kashmir

In the north western part of Kashmir, very close to the line of actual control, lies the quaint little town of Uri. The town more famous for the skirmishes which take place between the Indian and Pakistani forces has a small population, most of whom eking out their livelihood by trading or farming on the difficult and hostile terrain during the summer months. The amazing thing about the people in the town was there fierce pride in their land, refusing to be cowed down by the dangers of war. For years they had survived, often disregarding the man made boundaries, venturing across the border to be with their brethren, in what is called as the Pakistan occupied Kashmir. This town had seen many bloody battles since the great divide in 1947 but strangely for years had been untouched by the dreaded terrorist organizations or the so called atrocities perpetuated by the armies of the two countries. The feeling of security when there was no war in progress continued over the years, as the sparse population went about their chores. All this stopped on the night of February, the fifteenth 2005.

Old timers who were a witness to the blood bath swore that even the bloody battles which the two countries fought did not lead to such bizarre and gory scenes. At around 2.30 am, when even the street dogs are silent, there a series of explosions. People used to the shelling from across the line, rushed out startled into the streets.

A tragedy had struck. The main market place the busiest part of the town, where the traders and shopkeepers were resting for the night was a river of blood. This was no war. The targets were innocent people. Bodies were strewn all over the place. A limb here, a hand there, blood oozing from gaping wounds, feeble voices asking for help to ease their pain. Innocent children, helpless, crying for their mothers who lay motionless next to them, never to respond to call of their children again.

Surveying this gruesome site, almost with satisfaction, a wry smile adorning his cherubic face was young Yasser Abdul Mohammed. Yasser was 22 years old, a strapping lad with curly hair, a long aristocratic nose, typical of the proud people of that land, had something striking about him. It was those pale blue eyes which carried a piercing gaze when he was looking at you, almost like Uri Geller’s eyes when he bends a metal rod using those extra sensory perceptions he had.

Yasser, named after the great Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, walked away from the site, almost indifferent to the happenings around, wiping off the traces of blood form his hands and legs, blood of his slain brethren who lay around him. Yasser walked down the winding streets of Uri and reached the corner of a bylane where he lived in a garage. The only garage in the town, where the owner not possessing a car, thought it fit to earn some money by renting it out to this quiet tenant who surprisingly paid him good money for this ramshackle place.

The insides of the garage were a contrast. The place was tastefully furnished, a large beige couch for comfortably relaxing, a plasma color television set which would make a young lad in distant New Delhi envy, a large wardrobe which stored stylishly cut clothes from the choicest fashion stores. On the pleasantly coloured walls were posters of Bollywood throbs such as Shahrukh Khan and the inevitable Aishwaria Rai, Tendulkar and Sania Mirza. What on a superficial inspection looked like a typical bachelor’s den, was indeed a storehouse of some the most powerful equipment sufficient to shake an entire community. In the corner, located next to a wardrobe was an equipment which looked like a computer and a radio. In fact it was a very powerful transmitter with a video connection, hooking up Yasser to the network of the most powerful and dreaded organization of the world., Warriors of Freedom a world wide network of terrorists controlled factions in Palestine, Bosnia, Columbia, Afganisthan, Kashmir and South east Asia. The Kashmir faction, Jansher al Toiba, euphemistically called themselves “Peacemakers” was the organization which Yasser was aligned to.

Yasser switched on the machine and as it crackled to life, his mentor Omar came on line. Yasser relaxed on the couch his job accomplished said “with the grace of Allah, our mission is accomplished” in an almost emotionless voice. “The Hindustani administrators are clueless and in a state of panic. We can expect the Indian government to come down to talk to us on the release of our beloved brothers being held in the Tihar jail.” The old man, Omar, all of 70 plus years smiled “May Allah grant us the peace which all of us desire, a victory for the people of Azad Kashmir. Yasser, my boy you have done well, the organization recognizes and salutes you, let peace be your beacon, kudafis” and the screen went dead.

