Deschamps third to win as player and manager

Didier Deschamps joins Mario Zagallo and Franz Beckenbauer as the only to win the men’s World Cup as a player and manager. Zagallo was a champion for Brazil as a player in 1958 and as a manager in 1970. Beckenbauer did the same as a player for West Germany in 1974 and as a manager in 1990.

Pitch invasion in a World Cup final

As if that wasn’t enough, there was a pitch invasion during second half of the match. Approximately four spectators invaded the field before security did its best to stop them. As always, it’s a huge concern when you think of the safety of those involved but it was quickly handled and play continued. More on that here.

world-cup-final-lovren-pitch-invader.jpg
Croatia’s Dejan Lovren wasn’t thrilled with the pitch invaders. Getty Images

France moves up the list with its double

France became the sixth country to win at least two World Cups, joining Brazil, Germany, Italy, Argentina and Uruguay. Just eight teams have won the cup in its history, with Spain and England each having one.

Four goals a first in a final since the days of Pele

France became the first team to score four goals in the final since Brazil did against Italy in 1970. Les Bleus also scored four in the knockout stage against Argentina.


In the end, it was destiny for France and heartbreak for Croatia, who was playing in its first final. A wild World Cup concluded with a team everyone thought could win actually doing so, while Croatia’s miracle run falls painfully short. There could only be one winner, and a deserved France team managed to step up with its most convincing showing of the tournament when it mattered most.

Cease-fire holds after day of intense Israel-Hamas fighting

© The Associated Press Smoke raises in the background following an Israeli airstrike hits a governmental building in Gaza City , Saturday, July 14, 2018. The Israeli military carried out its largest daytime airstrike campaign in Gaza since the 2014 war as Hamas militants fired dozens of rockets into Israel, threatening to spark a wider conflagration after weeks of tensions along the volatile border. No casualties or major damage was reported on either side, and Israel said it was focused on hitting military targets and was warning Gaza civilians to keep their distance from certain sites.(AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

JERUSALEM (AP) — The Israeli military lifted its restrictions along the Gaza border area on Sunday, indicating it had accepted an Egypt-mediated cease-fire to end an intense, 24-hour round of fighting with Hamas militants that had threatened to devolve into war.

The military had shut down a popular beach and placed limitations on large gatherings as residents kept mostly close to home on Saturday amid dozens of rockets that were fired from Gaza. But after several hours of calm it said summer camps would operate as usual and residents could resume their daily routines.

On Saturday, the military carried out its largest wave of airstrikes in Gaza since the 2014 war, hitting several Hamas military compounds and flattening a number of its training camps. Two Palestinian teenagers were killed in an airstrike in Gaza City, while four Israelis were wounded from a rocket that landed on a residential home.

The Israeli military said several mortar shells were fired even after Hamas announced the cease-fire as sirens warning of incoming projectiles wailed in Israel overnight again. The military struck the mortar launcher early Sunday but calm held for several hours after and neither side appears eager to resume hostilities.

The Israeli military said it unleashed Saturday’s barrage in response to weeks of violence along the Gaza border — including a grenade attack Friday that wounded an officer — as well as sustained Hamas rocket attacks and a lengthy campaign of launching incendiary kites and balloons that have devastated Israeli farmlands and nature reserves along the coastal strip.

Hamas responded with more than 200 projectiles toward Israel communities, evoking the memories of the three wars the sides have waged over the past decade. Israel said its Iron Dome defense system shot down more than 20 projectiles.

Israel also destroyed several Hamas attack tunnels, as well as factories involved in the production of the incendiary kites and balloons, and a Hamas battalion headquarters in northern Gaza.

Two teenagers were killed and several others were wounded when Israel struck an unfinished five-story building near a Hamas security compound and a public park in Gaza City, reducing the structure to rubble. The military says the abandoned building once served as the Palestinian National Library but in recent years was used by Hamas as a training facility for urban warfare and it had dug an offensive tunnel under the building that was part of its underground network.

That strike triggered a launch toward the long-suffering border town of Sderot, where a rocket scored a direct hit on the Buchris family home.

“We were sitting in the living room and all of a sudden the aquarium exploded and there was smoke everywhere and glasses flew everywhere and we were filled with blood,” said Aharon Buchris, wounded along with his wife and two teenage daughters, as he awaited surgery in hospital.

