Saturday, June 14, 2008

news



Abducted Cameroonians found dead
Many of Bakassi's residents do not want to be governed by Cameroon
Five bodies found riddled with bullets near Cameroon's border with Nigeria are victims of a recent kidnapping, officials say.
Felix Morfan, the deputy governor of the Bakassi region, and six Cameroonian soldiers were kidnapped by suspected rebels from Nigeria on Monday.
Nigeria handed over most of the oil-rich northern Bakassi regon to Cameroon in 2006.
The rest of the disputed peninsula is due to be handed over in August.
Although not immediately identifiable, authorities say they are in no doubt the bodies found in a mangrove swamp are those of the abducted men.
"There is almost no doubt that the kidnapped sub-prefect is among them and that the sixth person whose body has not been found is also deceased," the ministry of defence told AFP news agency.
Bitter handover
It is not clear who carried out the attack but people in the area suspect Nigerian militants from the Niger Delta are responsible.
Nigeria agreed to hand Bakassi over to Cameroon following a ruling by the International Court of Justice in 2006.
Most of the area's residents are Nigerian and bitterly oppose the handover.
Last November, 21 Cameroonian troops were killed in the same area.
This latest attack has increased tension and caused many Nigerian residents to head across the border fearing retribution, says the BBC's West Africa correspondent, Will Ross.
People living there complain they have not benefited from the Bakassi's oil revenue, our correspondent adds - a grievance that is also one of the main reasons for the unrest in the Niger Delta.
A challenge to the ICJ decision brought in the Nigerian courts by Bakassi residents who wanted to remain in Nigeria was this week turned down.

Pakistan win tri-series; beat India by 25 runs in final
Mirpur, June 14: A spirited comeback by the Pakistan cricket team helped them beat India by 25 runs in the final of the tri-series. It was a clinical display of brilliant batting and disciplined bowling by the Pakistan team that helped them put behind the huge defeat suffered at the hands of India in the league stage and eventually beat the favourites in the all important final. Chasing 316 to win, India suffered an early blow as they lost the wicket of belligerent opener Virender Sehwag with just 8 runs on the board. Sehwag, who scored just 2 runs holed out to Shoaib Malik off Sohail Tanvir.Just when Rohit Sharma and Gautam Gambhir looked like putting India on the road to recovery, the former lost concentration and holed out to substitute fielder Nasir Jamshed at deep backward square leg off Umar Gul after scoring just 24. Just a few deliveries after losing Rohit Sharma, India lost the all important wicket of in-form batsman Gautam Gambhir who went for 40 off 33 balls while trying to upper cut a rising delivery. The duo of Nasir Jamshed and Umar Gul struck again to leave India reeling at 79/3 in the thirteenth over.Yusuf Pathan departed after a run a ball 25 as India moved past the 100 run mark. Pathan was out caught by Younis Khan off Iftikhar Anjum as he tried to smash a ball over mid wicket. After 18 overs India were 106 for 4, needing another 210 runs to win.Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina kept India in the hunt as they put on a 50 run partnership for the fifth wicket in just 47 balls. Yuvraj was especially harsh on the bowlers as he smashed boundaries at will.After adding 73 quick runs for the fifth wicket, both Yuvraj and Raina departed in quick succession to leave India struggling in the Mirpur ODI. First to depart was Raina, who lost concentration and scooped a catch to Shahid Afridi while Yuvraj followed him just a few deliveries later as he was out caught behind the wicket by Kamran Akmal off Afridi.After loosing a couple of quick wickets, MS Dhoni and Irfan Pathan put together a 50 run partnership as India looked to inch their way back into the game. With 76 more required off 49 deliveries to win and 4 wickets in hand, the game looked to be poised for an exciting finish.Just as India looked to gain the upper hand in the match, Irfan Pathan holed out to Shoaib Malik off Iftikhar Anjum for 28. With 69 more required off 41 balls, Praveen Kumar came in to join MS Dhoni.India lost their eighth wicket in the form of Praveen Kumar, who was trapped in front of the wicket by Umer Gul. Umer Gul got the wicket of Piyush Chawla to reduce India to 9 wickets down with 284 runs on the board. Skipper MS Dhoni was holding fort for India as wickets kept tumbling around him.The last wicket to fall was of Dhoni, who fought bravely till the end for his 64.Earlier in the day, Brilliant hundreds by Salman Butt and Younis Khan helped Pakistan post a challenging 315/3 off their allotted 50 overs. After a bit of initial success, all the Indian bowlers struggled to put brakes on the scoring rate as the duo of Butt and Younis added 205 runs for the second wicket. Praveen Kumar bowled brilliantly, giving away just 37 runs off 10 overs while Piyush Chawla was taken for 85 off his 10. Irfan Pathan picked up two wickets.Kamran Akmal edged an Irfan Pathan delivery into the hands of wicketkeeper MS Dhoni. Pakistan were off to a slow start scoring just 35 runs before Akmal departed for 15 in the 10th over. Younis Khan arrived at the crease to partner Salman Butt.After losing the wicket of Kamran Akmal with just 34 runs on the board, Pakistan took the road to recovery as Younis and Butt gathered runs at a steady pace. Butt was looking good as he raced to 31 runs including 4 boundaries. Pakistan were 61 for the loss of 1 wicket at the end of 16 overs.Younis Khan and Salman Butt put together a half century partnership as Pakistan looked to come back into the match. Pak crossed the hundred run mark in the 23rd over after Younis Khan hit a couple of meaty blows over the boundary ropes. Younis Khan followed on the footsteps of Salman Butt as he too reached his fifty just a few deliveries after his southpaw partner had done so. While Butt’s fifty came off 78 balls including 5 fours, Younis’ half ton was scored in 53 deliveries including 4 hits to the boundary and 2 over it.After consolidating the innings for a while, Younis and Butt broke free as they took the Pakistan total past the 150 run mark in the 31st over. Both Salman Butt and Younis Khan slammed brilliant hundreds as Pakistan strolled past the 200 run mark. Butt’s century came off 121 balls including 10 boundaries and 1 six while Younis’ ton, scored in 92 balls included 7 fours and 3 mighty sixes.After slamming a brilliant 108 off just 99 balls, Younis holed out to Virender Sehwag off Ishant Sharma as he tried to send another one out of the park. Youins added 205 runs for the second wicket with Salman Butt as Pakistan recovered from a shaky start to reach 250 in the 44th over.Irfan Pathan picked up his second wicket of the match as he got rid off Misbah-ul-Haq after the latter had slammed 33 runs in just 21 balls including four fours and 1 six. Pakistan were well placed at 304 runs at the end of 49th over. Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik won the toss and elected to bat first at Mirpur’s Sher-e-Bangla Stadium. He said, "It`s a good track, it might get turn later. We have worked hard in the practice in the last two days; we will give our 100%."Dhoni, however, thought that the track might slow down later in the day. Ishant Sharma was included in place of Rudra Pratap Singh.The captains, the organisers and the officials decided to change the ball at the end of the 30th over instead of the 34th over because the ball, as it was seen throughout the tournament, loses colour quite early due to the black soil used in the stadiums in Bangladesh.Squads:India (Playing XI): Mahendra Singh Dhoni(w/c), Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh, Rohit Sharma, Yusuf Pathan, Suresh Raina, Irfan Pathan, Praveen Kumar, Piyush Chawla, Ishant SharmaPakistan (Playing XI): Shoaib Malik(c), Salman Butt, Kamran Akmal(w), Younis Khan, Mohammad Yousuf, Misbah Ul-Haq, Shahid Afridi, Fawad Alam, Sohail Tanvir, Umar Gul, Rao Iftikhar

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