It was 530 am now, Yasser had time on his hands, he had to wait for the next set of commands, to move elsewhere and perform as directed, for his cause for the cause of the mother land he dearly loved. Yasser was tired and as he lay on the couch relaxed after the efforts of the night, his mind went back to another day, many moons ago, when he was a boy of four, doted by his Ammi and Abba, the darling of the family.

“Yasser, my love I have made those special sweets, some Phiruni for you” , he could clearly remember his mother saying. “Go get me the box to pack some for Abba, dear, thank Allah for all we have” he could still hear his beloved Ammi saying. And then disaster struck. In one single moment Yasser’s life changed.

An earthquake had struck. It was 8.2 on the Richter scale, a large one by any standards, with its epicenter 100 miles form Uri, across the border, near the Pakistani city of Islamabad. There was panic all around. There was destruction and death. The opportunists had a chance to loot. The poor and the needy were the most affected. As the town itself affected by the quake crumbled so did Yasser’s life. His Ammi, just a few seconds back was packing the Phiruni, lay still on the ground, a huge gash across the forehead. Elsewhere unknown to Yasser, his Abba took the force of a mighty boulder as the building at which he worked came down in those fateful seconds.

The doted son was now an Orphan. Yasser went about crying “ Ammi wake up, Abba will come any time, here is the box you wanted for the phirunis” she was still. The innocent young child, not understanding the meaning of death, thinking his mother was angry with the pranks he played wailed “ Oh Ammi, I am sorry, I love you please talk to me, the malpovas are getting cold” , but to no avail. It was all a blur for Yasser after that. People from the neighbourhood took him away, the news of Abba’s demise as well, the mass burials which he could not comprehend and then the presence of the relief workers all over the place.

He distinctly remembered being take to a camp, hundreds of people like him, grim, sad faced and puzzled about their future sat around, waiting for food packets. Beyond that Yasser’s memory was that of the govt officials asking him questions, he only could tell his name and Ammis’. The government as one would expect, appointed committees, surveys were conducted, relief promised but most of these did not reach the needy. The plight of the affected was pathetic. Medicines for the injured were in short supply, getting a morsel of food from the packages brought by trucks was an effort. The lack of sanitation created epidemics. However, amidst these chaotic scenes, there were people who provided remarkable support. Several of them were NGO groups with allegiance to larger organizations. With the government moving on to its next big preoccupation, it was left to charitable institutions and relief workers volunteering to attend to the needy. One major issue which bothered the relief workers was the plight of a large number of young children. The concern was always “What is going to be their future? How do we get them to be taken care of safely. As usual there were a few interested parties from Sweden, Germany and the U.S. wanting to adopt a few of the children. This however was inadequate. The state Home Ministry officials nonplussed with the problem had inconclusive debates and meetings. At this stage, a break through arrived. A large non governmental organization with networks all over India came forward to take up the responsibility of resettling the children. Moving the children from the camps to a more amicably surroundings, they brought some order into their lives. With the help of the government, they gave new identities for the children in some cases even new names. For Yasser it was an age certificate and allocation of organization to which he would be sent to. And finally, help arrived for Yasser to start a new life. A life which all hoped would bury the past and lead to a bright future. He was taken along with a group of young children to a place where they were greeted by an old couple. As Yasser looked on with trepidation, ”This will be your home from now, my child,” the old man greeted with a kind smile. “My name is Hamid and you can call me Abba from now on” is all he said. Yasser liked the new Abba and the kind smile, as he started his new life.

Yasser, under the guidance of Hamid was one of the stars in the institute. An institute which took care of destitute children and gave them a chance to be someone in life, an opportunity which helped the children get the benefits of parenthood and education. Hamid used to tell the apple of his eye Yasser “Young man, as you grow older you should pay back to your motherland all that she has given you”. Yasser used to be puzzled at these statements at that time. Now he was precisely doing what was asked of him. Yasser grew with a group of boys, all of them strictly leading a regimented life. Their teachers were kind but firm. They had all the worldly education which any school boy would have but with a difference. They were taught to live for a cause. The underlying message for them was, ‘your life is for Kashmir, your motherland, free it from the tyranny of the oppressors. No sacrifice is big for the motherland’ was the thought systematically ingrained in their young minds as they grew up. Yasser grew up to be confident young man, well accomplished in the ways of the world. His special skill was – he was a master strategist in the art of terrorism and warfare.