Israel has been warning Hamas in recent weeks that while it has no interest in exacerbating hostilities, it will not tolerate Gaza militants’ continued efforts to breach the border and its campaign to devastate Israeli border communities with incendiary attacks.

Hamas-led border protests are aimed in part at drawing attention to the Israeli-Egyptian blockade imposed after Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007. Over 130 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since protests began on March 30.

With Israel focused on rising tensions along its northern border in its efforts to prevent Iran from establishing a permanent military foothold in post-war Syria, it has been wary of escalating violence in Gaza.

But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also come under pressure to act from southern Israeli communities that have once again found themselves under rocket fire from Gaza in addition to contending with the daily field fires. Netanyahu vowed on Saturday that Israel would continue to strike as long as necessary. His Cabinet was convening on Sunday to discuss the situation.

Hamas, meanwhile, has been trying to break out of its isolation and spotlight the hardships of the impoverished strip without invoking the full wrath of Israel.

France Wins World Cup – Trounces Croatia 4 – 2

Croatia’s Ivan Perisic, second left, handles the ball to give away a penalty as he jumps for the ball with France’s Blaise Matuidi during the final match between France and Croatia.
Matthias Schrader/AP

France is the champion of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Final, besting Croatia by 4 goals to 2.

France entered the tournament as a favorite, powered by stars such as Kylian Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann, while Croatia was seen as a longshot for victory.

The game opened with Croatia dominating possession of the ball – at 15 minutes in, Croatia held the ball for 59 percent of the time. Then, at 18 minutes in, Croatia striker Mario Mandzukic mistakenly scored a goal for France by heading it into his own team’s goal.

Shortly after, Croatia’s Ivan Perisic delivered a goal, tying up the game. Then, referees awarded France a penalty kick for a handball from Perisic, giving France a valuable opportunity.

It’s an opportunity that France’s Antoine Griezmann made the most of, scoring a goal and bringing the score up to 2-1 at the half.

France’s Paul Pogba scored at the 59 minute mark, quickly followed by another goal from France six minutes later, this time from Mbappe.

Croatia’s Mandzukic then scored, bringing the score to 4-2, thanks to an error from France.

The teams met at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium on Sunday, ending the month-long tournament played across Russia.

Croatia’s appearance in the final had a lot to do with their historic streak of endurance, as NPR’s sports correspondent Tom Goldman reported.

“It’s a day of firsts for Croatia: first time in a World Cup Final, first team to get to the final after winning three straight extra time games.” He added that “if France can outlast the Croatians, it will mean a second championship and the first since 1998.”

Les Bleus have done just that.

FIFA World Cup: Final schedule, TV time and storylines for Croatia vs. France

Two years ago when it hosted the European Championships, France was upset in the final — which was played in Paris — by Portugal.

France is back in the final of a major international tournament, and once again is the favorite to win. Croatia — which is playing in its first-ever World Cup final — is the opponent, and needed penalty kicks in the Round of 16 and quarterfinals, and extra time in the semifinals, in order to get to this point. France, meanwhile, made it look easy getting to Sunday’s 2018 World Cup final at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.

Despite its status as the established power, France is a youthful team and could be a force to be reckoned with on the international stage for years to come. Croatia’s veteran-laden team has been called its “Golden Generation.”

While Croatia might be a surprise finalist, the on-field star power is still impressive. Luka Modric — a candidate for the tournament’s Golden Ball award — is the key player for Croatia. France’s 19-year-old phenom Kylian Mbappe is also in the Golden Ball conversation and the favorite for the tournament’s Best Young Player Award.

World Cup final predictions: Will France or Croatia lift the trophy?

One of the best World Cups in history comes to an end Sunday in Moscow, as France and Croatia face off at the Luzhniki Stadium with the world championship on the line.

This is the third time France has reached the World Cup final, winning it all in 1998 and losing to Italy in the 2006 championship game. Croatia’s national team didn’t officially join FIFA until 1992 – with players previously competing for Yugoslavia – and is here in the final for the first time.

USA TODAY Sports’ soccer staff gives their picks for the World Cup final and who will win the Golden Ball – awarded to the tournament’s best player:

Martin Rogers

Prediction: France 3, Croatia 0

  • There isn’t much to choose between these teams except for the fact they are at the polar opposite ends of the “effort expended” spectrum. Croatia has played what amounts to an entire additional game thanks to three bouts of extra time. France has the movement to exploit those tired legs.

