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Showing posts from November 24, 2015

Police release video of officer shooting teen

Protesters took to the streets of Chicago late Tuesday after police released a graphic dash-cam video showing an officer shooting 17-year-old Laquan McDonald. McDonald was killed in October 2014. The city's mayor has called for peace. "I believe this is a moment that can build bridges of understanding rather than become a barrier of misunderstanding. I understand that the people will be upset and will want to protest when they see this video," Mayor Rahm Emanuel said. "We as a city must rise to this moment." Chicago has been preparing for protests in advance of the video's release, which was ordered by a judge to happen no later than Wednesday. McDonald was a black teenager. The officer who shot him, Jason Van Dyke, is white. He was charged Tuesday with first-degree murder in McDonald's death and is being held without bond. Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy acknowledged that residents "have a right to be angry."

PSG ready mammoth Ronaldo offer

PSG ready mammoth Ronaldo offer PSG will offer Cristiano Ronaldo £250,000-a-week AFTER tax in an effort to lure him to the French capital. Manchester United are also keen on the Portuguese star, but that offer would be the equivalent of £500,000-a-week in England pre- tax.

LIONEL MESSI PUSHES BARCA TO PERFECTION

The Argentine sat out most of Barcelona's brilliant 4-0 win in the Clasico away to Real Madrid on Saturday, but was back to show why he is the best as the Catalans trounced Roma A stunning Suarez volley brought the third, while Gerard Pique (who had been so eager to net a fifth against Real Madrid on Saturday) made it four after the break. And Barca got their 'Manita' - that five-goal advantage they so nearly secured at the Santiago Bernabeu - through Messi again on the hour. By now, Neymar was keen to get involved as well but he saw a penalty saved by Wojciech Szczesny after Messi had generously handed him the ball. Barca were not to be denied, though, and Adriano smashed home the rebound. This was an exhibition. Roma came into the Camp Nou clash as the only one of Italy's elite teams never to have lost to Barca, but Rudi Garcia's side saw that statistic smashed into pieces on Tuesday. And there is no shame in it either. This Barca team cl

GUARDIOLA: BAYERN NOT PERFECT DESPITE OLYMPIACOS THRASHING

The coach was pleased to see his side take top spot but feels they lost the ball too many times against their Greek counterparts on Tuesday Pep Guardiola was happy with Bayern Munich's 4-0 win over Olympiacos on Tuesday, but insisted they gave their opponents too much of the ball. First-half goals from Douglas Costa, Robert Lewandowski and Thomas Muller saw the Bavarian side race into a three-goal lead after just 20 minutes. The hosts had defender Holger Badstuber sent off soon after the break at the Allianz Arena, yet they still managed to add to their tally with a header from Kingsley Coman. Finishing first in the table means Bayern, who have now scored 17 times in five European fixtures this season, are certain to host the second leg of their last-16 tie. And Guardiola is delighted to have the No.1 spot sealed, but insists his side could have done better against their Greek counterparts. "I am very happy," he told reporters. "We now have

WENGER TELLS ARSENAL CRITICS: I DO LIKE SPENDING MONEY!

The Frenchman, who watched his side easily swat aside Dinamo Zagreb on Tuesday, has invited critics to join him on a night out to witness just how generous he really is Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has laughed off suggestions he doesn’t like spending money as the injury-ravaged Gunners heads towards January in need of reinforcements yet again. The north Londoners are without a host of players at present, most notably Francis Coquelin who is likely to be sidelined for three months. Wenger is short on replacements in midfield, with Mikel Arteta turning in a calamitous display against West Brom and Mathieu Flaimini brought in against Dinamo Zagreb. The Gunners romped to an easy 3-0 win against the Croatian outfit on Tuesday, keeping their Champions League hopes alive, but the post-match talking point remained Arsenal’s current injury predicament – and the decision not to sign a single outfield player in the summer When it was suggested to Wenger that he is reluc