It just happened one day. Yasser with his friends was rifling through his belongings, with a view to do what is commonly called spring cleaning. He came across a faded photograph, that of his beloved Ammi and Abba, bringing back the deluge of memories which he carefully cultivated to hide. Beneath the photograph was a hastily scribbled address. Something which one would find in a voters card. Not remembering what happened to his Ammi, Yasser decided to trace his roots and look for his parents. After several anxious, surveys, his heart throbbing with anticipation, Yasser located the building. An old decrepit place, no longer livable, the pavements broken, cobwebs on the ceilings and plasters peeling off from what was once the home of a lovable family. Alas there was no sign of his Ammi or Abba. As he prepared to leave the place, with a heavy heart, he encountered an old man, whom he vaguely remembered as Tikoo Chacha It was indeed Tikoo Chacha, who after realizing who Yasser was, overcome with emotions and said “Son, where were you all these days, God is really kind to have let me live to see this day. Tikoo chacha was a Kashmiri pandit in whose house the young Ammi used to play with her friends when she was a schoolgirl.
Your Ammi would have been proud to see a pleasant young man like you. She had ambitions for you to join the Indian Army or to be space scientist.” Yasser was stunned. His Ammi wanted him to be part of the proud Indian tradition, a man which independent India would be proud off. Thoughtfully he bid adieu to Tikoo Chacha and came home.

That night Yasser had a dream. He dreamt of his Ammi and Abba. His Ammi kept calling him to come back as he walked away from her to take his position among his colleagues. Yasser woke up startled and confused. Was Ammi telling him he was wrong. Was he disappointing his loving mother? Yasser kept getting these disconcerting dreams often. Mentally, it started to tell on him. His single minded devotion to the “cause” weakened a bit. He was no longer the emotionless lad which people around him thought him to be.




Yasser was seen lost in thought, not very enthusiastic in his approach to his job. He realized that his leaders were watching him too. Yasser, by know took to the Koran, realized his ways were wrong. And then it happened.

The Governor of Kashmir was visiting the area to participate in the Independence Day celebration. “This is our Chance” Omar had said, Lets hit the bulls eye. Surprisingly, Yasser volunteered. His colleagues were happy to see the change. The stage was set and the mock attacks were staged. Yasser was to be the key man. The suicide bomber, who if necessary, would sacrifice his life. The explosives were meticulously selected, the site identified and the getaways planned. The D day neared and Yasser was preparing to do a mock attack with all the key leaders including Omar in attendance. Explosives were strapped to Yasser, he had the trigger with him, just as if it was the event itself.

Yasser, in the meantime, pensive and a bit sad, was nervous and fidgety. His colleagues put it down to nervousness. When the Omar called for action to start, there was a pregnant silence. A minute later, Yasser triggered the explosives, creating a massive fireball, whose victims included all the terrorists leaders and of course destruction of the explosive dump itself.

The lone survivor, who happened to be near Yasser in his last few seconds, heard him say, “Ammi, hear I come your little son, fulfilling your ambitions and as he moved with a smile on his face looking for the embrace from his beloved Ammi, the explosions occurred.

One more son had sacrificed his life for the cause. For the cause of a free, fair and peaceful India.

