CBA captures two more indoor track championships
Raritan boys win A Central The Monmouth County Indoor Track and Field Championships were held on Jan. 21 at the Bennett Indoor Complex. Above: A group of runners sprint toward the finish line of the 400-meter dash. Below: Matawan’s Joy Price competed in the high jump. Price finished ninth in her event. PHOTOS BY ERIC SUCAR staff Christian Brothers Academy’s track and field team added two more championships to what has been a very impressive indoor season for the Colts.CBAadded the Monmouth County Shore ConferenceANorth Division crown last weekend to the Monmouth County Relays and Non- Public A State Relays titles the Colts won earlier this month. At the State Relays, the Colts were perfect, winning all nine events.At the county championship held on Jan. 21 at the Bennett Indoor Complex in Toms River, the Colts outscored runner-up Freehold Township, 86-52.Andrew Rohan was the only Colt to win an individual title, capturing the shot put with a toss of 54-10¼. On the track, CBA won the 4×400 (3:3:32.19).What separated the Colts from everyone elsewas their balance. The team scored points in every event but the 55-meter dash.Matawan pole-vaulter Dylan Spadaccini was the only other area athlete to strike gold. He was the only vaulter to clear the winning height of 13-6.As for the area girls, Mater Dei’s Caitlin Gatto won the high jump at 5-2.On Sunday, Jan. 23, the Colts made a mockery of the meet, piling up 158 points, more than double runner-up Freehold Township’s 70, in winning A North.Matt Pozzo won the 55-meter hurdles in 7.75, leading a parade of blue to the finish line. The Colts were second, third, fourth and sixth, scoring 29 points in that one event alone.Pozzo also won the 55-meter dash (6.71).CBAcross country runners took over in the 800 and 1,600 with Conrad Lippert winning the 800 in 1:59.89, just .02 ahead of teammate Tim Gorman (1:59.91). Kelly stepped off a 4:22.02 1,600 meters for the Colts.The Colts won the 4×400 in 3:34.12.Rohanwon the shot put with a 51-7 toss as CBAwon all three field events. Phil Reid was first in the high jump (6-2) and John Engels did 13-0 to win the pole vault.For the local girls, Middletown South’s Cassidy Weimer won the 3,200 (11:56.07) and Nicole Ras took the high jump (5-0). At the B North championships, Matawan swept the shot put competitions. Sharaj Prince was first among the boys at 46-3 while Marissa Grosso won the girls’ title at 33-1.The Huskies’ Dylan Spadaccini won the boys’ pole vault at 12-6. In the A Central Division meet, also held on Sunday, Raritan captured the boys’ title with 74 points.Michael Breen got the Rockets’ championship off to a speedy start by winning the meet’s first event, the 400-meter dash, in 51.84. Robert Fortune won the 55 hurdles (8.28). The Rocket sprinters would claim the 4×400 (3:39.07).Marc Latham won the pole vault (9-6). ShaneMertz completed the individual winners for the Rockets, taking the shot put with a throw of 44-0¼.St. John Vianney’s Ishmael Hyman won theACentral 55-meter dash (6.84).For the girls, Raritan’s Lauren Thomson and Marissa Hornacek went one-two in the high jump, with both clearing 4-8. Thomson took first on fewer misses.The Rockets won the 4×400 (4:27.81).Holmdel’s Katie Little (5:33.6) and Lindsay Conlan (5:39.78) went one-two in the A Central girls 1,600.In C Central, Daniel Polaco of Mater Dei Prepwon the boys’ 3,200 (10:10.79) and teammate Chris Pace took the shot put (45.4).It’s back to the Bennett Complex tomorrow (Jan. 28) for the Shore Conference Championships.
