馃嚦馃嚘NamibiaSouthern Africa
Crystal Palace and Rayo Vallecano advance to UEFA Conference League final
via The Namibian5 min read
Crystal Palace defeated Shakhtar Donetsk 5-2 on aggregate to reach their first European final in the UEFA Conference League. The Eagles secured their spot with a 2-1 victory in the second leg at Selhurst Park, featuring an own goal from Pedro Henrique and a goal from Ismaila Sarr. Manager Oliver Glasner, who will depart at the end of the season, has led Palace to a successful period, including an FA Cup win last season. They will face Rayo Vallecano in the final in Leipzig on May 27. Rayo Vallecano also made history by reaching their first European final, beating Strasbourg 2-0 on aggregate after a 1-0 win in the second leg in France. Alemao scored for Rayo, who were considered underdogs against Strasbourg. The Spanish side, coached by Inigo Perez, will now compete for their first major trophy against Crystal Palace.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by The Namibian.
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Namibia Wildlife Resorts NWR is currently engaged in the rescue of 96 hikers, including schoolchildren, who became stranded in the Fish River Canyon since Sunday. The hikers, comprising nine different groups, were affected by rapidly rising water levels downstream after NamWater opened the sluice gates of the Naute Dam. Heavy rainfall in the Hardap and ||Kharas regions over the weekend caused the Naute Dam to reach 116.9% of its capacity, while the nearby Neckartal Dam also exceeded 105.7% and began spilling water into the canyon. As a result, the Fish River hiking trail has been temporarily closed. NamWater reported that the Naute Dam's level prompted the opening of one sluice gate, releasing water at 102 cubic metres per second. Commissioner Marius Katamila, the ||Kharas police regional commander, confirmed that members of the Special Reserve Force and a police helicopter are assisting with the rescue efforts from NWR's Hobas resort. Ten hikers managed to exit the canyon on their own on Sunday.
Must ReadJapan has provided Namibia with N$80 billion in development assistance over the past 20 years, encompassing technical aid, grants, and scholarships. I-Ben Nashandi, executive director of the National Planning Commission, highlighted that this support has benefited infrastructure planning, agricultural productivity, and community empowerment. Approximately N$47 billion of this total was in grants and development assistance, nearly equivalent to one year of Namibia's national budget. Japanese ambassador to Namibia Shinichi Asazuma noted that the Japan International Cooperation Agency's core programs include technical assistance, feasibility studies, and master plans. A significant contribution has been in logistics and transport, with Jica supporting the development of Namibia's logistics hub master plan for the port at Walvis Bay, implemented in 2016. This initiative aims to increase cargo throughput and is crucial for Namibia's emerging offshore oil and gas, critical minerals, and green hydrogen sectors. Additionally, the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers program has sent 177 Japanese volunteers to Namibia since 2006, working in education, civil engineering, and local administration, with 11 volunteers currently active in the country.