Golden Ball winnerLuka Modric, Croatia

Jim Reineking

PredictionFrance 2, Croatia 1 (after extra time)

  • Croatia once again pushes an opponent into extra time, but this time succumbs to the uber-talented French, who crush the dreams of another “golden generation.”

Golden Ball: Luka Modric, Croatia

Adam Woodard

Prediction: France 2, Croatia 1

  • Croatia plays incredibly well as a team, and I expect Modric and Rakitic to put on a show. That being said, France is too strong in the attacking third, not to mention the advantage at the goalkeeper position with Hugo Lloris. Olivier Giroud scores his first goal of the tournament and Les Bleus are champions once again.

Golden Ball: Kylian Mbappe, France

Jesse Yomtov

PredictionFrance 3, Croatia 1

  • If there’s a group that can throw Croatia’s heralded midfield off its game, it’s the one featuring Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kante. The Croats aren’t going to be able to dictate the tempo like in past games, while the speed and creativity of France’s Antoine Greizmann and Kylian Mbappe should be able exploit a tired team.

Golden Ball: Kylian Mbappe, Franc

The Latest: Hundreds in anti-Trump protest in Scottish city

Protestors hold banners during the ‘Stop Trump’ Women’s March in London, Friday, July 13, 2018. U.S. President Donald Trump’s pomp-filled welcome to Britain was overshadowed Friday by an explosive interview in which he blasted Prime Minister Theresa May, blamed London’s mayor for terror attacks against the city and argued that Europe was “losing its culture” because of immigration. (Tim Ireland/Associated Press)

LONDON — The Latest on protests in Britain against U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit (all times local):

6:55 p.m.

Hundreds of people have protested in Scotland’s largest city to protest against President Donald Trump’s visit to the U.K.

Pensioners, students, families and activists from a wide variety of pressure groups attended the demonstration in Glasgow.

Emily Bryce, from Stirling, proudly carried a homemade banner written in Gaelic, as recognition of Trump’s Highland roots, which translates as “Donald Trump, son of the devil.”

The 67-year-old Bryce said “it’s a disgrace that (British Prime Minister) Theresa May has allowed Trump to visit the U.K. and to meet the queen.”

Police estimated the crowd in Glasgow’s St. George Square at less than 1,600 people.

Despite the widespread anti-Trump feeling, there was overwhelming agreement that the U.K. protests aren’t anti-American.

Jonathon Gillies, a 27-year-old bar worker from Glasgow, said that “nobody here is against Americans. They are welcome to come here anytime. It’s just Trump we have a problem with.”

___

5:10 p.m.

Tens of thousands of protesters are swarming the streets of central London to protest Donald Trump’s first visit to Britain as U.S. president.

Aerial views broadcast on British media showed densely packed crowds filling the shopping district near Oxford Circus before a rally at Trafalgar Square.

Organizers of the Together Against Trump mass demonstration estimated that more than 100,000 protesters had joined the march by mid-afternoon Friday.

Protesters chanted “Donald Trump’s not welcome here.” Among them was actress Laura Carmichael, who played Lady Edith Crawley in TV Series Downton Abbey.

The Together Against Trump march followed the Women’s March earlier Friday, when protesters banged pots and pans and sang songs like “We Are Family” amid a carnival atmosphere.

There were numerous signs poking fun at Trump, including “No Fan of Fake Tan Man” and “How Dare You Combover here.”

___

2:30 p.m.

The lawyer who represents adult film star Stormy Daniels has joined thousands of protesters at a central London protest march against U.S. President Donald Trump.

Michael Avenatti said he wanted to send a message to “our brothers and sisters here in the U.K. and around the world that not all Americans support this president, there’s millions of Americans that are outraged by his conduct and by his behavior.”

Avenatti said he was invited to Friday’s demonstration and also wanted to be there to represent nearly 140 mothers and children who remain separated by Trump’s immigration policies.

Trump started a four-day visit to the U.K. on Thursday.

The lawyer added: “This family separation has no place in the world, let alone in the United States of America. It’s an absolute outrage.”

Daniels has said she had sex with Trump in 2006, when he was married. Trump has denied it.

___

1:40 p.m.

Tens of thousands of people are marching in central London in the first wave of a whirlwind of protests against the visit of U.S. president Donald Trump, accusing him of torture, misogyny and racism.