Barcelona fast-tracked into world club semi-finals

(Corrects year in eighth para to 1992) A corrected repeat follows By Alastair Himmer TOKYO, July 27 (Reuters) - European champions Barcelona will join this year''s Club World Cup at the semi-final stage, Japanese organisers confirmed on Thursday. The Catalan club will receive a first-round bye in FIFA''s six-team tournament in December, along with the eventual winners of South America''s Libertadores Cup. Barcelona, who beat Arsenal 2-1 in the Champions League final in May, will play their opening match on Dec. 14 in Yokohama. The tournament takes place from Dec. 10 to 17. The preliminary draw will be held in September. Last year Sao Paulo won the first version of the revamped Club World Cup with a 1-0 victory over Liverpool, their third world title. The tournament involves the six continental champions but host country Japan will again be without representation as none of its J-League teams are left in the Asian Champions League. Mexico''s Club America and Oceania champions Auckland City have already qualified. The representatives of Asia and Africa, along with South America, will be decided later this year. Barcelona were beaten 2-1 by Sao Paulo in 1992 in the Intercontinental Cup, the former annual one-off match between the champions of Europe and South America. FIFA staged a multi-team club world championship six years ago in Brazil but were forced to pull the plug on the competition in 2001 after the collapse of marketing partner ISMMISL. The Japan Football Association (JFA) are hoping, meanwhile, to persuade FIFA to allow them to keep the Club World Cup in the country beyond this year. ;No one other than (FIFA) president Sepp Blatter can make that decision,; JFA chief Saburo Kawabuchi told reporters. FIFA have already turned down a JFA request to increase the number of teams to allow a Japanese team to take part in the competition.

Iran choose Qalehnoie to succeed Ivankovic

TEHRAN, July 17, 2006 (AFP) - Iran named Amir Qalehnoie as the country's new football coach on Monday to succeed Croatian Branko Ivankovic who left following the team's first round exit at the World Cup. Qalehnoie recently took Esteghlal to the Iranian league title. Ivankovic, who had been in charge since 2002, quit after Iran finished the World Cup in Germany with just one point from three Group D games. The Iranian press had already called for Ivankovic to go after Iran lost to Mexico and Portugal but although they salvaged some pride with a scrappy draw against the Angolans, it was a bitterly disappointing campaign for what had been considered the best Iranian team for decades.