MOURINHO EXPLAINS HALF-TIME ROW WITH COSTA

The Chelsea pair exchanged angry words at the interval of the victory over Maccabi Tel Aviv, but soon patched things up in the dressing room Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho sought to play down a half-time argument with Diego Costa during the 4-0 Champions League win over Maccabi Tel Aviv. Mourinho and the striker engaged in an angry exchange of views as they headed towards the players' tunnel at the break. Costa was involved in the major flashpoint of the first half, with Maccabi's former Chelsea defender Tal Ben Haim sent off for taking a crude hack at the Spain international. Mourinho took issue with a lack of movement from his frontman during the opening 45 minutes but Costa completed the game after the Portuguese displayed a more tender side behind closed doors. "I reacted. He did too," Mourinho told a news conference. "At half-time in the dressing room, a few kisses and a few cuddles. No problem." Gary Cahill opened the scoring f

MULLER BEATS MESSI & RONALDO TO CHAMPIONS LEAGUE RECORD

Bayern Munich cruised past Olympiacos on Tuesday evening and the 4-0 victory was a landmark one for the Germany international, who was also on target Bayern Munich steamrolled their way to a fourth win in the Champions League this season, while Thomas Muller beat Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Raul to a new record. Muller scored Bayern's third in the 4-0 victory over Olympiacos on Tuesday evening but the win was the 50th that the Germany international has been involved in in the Champions League. Douglas Costa, Robert Lewandowski and Kingsley Coman were also on target for Pep Guardiola's side.

Arsenal win keeps hopes intact

Arsenal's Champions League hopes are still alive after they eased to victory against Dinamo Zagreb at Emirates Stadium. The Gunners needed to win and hope that Bayern Munich beat Olympiakos to ensure that a victory by two goals - or by a margin of one if they score three goals - in Greece in their final group game would send them into the knockout phase. Bayern fulfilled their part of the bargain and Arsenal had no trouble with a Dinamo side who beat them in the earlier fixture in Croatia. Man of the match Mesut Ozil headed them in front after 29 minutes and Alexis Sanchez added a second four minutes later before the Chile forward rounded off a fine second half move to give Arsenal the convincing win their superiority deserved. Listen to BBC Radio 5 live commentary of the goals Ozil pulls the strings Midfielder Ozil has had his critics since making the £42.4m move to Arsenal from Real Madrid in September 2013 - but he has arguably been the Gunners' most infl

Chelsea thrash Maccabi to go top

Chelsea move joint top of Group G in the Champions League after a comfortable win at Maccabi Tel Aviv. Gary Cahill poked home the opener after his initial header was saved, before ex-Chelsea player Tal Ben Haim was sent off for a wild lunge on Diego Costa. Willian added a second from a free-kick, before headers from Oscar and Kurt Zouma wrapped up the win. Dynamo Kiev's win against Porto means Chelsea need a point in their final group game to reach the last 16. The Blues, level on 10 points with Porto and two ahead of Dynamo Kiev, host the Portuguese side at Stamford Bridge on 9 December. A big win, but room for improvement Mourinho believes his side are beginning to get their confidence back after a dismal start to the season but, despite taking an early lead through Cahill, it took until the 73rd minute before the Blues made the game safe. For all their patient build-up Chelsea fell short in final third, prompting Mourinho to cut an increasingly frustrated figu

Messi & Neymar star as Barca thrash Roma 6:1

Lionel Messi finished off a 27-pass move and Luis Suarez scored a great volley as Barcelona celebrated Champions League Group E qualification with victory over Roma. Suarez tapped home the opener and then Messi finished off a sublime move, before Suarez volleyed in his second. Gerard Pique made it 4-0 from close range and Messi poked in another. Adriano smashed in after Neymar had his penalty saved before Edin Dzeko headed in the consolation in stoppage time. Former Manchester City forward Dzeko also headed over from close range and had a penalty saved by Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

Tunisia: Presidential Guard Bus Bomb Kills 12

A dozen people have been killed after an attack on a bus carrying the presidential guard in the Tunisian capital. The 12 are all thought to have been officers, with a security source at the site in central Tunis saying "most of the agents who were on the bus are dead". Twenty people were injured in the attack, which took place at around 5pm local time and as the presidential guards were on their way to the president's palace. It is thought the attack was probably carried out by a bomber detonating explosives from inside the vehicle. Tunisian president Beji Caid Essebsi has cancelled a trip to Switzerland planned for Wednesday. He also declared a state of emergency for 30 days and imposed a curfew in the capital. It is the third major terrorist attack in Tunisia this year after 21 tourists were killed at the Bardo Museum in Tunis in March and 38 people, including 30 Britons, were shot dead at a beach in Sousse in June. Both attacks were claimed by

