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Noah Lyles of the US celebrates after winning the men’s 100m final at the Diamond League at Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy. (Reuters) American Olympic champion Noah Lyles made a winning start to his Diamond League campaign in the men’s 100 metres at the Rome meeting on Thursday, and Julien Alfred beat world champion Melissa Jefferson-Wooden in the women’s 200 metres.Lyles was his usual confident self, soaking up the Stadio Olimpico crowd’s applause before the final race of the night, and was typically bullish at the end.”I had a great finish,” Lyles said.”I can go again. Who wants to go?”Lyles made his standard slow start from the blocks and had five runners ahead of him at the halfway stage, but he stormed to the line in a time of 9.88 seconds.Cameroon’s Emmanuel Eseme ran 9.94 to claim a surprise second place, ahead of Olympic 200m champion Letsile Tebogo.”I am not showing anywhere to lose. I am here to win,” Lyles said.”10 metres before the finish line I knew the race was over and I had already won it. I was thinking about how I was going to celebrate it.”St Lucia’s Alfred and American Jefferson-Wooden have dominated women’s sprinting of late but this was their first meeting over the longer sprint distance.Jefferson-Wooden is world champion over the 100m and 200m, while Alfred is the 100m Olympic champion and 200m silver medallist, and the pair were neck-and-neck going into the final straight, but Alfred pulled away with ease and the American had no reply.Alfred posted a time of 21.93, with Jefferson-Wooden trailing in with 22.17.”I wanted to go a bit faster but I will take the win,” Alfred said.”I am a lot stronger now than I used to be and that’s why I could push a bit extra in the second part of the race.”Likina Amebaw won the women’s 5000m, leading home an Ethiopian 1-2-3. Expectations were high for Italy’s Nadia Battocletti, who looked comfortable tucked in behind the pacemakers in the early stages. But once Bahrain’s Winfred Yavi upped the pace, Battocletti drifted back down the field.Yavi’s time at the front ended once the Ethiopians took over, with Freweyni Hailu taking the lead on the penultimate lap. Hailu had to settle for third, however, as Amebaw caught Aleshign Baweke before the line.Norway’s Henriette Jaeger took victory in the women’s 400m with a time of 49.60, in a race which saw Britain’s Olympic 800m champion Keely Hodgkinson open her outdoor season after winning the world indoor 800m title.Jaeger came from behind to power to the line ahead of Czech Lurdes Gloria Manuel.Hodgkinson, who has the 800m world record in her sights this year, opted to run the shorter distance to work on her speed over the opening lap of the longer race, and came in seventh, posting a personal best of 51.14.American Trey Cunningham won the men’s 110m hurdles in a personal best time of 12.98 seconds, ahead of Jamaican Orlando Bennett. Related Story Source…
Palestinians mourn outside the morgue of Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City yesterday during the funeral of people killed in Israeli airstrikes on residential buildings. (AFP) Israeli strikes killed at least 10 Palestinians, including five members of the same family, in separate attacks in the Gaza Strip yesterday, health officials said.Medics in Gaza said Israeli aircraft struck four apartments before dawn, including the family’s home, killing nine people and wounding at least 15.Later, a separate airstrike killed one person and wounded others near Wehda Street in Gaza City, medics said, taking the day’s death toll to at least 10.The Israeli military did not immediately comment.Reuters footage after the first strike showed a blown-out building with charred and damaged furniture, with debris strewn across the road.A video circulating on Palestinian social media, which Reuters could not immediately verify, showed people entering an apartment with blankets to recover bodies.”We were woken up by the strike at 2:30am. We found pieces of flesh and people were sleeping. They say the war is over but the war is not over,” Khalil Batran, a neighbour of the family who were killed, told Reuters.A girl was the only survivor of the strike on the family home, medics said.”There is no safety in Gaza … Every day they fire at us from there and strike us with missiles. It’s futile,” Batran added.A ceasefire brokered by US President Donald Trump has failed to halt Israeli attacks and left Israel in control of more than half the enclave after October 2023.Indirect talks on a second phase of the deal — including Hamas disarmament and Israeli troop withdrawals — have stalled.Some 930 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes since the truce began, according to figures from Gaza health officials. …