The Irrawaddy Delta of Myanmar used to be rich in mangroves, but only 20 percent of the original coverage remains today.Although it’s illegal to log mangrove wood, people who live in villages without electricity still cut the increasingly fragmented mangrove forests of the delta for fuelwood for cooking.Logging isn’t just physically dangerous; it’s also legally risky.Fuel-efficient stoves, access to alternative fuels, and opportunities for employment could help reduce the amount of illegal logging of mangroves. IRRAWADDY DELTA, Myanmar — Just as dawn was breaking on a balmy morning this past January, U Khin Win left his home with a pair of black rubber boots and a sickle. He met his friend, U Tin Hla, who was filling up the tank of their small, rickety motorboat on the riverbank.U Khin Win and U Tin Hla live in Chaungbyaegyi, a coastal village in the Irrawaddy Delta of Myanmar. The delta is known for its agricultural productivity — electric-green rice paddy fields flank the narrow roads — and the muddy waterways serve not only as conduits for locals to travel from one village to another, but also as a place where people fish and bathe.Some villages, like Chaungbyaegyi, are a few hodfsaurs away from major cities, which makes job opportunities and electricity scarce. And in a village with no electricity to cook, residents use firewood that they procure from the nearest forest, located about a half-hour boat ride away.For U Khin Win and U Tin Hla, that happens to be a mangrove forest. About three or four times a week, the two of them would set out early in the morning, harvest what they can, load it in a boat, and prepare to do it all again the next day.Illegal mangrove harvesters with their boat in the Irrawaddy Delta. Photo by Victoria Milko.In Myanmar, mangroves have disappeared at an unprecedented clip. The rate of deforestation in the country is the highest in Southeast Asia, according to research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in 2016. U Htay Lin, secretary of the Mangrove Service Network, an environmental organization based in Yangon, Myanmar’s commercial capital, estimates that only 20 percent of the mangroves in the Irrawaddy Delta remain; most have been cleared for aquaculture or rice paddy fields. Those that survive are in forest and wildlife reserves near the city of Bogale — just a three hour boat ride from Chaungbyaegyi.To save the remaining mangroves, the Myanmar government issued a logging ban in 2014. Despite that, illegal logging persists. One sentiment that I heard repeatedly from villagers who live outside the towns in the delta is that they need mangrove wood to survive. To understand how most people in the Irrawaddy live, and why illegal logging of mangroves persists, I decided to follow U Khin Win and U Tin Hla into the mangrove forest.Into the forestExpertly navigating the waterways of a nearby forest reserve on Byone Mhwe Island, U Khin Win and U Tin Hla decided on a spot to log before they pulled the boat up to the muddy banks, where crabs no more than an inch or two long emerged from holes in the mud and fish larvae hopped around. The two loggers jammed on their boots and ran up the strong and exposed roots of a mangrove tree onto the land. They weren’t the only ones logging that day; I saw countless wooden boats like theirs pulled up to the riverbanks and a trail of muddy footsteps leading deeper still into the mangrove forest.The forest is an unruly place.Almost immediately, U Tin Hla wielded his sickle and started hacking away at branches to clear a walking path. Colonies of red ants climbed onto bushes and leaped onto us. (Later, the loggers gave up at a separate location because they were covered from head to toe in fire ants.) Plants with spiky, sinister, geometrically shaped leaves were omnipresent, and mosquitos flew amok. My feet sank into the quicksand-like mud with every step. And not only did I constantly have to extricate my feet every step of the way, I also had to be careful of where I stepped: stake-like mangrove shoots protruded from the earth and juvenile crabs shuffled through the mud.Freelance environmental journalist Wudan Yan reporting in Myanmar for Mongabay. Photo by Victoria Milko.U Tin Hla, however, appeared completely used to the travails of the forest.Along the path he carved, he stumbled across a mangrove tree and immediately hacked off a branch about two arms lengths. Wood chips flew from the point of impact. A few meters further into the forest, the pair found a thin, tall palm tree known locally as thinbaung, which makes for excellent firewood that people prefer to use at the brick kilns. U Tin Hla made an indentation at the base with the sickle and started chopping away. Because they hoped to sell the thinbaung directly to the brick kilns in another town of the Irrawaddy Delta called Wakema, they had to strip away the excess bark.A risky pursuitA few months prior to my visit, U Khin Win and U Tin Hla were arrested and fined for illegal logging. A local official was patrolling the region saw U Khin Win’s boat. Scared of getting caught and possibly jailed, U Khin Win abandoned his boat.I was surprised that the two