Paris attacks: Schools and metro reopen in Brussels

The Brussels metro and schools are due to reopen after they were shut four days ago in a security crackdown following the Paris attacks. But the Belgian capital remains on the highest alert level, with hundreds of armed police and soldiers on patrol. Authorities fear Paris-style attacks may be carried out, as at least one Paris gunman had lived in Brussels. France says 130 people died in a series of attacks in Paris. At least one suspected attacker is still at large. The so-called Islamic State (IS) group says it carried out the attacks. Five people have been charged in Belgium with terrorism offences in connection with the attacks in the neighbouring country. In Brussels, public transport was due to start running again from 06:00 (GMT) though some metro lines will remain closed. Abdelhamid Abaaoud, the suspected ringleader who was killed in police raids in the Parisian suburb of Saint Denis, was near the Bataclan theatre during a deadly siege there, it has emerged

Turkey Russia jet: Marine killed in pilot rescue bid

A Russian marine has been killed on a helicopter mission to rescue the crew of a jet downed by Turkey near the Syrian border on Tuesday. He died when his helicopter came under fire from rebels in northern Syria, where the plane crashed. Rebel fire from the ground killed one of the jet's two crew members after they ejected. The head of Nato said it stood in solidarity with Turkey as the Kremlin warned of "serious consequences". US President Barack Obama later assured his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in a phone call of US support for his country's right to defend its sovereignty. The White House said both presidents had agreed on the importance of de-escalating the situation. Turkey said the jet had strayed into its airspace but Russian President Vladimir Putin insisted the Su-24 had been hit by an air-to-air missile while flying over Syrian territory Nato's Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said he backed the Turks' assessment

Klitschko vs Fury: Tyson Fury's trainer sure glove row will be resolved

Tyson Fury's trainer - his uncle, Peter Fury - is convinced the row over gloves ahead of the World Heavyweight title clash with Wladimir Klitschko will be resolved by Friday. WBA Super, WBO and IBF champion Klitschko chose Paffen gloves for the showdown, live on Sky Sports Box Office, but Fury found a test pair sent to him by the manufacturer uncomfortable to train with. A pre-fight row seemed to be brewing, with Fury was forced to wait for a second test pair to be supplied by Paffen and is still awaiting their delivery ahead Saturday night's showdown in Germany. Klitschko v Fury But speaking at the pre-fight news conference in Dusseldorf, Peter Fury says he is convinced the row will not overshadow this weekend's titanic clash. "He (Tyson) is hitting and it's bending his thumb back," Peter said. "The thumb is sticking out an inch. Tyson showed Paffen the glove on video, on Facetime. "I don't know what the issue is. We will h

The Gambia bans female genital mutilation

The Gambia has announced it will ban female genital mutilation (FGM) after the Guardian launched a global campaign to end the practice. The president, Yahya Jammeh, said last night that the controversial surgical intervention would be outlawed. He said the ban would come into effect immediately, though it was not clear when the government would draft legislation to enforce it. FGM involves cutting female genitalia – often when girls are young – to remove their labia and clitoris, which often leads to lifelong health complications, including bleeding, infections, vaginal pain and infertility. More than 100 million women worldwide are subjected to the procedure in Africa and the Middle East. The practice is widespread in many African countries, including the Gambia, where 76% of females have been subjected to it, including 56% of under-14s. Jaha Dukureh, an anti-FGM activist whose campaign to end the practice in the country has been supported by the Guardian, spent the pa