futbol

After months of minor changes during which order was largely maintained in the top 10, the latest FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking witnessed some veritably seismic shifts, with a couple of key factors forcing the movement.The first of these was the most significant change in the ranking's calculation in its 13-year history. A new system came into operation this month and, instead of taking into account the past eight years' results, only the last four now have a bearing on teams' positions within the ranking table. As for the other means by which the ranking was traditionally decided (result, importance of match, strength of opponents, regional strength, number of matches considered), these have been tested, re-analysed and, in some cases, completely revised. Indeed, two of the factors previously used - goals scored and home advantage - have been removed from the reckoning process altogether.By anyone's standards, this represents a major overhaul of the entire system, and it is one that is also geared towards makes the process of assessing fully 207 member associations a little easier to understand. "We are aware that it is difficult to meet everybody's expectations," acknowledged FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter, "but are confident that the new system will provide an accurate measure of the strength of each of our member associations." Italy close in on Brazil in new-look top fiveNo prizes for guessing the second main dynamic behind the principal movers and shakers in this month's ranking. That small, little-known tournament known as the FIFA World Cup™ certainly had a telling and, in some cases, spectacular impact, and all the more so because of this new rule dictating that only the past four years' results are taken into account. This was evident from the top five downwards, where Brazil just hung on to top spot from Italy, who jumped 11 places after succeeding the Seleção as world champions. The Final itself might have been marred by Zinedine Zidane's dismissal and decided in the least desirable fashion, but over the course of the tournament, their solidity and solidarity had set them apart from many a more-fancied rival."Maybe it wasn't pretty, but we were hard to beat," said their tigerish midfield scrapper Gennaro Gattuso after the penalty shoot-out win over France, acknowledging the colossal roles played by Fabio Cannavaro, Italy's decisive, dynamic captain, and the agile, often-unbeatable Gianluigi Buffon. Coach Marcello Lippi, meanwhile, praised his players for the "unlimited heart, character and personality," that had seen them brush aside Ghana, Czech Republic, Australia, Ukraine and Germany en route to their crowning moment in Berlin's Olympiastadion.The only disappointment for the Azzurri as they look ahead to UEFA EURO 2008 - and, perhaps, to snatching top spot from the Brazilians - is that they will do so without Lippi himself, who resigned in the wake of the Final, claiming that: "I have achieved what I set out to achieve." Beaten finalists France (fourth, up four) also burst into the top five along with the impressive, but ultimately unsuccessful Argentina (third, up six) and another team whose dreams of glory ended in the quarter-finals, England (fifth, up five). Germany, meanwhile, were rewarded for their inspiring march to the semis with a return to the top ten, where they assumed ninth position with a climb of 10 places. Gains for UkraineThis, however, was nothing compared to the dramatic ascent of Oleg Blokhin's Ukraine, who leaped no fewer than 30 spots on the ranking to land in 15th, while the team they eliminated on penalties, Switzerland, recorded a similarly significant 22-place rise to 13th. Paraguay, who jumped 14 places to 19th in the ranking, also benefited from their FIFA World Cup involvement, as did two of the tournament's African newcomers, Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire. Both have now established themselves in world football's top 25 for the first time, with their dynamic, attacking contributions to Germany 2006 finding reward in the shape of a 23-place rise from 48 to 25 for the former, and a jump of 12 spots - from 32 to 20 - for the latter. Agony for Asian trioNot all of the FIFA World Cup participants fared so well, however, and for every rapid rise, there was a drop every bit as dramatic. Saudi Arabia, for example, plummeted fully 47 places to rest in 81st position in the wake of a disappointing campaign, and their Asian rivals had similarly sad tales to recount. Take Japan, who began the tournament in 18th position and now languish in 49th, or Iran - down 24 to 47th - or even 2002 semi-finalists Korea Republic, who dropped out of the top 50 altogether after slumping 27 places to 56th. Finally, and while the FIFA World Cup might understandably have dominated our attentions, we should also recognise the remarkable progress registered by a few non-participants, most notably Equatorial Guinea, who climbed 59 places into 95th position, Canada, who moved to within four places of the top 50 with a 29-place jump, and Guinea, who are now one spot ahead of Ghana, having leaped from 51st to 24th position in this much-changed ranking table. Orient Shao Jiayi ready for Cottbus loan (AFP) 14 Jul 2006Chinese midfielder Shao Jiayi has been loaned to the German Bundesliga