UPDATE 1-Soccer-Wiesinger and Reutershahn take over at Nuremberg

* Bundesliga strugglers act quickly to replace Hecking
* Wiesinger will have final say on team matters (Adds quotes, detail)
BERLIN, Dec 24 (Reuters) - Michael Wiesinger and Armin Reutershahn were appointed joint coaches of struggling Nuremberg on Monday following Dieter Hecking's decision to take over at Bundesliga rivals VfL Wolfsburg at the weekend.
Wiesinger, 39, who has recently been working with the club's youth academy, and Reutershahn, 52, an assistant under Hecking, will take the reins for the second half of the season.
The team are fifth from bottom in the table after drawing 1-1 at Werder Bremen on Dec. 16, their final match before the mid-season break.
Nuremberg said Wiesinger, who played 186 league games for the club between 1993-99, would have the final say on team matters.
"In Michael Wiesinger and Armin Reutershahn we have two coaches from our own ranks that enjoy a great amount of trust and acceptance," sporting director Martin Bader told Nuremberg's website (www.fcn.de).
"Michael has achieved great things with the youth setup and should bring a fresh impetus with him."
Wiesinger played for several clubs during his career including Bayern Munich and 1860 Munich.
He was a Champions League winner with Bayern in 2001 and helped them land the Bundesliga title twice and the German Cup once.
Wiesinger had a spell as coach of lower-league Ingolstadt from 2008-10.
"Nuremberg is my club," he said. "I was a player here and have put my heart and passion into my work here over the past year and a half.
"To get the chance to take on this challenge is very special for me."
Reutershahn is one of the most experienced assistant coaches in the Bundesliga, having previously worked at Bayer Uerdingen, Hamburg SV and Eintracht Frankfurt.
"Armin is an important constant for the team," said Bader. "We have come to appreciate his skills and qualities as a person and coach."
Wiesinger and Reutershahn will be officially presented at a news conference on Jan. 3.

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Soccer-Jeunechamp appeals against ban for hitting reporter

Montpellier defender Cyril Jeunechamp is appealing against a one-year ban for hitting a reporter after a Ligue 1 game last month, the French club said on Monday.
"Cyril Jeunechamp has decided to appeal his one-year ban," Montpellier said in a statement on their website (www.mhscfoot.com)
The French Football League said after a meeting of its disciplinary committee this month that the sanction would take effect from Monday.
Jeunechamp, 37, had already been suspended indefinitely after the argument with a L'Equipe reporter over a story published in the newspaper before the 1-1 league draw at Valenciennes.
Champions Montpellier apologised to the reporter and condemned their player's behaviour.

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Soccer-Radnicki officials arrested in corruption raid - police

Two senior officials at Serbian first division club Radnicki 1923 Kragujevac and a soccer agent were arrested on Monday on suspicion of fraud and abuse of power, the Serbian Interior Ministry (MUP) said.
"FC Radnicki vice-president Nebojsa Vasiljevic and general secretary Darko Stojanovic as well as Zoran Pavlovic, a soccer agent with a FIFA licence, have been arrested on suspicion of illegal dealings in the transfer of the club's player Filip Kostic," MUP said on its website (www.mup.gov.rs).
"While arranging Kostic's transfer to Dutch side FC Groningen (this year) in the amount of 1.25 million euros, the three appear to have denied Radnicki 550,000 euros of that sum so that Pavlovic benefited illegally," it said.
Radnicki, promoted to Serbia's top flight last year, are second-bottom in the 16-team league with 12 points from 15 games at the winter break.
The first division resumes on Feb 27.

