KABUL: As he arrives to his mosque at sundown, Mohammad Qasim carries some bread and a portion of the tastiest dish prepared at his home on that day. He will share it with others during a village iftar meal — one of Afghanistan’s most cherished Ramadan traditions. In rural areas, communal iftar gatherings are something … Read more
Liverpool rout Sparta to reach Europa League quarterfinals. Late goals propel Leverkusen LONDON: Mohamed Salah scored one goal and set up three to help Liverpool demolish Sparta Prague 6-1 and march into the Europa League quarterfinals on Thursday. After winning 5-1 the opening leg of their last 16 tie in Prague, Liverpool scored four in … Read more
Will Sudan’s feuding generals heed Ramadan ceasefire pleas as mass starvation looms? ABIDJAN, Cote d’Ivoire: As the Islamic world prepares to observe the holy month of Ramadan, with its requisite fasting during daylight hours, the people of Sudan are going hungry — but not as a matter of choice. Eleven months of violence has brought … Read more
PARIS: Liverpool and Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen are the standout contenders to go all the way in this season’s Europa League with both teams this week heading east for last-16 ties they will be expected to win comfortably. Jurgen Klopp’s side are one of four British teams still alive in the competition and hoping to … Read more
‘Amazing to be part of this club’: Al-Ittihad women’s goalkeeping coach Dan Smith Behind the ambition, the astronomical transfer fees, and the star power of the men’s game, in recent years another transformation has been quietly taking place in Saudi Arabian football. While the headlines have been about Cristiano Ronaldo, Sadio Mane, Neymar, Malcom, Karim … Read more
DUBAI: Relentless leaders Al-Wasl heaped pressure on Cosmin Olaroiu’s underperforming Sharjah, Spain icon Andres Iniesta’s sinking Emirates Club looked doomed, and Farhad Majidi’s inconsistent Ittihad Kalba-reign was brought to an ignominious end during ADNOC Pro League’s matchweek 15. Friday’s grandstand clash in Dubai witnessed goals from Abdulrahman Saleh and outstanding UAE attacker Ali Saleh to maintain … Read more
Newcastle United double injury boost for Arsenal as Eddie Howe snubs Man United chief’s comments NEWCASTLE: Alexander Isak and Joe Willock have handed Newcastle United a huge boost ahead of their trip to Premier League title challengers Arsenal. The Magpies head to the Emirates Stadium in the late kick-off on Saturday hoping to net their … Read more
BERLIN: Andreas Brehme, whose 85th-minute penalty sealed victory for West Germany over Argentina in the 1990 World Cup final, died overnight into Tuesday at the age of 63, his former club Bayern Munich said.“FC Bayern is deeply shocked by the sudden death of Andreas Brehme,” the club said in a statement.“We will always keep Andreas … Read more
Ivan Rakitic achieved instant hero status among Al-Shabab fans on Friday with a stunning goal to give his new team a 1-0 win at Damac. The former Barcelona star joined the Riyadh club from Sevilla at the end of January to instantly become one of the stars of the Roshn Saudi League. And the Croatian … Read more
PRETORIA: The liberal Democratic Alliance, fighting to keep its place as South Africa’s official opposition party, was to launch its electoral campaign on Saturday ahead of a hotly contested vote. In the capital Pretoria the party led a march from the center city to the seat of government, the Union Buildings. Under the scorching sun, streets … Read more