Osama Bin Laden is dead

ONE of the biggest mass murderers in history, Osama Bin Laden is dead.  He was shot dead in the town of Abbottabad, around 50 miles away from the capital of Pakistan, Islamabad in the early hours of this morning.  Bin Laden has finally been captured after a decade of search from US troops.  This followed the event that changed everyone’s lives.

     Bin Laden and Al-Qaeda planned a terrorist attack to such detailed plan that it was going to have deadly results.  On Tuesday September 11, 2001, planes were hijacked and flew into some of America’s landmark buildings in New York.  Both towers of the World Trade Centre collapsed with hundreds trapped inside the burning buildings.  The casualties on this day were horrendous and the War on Terror began.

     Bin Laden wasn’t a stranger to the terrorist network.  US embassies had been bombed in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998.  However, it was the events of 9/11 that put him into global context as the world’s most wanted man.  Within months, America, with Britain’s help went into Afghanistan and they began air strikes to get their man.  However, George Bush would never seek his prize and it has taken a decade before the news of his demise could be broken this morning by his replacement Barack Obama.

     With backing from the Taliban, Bin Laden set-up training camps and hence, many extremist groups have been created since.  With Bin Laden’s death, it might be a massive setback on Al-Qaeda that their figurehead is no longer around, but the War on Terror will still go on and there is likely to be a backlash on his death from Al-Qaeda.  This morning, Foreign Office leader William Hague has insisted that British embassies across the world review their security policies in a heightened alert of a possible attack.  Currently, Britain, like America – remains at the second highest terrorist threat level possible, not at the critical mark yet.  US officials have said that after being shot in the head, Bin Laden's body was buried at sea, according to Islamic traditions.  Three other men, including one of Bin Laden’s sons were also killed in the mission.  The whole operation took approximately 40 minutes to complete.

     There might be now some justice for the families who have lost their lives in terrorist atrocities; not just those in America, but those killed in Bali (2002), Istanbul (2003), Madrid (2004) and London (2005). 

     There is no doubt that the world is still nowhere near a safe place.  In fact, everyone still has to totally remain vigilant, especially as risks may well rise in the US and the UK in the coming weeks.  However, there can be no doubt that Osama Bin Laden’s death is a historical news moment and the biggest news story of 2011.  The War on Terror goes on and will for generations to come, but this is a victory for the West and in particular for Barack Obama, who now will get high praise for keeping all this quiet and earn a second term in office as American President.  The world’s most wanted-man has finally been taken out of the picture for good and for the families, some form of justice has now been done, even though it won’t bring their loved ones back.

WORLDWIDE REACTION TO BIN LADEN’S DEATH

George W. Bush (Former American President) – “The fight against terror goes on, but tonight America has sent an unmistakeable message: No matter how long it takes, justice will be done.”

David Cameron (Prime Minister) – “It is time to thank those who work around the clock to keep us safe from terrorism.  Their work will continue.  I would like to congratulate Barack Obama and those responsible for carrying out this operation.”

Tony Blair (Former Prime Minister) – “This is a huge achievement in the fight against terrorism, but we know the fight against terrorism and the ideology that Bin Laden represents, continues and is as urgent as ever.”

William Hague (Foreign Secretary) – “It is unequivocally a good thing that he is no longer able to pursue terror, murder and mayhem in the world.”

Angela Merkel (German Chancellor) – “Bin Laden was a symbol for the international terror that did not respect life, only killed and only destroyed.  His death is good news.”

Paul The 'Fautless' Octopus Dies

PAUL the Octopus – the unlikely hero of the 2010 World Cup has died.  He passed away peacefully in his sleep on Monday night in his aquarium at his base in Oberhausen, Germany.  Paul put football pundits around the world to shame by correctly predicting a string of key football results at the finals, which turned him into an overnight sensation.  His death won’t come as a great surprise to some, as he was two and a half years old, which is the traditional expectancy for an octopus.  Staff at the Sea Life centre in Oberhausen are said to be “devastated” at his tragic passing away.

In the summer, Paul made his name by successfully choosing a mussel from one of two boxes that were bearing the flag colours of the competing nations in the latter stages of the tournament in South Africa.  In total, he correctly predicted seven games correctly, including Germany’s semi-final defeat to Spain and the Spanish victory over Holland in the final.  Although passionate German football fans called for him to be grossly killed, he was loved across the rest of the world.  In fact, he was so popular in Madrid after the Spanish success; there had been a request for him to end up in a Spanish museum.  Amid all the excitement, Paul replaced the disgraced ex-ITV pundit Robbie Earle as an ambassador for the England 2018 World Cup bid.

After the finals, he was retired from football punditry, quashing the rumours and hope that he might make a shock guest appearance on Match of the Day!  A memorial at the aquarium in Germany is to be erected in his memory.  His life may have been brief, but it was incredible and he will not be forgotten.

R.I.P Paul – You were the star of the World Cup 2010

UEFA Champions League Final - Magic In Madrid For Mourinho

Last night, the city of magnificent Madrid belonged to the magic that is Jose Mourinho.  And it probably will for a good time to come, if the rumours are to be believed that he is destined for future management at the Bernabeau. 

His Inter Milan side coasted to a solid and impressive 2-0 success in the UEFA Champions League final, against a limp Bayern Munich side.  Inter didn’t need to be spectacular to seal their success, but their strengths in Jose’s tactical gameplay saw him overcome his mentor at Barcelona at the beginning of the century, Louis van Gaal.  Argentine Diego Milito, who has scored thirty goals in Serie A this season was the natural difference between the two sides, who two quality finishes that will have an on looking Diego Maradona licking his lips in anticipation with the World Cup just three weeks later.  Milito’s deadly finishing will have the likes of Carlos Tevez, Gonzalo Higuain and Sergio Aguero worried over a first-team place ahead of the Argies opening group game against Nigeria on June 12^th.