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Soccer-Zambia retain faith in winning squad

All but two of the squad who took Zambia to the last African Nations Cup title have been retained by coach Herve Renard for their defence in South Africa next month.
Renard named a provisional list of 26 players on Monday for the tournament, keeping faith in the rump of the squad who won a first continental championship for Zambia.
The only players left out are defender Nyambe Mulenga, who has lost form since injury in mid-year, and winger Clifford Mulenga, who was expelled for ill discipline during the tournament in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon at the start of the year.
Dutch-based striker Jacob Mulenga, who was forced to miss the last tournament because of injury, returns and is expected to lead the attack when Zambia begin their title defence in Group C against Burkina Faso, Ethiopia and Nigeria. They play their first match on Jan. 21.
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Kalililo Kakonje (Napsa Stars), Kennedy Mweene (Free State Stars), Joshua Titima (Power Dynamos) Defenders: Hichani Himoonde (TP Mazembe Englebert), Chintu Kampamba (unattached), Francis Kasonde (TP Mazembe Englebert), Emmanuel Mbola (FC Porto), Joseph Musonda (Lamontville Golden Arrows), Davies Nkausu (SuperSport United), Salulani Phiri (Zanaco), Stoppila Sunzu (TP Mazembe Englebert)
Midfielders: Isaac Chansa (Henan Jianye), Noah Chivuta (Free State Stars) Rainford Kalaba (TP Mazembe Englebert), Chris Katongo (Henan Jianye), Felix Katongo (Petro Atletico), Chisamba Lungu (Ural Sverdlovsk Oblast), Mukuka Mulenga (Power Dynamos), William Njobvu (Hapoel Beer Sheva), Nathan Sinkala (TP Mazembe Englebert).
Forwards: James Chamanga (Liaoning Whowin), Emmanuel Mayuka (Southampton), Collins Mbesuma (Orlando Pirates), Jacob Mulenga (FC Utrecht), Evans Kangwa (Nkana), Jonas Sakuwaha (TP Mazembe Englebert).

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Soccer-Israeli championship preliminary round results and standings

Dec 24 (Infostrada Sports) - Results and standings from the Israeli championship Preliminary round matches on Monday
Monday, December 24
Hapoel Ironi Kiryat Shmona 0 Maccabi Haifa 0
Sunday, December 23
Hapoel Beer Sheva 0 Beitar Jerusalem 0
Saturday, December 22
Ashdod 1 Bnei Sakhnin 2
Hapoel Akko 0 Ironi Nir Ramat HaSharon 2
Hapoel Haifa 2 Hapoel Tel Aviv 2
Hapoel Ramat Gan 1 Bnei Yehuda 0
Maccabi Tel Aviv 2 Maccabi Netanya 1
Standings P W D L F A Pts
1 Maccabi Tel Aviv 15 10 1 4 29 15 31
2 Hapoel Tel Aviv 15 9 3 3 24 12 30
3 Ashdod 15 8 1 6 20 13 25
4 Hapoel Ironi Kiryat Shmona 15 6 5 4 19 17 23
5 Bnei Yehuda 15 6 4 5 19 16 22
6 Beitar Jerusalem 15 5 6 4 23 20 21
-------------------------
7 Maccabi Haifa 15 5 6 4 14 13 21
8 Ironi Nir Ramat HaSharon 15 6 3 6 19 19 21
-------------------------
9 Hapoel Beer Sheva 15 4 8 3 17 17 20
10 Bnei Sakhnin 15 4 5 6 17 26 17
11 Hapoel Ramat Gan 15 3 6 6 18 20 15
12 Hapoel Akko 15 3 5 7 14 20 14
13 Maccabi Netanya 15 3 4 8 11 21 13
14 Hapoel Haifa 15 1 7 7 8 23 10
1-6: Championship play-off
9-14: Relegation play-off

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Venezuela VP hopes Chavez can be sworn in Jan. 10

