DOHA, Qatar (AP) — The Wales soccer federation says it has asked FIFA for clarity on reports some Wales fans were stopped from taking rainbow-coloured hats into a World Cup stadium. The Welsh federation said it was involved in creating the hats for fans to wear in Qatar, starting against the United States on Monday. Rainbow imagery, a symbol of LGBTQ rights, is controversial in a country where same-sex relations are criminalized. Fans and some staff members were “asked to remove and discard their Rainbow Wall bucket hats before entry to the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium,” the Wales federation said in a…
Author: National Tone
Trade unions representing some 800,000 public servants demand pay rises amid increasing cost of living.Thousands of public sector workers in South Africa have embarked on a nationwide strike demanding better wages. Tuesday’s “National Day of Action” comes after wage negotiations between trade unions and the government collapsed; the government offered a 3 percent pay hike, but unions are demanding 10 percent amid rising inflation. The dispute between the government and its employees piles pressure on President Cyril Ramaphosa, as he seeks re-election as leader of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) party. Seven unions – representing about 800,000 public servants,…
A bold and brilliant Saudi Arabia pulled off one of the World Cup’s biggest shocks as they came from behind to stun two-time winners Argentina in a fantastic Group C opener in Lusail.Ranked 51st in the world, Saudi Arabia could have been done and dusted in the first half as Lionel Messi opened the scoring from the penalty spot before Argentina had three goals ruled out for offside.But Saudi Arabia flipped the game on its head in a stunning 10-minute period after half-time, Saleh Al-Shehri levelling with a low effort and Salem Al Dawsari firing them ahead to spark pandemonium…
Laurie Evans has been released by the Perth Scorchers after testing positive for a banned substance in August.Evans said in a statement, released through the Professional Cricketers’ Association, that he was “shocked” by the results of a test taken in August. At the time, the 35-year-old was playing in The Hundred with the Manchester Originals.The English batter denies using any banned substance and did not say what caused the positive result.”I believe passionately in clean sport, and I have never taken any banned substances. I do not know what caused the positive test, but my team and I are investigating…
Lusail, Qatar – At Qatar’s largest football venue, Lusail Stadium, there was little doubt who called the tunes: Argentina fans far outnumbered Saudi Arabia’s supporters as the two countries’ men’s national teams took on each other in their opening World Cup 2022 match. From the metro station corridors to the stands inside the stadium – whose design is inspired by the fanar lantern – it was a sea of blue and white as Argentinians and many of the Albiceleste supporters burst into song and chants of “Vamos Argentina” (Let’s go Argentina). “Our fans are the best,” Mariano Alvarez, a fan…
Russia and the US call for de-escalation amid Turkish cross-border raids on Kurdish positions in Syria and Iraq.Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has signalled a possible ground offensive in northern Syria and Iraq after Ankara’s forces launched cross-border air raids on what they said were locations used by Kurdish groups they blame for a bombing in central Istanbul. The escalating tensions have prompted global concern, with Russia and the United States urging Ankara on Monday to show restraint. Speaking to reporters on a flight home from Qatar after attending the opening of the World Cup, Erdogan said Turkey’s ongoing military…
Genesis’s comments come days after it halted customer withdrawals due to liquidity difficulties.Cryptocurrency lender Genesis has denied it is close to declaring bankruptcy, days after halting withdrawals in response to the collapse of crypto exchange FTX. Genesis said on Monday it has “no plans” to file for bankruptcy in the immediate future and would seek to resolve the situation “consensually”. “We have no plans to file bankruptcy imminently,” a spokesperson told Al Jazeera in an emailed statement. “Our goal is to resolve the current situation consensually without the need for any bankruptcy filing. Genesis continues to have constructive conversations with…
Edmonton Oilers goalie Jack Campbell had to go to the locker room for repairs after being hit by a deflected puck while on the bench in Monday night’s game against the New Jersey Devils. After the 5-2 loss, Oilers coach Jay Woodcroft had no update on Campbell. Daniel Nugent-Bowman of The Athletic reported that Oilers starting goalie Stuart Skinner said Campbell was dealing with a bloody nose and was joking around following the injury. A shot by Edmonton’s Dylan Holloway deflected off Devils defender Dougie Hamilton and hit Campbell in his face during the second period. He went to the…
Hong Kong, China – Barry Ma peers through the lens of his high-powered telescope and raises his arm as he points in excitement. “Here!” he says in a hushed voice. “Look here.” Ma has spotted a pair of little grebes — a duck-like bird, but an unrelated species — swimming on a pond in Hong Kong’s wetlands, nestled in the city’s rural New Territories. An eco-guide for the World Wide Fund for Nature Hong Kong (WWF-Hong Kong), Ma is leading a small group of visitors through the Mai Po Nature Reserve under a bright sun on a humid morning. He…
Toronto Blue Jays star pitcher Alek Manoah did not hesitate when asked about who the biggest cheater is in baseball history. This was the first of many “spicy questions” he was faced with on “How Hungry Are You,” presented by Samsung Bespoke. This is the segment where the host, Serge Ibaka poses a handful of “spicy questions” to the guest (Manoah) who must answer or be faced with drinking a gross tea Ibaka has chosen. Manoah immediately answered with the name of a well-known ace and accused him of using “a lot of sticky stuff to make his pitches better.”…