club FC Energie Cottbus for a transfer fee worth about 10 million yuan (1.2 million dollars), state press said Friday. Shao's Chinese club, Beijing Guoan, announced that the transfer had been agreed upon and that only a few formalities remained before the loan would be complete, the Beijing Daily Messenger reported. The entire transfer fee will not be paid out in cash, but include the fees for training in Germany of up to six Beijing Guoan youth players, plus a friendly match between Guoan and Cottbus, the paper, citing Guoan officials, said. The 26-year-old Shao was released by second division 1860 Munich at the end of the last season. He had played with the club since 2003. In May, Cottbus won the right to return to top-flight German football, following relegation from the Bundesliga in 2003. MTN signs global deal as first African FIFA World Cup Sponsor until 2010 With the 2006 tournament in Germany just completed, the focus of the football world has now shifted to Africa and its economy for the next four-year cycle which will culminate in the first FIFA World Cup™ on African soil in South Africa. As FIFA embarks on this new era, the world governing body of football is proud to announce that for the first time, an African company - MTN Group Limited - has signed up as a FIFA World Cup Sponsor. This historic agreement awards MTN global rights to the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ as well as to the FIFA Confederations Cup in 2009. The new partnership, sealed by FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter and MTN Group President and CEO Phuthuma Nhleko at a private signing ceremony, underlines the commitment of both entities to empower Africa through football."We are proud that MTN has chosen FIFA for this landmark commitment which creates a true partnership with many opportunities for both of us. Telecommunications play a key role in uniting people and we are convinced that we have found a highly dedicated partner in Africa and the Middle East's leading mobile telecommunications group, which is also the keenest supporter of African football on the continent," said FIFA President Blatter."The FIFA World Cup™ has a spectacular reach around the world through the universal language of football and it is this unique attribute that convinced us to commit to this global sponsorship deal. This is an ideal opportunity for us to leverage the powerful assets of MTN to a global audience and to show that the time for Africa has come. It means a lot to us to be part of this unique global movement," said MTN Group President and CEO, Phuthuma Nhleko.MTN will operate in the product area of mobile telecommunication services which spans all key technologies in the mobile sector, including services to media and FIFA as well as to the Organising Committee. In addition to the standard global marketing rights (exclusive commercial use of the Official Marks of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ and the FIFA Confederations Cup 2009), MTN has acquired significant mobile content rights for a defined set of territories mainly in Africa and the Middle East, including features such as video highlights of all matches played during these two tournaments in South Africa in 2009 and 2010. MTN is the third company after Anheuser-Busch and McDonald's to join the proposed six-member group of FIFA World Cup Sponsors under FIFA's new commercial hierarchy. This comprises six FIFA Partners, six FIFA World Cup Sponsors and six National Supporters. FIFA has already signed up all six FIFA Partners, namely adidas, Hyundai, Sony, Coca-Cola, Visa and Emirates Airline. In addition, FNB was announced recently as the first National Supporter of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™. Scolari Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari has signed a new two-year contract to remain in charge of the national team, the country's football federation announced Friday. The 57-year-old Brazilian's current deal was set to expire at the end of the month and he had been linked with several other international and club jobs. A Brazilian newspaper report had claimed the former Brazil manager, who won the FIFA World Cup™ with his country in 2002, had turned down the chance to manage them again. O Globo said Brazil's football confederation president Ricardo Texeira offered Scolari the post after Portugal's 2006 FIFA World Cup third-place play-off defeat against Germany last week. But he apparently refused the chance to replace Carlos Alberto Parreira for family reasons. Scolari led Portugal to a fourth place finish at this summer's FIFA World Cup and also took his side to the final of UEFA EURO 2004. Portugal's run to the FIFA World Cup semi-finals in Germany equalled their previous best performance at the tournament, when they made the last four in 1966 before losing to England 2-1. Italian giants stunned by punishments Juventus, Lazio and Fiorentina reacted with fury on Friday after they were all relegated from Italian football's top-division and banned from Europe for their part in the country's match-fixing scandal. Juventus were also deducted 30 points from their total for next season and stripped of their last two league titles. Lazio and Fiorentina were penalised seven points and 12 points respectively. AC Milan will stay in Serie A but will lose 15 points and