 Venezuela's vice president said on Wednesday that the government is still aiming for President Hugo Chavez to be sworn in for a new term as scheduled next month, saying his condition has been improving after his cancer surgery in Cuba.
Vice President Nicolas Maduro declined to speculate when asked about scenarios if the ailing president is unable to take the oath of office on Jan. 10. He took the stance amid mounting concerns over the president's tough fight against complications following his fourth cancer-related operation, and a day after National Assembly President Diosdado Cabello floated the idea of postponing Chavez's inauguration if necessary.
"We're concentrating on prayer, on faith, on medical treatment that is among the best in the world, so that our commander in chief and president upholds his sacred duty on Jan. 10," Maduro said at a news conference. "Day after day ... he has been getting better, and he's the commander of a thousand victories, he's the commander of miracles."
Maduro, whom Chavez designated as his chosen successor before the surgery, also said that if Chavez isn't able to be sworn in as planned, "he left clear, public instructions about any scenario."
The 58-year-old president has not spoken publicly since his Dec. 11 surgery for pelvic cancer, and on Tuesday the government said he had a respiratory infection, though it was controlled. Chavez also suffered bleeding during the six-hour operation, which the government has said was promptly stanched.
Cabello raised the idea of postponing the inauguration on Tuesday, telling reporters it was simply his personal opinion and not an official proposal.
"You can't tie the will of the people to a date," Cabello said in remarks published by the newspaper El Nacional. "My idea is that we can't see the laws and the constitution from the restrictive point of view."
The constitution says the president should be sworn in for a new term on Jan. 10. Cabello expressed hope that Chavez could still be back for his swearing-in.
But Venezuelan analyst Edgar Gutierrez said that Cabello appeared to be sending a message that it might take longer, and that he believes pushing back the date is an option.
"It's the clearest signal that the president won't be in conditions to be sworn in," Gutierrez said. "Diosdado is preparing the field of opinion."
Cabello noted the constitution also says that if a president is unable to be sworn in by the National Assembly, he may be sworn in by the Supreme Court. "And it doesn't put a date" for that, he said, noting that there is no mention of a date in the article dealing with a swearing-in before the Supreme Court.
When Maduro was asked about the idea at Wednesday's news conference, he said: "We don't think it's favorable to enter into the field of speculation."
Cabello is one of the few government officials who have traveled to Cuba since Chavez's surgery, and his comments carry weight with the president's United Socialist Party of Venezuela, known as PSUV for its initials in Spanish. Cabello is an influential vice president of the party, and he was among the officials present at Maduro's news conference.
Asked about the possibility raised by Cabello, Maduro said that "any matter that has to be settled, we have our ... Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice, which has shown a great ability to interpret any subject in the constitution that's necessary."
Venezuela's opposition coalition took issue with Cabello's proposal, saying in a statement that the president should appear and be sworn in on the scheduled date, and that "it can't be modified on the basis of personal opinions or political conveniences." If the president does not appear, the opposition statement said, the constitution is clear that he should be declared absent and a new election should be called.
Law professor Vicente Gonzalez de la Vega, however, agreed with Cabello, saying the constitution allows for the swearing-in to be before the Supreme Court at a later date, which it doesn't specify.
"The only thing that ends Jan. 10 is the current (presidential) term," said Gonzalez, a professor at Central University of Venezuela.
Gonzalez said that lawmakers can request a medical report "to see whether he's getting better, whether he can come or not." And if not, he said, a transition process should then begin, including the calling of a new election.
If a president-elect dies or is declared incapacitated before the swearing-in, the constitution says the National Assembly president would temporarily take charge of the government and a new presidential vote would have to be held within 30 days. Chavez has said that if such a vote is held, his supporters should elect Maduro to take his place.
Former Supreme Court magistrate Roman Duque Corredor has ruled out the possibility of authorities going to Cuba for a swearing-in, saying a president cannot take the oath of office outside Venezuela.
Diego Moya-Ocampos, an analyst with the consulting firm IHS Global Insight in London, said that given the control that Chavez's movement has over all state institutions, including the Supreme Court, "any arrangement that could suit the ruling PSUV party political strategies is possible.
"This could include postponing the date of the inauguration for the new term, if needed, or even taking advantage of any legal technicality that could see Chavez formally inaugurating his mandate from Cuba," Moya-Ocampos said. "This will all, of course, depend on Chavez's state of health and what is more strategically convenient to those making the decisions."
The Venezuelan leader underwent his latest operation after tests found his cancer had come back despite previous surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation treatments.
He had said in July that tests showed he was cancer-free, and he was re-elected in October. But Chavez said later he had been suffering swelling and pain that he thought was due both to his exertion during the campaign and to his prior radiation treatments.
Independent medical experts consulted by The Associated Press said that given the government's account of the surgery and complications, they think it is unlikely Chavez would be able to stand up and take the oath of office as scheduled. They also said the vague information available makes it difficult to know the likely course of Chavez's recovery.
Dr. Gustavo Medrano, a lung specialist at the Centro Medico hospital in Caracas, said knowing whether Chavez is on a respirator and in an intensive care unit, and whether he is being given high doses of morphine for pain, would be important to judging where his recovery stands.
Based on the information provided about Chavez's condition, Medrano said that on his inauguration date "he shouldn't be on his feet."
Throughout his treatments, Chavez has kept secret several details about his illness, including the precise location of the tumors and the type of cancer.
Dr. Carlos Castro, scientific director of the Colombian League Against Cancer in Bogota, said much will depend on how Chavez's complications evolve, including the respiratory infection and other infections or bleeding that can develop after such surgery.
"Personally I don't think he can be sworn in on that scheduled date. I don't think Chavez is going to be in shape to," Castro told the AP in a telephone interview.
He said that recovering enough to function as president will probably take at least one or two months if all goes well. He noted that Chavez had mentioned being in serious pain before the operation.
"He still isn't out of danger, and he is still in what I'd call a critical phase in which anything can happen," Castro said.

