Latest news with #Yaoundé
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Andre Onana plays as a STRIKER in kickabout in Cameroon - as shocked fans joke Man United star should play up-front for Ruben Amorim's side
Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana has shocked fans after he was seen playing as a striker in a game in his native Cameroon. Onana, 29, came in for criticism for his performances in goal for the Red Devils last season as they recorded a worst-ever Premier League finish of 15th. But fans have praised his outfield ability after footage of him playing as a centre-forward was posted to TikTok on Wednesday. Standing at 6'3'', Onana could be seen using his heigh and strength to impressively shield the ball when it was played into him with his back to a defender. The Cameroon international also exhibited a number of impressive touches to draw fouls from his opponents. Reacting to the video, one user joked: 'Better ball handling than Hojlund'. A second joked: 'They should send the full team here to train'. A third added: 'United have rubbish strikers so they should play Onana up front'. The clip comes after Onana had been linked with a potential move to either a club in the Saudi Pro League or Ligue 1 side Monaco. The club appear to be unconvinced by neither Radoslaw Majecki nor Philipp Kohn as their number one, with CEO Thiago Scuro confirming that a new goalkeeper is a priority this summer. Chelsea's Djordje Petrovic has also been considered after returning from his loan spell with Strasbourg. He is not expected to have a future at Stamford Bridge. The former Inter and Ajax stopper is currently on holiday but he was stopped for a quick chat by reporter Stephane Bassalia Ouattara last week. When quizzed about whether he might be departing United this summer, a smiling Onana replied in French: 'Will I leave? I don't know, we'll see!' The Cameroonian has started 72 Premier League games for United since signing from Inter Milan in July 2023, keeping 18 clean sheets. Significant changes are expected at United this summer with manager Ruben Amorim looking to overhaul his squad following a desperately disappointing season.
The Sun
6 days ago
- Sport
- The Sun
Andre Onana impresses as striker with childhood friends in Cameroon as Man Utd fans call for him to replace Hojlund
MANCHESTER UNITED goalkeeper Andre Onana shocked locals when he rocked up for a kickabout with childhood friends in his home country. But instead of guarding the net, the flamboyant keeper played out on pitch. 3 3 3 Onana, wearing a black vest and shorts, looked nothing like a struggling goalkeeper as he danced across the pitch with boots coated in red dust but a wide smile as ever. He is currently back in Cameroon for a break after a rollercoaster season where he was heavily criticised for his countless errors, including in last month's Europa League final defeat to Tottenham. There has been interest from AS Monaco, but Onana has turned down all offers and has no intention of leaving Ruben Amorim 's side. His future is still up in the air but SunSport understands the former Inter Milan man is determined to succeed at the club. United are set to make changes in the goalkeeping department and Aston Villa's Emiliano Martinez wants to join the Old Trafford Club. But the current plan is to keep faith in Onana and bring in someone who can put serious pressure on the 29-year-old. Red Devils boss Amorim is expected to spend his available budget on other areas, notably in reshaping the forward line. United declined to comment when asked about the video of Onana in Cameroon. The clip of the goalkeeper was shared on social media this week, with one person joking that he was "better than Rasmus Hojlund." While another quipped: "Even they don't want him in goal!"
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ally of Cameroon president, 92, quits 'broken' government to challenge him
Issa Tchiroma Bakary - a prominent minister and long-time ally of President Paul Biya - has quit Cameroon's government, in the hope of ending 92-year-old Biya's four-decade grip on power in upcoming elections. Just four months before the central African nation goes to the polls, Bakary says the Biya administration he was part of has "broken" public trust and he is switching to a rival political party. "A country cannot exist in the service of one man," Tchiroma said on Wednesday. While he was communications minister, Bakary notably came under fire for denying - then backtracking on his denial - that Cameroonian soldiers had killed women and children in a viral video verified by BBC Africa Eye. His other roles during almost two decades in government include being a spokesman for the Biya government and, until his resignation on Tuesday, he was employment minister. Paul Biya - the world's oldest head of state - has yet to confirm if he will stand for president a seventh time. Last year, the country banned reports on the president's health following rumours that he had died. As this election approaches, high unemployment and soaring living costs are of concern to many Cameroonians, as are corruption and security. A separatist insurgency in the English-speaking provinces as well as jihadists operating in the northernmost region have forced many thousands of Cameroonians from their homes in the past decade. Cracks in Bakary's relationship with President Biya were blown open earlier this month, when he told crowds in his home city of Garoua that Biya's time in power had not benefitted them in any way. Bakary continued this criticism in a 24-page manifesto released a day after his resignation, promising to dismantle the "the old system" so that Cameroon could move beyond "abuse, contempt, and the confiscation of power". One of his proposed solutions is federalism - he is offering to hold a referendum on devolving more power to Cameroon's 10 provinces. This has long been