Los Angeles Olympic organizers will use the city's 2026 World Cup matches as a key learning opportunity for transport, security and crowd movement as they prepare to stage the 2028 Games, LA28 chief executive Reynold Hoover has said.The World Cup will bring eight matches to Los Angeles, with games at SoFi Stadium, offering Olympic planners a live test of how the region handles a major global sporting event before the much larger Olympics and Paralympics arrive two years later.’It gives us an opportunity to look at transportation, it gives us an opportunity to look at security, it gives us an opportunity to look at how are they moving fans around,’ Hoover said in an interview.’For us, we can take that and then scale it,’ he added, noting that LA28 will involve 50 competition venues and about 15,000 Olympic and Paralympic athletes.Hoover said the organizing committee has developed a strong relationship with FIFA and expects lessons from the soccer tournament to feed directly into Olympic planning. EXCITEMENT BUILDING TOWARD LA OLYMPICSThe comments came following three days of meetings between LA28 and the International Olympic Committee Coordination Commission in Los Angeles to review preparations.Hoover said the IOC examined operations, venues, delivery models, community engagement, the torch relay, economic impact and sustainability.’The level of excitement is electric,’ Hoover said. ‘To have the IOC here with us … and hear the results of where they assess that we are makes me even more confident that we're going to deliver a Games like none other.’ NO PLAYBOOK FOR MASSIVE LA GAMESHe said the greatest challenge remains the sheer size and complexity of the event.The LA Games will be the largest ever in terms of programming, featuring 36 sports spanning over 800 events.’No one has done an Olympics to this size, to this scale and this scope,’ Hoover said. ‘There's no book that we can go to.’Organizers are drawing on experience from recent and future hosts, including Paris 2024, Milano Cortina 2026, Brisbane 2032 and Utah 2034, he said. UPCOMING MEETINGS AND TICKET DROPSSeveral planning milestones are approaching. National Olympic Committees are due in Los Angeles next month to inspect venues, the Olympic Village, accommodation plans and arrival operations at LAX.Broadcasters and media representatives are also expected to visit as organizers refine plans for global coverage.Hoover said the next Olympic ticket release is scheduled for August, after what he described as record-breaking initial demand. Paralympic tickets, the mascot, torch design and torch relay details are expected in 2027.The torch relay will visit all 50 U.S. states over 100 days, beginning in April 2028 and ending in Los Angeles on July 14, 2028, the day of the Olympic opening ceremony. Source link
Hezbollah’s chief has rejected a conditional truce announced by Lebanese and Israeli envoys, demanding instead a comprehensive ceasefire and full Israeli withdrawal as he threatened northern Israel with new attacks.Naim Qassem’s message came after Lebanese and Israeli representatives in the United States agreed to a conditional ceasefire that Lebanon’s president called the “last chance” for a durable end to the fighting.Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has said that the ceasefire would come into force within 24 hours of all concerned parties approving it.There was no immediate response from Israel, Lebanon or the US to Qassem’s remarks.Hezbollah is not a party to the US-brokered agreement reached between Israel and the Lebanese government on Wednesday, but would be required to halt attacks.Lebanon was drawn into the wider Middle East war when Hezbollah attacked Israel to avenge the February 28 killing of Iran’s supreme leader.Hezbollah has rejected the Israel-Lebanon talks, and a previous ceasefire announced on April 17 has been breached daily, with Israeli troops deployed deep inside Lebanese territory and the Iran-backed militants continuing to attack Israel.”The ceasefire must be comprehensive… without the Israeli enemy having the freedom to kill,” Qassem said yesterday, urging the government to halt “the farce and humiliation called direct talks” with Israel.He also vowed that “as long as our villages are unsafe – being bombed, destroyed and our people killed – the settlements (north Israel) are unsafe”.The speech followed new Israeli strikes on Lebanon and fresh threats against Beirut by Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz, who said that the army will “at this stage, continue its fire and ground operations… without the return of the population, while continuing to dismantle terrorist infrastructure”.Israeli forces also retain the “freedom of action, with American backing, to strike in Beirut in response to fire on Israeli communities and territory”, he added.Speaking on condition of anonymity, a Hezbollah official told AFP that the group had informed the Lebanese government of its rejection of the truce agreement.In south Lebanon, a United Nations peacekeeper was killed and two others were wounded, the Unifil force said, after a base was hit the previous night.Belgrade said the slain peacekeeper was Serbian, with seven blue helmets now killed since the latest war erupted in March.Israel blamed Hezbollah for his death.Mohammad Chamseddine, 56, from Beirut’s southern suburbs, told AFP that “this isn’t the first time there’s been a ceasefire and Israel violates it”.As an Israeli drone buzzed overhead, Chamseddine said the ceasefire for now was just “words on paper. I won’t believe it until I see it on the ground. How can a ceasefire be on one side only?”Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported strikes in more than 20 locations in Lebanon’s south and east yesterday, some causing casualties, including a couple and their daughter who were wounded in an attack on their car.Israel’s military renewed a warning to Lebanese not to cross the Zahrani River, around 45km from the border, after it last week declared all areas south of the river “combat zones”.Earlier yesterday the Israeli military said air raid sirens sounded in northern Israel, with one incident involving a “suspicious aerial target” resolved, while another incident was found to be a false alarm.Hezbollah claimed several attacks on Israeli troops who have invaded south Lebanon. Source link
Serena Williams will take part in the women’s doubles at June’s WTA event in Berlin, organisers announced Friday, the next stop in her comeback after a near four-year absence.”Every tournament I add to my schedule right now is special, and Berlin is no exception,” Williams, 44, said in a statement.”I look forward to playing in front of the German crowd and continuing to build momentum for the grass-court season.”Her doubles partner will be announced at a later date.On Monday, the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion confirmed her return to the sport to play at London’s Queen’s Club tournament starting June 8.The Berlin Tennis Open begins in the German capital on June 15 and is a traditional warm-up event for Wimbledon, which starts on June 29.Nine of the WTA’s top 10 players are set to take part at the tournament in Berlin’s west.Williams’ third-round exit at the US Open in September 2022 was her final match on the tour.The American’s final opportunities to fine-tune her comeback will be in tournaments at Bad Homburg, in Germany, and Eastbourne, in England, before Wimbledon begins.Williams has won Wimbledon seven times in singles and six times in doubles. Related Story Source link
Qatar Youth Hostels, in co-operation with the Ministry of Municipality, has announced the opening of registration for the 2026 Gulf Youth Day celebration, to be held at Al-Thakhira Reserve tomorrow (June 6).The event will feature a programme packed with environmental and recreational activities for young people.The event aims to raise awareness among Gulf youth about the importance of preserving the environment and natural resources, and to provide them with an opportunity to learn firsthand about Qatar’s rich environmental assets through a range of field activities and interactive experiences that combine entertainment and education.The celebration will include a diverse array of activities related to ecotourism and nature exploration, allowing participants to discover the biodiversity of Al-Thakhira Reserve, one of the country’s most prominent natural destinations.It will also foster a culture of teamwork and initiative among young people.The programme targets the 13-17 age group, with events running from 3pm-7pm.A large turnout of young people interested in environmental and exploratory activities is expected.This event is being organised in co-operation with Aquasports for Sustainable Environmental and Agricultural Tourism, as part of the celebration of Gulf Youth Day, which represents an opportunity to highlight the role of youth in the development process, and to encourage them to actively participate in community and environmental initiatives, in order to contribute to building a generation that is more aware of sustainability issues and environmental protection. Source link
England’s Josh Tongue celebrates the wicket of New Zealand’s Kane Williamson with teammates during day two of the first Test at Lord’s Cricket Ground, London, Britain,…
Qatar has condemned the attack that targeted a post belonging to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) in southern Lebanon, and resulted in the death of a Serbian soldier and injuries to two others from El Salvador and Spain.Qatar considered the attack a serious violation of international humanitarian law and UN Security Council Resolution 1701.In a statement issued yesterday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) reiterated Qatar’s complete rejection of any attack targeting Unifil, which plays a vital role in maintaining security and stability in Lebanon.The ministry stressed the need for an immediate investigation into the attack and for those responsible to be brought to justice.The MoFA expressed Qatar’s condolences to the family of the soldier and to the government and people of Serbia, as well as its wishes for a speedy recovery for the injured. Source link