will also be kicked out of the UEFA Champions League. The decisions were handed out just five days after Italy won the FIFA World Cup with a penalty shoot-out victory over France in Berlin. Juventus president Giovanni Cobolli Gigli said he was stunned by the decision and that the club will appeal. "It's incredible," he said. "We were expecting a fairer sentence. We don't understand how we can be excluded from the championship. "Juve is the only team which has clearly shown a desire to change. To be in Serie B with a 30-point deduction is absolutely unacceptable. "We do not understand the different legal treatment applied to the four cases under consideration. As the facts have clearly demonstrated, the episodes relating to Juventus under the observation of the sporting tribunal are without question comparable to those with which the other teams are charged. "The difference being that in our case only two matches have been called into question. Therefore our priority is to look after the interests of our fans and those of the minor share holders, and we will do this straight away, by appealing to the Consiglio Federale (of the Italian football federation)." Luciano Moggi, the former director of Juventus whose attempts to have specific referees assigned to his club's matches sparked the scandal, was hit with a five-year suspension. "I am not bitter for myself, but for the teams implicated and for their supporters," he said on Friday. "No match was fixed, no referees were favoured. It is why Juventus and the other clubs, but especially the fans, are frustrated by this sentence." Fiorentina were equally angry. "It's a profound injustice," the club said in a statement. "Out of respect for the city, the fans and the dignity of all those concerned, Fiorentina will battle with all its means to have the light shone on the facts and on its absolute innocence concerning all accusations of fraud." Lazio president Claudio Lotito, who was handed a three-year ban from all sporting activities, said he was stunned by the club's punishment. "It's a sentence we were not expecting," he said. "Lazio has never tried to violate ethical rules." Dujkovic quits as Ghana coach (AFP) 16 Jul 2006Ratomir Dujkovic, who led Ghana to the FIFA World Cup™ second round, resigned on Sunday despite having five months to run on his contract."We have been informed of the resignation and the departure from Ghana of Mr Dujkovic", GFA spokesman Randy Abbey said, without giving a reason for the Serb's decision. The 55-year-old Dujkovic took Ghana to the FIFA World Cup finals for the first time in their history in Germany, where they were knocked out by Brazil in the Round of 16. Roberto Abbondanzieri Argentina goalkeeper Roberto Abbondanzieri said on Sunday that he will leave Boca Juniors and sign for Spanish side Getafe in a 1.5-million Euro deal. "It's the moment to leave," said the 33-year-old. "For me, it's an important challenge because it's probably my last chance (to change clubs)." Abbondanzieri, who played in the Argentina team which made the quarter-finals at the FIFA World Cup™, helped Boca Juniors to 14 league titles. Argentina goalkeeper Roberto Abbondanzieri said on Sunday that he will leave Boca Juniors and sign for Spanish side Getafe in a 1.5-million Euro deal. "It's the moment to leave," said the 33-year-old. "For me, it's an important challenge because it's probably my last chance (to change clubs)." Abbondanzieri, who played in the Argentina team which made the quarter-finals at the FIFA World Cup™, helped Boca Juniors to 14 league titles. After breaking off for the FIFA World Cup™, the Copa Libertadores resumes next week as the eight sides left in the tournament contest the second legs of their quarter-final ties. FIFA.com is on hand to whet your appetite with all the latest news on the teams including player departures, new signings, and the hopes and predictions of the men looking to lift the title and thereby book a place at this year's FIFA Club World Cup. Hopes high for Paraguay's LibertadThe team they call El Gumarelo snatched a valuable 2-2 draw in May's first leg in Buenos Aires and are well-placed to move into the semi-finals. The only player to move on since then is the Argentine Pablo Garnier, who returned home to join Arsenal. Despite attracting serious interest from Boca Juniors, keeper Aldo Bobadilla will be on duty in the return leg in Asuncion. The one other development involving the club will see their Argentine coach Gerardo Martino taking on the Paraguay job at the end of the season, a deserved reward for his excellent spell in charge of Libertad. River Plate plagued by uncertaintyThe joy of knocking out Brazilian giants Corinthians in the previous round was all too short-lived for Los Millonarios, who go into the game in Paraguay with less than 17 players to choose from. A clutch of players departed over the summer including Daniel Montenegro - the side's leading scorer in the tournament - who was sold to Independiente. Coach Daniel Passarella's options have been further reduced by injury, with forward Ernesto Farias currently recovering from a knee operation. New arrivals include Ariel Ortega and Fernando Belluschi, although both are ineligible for next Tuesday's game having already appeared for Newell's Old Boys in earlier rounds. One player who is available is defender Eduardo