After a bright opening, Inter faded badly, but against the run of play, took the crucial advantage ten minutes before half-time.  Julio Cesar’s hopeful kick up field found Milito, who combined brilliantly with the Inter playmaker, Wesley Snejider.  An interchange of passes followed, and Milito left his national countryman Martin Demichellis for dead, before coolly dispatching his effort past the advancing Hans-Jorg Butt.  After the break, Bayern attempted to get back into the game and their young German striker Thomas Muller came close, thwarted by the excellent Cesar, whose goalkeeping seems to get better with every passing match.  With twenty minutes to go and the dynamic Miroslav Klose on the pitch, Munich was ready to throw everything at the Italian defence, notably without a single Italian in the starting eleven.  However, just as they attempted this tactic, Inter produced another of those traditional breakaways, sealing the match in clinical fashion.

Snejider was fouled in the build-up, but English referee Howard Webb, who had a faultless game played on and the ball eventually reached Milito, who once again had the firm measure of Demichellis and his centre-back partner, Daniel Van Buyten.  Once again, his finish was emphatic, leaving Butt without a hope and Bayern without a prayer.  Van Gaal’s side looked inept of ideas, with Franck Ribery suspended and Arjen Robben man-marked by the experienced duo of Christian Chivu and Javier Zanetti. 

So, it was Mourinho’s night as he wrapped up a historic treble for Inter and their first European Cup in over forty years.  Time and again, they have flattered to deceive in this competition, as the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United have brushed them aside with apparent ease.  It took the ‘Special One’ to unlock the cherished grail as he became only the third coach to win the European Cup with two different clubs.  Both Chelsea and Barcelona tumbled out to the Italians, who have firmly established themselves as a real leading powerhouse in European football.  However, whether the magic that Mourinho has will be passed onto his successor remains to be seen.  Jose Mourinho’s mission was for Inter Milan to become Champions of Europe, and this he had achieved.  Next destination surely is to tackle Barcelona’s dominance of La Liga with the underachieving stars that are Real Madrid.   

UEFA Champions League Semi-Final Review - Jose's Greatest Triumph

The semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League have given the past fortnight plenty of drama and a final, that nobody probably could have predicted way back at the start of the season.  Jose Mourinho’s Inter Milan will come face-to-face with Louis Van Gaal’s Bayern Munich in Madrid on May 22^nd.  Whatever happens, either manager will become only the third coach in European Cup history to win the title with two different clubs, (Van Gaal with Ajax in 1995 & Mourinho in 2004 with FC Porto.) 

Mourinho claimed Wednesday night’s aggregate victory over his former employers, Barcelona as his greatest triumph in football history.  It was another piece of tactical masterstroke genius from Mourinho, who outwitted Carlo Ancelotti and Chelsea in Round Two, and now has Pepe Guardiola on his winning CV too.  Although Goran Pandev went down with a thigh injury moments before the game, the decision to bring Christian Chivu into the line-up, instead of another attacker was an inspired choice by the Special One.

Carrying a 3-1 lead from the first leg in the San Siro, any attacking hopes at the Nou Camp for the Italians were wiped away by a spectacular piece of playacting from Barcelona’s Sergio Busquets.  His 28^th minute ‘pole axed’ impression got the former Barca midfielder, Thiago Motta sent off, when TV replays suggested Motta only fended Busquets off, rather than elbowed him, as the reaction suggested.  Though Motta should know better for the experience he has of the big occasion, the Brazilian can count himself unlucky.  Following a bust-up involving both benches, plus some choice words between Mourinho and Guardiola, the match settled down into an attack versus defence game of chess. 

Eventually, Barcelona brokethrough with seven minutes to go, when the ex-Manchester United centre-back, Gerard Pique went forward and showed a genuine piece of quality skill that would make the insipid Zlatan Ibrahimovic eat your heart out.  His cool finish gave the Catalans the hope, which nearly turned into reality when Bojan scored in injury-time, only for the goal to be wiped out, courtesy of an earlier handball from Yaya Toure.  At the final whistle, Barcelona sank to their knees, whilst Mourinho ran onto the pitch, with one hand in the air, pointing at the Milan fans in sheer delight.  An ugly confrontation with the Spanish goalkeeper Victor Valdes followed, but it was Jose’s night and no-one was going to spoil this moment for him.

Bayern Munich had a much easier time of it, overcoming a timid Lyon outfit 4-0 on aggregate, with an impressive 3-0 success in France on Tuesday night.  Despite overcoming the likes of Liverpool and Real Madrid on their way to the last four, Lyon had failed to capture my imagination and their negativity in the first leg in the Allianz Arena was horrifying to see.  Despite Franck Ribery’s crude challenge on Lisandro Lopez, which earned a deserved red card and suspension from the final, Bayern always looked in command and another stunner from Arjen Robben gave them a narrow advantage to take to the Stade de Gerland.  Although Cris’s sending off for the hosts was ridiculous, Munich found this to be comfortable Tuesday night stroll.  Croatian Ivica Olic, who scored two critical goals against Manchester United, clinched a masterful hat-trick to see the Germans progress to their first final in nine years.

For the first time in its seventeen year history, the UEFA Champions League final will be held on a Saturday night, in an effort to win more of a primetime TV audience.  Despite their being no English presence for the first time since 2004, this game could turn into a classic.  Madrid is a wonderful occasion; let’s hope we have a game to remember in three weeks time, between two of the European superpowers, who have had lean spells of late, Inter Milan and Bayern Munich.