Ancelotti says Mbappé 'not affected' by reports of investigation in Sweden

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Ancelotti says Mbappé 'not affected' by reports of investigation in Sweden

2024-10-18 22:47 Last Updated At：22:50

MADRID (AP) — Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti says Kylian Mbappé “is not affected” by the Swedish media reports this week that said the France captain was the subject of a rape investigation. Mbappé’s legal team dismissed those reports as false.

“I do not pay attention to speculations that come from outside the team. The player is not affected in the least,” Ancelotti said Friday.

The reports in Swedish media came out after the striker visited Stockholm during the international break when he was not called up by France due to a minor injury.

Without citing sources, Swedish media reported Mbappé was the subject of an investigation of an alleged rape at a hotel in Stockholm. Mbappé’s representatives have called the reports “false and irresponsible.” Swedish prosecutors issued a brief statement on Tuesday saying a rape had been reported to police, but didn’t name any suspect.

Ancelotti defended his player’s right to travel on his time off.

“The rest days are programmed for him and he can choose what he wants to do,” the Italian manager said. “I went to London for two days and didn’t ask anyone for permission.”

Mbappé injured his left thigh in late September. But he missed only one game for Madrid, returning as a substitute in a shock 1-0 loss to Lille in the Champions League before starting in a 2-0 victory over Villarreal in the Spanish league. He then sat out the international window.

Mbappé trained for Madrid this week before the Spanish league resumes. Madrid plays at Celta Vigo on Saturday.

“(Mbappé) took advantage of the break to improve his fitness and get well after the injury,” Ancelotti said. “He is happy and ready to play and be important for the team. These 15 days have helped because he is now a different player than before the break.”

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Kenya's president nominates interior minister as new deputy but high court orders halt to process

2024-10-18 22:38 Last Updated At：22:40

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Kenya's president Friday nominated the country's interior minister as his new deputy, hours after Rigathi Gachagua was overwhelmingly voted out as deputy president in an impeachment motion in parliament over allegations of corruption and inciting ethnic division.

President William Ruto on Friday named Kithure Kindiki to the National Assembly after Gachagua was impeached while he was in the hospital. Kindiki, whose interior ministry docket has been marred by accusations of police brutality during deadly anti-government protests, had been a front-runner for deputy president during the 2022 election campaign.

However, the country's High Court later issued an order halting Gachagua’s replacement until Thursday when cases filed against the impeachment will be heard.

Like Gachagua, Kindiki hails from the vote-rich Mount Kenya region.

Kindiki's nomination was approved by an Assembly vote of 236-0. The National Assembly speaker issued a gazette notice on the voting in of a new deputy president. Kindiki now awaits swearing-in.

Gachagua remains hospitalized with what his lawyer described as “intense chest pains” related to stress. The former deputy president's supporters have criticized the impeachment process as rushed after senators voted against allowing additional days to give Gachagua time to recover and appear before the Senate.

Gachagua's impeachment highlighted divisions within the ruling party and friction between Ruto and Gachagua over government policy. The former deputy president had been accused of insubordination when he opposed the government’s policy of forced evictions during heavy rains that caused flooding and deaths.

During his defense before the Assembly last week, Gachagua said he believed the impeachment motion had the president’s nod, and he has asked legislators to make their decision “without intimidation and coercion.” Ruto has not commented publicly on the impeachment.

Ruto, who came to office claiming to represent Kenya’s poorest citizens, has faced widespread criticism over his efforts to raise taxes to pay off foreign creditors. But the public opposition led him to shake up his Cabinet and back off from certain proposals.