loggers would let us come along in the wake of their arrest. Local authorities know that because villagers are so reliant on mangrove wood as fuel, it wouldn’t be realistic to completely ban them from illegally harvesting mangroves. So now, U Khin Win is back at it. Ko Zin Myo, the village administrator of Chaungbyaegyi, who arranged our visit, was also hopeful that our reporting on why villagers continue to log illegally could bring in alternative jobs or options for fuel.Freelance environmental journalist Wudan Yan reporting in Myanmar for Mongabay. Photo by Victoria Milko.In addition to the legal repercussions, the villagers who illegally log in the mangrove forests also face other dangers. The day before I met U Khin Win and U Tin Hla, I was in Sat Sen, a village slightly northeast of Chaungbyaegyi, where signs warn villagers: “Crocodiles, don’t swim.” One man told me a story of how a woman he frequently went logging with was eaten alive by a crocodile last July. Since that incident, he’s been too scared to return, which has impacted his ability to earn an income.Some regions of the Irrawaddy Delta where illegal logging of mangroves persists are difficult to access. While there are now stoves and alternative fuel sources that can reduce the need for wood from the disappearing mangrove forests, these innovations haven’t yet made it to villages like Sat Sen and Chaungbyaegyi, where people still rely heavily on the nearby forests for their livelihoods.As I walked through the main streets of these villages, I saw bundles of mangrove wood being sold for around 3 U.S. cents each. Each bundle can burn for about 15 to 20 minutes — enough time for a family to cook a meal.The farther we were from villages that were close to the remaining mangrove forests, the less frequently we saw bundles of mangrove wood being sold. In the township of Labutta, about 64 kilometers (40 miles) west of Sat Sen and where I started my reporting, I hardly saw anyone cooking with mangrove firewood; instead, the fuel of choice was charcoal. There are nearly no mangrove forests left near Labutta, so the shops in town buy charcoal from elsewhere in Myanmar. The closer the villages were to the source, it seemed, the more likely it was that they would use mangrove wood in its raw form for their cooking.When I first learned about how multifaceted mangroves, I was surprised to see that news outlets didn’t pay much attention to this ecosystem at all. If an acre of mangrove forest can buffer four times more carbon than an equivalent land area of tropical forest, wouldn’t it make sense to do our best to conserve the remaining mangroves — and better yet, let degraded areas regrow?Freelance environmental journalist Wudan Yan reporting in Myanmar for Mongabay. Photo by Victoria Milko.As a mangrove enthusiast and environmental journalist, watching U Tin Hla and U Khin Win hack their way almost mindlessly through the forest was dispiriting. At the same time, I found myself deeply empathetic to their desperation and their fundamental human rights for survival that they would resort to doing something illegal.In Myanmar, the mangrove forests in the Irrawaddy Delta are being increasingly fragmented and degraded, but what remains still stands strong. Villagers, NGOs and researchers whom I met during this and past trips know that if the mangroves are left alone, degraded mangrove ecosystems can regain all their natural functions in 25 years or so. From my reporting, I was heartened to know that if the right measures were taken — if villagers who live a mostly subsistence lifestyle could be given fuel-efficient stoves, alternative types of fuel, and different ways to make a living — that the mangroves of Myanmar could possibly be saved.With additional reporting by Victoria Milko.Banner image: Illegal mangrove harvester with his haul in the Irrawaddy Delta. Photo by Victoria Milko. Photo by Victoria Milko.FEEDBACK: Use this form to send a message to the editor of this article. If you want to post a public comment, you can do that at the bottom of the page. Article published by Genevieve Belmaker Coastal Ecosystems, Deforestation, Forests, Illegal Logging, Logging, Mangroves, Rainforest Logging, Rainforests, Tropical Forests 
Popular in the CommunitySponsoredSponsoredOrangutan found tortured and decapitated prompts Indonesia probeEMGIES17 Jan, 2018We will never know the full extent of what this poor Orangutan went through before he died, the same must be done to this evil perpetrator(s) they don’t deserve the air that they breathe this has truly upset me and I wonder for the future for these wonderful creatures. So called ‘Mankind’ has a lot to answer for we are the only ones ruining this world I prefer animals to humans any day of the week.What makes community ecotourism succeed? In Madagascar, location, location, locationScissors1dOther countries should also learn and try to incorporateWhy you should care about the current wave of mass extinctions (commentary)Processor1 DecAfter all, there is no infinite anything in the whole galaxy!Infinite stupidity, right here on earth.The wildlife trade threatens people and animals alike (commentary)Anchor3dUnfortunately