Football draws and awards nights can often be dreary affairs, full of stilted speeches and goal montages.

But when you get two of the greatest players ever – Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo – agreeing to break bread over dinner and a philosophical monologue from Eric Cantona, it turns into an entirely different occasion.

There were clear pangs of absence making the heart grow fonder between Juventus forward Ronaldo and Barcelona’s Messi as they shared jokes and laughs sat next to each other.

It was almost difficult to imagine that the two were such great rivals during Ronaldo’s nine years at Real Madrid and in the last decade of Ballon d’Or voting for the world’s greatest player.

“We have shared the stage 15 years. I don’t know if that’s happened before – the same two guys on the same stage all the time,” Ronaldo said.

“Of course, we have a good relationship. We haven’t had dinner together yet, but I hope in the future.

“We had that battle in Spain. I pushed him and he pushed me as well. So it’s good to be part of the history of football.”

With touching shows of affection like this, who would dare suggest that the pair do not get on?

If that impromptu display of nostalgia wasn’t enough, Cantona’s musings were something else.

The former Manchester Untied and France striker was speaking before the 2019-20 Champions League draw in Monaco, when he was given the Uefa president’s award.

Dressed in a flat cap and a red shirt, he began by quoting Shakespeare’s King Lear, saying “as flies to wanton boys we are for the gods” before continuing to reference science, war and crime.

The audience, packed with football superstars, watched in stunned silence before sharing puzzled glances as Cantona made his way from the stage before Lucy Bronze and Virgil van Dijk were later named Uefa’s players of the year.

Cantona isn’t new to philosophical outpourings. In the aftermath of his kung-fu kick on a Crystal Palace fan in 1995, he gave his infamous press conference observation that “when the seagulls follow the trawler, it’s because they think sardines will be thrown into the sea”.

Cantona’s bizarre speech in full: “As flies to wanton boys we are for the gods, they kill us for their sport.

“Soon the science will not only be able to slow down the ageing of the cells, soon the science will fix the cells to the state and so we will become eternal.

“Only accidents, crimes, wars, will still kill us but unfortunately, crimes, wars, will multiply.”I love football. Thank you.”

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The World Health Organization (WHO) and UN-Water today sounded the alarm for an urgent increase in investment in strong drinking-water and sanitation systems.

The call came as the international water sector meets in Stockholm for its annual conference during World Water Week It is triggered by a new report published by WHO on behalf of UN-Water that reveals that weak government systems and a lack of human resources and funds are jeopardizing the delivery of water and sanitation services in the world’s poorest countries and undermining efforts to ensure health for all.

“Too many people lack access to reliable and safe drinking-water, toilets and hand-washing facilities, putting them at risk of deadly infections and threatening progress in public health,” says Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “Water and sanitation systems don’t just improve health and save lives, they are a critical part of building more stable, secure and prosperous societies. We call on all countries that lack essential water and sanitation infrastructure to allocate funds and human resources to build and maintain it.”

The UN-Water Global Assessment and Analysis of Sanitation and Drinking-Water 2019 (known as the GLAAS report) surveyed 115 countries and territories, representing 4.5 billion people. It showed that, in an overwhelming majority of countries, the implementation of water, sanitation and hygiene policies and plans is constrained by inadequate human and financial resources. Nineteen countries and one territory reported a funding gap of more than 60 per cent between identified needs and available funding. Less than 15 per cent of countries have the financial or human resources needed to implement their plans.

“If we are to create a healthier, more equitable and stable society, then strengthening the systems to reach those currently living without safe and affordable water, sanitation and hygiene services must be a top priority,” says Mr Gilbert F Houngbo, Chair of UN-Water and President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development. “While we need to ensure that there is sufficient funding to tackle these critical challenges, it is equally important to continue reinforcing national delivery systems.”

While funding gaps and weak systems are holding many countries back, the report also found that countries have begun to take positive steps towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6 on water and sanitation.

“The Sustainable Development Goals have inspired us to take concrete actions at the national level to increase access to sanitation,” says Mr David Molefha, Principal Water Engineer at the Ministry of Land Management Water and Sanitation Services in Botswana. “We have developed a sanitation roadmap and are working to eliminate open defecation. With these actions, we are working to improve peoples’ lives.”

About half of the countries surveyed have now set drinking-water targets that aim for universal coverage at levels higher than basic services by 2030, for example by addressing water quality and increasing access to water on premises. In addition, specifically targeting open defecation will have a dramatic impact on public and environmental health.

As the international authority on public health and water, sanitation and hygiene, WHO gathers scientific evidence, sets and monitors standards, and promotes best policies and practices for ensuring safe, reliable water, sanitation and hygiene for all people.

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The Appellant Court has heard the Jacqueline Uwera Nsenga appeal against High Court judge, Duncan Gaswaga decision.

Justice Gaswaga convicted Nsenga of murder of her husband, Juvenal Nsenga .

In 2014, High Court judge, Duncan Gaswaga convicted Uwera Nsenga of deliberately killing her husband by running over him with a vehicle as he opened their home gate in Bugolobi, Kampala on  January 10, 2013 for her to enter.

Basing of 15 witnesses, who included relatives and those who had stayed with the family  Justice Gaswaga said, Mrs. Nsenga intended to kill her husband as evidenced by the way she drove at breakneck speed of 45km per hour in their compound. The judge said the car dragged Mr Nsenga for a distance of 10.7 meters from the gate.

He noted that none of the family members ever reported the matter to police. Further, that it was the police that requested them to make statements immediately after returning from the burial in the village.

Appearing before court, Ms. Nsenga who was represented by David Mpanga, said trial judge erred on the law when he replied on an equivocal out of Court statement of the deceased to convict the appellant.

“The learned trial judge erred on the law and in fact when he failed to evaluate evidences adduced at the trial and apply it to the law of offence of murder and erred in the law when he shifted the burden of proof from prosecution and placed it on the appellant,” reads in part of the appeal.

She now wants court the conviction of High Court be quashed and the sentence be set aside.

Attachments area

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