Alexander Zverev moved to the verge of a long-awaited first Grand Slam title as the second seed saw off Jakub Mensik in four sets on Friday to set up a French Open final against Flavio Cobolli.The German will face 10th seed Cobolli on Sunday after securing a 7-5, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 victory over Mensik.Cobolli did not even have to play his first Grand Slam semi-final, as his last-four opponent and fellow Italian Matteo Arnaldi withdrew from the tournament shortly before the match due to illness.Zverev has endured several near misses at the majors, with three previous final defeats, including against Carlos Alcaraz at Roland Garros two years ago.”This is a Grand Slam, it’s best of five, things are going to happen, opponents are going to play better. I managed it,” said Zverev.”I hope to play another great match on Sunday.”Zverev will be a strong favourite when he faces Cobolli, against whom he holds a 3-1 winning record, to finally get over the line and lift a Slam trophy.The world number three was playing in his 11th Grand Slam semi-final and his experience showed against Czech youngster Mensik.The 20-year-old, in the last four of a major for the first time, tired as the match went on as his previous exertions in Paris, including two five-set matches, took their toll. DEALT WELL WITH PRESSUREZverev has dealt well with the pressure of being the tournament favourite since the early exits of Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic, in the second and third rounds respectively.He will face one last test of his mental strength on Court Philippe Chatrier in two days’ time, but should at least be fresh physically after reaching the final having only lost two sets in six matches.”Pure emptiness, there’s absolutely nothing in my head,” insisted a smiling Zverev in his on-court interview.”We’re athletes, very few of us have anything in our heads. Sometimes it’s easier to be stupid and not to think too much.”The 29-year-old has been within one set of victory in two of his previous three Slam finals, when facing Alcaraz in Paris in 2024 and when he blew a two-set lead against Dominic Thiem at the 2020 US Open.Zverev is also aiming to end a 14-month title drought dating back to a clay-court event in Munich in April last year.MENSIK BRIEFLY THREATENED WITH COMEBACKZverev took a closely-fought first set courtesy of a break in the 11th game, having earlier saved three break points to deny Mensik a 5-3 lead.The 26th seed could not keep pace at all in the second set, as Zverev broke twice and only dropped four points on his own serve.Mensik called for a medical time-out just three games into the third set, appearing to struggle with a neck injury.But he dragged himself back into the contest seemingly out of nowhere, breaking to take a 4-2 lead in the third set as his use of the drop shot started to make a greater impact.That shot wrapped up a hold to love and the set — only the second Zverev had lost in the tournament.Mensik could not keep up his momentum, though, falling 2-0 behind in the fourth set as consecutive backhand unforced errors gifted Zverev a break.The three-time Grand Slam runner-up powered into the final from there, despite drawing the ire of some spectators for disputing two line calls and also receiving a warning for a time violation.Zverev wrapped up victory on his first match point as Mensik netted a backhand. ARNALDI WITHDRAWSWorld number 104 Arnaldi had spent the most amount of time on court for a player en route to a Grand Slam semi-final, winning marathon matches in the third and fourth rounds.His quarter-final opponent Matteo Berrettini retired injured in the second set of their last-eight tie.But Arnaldi’s dreams of a remarkable Slam title were ended by a virus.”It’s tough — for how the tournament was, for how many hours I spent on court, I felt pretty good,” said Arnaldi.”Every time I get up I feel dizzy and not the best… so that was the right decision for me.”Cobolli has dropped just two sets in the event so far and impressed in his quarter-final victory over Canadian fourth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime.”It’s tough for me to speak also. When he came to me an hour ago I almost cried,” said Cobolli of his friend Arnaldi.”At the same time I’m happy with the result this week.” Related Story Source link
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam yesterday urged Iran to stop treating his country, where Israel and the Tehran-backed Hezbollah are at war, as a “bargaining chip” in its negotiations with Washington on the Middle East conflict.”If I may address a word to Iran, it is this: have mercy on our south, stop treating it and its people as merely a bargaining chip to improve the terms of your negotiations,” Salam told a press conference for a UN aid appeal for Lebanon. Source link