I feel The Chinese have no compassion for any living animal. They are a cruel country that as we knowneatbeverything that moves and do not humanily kill these poor animals and insects. They have no health and safety on their markets and they then contract these diseases. Maybe its karma maybe they should look at the way they live and stop using animals for all there so called remedies. DisgustingConservationists welcome China’s wildlife trade banThobolo27 JanChina has consistently been the worlds worst, “ Face of Evil “ in regards our planets flora and fauna survival. In some ways, this is nature trying to fight back. This ban is great, but the rest of the world just cannot allow it to be temporary, because history has demonstrated that once this coronavirus passes, they will in all likelihood, simply revert to been the planets worst Ecco Terrorists. Let’s simply not allow this to happen! How and why they have been able to degrade this planets iconic species, rape the planets rivers, oceans and forests, with apparent impunity, is just mind boggling! Please no more.Probing rural poachers in Africa: Why do they poach?Carrot3dOne day I feel like animals will be more scarce, and I agree with one of my friends, they said that poaching will take over the world, but I also hope notUpset about Amazon fires last year? Focus on deforestation this year (commentary)Bullhorn4dLies and more leisSponsoredSponsoredCoke is again the biggest culprit behind plastic waste in the PhilippinesGrapes7 NovOnce again the article blames companies for the actions of individuals. It is individuals that buy these products, it is individuals that dispose of them improperly. If we want to change it, we have to change, not just create bad guys to blame.Brazilian response to Bolsonaro policies and Amazon fires growsCar4 SepThank you for this excellent report. I feel overwhelmed by the ecocidal intent of the Bolsonaro government in the name of ‘developing’ their ‘God-given’ resources.U.S. allocates first of $30M in grants for forest conservation in SumatraPlanet4dcarrot hella thick ;)Melting Arctic sea ice may be altering winds, weather at equator: studyleftylarry30 JanThe Arctic sea ice seems to be recovering this winter as per the last 10-12 years, good news.Malaysia has the world’s highest deforestation rate, reveals Google forest mapBone27 Sep, 2018Who you’re trying to fool with selective data revelation?You can’t hide the truth if you show historical deforestation for all countries, especially in Europe from 1800s to this day. WorldBank has a good wholesome data on this.Mass tree planting along India’s Cauvery River has scientists worriedSurendra Nekkanti23 JanHi Mongabay. Good effort trying to be objective in this article. I would like to give a constructive feedback which could help in clearing things up.1. It is mentioned that planting trees in village common lands will have negative affects socially and ecologically. There is no need to even have to agree or disagree with it, because, you also mentioned the fact that Cauvery Calling aims to plant trees only in the private lands of the farmers. So, plantation in the common lands doesn’t come into the picture.2.I don’t see that the ecologists are totally against this project, but just they they have some concerns, mainly in terms of what species of trees will be planted. And because there was no direct communication between the ecologists and Isha Foundation, it was not possible for them to address the concerns. As you seem to have spoken with an Isha spokesperson, if you could connect the concerned parties, it would be great, because I see that the ecologists are genuinely interested in making sure things are done the right way.May we all come together and make things happen.Rare Amazon bush dogs caught on camera in BoliviaCarrot1 Feba very good iniciative to be fallowed by the ranchers all overSponsored
The 2-1 loss of Terminators FC of APM Terminals last Sunday against LAC Defenders FC in Grand Bassa County in a friendly soccer match revealed one thing to the visitors: the ability to play as a team.This was more so after LAC Defenders’ inside right Saygon John pushed his men forward with repeated harassment in the visitors’ defensive zone that caused goalkeeper Lawrence Washington more troubles as his right back Magako Kumeh and left back Benedict Teah struggled to find their rhythm.Though coach Joseph Sion, known during his playing days as Kofi Bruce, had plotted a strategy to bring the visitors down, which eventually came through Saygon John in the 25th minute when goalie Washington failed to grab his shot the first time, enabling the striker hit the back of the net with the goalie completely stranded, it was apparent that some level of fatigue had worked against Terminators FC.