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YPF, Chevron sign Argentina shale pact

Argentina's cash-strapped state energy company signed a partnership deal Wednesday with Chevron Corp. for a "massive development" of the South American country's vast nonconventional oil and gas resources.
YPF President Miguel Galuccio and Chevron's Latin America and Africa chief, Ali Moshiri, signed a letter of intent to start on a shale pilot project by drilling more than 100 wells within 12 months in the Vaca Muerta area of Patagonia. YPF hopes the effort will help it boost production to meet Argentina's growing energy demands.
The companies said the pilot project will cost a shared $1 billion, while it could take more than $15 billion for full development of the Vaca Muerta ("Dead Cow") formation that was discovered in Neuquen province in 2010.
Argentina expropriated a majority stake in YPF from Spain's Grupo Repsol in April after accusing the Spanish company of bleeding YPF dry and forcing Argentina to import record amounts of energy by failing to invest in Argentine operations.
Galuccio, who was picked by President Cristina Fernandez to lead YPF shortly after the company was nationalized, said he was delighted by the agreement with Chevron. Since taking charge, Galuccio had insisted on the need for YPF to find wealthy partners willing to make long-term bets on developing Argentina's energy potential.
The preliminary accord is key to YPF's plans to develop what experts believe are the third-largest shale resources in the world and boost the company's output, which dwindled under the control of Repsol.
Argentina needs billions of dollars to exploit its energy reserves, and until now major oil companies had failed to commit. Analysts blamed the government's heavy hand in the market and Repsol's threat to sue any partner for the $10 billion investment that Argentina seized when it took over YPF.
Repsol followed through on its threat by suing Chevron in New York earlier this month seeking to prevent the U.S. oil giant from developing energy assets in Argentina.
The Spanish company has asked a judge to block Chevron from partnering with YPF in developing Argentina's shale reserves as long as Argentine government officials are managing the company.
Moshiri said there is no legal basis for the lawsuit.
"What (Repsol) did is completely irrelevant and doesn't harm the relationship we've had with YPF," he told reporters in Buenos Aires via a teleconference from Houston, Texas. "Whatever happens, it won't block progress."
The federal lawsuit follows other legal claims that Repsol has filed in Madrid and Washington demanding compensation from Argentina.
An Argentine judge embargoed Chevron's assets in Argentina in November to carry out an Ecuadorean court order that awarded $19 billion to plaintiffs in an environmental damage lawsuit in the Amazon.
Moshiri said the embargo will not affect Chevron's partnership.
"It's a legal action of Ecuador's government against Chevron ... an issue between lawyers trying to sue everyone and not benefitting anyone," Moshiri said.
"We can continue our investments in Argentina. ... YPF is top-notch when it comes to technology and human resources," he said, adding that the companies plan to come up with a definitive agreement as soon as possible.
Chevron, based in San Ramon, California, has had a collaborative relationship with YPF since the early 1990s. The companies signed a memorandum of understanding in September to jointly develop Argentina's shale reserves, which trail only the U.S. and China in potential.