Putin condemns Turkey after Russian warplane downed near Syria border

Vladimir Putin has called Turkey “accomplices of terrorists” and warned of “serious consequences” after a Turkish F-16 jet shot down a Russian warplane on Tuesday morning, the first time a Nato country and Moscow have exchanged direct fire over the crisis in Syria. The Russian president, speaking before a meeting with King Abdullah II of Jordan in Sochi, said the plane had been shot down over Syrian airspace and fell 4km inside Syria. Putin said it was “obvious” the plane posed no threat to Turkey. “Our military is doing heroic work against terrorism … But the loss today is a stab in the back, carried out by the accomplices of terrorists. I can’t describe it in any other way,” he said. Putin suggested the Turks were shielding Islamic State terrorists from Russian attacks, saying: “Do they want to make Nato serve Isis?” Ankara and the Kremlin gave conflicting accounts of the incident, which appears to have occurred in an area near the Turkish-Syrian border straddling I

Downing of Russia jet 'stab in the back' - Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin has bitterly condemned the downing of a Russian jet on the Turkey- Syria border. He described it as a "stab in the back" committed by "accomplices of terrorists". Turkey says its jets shot at the plane after warning that it was violating Turkish airspace. But Moscow says it never strayed from Syrian airspace. Nato is to hold an extraordinary meeting to discuss the incident at Turkey's request. Mr Putin warned there would be "serious consequences" for Moscow's relations with Turkey. Follow the latest updates here He said the Su-24 was hit by air-to-air missiles fired by Turkish F-16s while it was flying over Syrian territory. President Putin said the plane had been attacked "at a height of 6,000 metres (20,000ft), 1km from the border". It crashed into Syrian territory 4km from the border, he added. The two crew members ejected as their burning aircraft plunged into a Syrian hillside. Vi

ROONEY & MARTIAL IN FITNESS BOOST FOR MAN UTD

Louis van Gaal is likely to be able to call upon his two most recognised strikers again after both took part in training ahead of Wednesday's Champions League match against PSV Manchester United have been given a boost ahead of their potentially decisive Champions League group encounter with PSV following the return to training of Wayne Rooney and Anthony Martial. The England captain missed last weekend’s Premier League victory over Watford through illness, while Martial failed to recover from the an ankle injury sustained while on international duty with France. Louis van Gaal was forced to select an experimental forward line that included Jesse Lingard and Memphis Depay for the 2-1 victory at Vicarage Road that temporarily sent his side top of the Premier League table. United have recovered well from Champions League matchday one defeat in Eindhoven and now lead Group B by a single point from Wednesday's opponents and Wolfsburg. CSKA Moscow have fou

ANCELOTTI: MESSI'S RETURN IS NOT GOOD NEWS FOR ROMA

The Italian does not think that the Argentine's restoration to the starting line- up will affect Neymar and Luis Suarez, who have both netted 11 times in their past 11 games As a Goal columnist, Carlo Ancelotti will provide his expertise and insight on this season’s Champions League through an exclusive series of columns and videos. Carlo Ancelotti says Lionel Messi’s likely return to the Barcelona starting line-up is “not good news for Roma”, insisting that Neymar and Luis Suarez will be even more effective with the Argentine back alongside them. Messi suffered a knee injury in a Liga game against Las Palmas on September 26, prompting fears that the Catalan club could struggle without their talismanic No.10. However, Neymar and Suarez have flourished in his absence, with both men netting 11 times in the 11 games that they have started without Messi, sparking a debate over whether the pair perform better without the four-time Ballon d’Or winner, who made hi

Platini lawyer claims Fifa Ethics Committee seeking life ban for Uefa president

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Fifa's Ethics Committee wants the Frenchman banned for life, the Uefa president's lawyer has reportedly claimed   Michel Platini's lawyer has reportedly claimed Fifa’s Ethics Committee is seeking to ban the UEFA president for life. Formal proceedings were opened against Platini and Fifa president Sepp Blatter on Monday following a report by the investigatory chamber of the Ethics Committee. The pair were given 90-day suspensions by the Ethics Committee in October in relation to an alleged disloyal payment made by Fifa to Platini in 2011. Both men, who deny any wrongdoing, then saw their subsequent appeals rejected by the Ethics Committee, which submitted its final reports on Saturday. And Platini's lawyer Thibaud d'Ales has told AFP the Ethics Committee is seeking a lifetime ban for the Frenchman. The demand is said to have been described by D'Ales as a "scandal" and "excessive". A decision on the case is expected ne

