
Brazil star Raphinha expressed his desire to repay the faith shown in him by new coach Carlo Ancelotti at the upcoming World Cup. Raphinha and Ancelotti previously faced each other in Spain for three years when Raphinha played for Barcelona and Ancelotti managed Real Madrid. During that period, Raphinha scored against Ancelotti's Real Madrid in a 4-0 La Liga victory and netted twice in a 4-3 win, contributing to Barcelona's title. He also featured in Barcelona teams that defeated Ancelotti's Real in the Copa del Rey and Spanish Super Cup finals. Raphinha stated, "Now I hope to do for him all the things I did against him. To help get good results for him and for the team, because they really deserve it." Ancelotti, who celebrated his 67th birthday, is leading Brazil in their quest for a sixth World Cup title. Brazil will begin their World Cup campaign against Morocco in Group C, potentially without Neymar due to a calf problem. Raphinha, who scored 21 goals and provided eight assists for Barcelona last season, acknowledged feeling more prepared for this World Cup compared to 2022. He and Vinicius Junior are expected to carry significant attacking responsibility for Brazil. Brazil will also face Haiti and Scotland in the group stage.
Free daily or weekly digest of the most important stories from across 18 African countries. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by The Namibian.

Lawmakers in Namibia have dismissed opposition leader Panduleni Itula's suggestion to dissolve the National Assembly, arguing that parliamentary shortcomings do not warrant new elections. Itula, president of the Independent Patriots for Change IPC, had proposed that president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah consider dissolving parliament due to its "ineffectiveness," citing slow lawmaking and frequent procedural disputes. He referenced Article 57 of the Constitution, which allows the president to dissolve the National Assembly on Cabinet's advice if the government cannot govern effectively. Swapo Party Youth League secretary Ephraim Nekongo called Itula's proposal an insult to voters and an attempt to avoid political responsibility, questioning the IPC's commitment to its mandate. Swanu for Namibia president Evilastus Kaaronda also rejected the idea, stating that dissolving parliament would not address underlying problems and criticized the assembly's limited working hours. Affirmative Repositioning chief whip Vaino Hangula likened the proposal to "burning down a house to kill a cockroach." However, former ambassador Pius Dunaiski noted that Itula's remarks have reignited an important national debate, warning that prolonged legislative deadlock could delay reforms and undermine public trust.
Must ReadBilateral talks between the Namibian and German governments regarding a joint declaration on colonial genocide are facing criticism for allegedly marginalizing representatives of the most affected indigenous communities. Critics argue that the Namibian government, with the German government as an accomplice, is reducing these groups to passive observers. Germany's admission of genocide is qualified as a crime "from today鈥檚 perspective," which is seen as a legal maneuver to avoid reparations. The negotiated atonement includes an apology and development funds for regions inhabited by descendants of affected communities, but it is a bilateral agreement that bypasses the German parliament and civil society. The exclusion of significant agencies representing the descendants of indigenous communities is viewed as undermining true reconciliation. A 2006 decision by the Namibian National Assembly, while a point of departure, also excluded relevant indigenous community agencies from direct participation in negotiations. The Namibian government asserts its democratic mandate to negotiate on behalf of all Namibian people, which critics say prioritizes centralized authority over the diverse histories and identities within society. The joint declaration acknowledges Damara and San communities, though they are less prominent in the national historical narrative than the Ovaherero and Nama. Seth !Nowaseb, a member of the Technical Committee on Genocide, Apology and Reparations, stated that

Adam Ramsay-Peaty, a three-time Olympic gold medallist, secured a bronze medal in the 100m breaststroke at the Commonwealth Games, falling short of his bid for a fourth Commonwealth gold. Sam Williamson of Australia won gold in the event with a time of 59.17 seconds, while Filip Nowacki took silver, earning Jersey's first Commonwealth medal in 36 years. Ramsay-Peaty, whose wife Holly Ramsay was present, hinted at considering his future in the sport, questioning the commitment required for the 100m event as he anticipates becoming a father of two. He is scheduled to compete in the 50m breaststroke final. Meanwhile, Australia dominated the swimming events, securing five golds and leading the medal table with 12 golds compared to England and Nigeria's three. Notable Australian victories included Sam Short leading a 1-2-3 finish in the men's 400m freestyle and Mollie O鈥機allaghan contributing to another 1-2 in the women鈥檚 200m freestyle. Pieter Coetze of South Africa set a new Commonwealth record in the 50m backstroke. In other sports, Australia won the women's team final in gymnastics and began their netball title defense with a win against Tonga. England defeated Northern Ireland in netball, setting up a match against Australia. Scottish athlete Eilish McColgan will miss the 10,000m title defense due to injury. English teenage gymnast Gabriel Langton was cleared after a fall during the men's gymnastic final.