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Venezuela VP: Chavez conscious and recovering

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is conscious and progressively recovering more than a week after cancer surgery in Cuba, his vice president said Thursday.
In a televised address, Vice President Nicolas Maduro said Chavez was receiving treatment for a respiratory infection and has been with his family resting.
"He's well. He's conscious," Maduro said during the speech in central Guarico state. "He's fighting a great battle ... for his life, for his health."
Maduro reiterated that the president had undergone a complicated surgery.
The vice president's remarks, which varied little from other recent updates on Chavez's health, came as National Assembly President Diosdado Cabello defended his suggestion that Chavez's Jan. 10 inauguration could be postponed — a statement that has fed uncertainty about the his recovery.
Maduro, however, had said Wednesday that he didn't want to speculate about such a scenario and that the Supreme Court could settle any such question if needed.
"I only expressed my opinion, of which I'm absolutely convinced since it's in line with our constitution," Cabello said in a message on his Twitter account.
Speculation has grown about Chavez's condition more than a week after an operation in Cuba, his fourth in 18 months.
The 58-year-old Chavez has not spoken publicly since his Dec. 11 surgery for pelvic cancer, and on Tuesday the government said he had a respiratory infection, though it was controlled. Chavez also suffered bleeding during the six-hour operation, which the government said was promptly stanched.
Colombian Foreign Minister Maria Angela Holguin said Thursday she and other officials plan to attend Chavez's inauguration on Jan. 10 as planned. "We're going to see how the president's health evolves, and whether it's done on Jan. 10 or it's postponed," Holguin said in Bogota.
Venezuela's Constitution says the president should be sworn in for a new six-year term on Jan. 10 before the National Assembly.
Maduro, whom Chavez designated as his chosen successor before the surgery, said that if the president weren't able to be sworn in as planned, "he left clear, public instructions about any scenario."
Medical experts who aren't involved in the president's treatment say his recovery is likely to take a month or more if all goes well because he had undergone several surgeries, radiation treatment and chemotherapy.
State television on Wednesday night showed a documentary about Chavez's life, including his days selling sweets on the street as a boy in the rural town where he lived with his grandmother.
Maduro praised Chavez in his Thursday speech to supporters, calling the president a unique leader and echoing some of Chavez's battle cries.
"The unpatriotic oligarchy will never return to govern this country," Maduro said. "We're all Chavez! Chavez is a nation that's on its feet! And it will never, never be defeated!"
The crowd responded, chanting, "Chavez, friend, the people are with you.

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Venezuela court could decide on Chavez swearing-in