Tuzzio, who has just returned from Mallorca. Sao Paulo out to make amends for BrazilFollowing the surprise elimination of the five-time world champions at Germany 2006, Sao Paulo are aiming to do the country proud by carrying off the continental title for the second year running. The reigning FIFA Club World Champions boast an unchanged set-up, with the likes of coach Muricy Ramalho, goalscoring keeper Rogerio Ceni and front man Ricardo Oliveira all still in place. The bad news for the Brazilian big guns is that Diego Lugano, their Uruguayan defensive linchpin, will miss the return game against Estudiantes having been dismissed in the 1-0 defeat in the first leg. New man at the helm for EstudiantesDespite that vital 1-0 win and a historic opportunity to advance to the semi-finals, coach Jorge Burruchaga turned his back on Estudiantes La Plata to team up with Independiente Avellaneda. The void was soon filled by another by big name, however, when Diego Simeone - who was in charge at Racing Club last season - took up the reins. El Cholo, as Simeone is known in the football world, wasted little time in snapping up Juan Sebastian Veron from Inter Milan, although the veteran midfielder will only become eligible at the semi-final stage. Striker Mariano Pavone will miss the showdown in Brazil after being red-carded in the first leg. No change for InterPorto Alegre's Internacional, coached by Abel Braga, will come out with all guns blazing as they seek to overturn a 2-1 deficit at home to LDU Quito. Like domestic rivals Sao Paulo, their squad has remained intact. "The break did us good," commented Braga. "It has given us a chance to recover. We were very tired but now we have plenty of time to prepare the team. I just hope it tells on the pitch," he added. Problems for LDUDespite all their hard work in the first half of 2006, LDU Quito have a major headache to deal with. After kicking off the domestic league season with two consecutive defeats, their Peruvian coach Juan Carlos Oblitas tendered his resignation and will leave as soon as LDU's Copa Libertadores run is over. The turmoil has hardly helped the Ecuadorians' preparations for the return leg in Porto Alegre, but hopes are high their returning internationals will all be available for the crunch encounter. "It's not the easiest of situations and we're all concerned about it, but we'll be backing Oblitas out on the pitch," commented the side's Peruvian midfielder Roberto Palacios. Changes up front for Velez SarsfieldAfter compiling the best record in the group phase, the Argentines will have to make do without two of their biggest attacking threats as they prepare to entertain Chivas in next Thursday's return fixture. Leonardo Gracian, the side's playmaker and dead-ball specialist has joined Mexico's Monterrey, while goalscorer Rolando Zarate has been released and is looking for new employers. Coach Miguel Angel Russo decided to retain Lucas Castroman, however, and will pair him up front with Rolando's younger brother Mauro Zarate in a bid to break the 0-0 deadlock from the first leg. Chivas welcome back internationalsIn contrast to the goings-on at Velez, Chivas will be able to call on their main men for a tricky second leg in wintry Buenos Aires, with all but one of their internationals having returned from Germany 2006 duty. The exception is Carlos Salcido, who has been snapped up by Dutch outfit PSV Eindhoven. Coach Jose Manuel de la Torre is weighing up three options to replace him: Jonny Magallon, Jose Antonio Patlan and Antonio Olvera, a recent signing from Santos. Brasileiro Following Brazil's failed defence of their FIFA World Cup™ crown and the inevitable post-mortem, focus within the country this week returned to its domestic championship, the Brasileiro The competition resumed after six weeks of inactivity, with Cruzeiro leading Internacional, Sao Paulo, Fluminense and Santos at the summit of the 20-team division. The pacesetters picked up from where they had left off with a 2-0 win over the reigning champions, extending their unbeaten run to ten matches with victory against a Corinthians side who have now gone five games without a goal and continue to languish in the relegation zone. Cruzeiro's form, however, continues to suggest that they are well equipped to stage a repeat of their 2003 Brasileiro triumph, and the Raposa's success owes much to coach Paulo Cesar Gusmao. His tactical nous and willingness to hand youngsters important roles has paid dividends this season, and the 44-year-old's reputation has skyrocketed accordingly, even to the extent that his name has been linked to the national team post. Gusmao has turned Cruzeiro into an efficient unit, built around an impressive spine made up of goalkeeper Fabio, stopper Edu Dracena, midfield dynamo Wanger and forward Gil. They are joint-top scorers in the tournament, and no-one has conceded fewer. Internacional and Sao Paulo continued in hot pursuit of Cruzeiro by overcoming Ponte Preta and Gremio respectively. Ricardo Oliveira was the hero for the Tricolor Paulista, scoring twice as Sao Paulo came from behind to defeat Gremio 2-1. Fluminense, meanwhile, maintained their challenge with a slender victory against Juventude. The visiting side twice had their noses in front, but a quick-fire double from Fluminense swung the pendulum in their favour, and saw them claim a 3-2 win.