mooted by many as a solution to the country's so-called Anglophone crisis. Specifically addressing English-speaking Cameroonians, he said "you do not need people to speak for you - you need to be listened to" and that "centralisation has failed". Bakary also used his manifesto to say Cameroon "has been ruled for decades by the same vision, the same system. This model, long presented as a safeguard of stability, has gradually stifled progress, paralysed our institutions, and broken the bond of trust between the state and its citizens". As the October presidential election approaches, rights groups have condemned the government's crackdown on dissent. Shortly after Bakary announced his plans to run for the presidency, the government reportedly announced a ban on all political activities by his Cameroon National Salvation Front (CNSF) party in a sub-district of the Far North region - a part of the country where he is said to be an influential power-broker. Weeks earlier, fellow presidential hopeful Maurice Kamto had his movements curtailed during a two-day police stakeout in Douala, after promising supporters at a rally in Paris that he would protect Biya and his family if he wins in October. Parliamentary elections that were also supposed to take place earlier this year have been delayed until 2026. Reaction to Bakary's presidential bid has been mixed - some think he is canny. "By positioning himself as the elder statesman who 'saw the fire coming', Tchiroma is hedging that his break with Biya will be seen as bold - not opportunistic," Cameroonian analyst and broadcaster Jules Domshe told the BBC. "From economic fallout to youth unemployment, insecurity, and growing unrest in the North-West, South-West, and Far North [regions], Cameroon is ripe for change." Opposition voices are divided - some want Bakary to support Kamto, who was the runner-up in 2018 with 14% of votes. But others say Bakary is tainted by his long association with Biya. "He cannot embody change... He was part of the system for too long. The youth do not trust him," says Abdoulaye Harissou, a legal notary and prominent critic once detained by the government. Another member of the opposition - Jean Michel Nintcheu of the APC coalition - simply said: "We don't see Tchiroma as a potential winner." 'Nowhere is safe' - Cameroonians trapped between separatists and soldiers Art curator Koyo Kouoh dies at height of career The lawyer risking everything to defend LGBT rights Paul Biya: Cameroon's 'absentee president' Go to for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica Focus on Africa This Is Africa
BBC News
6 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Cameroon's Issa Tchiroma Bakary quits 'broken' government to challenge Paul Biya for president
Issa Tchiroma Bakary - a prominent minister and long-time ally of President Paul Biya - has quit Cameroon's government, in the hope of ending 92-year-old Biya's four-decade grip on power in upcoming four months before the central African nation goes to the polls, Bakary says the Biya administration he was part of has "broken" public trust and he is switching to a rival political party."A country cannot exist in the service of one man," Tchiroma said on he was communications minister, Bakary notably came under fire for denying - then backtracking on his denial - that Cameroonian soldiers had killed women and children in a viral video verified by BBC Africa Eye. His other roles during almost two decades in government include being a spokesman for the Biya government and, until his resignation on Tuesday, he was employment Biya - the world's oldest head of state - has yet to confirm if he will stand for president a seventh time. Last year, the country banned reports on the president's health following rumours that he had this election approaches, high unemployment and soaring living costs are of concern to many Cameroonians, as are corruption and security. A separatist insurgency in the English-speaking provinces as well as jihadists operating in the northernmost region have forced many thousands of Cameroonians from their homes in the past in Bakary's relationship with President Biya were blown open earlier this month, when he told crowds in his home city of Garoua that Biya's time in power had not benefitted them in any continued this criticism in a 24-page manifesto released a day after his resignation, promising to dismantle the "the old system" so that Cameroon could move beyond "abuse, contempt, and the confiscation of power".One of his proposed solutions is federalism - he is offering to hold a referendum on devolving more power to Cameroon's 10 provinces. This has long been mooted by many as a solution to the country's so-called Anglophone addressing English-speaking Cameroonians, he said "you do not need people to speak for you - you need to be listened to" and that "centralisation has failed".Bakary also used his manifesto to say Cameroon "has been ruled for decades by the same vision, the same system. This model, long presented as a safeguard of stability, has gradually stifled progress, paralysed our institutions, and broken the bond of trust between the state and its citizens".As the October presidential election approaches, rights groups have condemned the government's crackdown on after Bakary announced his plans to run for the presidency, the government reportedly announced a ban on all political activities by his Cameroon National Salvation Front (CNSF) party in a sub-district of the Far North region - a part of the country where he is said to be an influential earlier, fellow presidential hopeful Maurice Kamto had his movements curtailed during a two-day police stakeout in Douala, after promising supporters at a rally in Paris that he would protect Biya and his family if he wins in elections that were also supposed to take place earlier this year have been delayed until to Bakary's presidential bid has