“We rode from Monrovia direct to LAC about 4 hours,” said an official of Terminators FC, “and we went right on the pitch to honor the match.” It was initially seen when hard-running striker Nicholas Sieh fumbled on his first ball, coupled with a rough pitch that made his ball control difficult. The initial exchanges did not give any problems to the home team in this half, as they hunted for goals that kept goalkeeper Washington busy.With 1-0 lead, the home team did not look back and pressed on their attacks. In their drive, left winger Lucretius Victor, inside left Saygon John, center forward Tengbeh Tambah and right winger Christer Bestman were having a field day.With their teeming fans cheering them in this half, they probed for goals that the visitors struggled to deny them. There were few flashes of seriousness from the visitors but they had to wait in the second half to draw the crowd on their side. The home team led the first half 1-0.Back from recess, LAC Defenders kept on the pressure and in the 48th minute, Terminator FC’s goalkeeper Washington could not decide whether to rush on a ball or not, allowing LAC Defender’s left winger Lucretius Victor an easy job when he lobbed the ball over his head to increase the tally to 2-0.The visitors began a new pattern of play, following the replacement of goalie Washington with ‘Chinese Goalie’ Jonathan Dambo. Initial strikes from the home team found a wall in Dambo and his performance gave his team-mate some confidence.Striker Nicholas Sieh played a supportive role, covering up when it was necessary on several fronts with assistance from inside left John Mayson, center forward Jumah Kollie and diminutive player Dakina Pederson. With their opponents resorting to man to man passes that delighted the crowd, LAC Defenders had to work overtime to prevent any damage as they were very often caught off guard but it was the visitors’ John Mason who scored the consolation goal in the 67th minute. It became apparent that the team had been rejuvenated, as the home crowd cheered every move the visitors made.But it was the home team, despite the difficulty to reorganize their attacks that got a goal that was cancelled because it was scored from an offside position as the game wore on. And from here it was the visitors that dictated the pace of the game when it was too late as the game was brought to the end by the central referee in a match that was played in celebration of July 26.APM Terminals (The Terminators FC): L. Washington (J. Dambo), Makago Kumeh, Benedict Teah, Sarr Bonner, Jeremiah Cole, Roland Coleman, Nicholas Sieh, John Mayson, Jumah Kollie, Oliver Kun, Dakina Pederson, Pepsi Carter, Jacob Dorbor, Rufus Doe.LAC Defenders: Cartlon Gray, Francis Kollie, Terrence Mulbah, Fayiah Saah, Emmanuel Gleh, Joeboy Halloway, Christer Bestman, Emmanuel Thomas, Tengbeh Tamba, Luc Victor, Saygon John.Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
The Region Five 2nd annual Expo and Trade Fair, which opened on Saturday evening has great potential. This was noted by Head of Sta5te, President President David Granger who declared the event open.Promoted under the theme ‘Building a diversified economy’ the event was opened at the Bath Community Centre. President Granger in declaring open the Expo highlighted the great potential of the region, which is a main rice producing region in Guyana.West Bernice, he said is the food basket of the country’s food security. “A region which has the potential and opportunity to become the country’s rice bowl,” President Granger said.President David Granger examining a piece of furniture at the opening of the second Region Five annual Expo and Trade FairNoting the that Region Five has a land mass of 4190 square kilometers, the President told the gathering that it is larger than six Caribbean counties combined – Antigua, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts and St Vincent – and that the region has 34000 heaters under cash crop cultivation and a further 42000 hectares under paddy cultivation. In addition to that 1600 hectares are under coconut cultivation in that region, Granger noted.Zeroing in on the region’s rice production last year, the Head of State said it produced 242000 tons of rice which was 46 per cent of the country’s rice production in 2016. The 28 million coconuts produced represents almost one third of what the country produced last year.Continuing on the potential of the region Granger pointed out that it also produced 1.6 million killograms of beef, 281000 killograms of pork and 60,000 killograms of mutton.“No President can ignore such massive production,” Granger said while noting that there is need for diversify since one of the pillars which the country has been sitting on for years; sugar, has not been as profitable as in the past.Eco tourism is one direction head of State advised should be explored since the region has four rivers and one of those rivers: the Mahaicony River has 600 different species of birds.He also encouraged the regional administration to work on a Regional Economic Action Plan (REAP).Meanwhile, President of the West Bernice Chamber of Commerce, Imran Sakoor addressing the gathering at the opening notes that the region is of pivotal importance to Guyana’ development.He said as the region repairs to under go changes there is much delight in the pronouncement that there is soon to be a town in the region. However there is need for more poor facilities and a branch of the university of Guyana in Region FiveThe Expo will conclude on Monday.