Carrying placards reading “Dump Trump,” and “Can’t comb over sexism,” joyous crowds blew whistles before starting from Portland Place heading toward Oxford Circus. The main protest is set to begin later Friday

Phil Bond, 65, a musician, says that he knows that it is unlikely that the demonstrations will make any difference to the president, but he believes people in the United States will notice. He says he just wants to add “my little drop of water to the 50 gallons.”

Many protesters used humor to convey their opposition. One sign read “Trump wears poorly tailored suits,” while another proclaimed: “Overcomb Brexit.” One man was selling rolls of “Trump toilet paper” emblazoned with a picture of the president

More protests are planned in Windsor, where the Trumps will meet the queen later, and in Scotland, where the president plans to spend the weekend at one of his golf courses.

___

11:20 a.m.

Hundreds of people in London have crowded under a balloon depicting Donald Trump as a screaming baby as protests across the U.K. accompanying the U.S. president’s arrival got underway.

Some 16 balloon minders in yellow vests identifying themselves as “babysitters” minded lead lines to the 6-meter (20-foot) inflatable as the curious gawked and took pictures.

Dominique Blum, 31, and Mia Parker, 50, from Pensacola Florida, were overjoyed with the spectacle.

Parker says she hopes the protest will encourage more people to get creative and organized in protesting Trump’s policies. She says “it’s brilliant. I just want to party with these people forever.”

___

9:30 a.m.

Demonstrators plan to mock U.S. President Donald Trump with a giant balloon depicting him as a screaming orange baby as tens of thousands march through the streets of London to protest the American leader’s visit to the U.K.

The diaper-clad balloon infant, with a quiff of hair and a mobile phone for tweeting, is to soar Friday over the Houses of Parliament in London. It’s the centerpiece of demonstrations across the country protesting Trump’s policies on issues ranging from immigration and race relations to women and climate change.

Kevin Smith, one of the 16 people behind the balloon, says “this is what people need to be doing — to come together in their communities to organize and work out how to stand against right wing populism and xenophobia that we’re seeing not just in the U.S. but in Europe.”

Protest organizers say they plan to stage demonstrations in some 50 cities around the U.K.

___

9 a.m.

President Donald Trump’s visit to Britain is one of the biggest operations for police in recent years, requiring similar resources to the 2014 NATO summit in Wales.

Protests are planned Friday in some 50 U.K. cities. In London, a screaming orange baby balloon will be featured in the anti-Trump protest.

The 20-foot (6-meter) tall balloon’s creators, who call themselves babysitters, admit they borrowed the idea from comedian Jon Stewart, who in 2016 called Trump a “man-baby.” A crowd-funding campaign raised 20,000 pounds ($26,400) to make it a reality.

Matthew Bonner, one of the organizers, says “depicting Trump as a baby is a great way of targeting his fragile ego, and mocking him is our main motivation.”

He says Trump “doesn’t seem to be affected by the moral outrage that comes from his behavior and his policies. You can’t reason with him but you can ridicule him.”

Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Former top Chinese leader gets life in prison on corruption charges

Sun Zhengcai, a former top Chinese Communist Party official once considered a potential successor to President Xi Jinping, has been sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of taking bribes.

Sun, a former Communist party chief of the sprawling Chongqing municipality, told a court in northern China Tuesday that he will accept the ruling and would not appeal it, according to state media.
“I sincerely admit my guilt and regret my crime,” Sun was seen telling the First Intermediate People’s Court of Tianjin on national broadcaster CCTV.
“I will seriously reform myself,” he said and bowed.
Last month, Sun admitted to accepting more than 170 million yuan ($27 million) between 2002 and 2017, in both property and cash, when he held various posts across China.
close dialog
Sun, 54, was a former member of the ruling Communist Party’s Politburo — China’s top decision-making body — and considered a future leader at the time of his downfall.
When he first came under investigation by the party’s disciplinary arm in July, the move was seen as an example of Xi further consolidating power ahead of a major party congress.
Since taking power in 2012, Xi has promoted a massive campaign as a way to stamp out corruption throughout China. More than 1 million officials have been brought down since it began.
But analysts say the Chinese President, considered the country’s most powerful leader in years, has used the crackdown to eliminate some of his rivals.
Chongqing, one of China’s largest cities, is situated deep in the country’s economic heartland and far from the political center of Beijing.
Sun was put in charge of Chongqing in 2012 after former party Secretary Bo Xilai was jailed for life for corruption in a scandal involving the murder of a British businessman.
Sun was replaced by Xi protege Chen Min’er, a rising political star who joined the 25-member Politburo last year.

