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By Paul Rhys in Africa on January 27th, 2010
Photo from EPA

There will be no football played in Benguela tonight.

After Ghana and Nigeria finish kicking a ball around a pitch in Luanda, attentions will turn away from the Angolan capital to more weighty affairs in the south.

Because Algeria are not taking on Egypt for a place in the Africa Cup of Nations final.

The two are meeting in the theatre of combat.

By Paul Rhys in Africa on January 19th, 2010

All sympathy to Mali, who are out of the Africa Cup of Nations after producing some stunning moments in the group stages of the tournament in Angola.

By Paul Rhys in Africa on January 15th, 2010
Photo from AFP

Unless you're one of that side's natural enemies, it's always a relief when the host nation of a major tournament stays in the competition.

Angola aren't yet out of the woods, but their 2-0 win over Malawi on Thursday put them in charge of their own destiny at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Malawi, of course, aren't exactly delighted at missing the chance to be the first team into the quarter-finals.

But half the thrill of these matches comes from the energy of the crowd, and I was glad to see Angola hold on to the points that could see their boisterous fans back to the cauldron of the November 11 stadium beyond the next match.

By Paul Rhys in Africa on January 11th, 2010

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Less than two months ago, Algeria were celebrating qualifying for their first World Cup since 1986 by climbing the goalposts in Khartoum after a 1-0 playoff win against Egypt.

On Monday the Desert Foxes drove their fans up the wall by being deservedly thumped 3-0 by Malawi - ranked 99th in the world and statistically the worst team at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Malawi have not reached the continental tournament since 1984, losing by the same score to Algeria on March 5 that year and finishing bottom of their group with one point.

Now they are riding high two points clear at the top of Group A with the chance to qualify for the quarter-finals if they win their next match against Angola - a result that would leave the hosts' progress on a knife edge.

By John Terrett in Americas on January 4th, 2010
Photo by Reuters

At Reagan National airport just outside Washington this morning the runways were still lined with ploughed snow from the biggest storm to hit the city in 80 years.
 
It was freezing cold and a bright but powerless sun was glinting off the US Capitol building in central DC, which could be seen about six miles away across the Potomac River.
 
I was at Reagan National because Federal authorities had just introduced increased random screening for all flights destined for the US from around the world.
 
For passengers from 14 countries in particular, however, the searches will be compulsory.
 
The 14 are the four countries cited by the US state department as sponsors of terrorism - Sudan, Syria, Iran and Cuba - plus a further 10 "countries of interest" which officials say are "terrorism-prone": Afghanistan, Algeria, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia and Yemen.

By Mohamed Vall in Middle East on November 20th, 2009

The aftermath of the World Cup qualifying match between Algeria and Egypt has amounted to a diplomatic storm over the North African region spreading even to Sudan. Egypt has recalled its ambassador to Algeria for consultation in protest over alleged attacks by Algerian fans on Egyptian fans in Khartoum.

Cairo says 21 Egyptians were wounded in the attacks on buses transporting them to Khartoum airport  after the match and has expressed deep dissatisfaction with what they described as Sudan's failure to protect their citizens. 

Khartoum is furious in response and believes Egyptian authorities have exaggerated a minor incident in which only two people were slightly wounded in order to alleviate the bitterness of their defeat in the game. Sudanese foreign minister summoned the Egyptian ambassador to Khartoum and told him of his government indignation at the Egyptian threat to send troops to protect Egyptians on the Sudanese soil. 

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