Perez denies Madrid plans to sell Ronaldo

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Speaking at press conference at which the Real Madrid president gave his full backing to under-fire coach Rafa Benitez, Florentino Perez has denied the club are looking to sell Cristiano Ronaldo in the summer transfer window. The Portuguese star has been continually linked with a move to PSG and a return to the Premier League at the end of the season, but the Blancos supremo moved to quash the rumours. "Those who say I want to sell Cristiano do so in an attempt to destabilise [my position]," the 68-year-old told the press. "It annoys me that journalists said I have been attending any lunch meetings to discuss Ronaldo's sale. "I have never dined with Paris Saint-Germain's president or [Ronaldo's agent] Jorge Mendes to sell Ronaldo. "Those who think I would meet with the president of PSG on the same day as a crucial match to talk about selling Ronaldo are naive." Reports had also claimed that the Portuguese star himself had issued Perez

Arsenal would take Europa League seriously

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The Frenchman says he can't see a problem playing on Thursday and Sunday but insists his team are not out of the Champions League just yet   Arsene Wenger says Arsenal would take the Europa League seriously if they are knocked out of the Champions League. The Gunners have struggled in Group F with just three points from four matches and welcome Dinamo Zagreb on Tuesday knowing they will be knocked out if results go against them. A third place finish would send Arsenal into the Europa League and Wenger says he does not think playing in Europe's second-tier competition would impact on their Premier League title challenge. "We would take the competition seriously – but we are not out yet," he told reporters I believe that this problem is exaggerated a little bit in England because we play Wednesday and Saturday, so it is the same as Thursday and Sunday. I can't see the difference. "There are plenty of examples in Portugal and Spain where teams

Perez denies Madrid plans to sell Ronaldo

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The Merengue supremo assured that his club were not thinking about off-loading the goalscorer, while reacting angrily to reports he had already met with the PSG president Speaking at press conference at which the Real Madrid president gave his full backing to under-fire coach Rafa Benitez, Florentino Perez has denied the club are looking to sell Cristiano Ronaldo in the summer transfer window. The Portuguese star has been continually linked with a move to PSG and a return to the Premier League at the end of the season, but the Blancos supremo moved to quash the rumours. "Those who say I want to sell Cristiano do so in an attempt to destabilise [my position]," the 68-year-old told the press. "It annoys me that journalists said I have been attending any lunch meetings to discuss Ronaldo's sale. "I have never dined with Paris Saint-Germain's president or [Ronaldo's agent] Jorge Mendes to sell Ronaldo. "Those who think I would meet with the p

Bacca tips Messi or Ronaldo to win Goal 50

The Colombia star was delighted to be named among the 50 best players on the planet and believes either the Real Madrid or Barcelona man will win the annual award   AC Milan striker Carlos Bacca has tipped Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo to win the 2015 Goal 50, which will be announced in full this Friday. The Colombian was included in Goal's annual list of the world's 50 best players from the past 12 months after helping former side Sevilla win a second successive Europa League title back in May and making an impressive start to his San Siro career. Bacca, 29, was delighted to have been included in the race for the prestigious prize but he believes that either Barcelona legend Messi or Real Madrid icon Ronaldo will take first place when the final positions are revealed. "I’m happy to receive this award, for which I thank God. Hopefully I can continue to play like this," Bacca told Goal . "Messi is the best footballer in the world. Ronaldo is a

WENGER IS RIGHT – FOOTBALL CONTINUES TO TURN A BLIND EYE TO DOPING

The severe lack of testing in world football has made it easy for potential drug cheats to continue playing - even at the highest level Arsenal lost to Dinamo Zagreb on Champions League matchday one and Arsene Wenger would prefer to see the result annulled. The reason? Arijan Ademi, the Dinamo Zagreb vice-captain, was handed a four-year ban by Uefa's Disciplinary Commission last week after testing positive for a prohibited substance while playing in that famous win in October. That Ademi's ban stemmed from a match against Arsenal means its effect is amplified because no individual within football has spoken out as much about doping than Wenger - including again in the press conference ahead of Arsenal's return match at the Emirates against Dinamo. This time, Wenger declared that Uefa's failure to mete out collective punishments for individual doping transgressions was effectively an endorsement of doping practices. “You cannot say ‘OK, they h