World Donald Trump, Kim Jong Un impersonators cause stir, kicked out of Olympics Opening Ceremony

Kenya’s top court nullifies presidential election result, stunning governing party

Supporters of Kenya’s opposition presidential candidate Raila Odinga celebrate after the Supreme Court declared the Aug. 8 presidential election null and void, in Nairobi on Sept. 1, 2017. (Xinhua / TNS)
By Robyn Dixon and Reuben Kyama•Contact Reporter

Kenyan opposition strongholds erupted in jubilant celebrations Friday after the Supreme Court nullified the result of last month’s presidential election, won by incumbent Uhuru Kenyatta.

Chief Justice David Maraga said the Aug. 8 election was not conducted in accordance with the constitution. Four of the six justices found that irregularities had tainted the integrity of the vote and supported opposition leader Raila Odinga’s petition for nullification. The court ordered a new vote be held within 60 days.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission declared Kenyatta the winner last month by a margin of more than 1.4 million votes, with around 19 million eligible voters.

Friday’s ruling reverberated across Africa, demonstrating the independence of the judiciary in the East African nation.

Odinga, who has claimed irregularities in three successive elections, called the decision a historic day for Kenya and Africa.

“For the first time in the history of African democratization, a ruling has been made by a court nullifying irregular election of a president. This is a precedent-setting ruling,” Odinga said.

He also called for the prosecution of electoral officials whom he did not trust to conduct a new election.

“It’s hard to overstate what a historic moment this is. It’s exceedingly rare in Africa that you have a court going against the incumbent and making a decision that’s very far-reaching and very, very unexpected” said Murithi Mutiga, analyst with the International Crisis Group.

“It’s a coming-of-age moment for Kenyan democracy because the court has shown you can go to court against a powerful incumbent and expect justice,” he said, adding that the ruling sends a powerful message to Africans that election disputes can be resolved peacefully.

Kenyan authorities had been prepared for opposition protests Friday in the capital, Nairobi. Instead, traffic came to a halt as crowds of opposition supporters, danced, cheered sang and ululated.

Motorcycle taxis known as boda bodas circled the city streets, their drivers racing one another and hooting in Odinga’s support.

One of them, Ken Sande, 22, called the ruling fair. “I expected such a ruling given the irregularities cited by the opposition,” he said.

Muthoni Kirumba, 26, a fashion designer, said she expected the court to reject the opposition petition, but said the court had made the right decision, easing tensions over the disputed result.

“I think it’s a good step in the right direction, because the country was divided. You can feel the mood has changed,” she said.

Human rights groups such as the Center for Human Rights and Policy Studies said the ruling was an important signal to other African nations.

Kenyatta said he respected the ruling, while disagreeing with it. He called for peace and called on Kenyans to reach out to their neighbors regardless of their political affiliation or their tribe.

”Your neighbor is still your neighbor regardless of what has happened” Kenyatta said. “My primary message today to every single Kenyan is peace.

”I personally disagree with the ruling that has been made today but I respect it as much as I disagree with it.

”We are ready to go back again to the people with the same agenda, no change, that we delivered to the people.”

Ahmednasir Abdullahi, a lawyer for Kenyatta, called the ruling a “very political decision.” He later took to Twitter to attack the Supreme Court, calling it a Third World court and describing its decision as a judicial coup d’état.

The ruling caps weeks of turmoil. Just days before the Aug. 8 vote, key election official Chris Msando was killed. Also, a group of foreign advisors hired to help Odinga’s party ensure a fair and transparent count were arrested and deported.

After the vote, at least 24 Odinga supporters were shot dead, according to Kenyan human rights groups, when police used live ammunition to quell unrest in opposition strongholds.

Odinga said after the election that the electoral commission computer servers had been hacked. The commission initially denied any hacking attempt, but later conceded there had been an effort, which it said had failed.

Friday’s ruling is the first time a Kenyan court has nullified an election result. Mutiga, the analyst, said the Supreme Court justices had shown “extraordinary courage and they should be applauded.” But in a country where election contests often spill from heated rhetoric into violence, he said Kenya was facing a crucial moment.

”What follows now is as important. Will the campaigns be peaceful? Will the political players show restraint? That remains to be seen. But today, this is a moment for celebration.”

Odinga took unsuccessful court action after 2013 elections that he said were rigged. He also disputed the 2007 election result, leading to ethnic battles across the country that left about 1,500 people dead and have haunted the country since.