been mixed - some think he is canny."By positioning himself as the elder statesman who 'saw the fire coming', Tchiroma is hedging that his break with Biya will be seen as bold - not opportunistic," Cameroonian analyst and broadcaster Jules Domshe told the BBC."From economic fallout to youth unemployment, insecurity, and growing unrest in the North-West, South-West, and Far North [regions], Cameroon is ripe for change."Opposition voices are divided - some want Bakary to support Kamto, who was the runner-up in 2018 with 14% of votes. But others say Bakary is tainted by his long association with Biya."He cannot embody change... He was part of the system for too long. The youth do not trust him," says Abdoulaye Harissou, a legal notary and prominent critic once detained by the member of the opposition - Jean Michel Nintcheu of the APC coalition - simply said: "We don't see Tchiroma as a potential winner." More BBC stories on Cameroon: 'Nowhere is safe' - Cameroonians trapped between separatists and soldiersArt curator Koyo Kouoh dies at height of careerThe lawyer risking everything to defend LGBT rightsPaul Biya: Cameroon's 'absentee president' Go to for more news from the African us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica
Gizmodo
21-06-2025
- Gizmodo
Elon Musk's AI Called My Mother Abusive. I Never Said That
AI now exists on two speeds. There's running in fifth gear, the speed of its creators. People like Sam Altman, Elon Musk, and Mark Zuckerberg, who are racing to build machines smarter than humans. Superintelligence. AGI. Maybe it's a dream. Maybe it's a tech bro delusion. Either way, it's moving fast. Then, there's running in second gear for the rest of us. The millions quietly testing what AI can do in daily life—writing emails, summarizing documents, translating medical tests. And, increasingly, using AI as a therapist. That's what I did recently. Despite my reluctance to share personal details with chatbots, I decided to talk to Grok, the large language model from Elon Musk's company, xAI, about one of the most emotionally complex things in my life: my relationship with my mother. I'm in my forties. I'm a father. I live in New York. My mother lives in Yaoundé, Cameroon, nearly 6,000 miles away. And yet, she still wants to guide my every move. She wants to be consulted before I make important decisions. She expects influence. When she isn't kept in the loop, she goes cold. I've spent years trying to explain to her that I'm a grown man, capable of making my own choices. But our conversations often end with her sulking. She does the same with my brother. So I opened Grok and typed something like: My relationship with my mother is frustrating and suffocating. She wants to have a say in everything. When she's not informed about something, she shuts down emotionally. Grok immediately responded with empathy. Then it diagnosed the situation. Then it advised. What struck me first was that Grok acknowledged the cultural context. It picked up that I live in the U.S. and that my mother lives in Cameroon, where I grew up. And it framed our dynamic like this: 'In some African contexts, like Cameroon, family obligations and parental authority are strong, rooted in collectivism and traditions where elders guide even adult children.' It then contrasted that with my American life: 'In the U.S., individual autonomy is prioritized, which clashes with her approach, making her behavior feel controlling or abusive to you.' There it was: 'abusive.' A word I never used. Grok put it in my mouth. It was validating, but maybe too validating. Unlike a human therapist, Grok never encouraged me to self-reflect. It didn't ask questions. It didn't challenge me. It framed me as the victim. The only victim. And that's where it diverged, sharply, from human care. Among Grok's suggestions were familiar therapeutic techniques: Set boundaries. Acknowledge your emotions. Write a letter to your mother (but don't send it: 'burn or shred it safely'). In the letter, I was encouraged to write: 'I release your control and hurt.' As if those words would sever years of emotional entanglement. The problem wasn't the suggestion. It was the tone. It felt like Grok was trying to keep me happy. Its goal, it seemed, was emotional relief, not introspection. The more I engaged with it, the more I realized: Grok isn't here to challenge me. It's here to validate me. I've seen a human therapist. Unlike Grok, they didn't automatically frame me as a victim. They questioned my patterns. They challenged me to explore why I kept ending up in the same place emotionally. They complicated the story. With Grok, the narrative was simple: You are hurt. You deserve protection. Here's how to feel better. It never asked what I might be missing. It never asked how I might be part of the problem. My experience lines up with a recent study from Stanford University, which warns that AI tools for mental health can 'offer a false sense of comfort' while missing deeper needs. The researchers found that many AI systems 'over-pathologize or under-diagnose,' especially when responding to users from diverse cultural backgrounds. They also note that while AI may offer empathy, it lacks the accountability, training, and moral nuance of real professionals, and can reinforce biases that encourage people to stay stuck in one emotional identity: often, that of the victim. So, Would I Use Grok Again? Honestly? Yes. If I'm having a bad day, and I want someone (or something) to make me feel less alone, Grok helps. It gives structure to frustration. It puts words to feelings. It helps carry the emotional load. It's a digital coping mechanism, a kind of chatbot clutch. But if I'm looking for transformation, not just comfort? If I want truth over relief, accountability over validation? Then no, Grok isn't enough. A good therapist might challenge me to break the loop. Grok just helps me survive inside it.