Rafael Benitez: Real Madrid president gives boss full support

Rafael Benitez: Real Madrid president gives boss full support Real Madrid boss Rafael Benitez has been told he retains the club's full backing following the 4-0 home defeat by Barcelona. Benitez, 55, was only appointed in the summer, but fans chanted for him to be sacked after Saturday's match. Following a board meeting on Monday, club president Florentino Perez said: "He has all our support and confidence. "Rafa has only just started his job here. Let him keep working and he will achieve his objectives." Perez added he could "only talk about this moment". He said: "I cannot say what will happen in the future. No-one can say what will happen in six months." Relive Real Madrid's 4-0 thrashing at the hands of Barcelona Gareth Bale not thinking of English return The 68-year-old rejected suggestions striker Cristiano Ronaldo, the Spanish club's record goalscorer, had told him he is unhappy playing under Benitez. "

Brussels to stay in lockdown 'for at least another week'

Brussels will keep unprecedented security measures in place for at least another week as it faces an imminent and serious threat of a major terrorist attack, Belgium’s prime minister, Charles Michel, has said. Anxious inhabitants of the Belgian capital had hoped for a respite from the lockdown that has seen shops, schools and offices shut, public transport restricted, museums and theatres closed, seasonal markets cancelled, and thousands of armed police and soldiers in the streets. Some measures – such as the closure of schools and the metro – may be lifted on Wednesday, Michel told a press conference on Monday evening. Others will remain, however, and the military deployment will be reinforced. Belgian security services continue to hunt for Salah Abdeslam, a 26-year- old from Brussels who is suspected of having fled to his home city after playing a role in the attacks that left 130 people dead in Paris 10 days ago. There are fears of a terrorist network planning a

Terror Threat: US Issues Global Travel Alert

The US has issued a worldwide travel alert for its citizens due to "increased terrorist threats". "Current information suggests that ISIL (another name for Islamic State), al Qaeda, Boko Haram and other terrorist groups continue to plan terrorist attacks in multiple regions," the State Department said. "These attacks may employ a wide variety of tactics, using conventional and non- conventional weapons and targeting both official and private interests." It cited recent attacks in Denmark, France, Mali, Nigeria and Turkey. The US has issued a worldwide travel alert for its citizens due to "increased terrorist threats". "Current information suggests that ISIL (another name for Islamic State), al Qaeda, Boko Haram and other terrorist groups continue to plan terrorist attacks in multiple regions," the State Department said. "These attacks may employ a wide variety of tactics, using conventional and non- conve

Turkey Shoots Down Jet Near Syria Border

Turkish F16s have shot down a jet which violated the country's airpsace, according to a military official. The official added the nationality of the downed aircraft is not clear at this stage, and said the jet's pilot was warned before being shot down. A government official told AFP: "We are trying to identify the nationality of the plane." TV footage showed a plane going down in flames in a woodland area, a long plume of smoke trailing behind it. The warplane went down in an area known by Turks as "Turkmen Mountain" in northern Syria near the Turkish border, private broadcaster Haberturk said. Separate footage from the country's Anadolu Agency showed two pilots ejecting from the jet before it crashed.Turkish F16s have shot down a jet which violated the country's airpsace, according to a military official. The official added the nationality of the downed aircraft is not clear at this stage, and said the jet's pilot was w

Paris attacks: 'Suicide bomb belt' dumped on street

French police are examining what appears to be a suicide bomb belt dumped on a Paris street, 11 days after the attacks that killed 130 people. It is said to resemble belts used by the attackers and was found in a suburb which a suspect is thought to have passed through after the attacks. The US has issued a worldwide travel alert in response to the attacks. The Belgian capital Brussels remains on high alert. Schools and the metro will stay closed on Tuesday. They are due to reopen on Wednesday but the highest alert level will continue for at least another week. Authorities fear Paris-style attacks may be carried out in Brussels, where at least one Paris attacker lived. Prime Minister Charles Michel warned that the threat remained "imminent". French President Francois Hollande is due to meet US President Barack Obama on Tuesday as he continues a busy week of international diplomacy during which he will meet all other permanent members of the UN Security Cou