Many Kenyan voters cast their ballots along ethnic lines, supporting those who they believe will help their own group. Kenyatta’s Cabinet and top civil service positions have been filled mainly with members of his Kikuyu group and the Kalenjin group of his deputy president, William Ruto.

Members of Odinga’s Luo group and other ethnic groups feel excluded from power. Those resentments have lingered since Kenyan independence in 1964, when Kenyatta’s father, Jomo Kenyatta, became the nation’s first president.

U.S. Ambassador Bob Godec issued a joint statement with envoys and officials of Europe, Canada and Australia describing the court decision as “an important moment for Kenya.”

“The Court’s independent review has demonstrated Kenya’s resilient democracy and commitment to the rule of law. Kenya’s electoral institutions now must begin preparing for a new presidential poll later this year and we urge everyone to work to make it free, fair, credible, and peaceful,” the statement said.

Odinga argued in his court petition that there were anomalies in the count affecting more than 5 million votes. His argument hinged on two sets of electoral forms on which votes were tallied. Some forms lacked serial numbers or water marks or were not signed by election agents or lacked the electoral commission stamp.

Electoral commission chairman Wafula Chebukati called on prosecutors to urgently pursue any election officials who breached the election law. He vowed there would be some staff dismissals.

”To protect the sovereign will of the Kenyan people the commission intends to make internal changes to our personnel and processes as we prepare for the fresh presidential elections in 60 days,” he said.

In neighboring Uganda, Kizza Besigye, a presidential candidate who was put under house arrest last year after he disputed February election results giving victory to President Yoweri Museveni, said it was a momentous decision for Africa.

♦ Culled from The LA Times

Facebook Fellowship Program 2018 available globally for research students in computer science and engineering

Applications are invited for Facebook Fellowship Program available to Ph.D. students globally who are enrolled in an accredited university in any country. International and domestic students can apply for the facebook fellowship program.

The Facebook Fellowship Program is designed to encourage and support promising doctoral students who are engaged in innovative and relevant research in areas related to computer science and engineering.

Applicants from outside the home country will often need to meet specific English language/other language requirements in order to be able to study there.

Course Level: Facebook Fellowship Program is open to Ph.D. students globally who are enrolled in an accredited university in any country.

Study Subject: Facebook is accepting applications from students with research related to one of the following areas:

  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Computer Vision
  • Connectivity
  • Data Mining
  •  Databases
  • Distributed Systems, Networking & Operating Systems
  • Economics and Computation
  • Human-Computer Interaction
  • Machine Learning
  • Natural Language Processing & Speech Technologies
  • Programming Languages & Compilers
  • Security & Privacy
  • Social Computing
  • Software Engineering

Scholarship Award: It awards:

  • Tuition and fees will be paid for the academic year (up to two years).
  • $37K grants (one-time payment during each academic year).
  • Up to $5,000 in conference travel support.
  • Paid visit to Facebook HQ to present research.
  • Opportunity for a paid internship at Facebook. Facebook-fellowship-award-phd-program

Scholarship can be taken in USA and Overseas (The Fellowship Program is open to Ph.D. students globally who are enrolled in an accredited university in any country).

Eligibility: The following criteria must be met in order for applicants to be eligible for these fellowships:

  • Full-time Ph.D. students who are currently involved in on-going research.
  • Students work must be related to one or more relevant disciplines.
  • Students must be enrolled during the academic year(s) that the Fellowship is awarded.
  • The Fellowship Program is open to Ph.D. students globally who are enrolled in an accredited university in any country.

Nationality: International and domestic students can apply for these facebook fellowships.

College Admission Requirement

Entrance Requirements: Applicants must be full-time Ph.D. students who are currently involved in on-going research.

English language Requirements: Applicants from outside the home country will often need to meet specific English language/other language requirements in order to be able to study there.

How to Apply: All applicants will need to use their Facebook account to apply. All application materials, including two letters of recommendation, will be due on November 1, 2016. Once applicants provide with their reference contact email, they will be sent an email with a link to submit their letter. Once they have submitted, the application page will show a “Received” message below their name. Applicants may resend the reminder email to their references from the application page if needed.

Application Deadline: All application materials, including two letters of recommendation, are due on October 31, 2017.

Scholarship Link

The Most Brutal Photos From The Mayweather-McGregor Fight

x Close

Like Us On Facebook