The president of Venezuela's Supreme Court said Thursday that it could decide whether it's constitutional to postpone the date of ailing President Hugo Chavez's swearing-in as he recovers from cancer surgery in Cuba.
Supreme Court President Luisa Estella Morales also said the matter has not yet been brought before the court. Chavez is due to be sworn in for another six-year term on Jan. 10, but complications after his Dec. 11 surgery and his silence after the procedure have thrown into doubt whether he will be capable of taking the oath of office.
"At this time, there is no constitutional question to resolve," Morales said at a news conference. "When the matter is brought up, if it's brought up, then it will be the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice that will decide."
The justice's remarks came after National Assembly President Diosdado Cabello suggested on Tuesday that Chavez's inauguration could be postponed — a statement that has fed uncertainty about the his prospects of recovery.
Cabello defended the idea in a message Thursday on his Twitter account, saying: "I only expressed my opinion, of which I'm absolutely convinced since it's in line with our constitution."
His stance conflicted with that of Vice President Nicolas Maduro, Chavez's chosen successor, who on Wednesday said he didn't want to speculate about such a scenario and that the Supreme Court could settle any such question if needed.
Venezuela's Constitution says the president should be sworn in on Jan. 10 before the National Assembly.
Maduro said in a televised speech Thursday that Chavez is conscious and progressively recovering. He also said Chavez has been with his family resting while receiving treatment for a respiratory infection.
"He's well. He's conscious," Maduro said during the speech in central Guarico state. "He's fighting a great battle ... for his life, for his health."
Maduro reiterated that the president had undergone a complicated surgery.
In addition to the infection, the 58-year-old Chavez also suffered bleeding during the operation, which the government said was promptly stanched.
It was his fourth cancer-related operation since June 2011.
Maduro said on Wednesday that the government is still hoping Chavez can return for the inauguration, and that if the president weren't able to be sworn in as planned, "he left clear, public instructions about any scenario."
Chavez said before leaving for Havana that his vice president should take his place if necessary and should be elected president if a new election is called.
The Supreme Court president's comments seemed to mirror those of Maduro. She said that for now, Chavez is out of the country after being granted permission to travel by lawmakers.
Morales noted that Chavez is a re-elected president rather than a new president, and said "continuity" is highly important. The constitution doesn't mention re-elected presidents, and only specifies with a president-elect should take office.
Former Supreme Court President Cecilia Sosa agreed with Morales' stance and also said that the constitution is quite clear that on Jan. 10 "one term ends and another begins."
"The one that ends can't be extended," Sosa told The Associated Press in a telephone interview.
Constitutional law professor Henrique Sanchez Falcon agreed, saying that extending the term "is absolutely impossible."
Colombian Foreign Minister Maria Angela Holguin said Thursday she and other officials plan to attend Chavez's inauguration on the scheduled date. "We're going to see how the president's health evolves, and whether it's done on Jan. 10 or it's postponed," Holguin said in Bogota.
Medical experts who aren't involved in the president's treatment say his recovery is likely to take a month or more if all goes well because he had undergone previous surgeries, radiation treatment and chemotherapy.
State television on Wednesday night showed a documentary about Chavez's life, including his days selling sweets on the street as a boy in the rural town where he lived with his grandmother.
Maduro praised Chavez in his Thursday speech to supporters, calling the president a unique leader and echoing some of Chavez's battle cries.
"The unpatriotic oligarchy will never return to govern this country," Maduro said. "We're all Chavez! Chavez is a nation that's on its feet! And it will never, never be defeated!"
The crowd responded, chanting, "Chavez, friend, the people are with you.

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Ecuador Central Bank president resigns over degree

 Ecuador's Central Bank president has resigned after acknowledging that he presented a fake academic degree 22 years ago — a scandal that prompted the country's leader to call for him to face justice.
Central Bank President Pedro Delgado, who is a cousin of Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa, apologized to the nation, the government and his family on Wednesday at a news conference.
"With honesty, I should acknowledge that I made a very serious mistake 22 years ago," Delgado said. "I made a wrong decision to achieve my academic objective."
He acknowledged that he had given a Costa Rican business school "a document with no value (showing) a degree I didn't hold."
"I kept this act secret. I offer an apology to my wife, children, the Ecuadorean people, the government ... and above all to President Rafael Correa," Delgado said.
Correa called it a "very hard day" in a message on his Twitter account.
"We've verified that Pedro Delgado had presented a false degree," Correa said in the message, adding that it "has done serious damage to the revolution."
The scandal erupted after an investigation by opposition politician Enrique Herreria into Delgado's academic record at the Catholic University of Ecuador and the prestigious INCAE Business School in Costa Rica.
Herreria told reporters on Thursday that Delgado had left the country, possibly for the United States.
Correa later said that Delgado had traveled to Miami for a son's wedding and would be back after Christmas.
"Pedro hasn't fled the country. That trip was planned because tomorrow his oldest son is getting married," Correa said at a news conference. "He has to return to be responsible for his actions."
Correa said that a government official traveled this week to Costa Rica to investigate the claims about the fake degree, and once confirmed, "we asked for his resignation."
"He will have to assume his responsibility and respond before the justice system. Those behaviors aren't acceptable in our government, everything necessary will have to be investigated," Correa told reporters.
Delgado was appointed in November 2011. During his tenure, Delgado also faced questions from government critics about an $800,000 loan granted to an Argentine without going through proper procedures, and about his purchase of a house in Miami with a loan.

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