0Shares0000PARIS, September 14- Lille continued their unbeaten start to the Ligue 1 season on Sunday, Divock Origi scoring one and setting up another in a 2-0 win over Nantes that moved them provisionally top of the table.After a goalless first half in which Jordan Veretout hit the post for Nantes, Origi opened the scoring within a minute of the restart, heading home a cross from Florent Balmont. Three minutes later, the Belgian international, who was bought by Liverpool in the summer before being loaned back to LOSC, provided the pass for Rony Lopes to apply the finish.It was a first goal for the Portuguese midfielder since he moved to the Stade Pierre-Mauroy on loan from Manchester City in the summer transfer window.Rene Girard’s side, who will face the Russians of FC Krasnodar in the Europa League on Thursday, are a point clear of both Bordeaux and Saint-Etienne at the Ligue 1 summit, with champions Paris Saint-Germain a further point adrift in fourth.A draw will be enough for Bordeaux to reclaim first place when they go to Guingamp later on Sunday afternoon, before Marseille visit Evian in the day’s late kick-off.Saint-Etienne beat Caen 1-0 on Saturday while champions Paris Saint-Germain drew 1-1 at Rennes, despite Zoumana Camara giving them a first-half lead.0Shares0000(Visited 1 times, 1 visits today)
Dave Stevens joins the Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast to round up the latest sporting odds.The Coral spokesman looks ahead to day two of the Cheltenham Festival, and says Willie Mullins can continue his winning run with Outlander in the opening race and Don Poli in the second.He also previews tonight’s Champions League clash between Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain and says Jose Mourinho’s side, despite being 4/11 to qualify for the quarter-finals, will not find it easy against the French champions.Coral is the official betting partner of the Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast
1 Marseille are growing increasingly frustrated with Tottenham, who are still not allowing Clinton N’Jie to leave London to negotiate a loan move to the French club.The Cameroon striker did not travel with Spurs to their pre-season tour of Australia amid speculation that his time in north London is coming to an end.Reports earlier this week suggested N’Jie was due in the south of France to complete a medical on Wednesday but, according to L’Equipe, he is still in London and is training with the club’s academy teams.Despite the delay, both parties are confident of getting a loan deal over the line with a view to making it permanent next summer. Tottenham forward Clinton N’Jie 
PALMDALE – Staying fiscally solvent while facing competition from a new private hospital and possible conflicts of interest were some of the issues raised in a candidate forum for the Antelope Valley Hospital board election. Three of the five candidates who appeared were in general agreement that the valley’s growing population will mean the need for more hospital beds and services, even after Universal Health Services builds its proposed hospital in west Palmdale. “If the Palmdale hospital is built, we will be short by 100 to 150 beds. We are in desperate need of beds in the valley,” said Dr. Don Parazo, one of the two incumbents. “The only way I can see is to partner with other health care organizations.” Challenger Roger Berger said the new Palmdale hospital will help but said there is room for more medical facilities in the region. AD Quality Auto 360p 720p 1080p Top articles1/5READ MOREWhy these photogenic dumplings are popping up in Los Angeles“It doesn’t address a large portion of the population on the east side of Palmdale,” Berger said. In response to a question from a member of the audience who spent 1
Son ban confirmed as Tottenham fail with appeal to overturn red card LIVE on talkSPORT Kazakhstan vs Scotland (Thursday) – talkSPORT 2England vs Czech Republic (Friday) – talkSPORTWalsall vs Barnsley (Saturday) – talkSPORT 2Shrewsbury vs Portsmouth (Saturday) – talkSPORT 2Gibraltar vs Republic of Ireland (Saturday) – talkSPORT 2San Marino vs Scotland (Sunday) – talkSPORT 2Netherlands vs Germany (Sunday) – talkSPORT 2 Barca are charging United fans £102 per ticket for the Nou Camp clash – the most United fans have ever had to pay for a ticket outside of a major final.But the Premier League have got their own back on Barcelona by charging Spanish fans the same price for an away ticket at Old Trafford.United have confirmed they will use the extra cash generated to subsidise the costs of away tickets for their own supporters.In a statement, United criticised Barcelona for their extortionate price hike and confirmed their brilliant plan to support loyal Red Devils fans. Berahino hits back at b******t Johnson criticism – ‘I was in a dark place at Stoke’ no dice BEST OF REVEALED “In this instance we believe that our travelling supporters are again being subjected to increased/excessive ticket prices from the host club,” the statement read.