馃嚦馃嚘NamibiaSouthern Africa
Arsenal advances to Champions League semi-finals after tense draw with Sporting
via The Namibian3 min read
Arsenal secured a spot in the Champions League semi-finals with a goalless draw against Sporting Lisbon, resulting in a 1-0 aggregate victory. The team, led by Mikel Arteta, delivered a performance that was described as below par in the quarter-final second leg at the Emirates Stadium. Despite their recent struggles, including three losses in their last five games and a single win, Arsenal maintained their slender first-leg advantage. They are set to face Atletico Madrid, who defeated Barcelona 3-2 on aggregate. Arsenal had previously beaten Atletico 4-0 in the group stage in October. The Gunners, who haven't won the Premier League since 2004 and have never won the Champions League, are currently six points ahead of second-placed Manchester City in the Premier League. The team's recent form has raised questions about their character, particularly after losing the League Cup final, the FA Cup quarter-final, and a home defeat against Bournemouth. Key players Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard were absent due to injury, impacting Arsenal's attacking play. Sporting had several opportunities, with Francisco Trincao and Geny Catamo coming close to scoring. Arsenal will need to improve significantly to reach the Champions League final for the first time since 2006.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by The Namibian.
Must ReadSpain secured a 2-0 victory over tournament favorites France to reach the World Cup final. Mikel Oyarzabal scored a first-half penalty, and Pedro Porro added a second goal in the 58th minute at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Spain, the 2010 World Cup winners, will now face either Argentina or England in the final in New Jersey. France, who were considered strong contenders, struggled against Spain's tactical approach. Spain's midfield, led by Rodri, Fabian Ruiz, and Dani Olmo, dominated the game, limiting France's attacking opportunities. French midfielder Adrien Rabiot received an early booking, and central defender William Saliba left the game due to injury in the 31st minute. Despite some moments of threat from France, Spain maintained control, with Porro and Olmo combining for the second goal. France made substitutions, but Spain's defense held firm, denying them any clear scoring chances. Kylian Mbappe was booked in the closing minutes as Spain sealed their win.
Must ReadThe Namibia Financial Institutions Supervisory Authority Namfisa is investigating Wealth Management Solutions WMS, a financial advisory firm owned by Hanjo Schlabitz, following reports of at least N$250 million in client losses. The Namibian reported that WMS owes this amount primarily to pensioners and families. While 87 individuals and two organizations have come forward as creditors, the liquidator estimates total losses could reach N$350 million. Investors claim Schlabitz promised annual returns of around 7% in money market funds and up to 20% on foreign exchange investments. The foreign exchange investments have reportedly disappeared, and Schlabitz admitted to using money market funds to repay foreign exchange investors. Namfisa spokesperson Victoria Raimond confirmed the ongoing investigation but declined to comment on specific supervisory or enforcement actions. WMS and Schlabitz maintain active registrations with Namfisa, with WMS registered in 2007 as a long-term insurance broker firm and Schlabitz in 2015 as a long-term insurance broker. Since the Financial Institutions and Markets Act 2021 came into force, brokers like Schlabitz are categorized as financial intermediaries, who manage policies for clients and are required to keep up-to-date financial records but not necessarily have auditors. Independent Patriots for Change shadow finance minister Michael Mwashindange suggested that if client funds were diverted between investment products, it would raise questions
The ruling party Swapo concluded the 2025/26 financial year with over N$7 million in assets and a surplus of nearly N$4 million. Its financial report for the year ended March 31 shows political funding income of N$107.7 million and an additional N$706,892 in finance income, with N$104.5 million spent on political funding activities. Swapo's assets more than doubled from N$3.1 million in 2024/25 to N$7 million in 2025/26. In contrast, the official opposition Independent Patriots for Change IPC reported total liabilities of N$1.8 million and a deficit of N$777,217 for the year ended December 31, 2025. The IPC's total income was N$30.8 million, but its operating expenses reached N$31.6 million. The party's financial position became insolvent, with N$1.86 million in liabilities significantly outweighing its N$390,061 in assets. The IPC's liquid cash also decreased from nearly N$1 million to N$22,034 within 12 months. Swanu of Namibia's financial report for the year ended February 28, 2025, indicated the party received N$1.34 million in government grants, using N$1.29 million and retaining N$49,521 in unused funds. A June 2025 report by the Institute of Public Policy Research IPPR highlighted that taxpayers have spent N$181 million on political party funding, and a February 2023 IPPR report noted that most political parties were still not fully accounting for their funding in a timely manner.