“We have again taken the difficult decision to charge FC Barcelona fans for the home leg at Old Trafford the same amount that FC Barcelona are charging for the away fixture (£102).“We will use the additional revenue gained from this to subsidise our travelling support by paying the £27 price difference for each of our travelling supporters.” Top nine Premier League free transfers of the decade 2 Manchester United have taken action against Barcelona after the Catalan giants bumped up Nou Camp ticket prices for away fans in their upcoming Champions League clash.United will meet the LaLiga leaders in the quarter-finals of the Champions League in April, but supporters will have to pay over the odds to get a seat. RANKED Every time Ally McCoist lost it on air in 2019, including funny XI reactions Where Ancelotti ranks with every Premier League boss for trophies won huge blow 2 LATEST FOOTBALL NEWS Man United return to the Nou Camp – the stage of their dramatic 1999 Champions League triumph – in April REPLY Oxlade-Chamberlain suffers another setback as Klopp confirms serious injury Which teams do the best on Boxing Day in the Premier League era? Solskjaer return to the scene of his famous injury-time winning goal, but this time as Manchester United manager ADVICE It’s not the first time United have stepped in to help their fans, having also subsidised tickets for their away trip to Valencia earlier this season and against Sevilla last term.It means United fans will now only have to pay £75 for a seat at the Nou Camp, as United aim to reach the semi-finals for the first time since the 2010/2011 campaign. Ronaldo warned Lukaku how hard scoring goals in Serie A would be before Inter move REVEALED 
Brand South Africa chief executive, Miller Matola, says South Africa’s we must hold onto the qualities of nationhood that allow us to express our democratic freedoms. (Image: Shamin Chibba)The year 2014 has been a triumphant and equally turbulent year for South Africa.We entered the year mourning the loss of our beloved President Nelson Mandela. We have just commemorated one year since his passing. We thought our tears would never dry when we heard the news on 5 December 2013 and a year later we can celebrate his life and legacy – not just in South Africa but in all countries that have been touched by his humanity, sense of forgiveness and ability to let the past give way to a new present.Our nation witnessed another triumph of our democracy – the country’s fifth national democratic elections. A cornerstone of democracy is the freedom of choice and speech. The 2014 elections brought both these freedoms to life.Ironically, we have seen these same freedoms bring turbulence to our parliamentary processes.We have seen our politicians and custodians of the will of the people, work hard to ensure that South Africans enjoy a better life.We can be proud that this desire to contribute to a better Africa in a better world has extended beyond our borders with President Zuma deploying mediation teams to Lesotho and the Middle East. Representatives of our country have also been part of election observer teams to, amongst others, Botswana, Mozambique and Namibia.Indeed, our commitment to a country, and world, characterised by democratic freedoms is a multifaceted construct – one that comes with the weight of responsibilities.It is clear that our democracy is firmly entrenched in our country. There is a common understanding of what democracy means and what rights are bestowed on individuals as a result of this democracy.What must now be asked is how we express these democratic freedoms? What is our individual and collective responsibility to ensure the responsible exercise of these freedoms?South Africa has often been cited as a praiseworthy example of the resilience of the human spirit and the power to rebuild a nation fragmented by a torturous history. We should not lose such remarkable qualities of our nationhood as we seek to express our democratic freedoms.South Africa, even after 20 years of democracy, remains a country in transition. We are in the midst of something referred to as a living democracy – which is simply one that is being forged in relation to new realities.In the New Year, I urge each of my fellow countrymen and women to play our part, to ensure that our hard won democracy is not eroded in our quest to exercise our democratic freedoms irrespective of the cost and consequences.Miller Matola is the chief exectuive of Brand South Africa.Follow Mr Matola on @MillerMatola