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Sick and wounded Gazans began crossing into Egypt to seek medical treatment on Monday after Israel permitted a limited reopening of the Palestinian territory’s Rafah border post.Around 150 people were due to leave the territory on Monday, and 50 to enter it, according to Egyptian officials, more than 20 months after Israeli forces fighting in Gaza closed the crossing.”Three ambulances have arrived so far carrying a number of the sick and injured, who were immediately screened upon arrival to determine to which hospital they will be transferred,” an Egyptian health official told AFP. The partial resumption of operations comes after Gaza’s civil defence reported dozens killed in a wave of Israeli strikes over the weekend, in what the military said was retaliation for Palestinian fighters exiting a tunnel in Rafah city. The border crossing with Egypt is Gaza’s only gateway to the outside world that does not lead to Israel, and is a key access point for both people and goods.The partial resumption began on Sunday in a tightly restricted pilot phase that did not involve travel of people, and came after months of appeals from aid groups. Israeli troops still control more than half of Gaza, while the rest remains under Hamas authority. The Rafah crossing had been briefly opened in early 2025, but has been largely shut since it was seized by Israeli forces in May 2024.No aid entry The director of Gaza City’s Al-Shifa Hospital, Mohammed Abu Salmiya, said there were 20,000 patients in the territory in urgent need of treatment, including 4,500 children. AlQahera News, citing Egypt’s health ministry, reported that 150 hospitals and 300 ambulances had been prepared to receive Palestinian patients. It said 12,000 doctors and 30 rapid deployment teams had been allocated to work with those transferred. Source link
A man works on a cricket bat to prepare for sale at a sports gear shop in Kolkata, India, February 2, 2026. (Reuters) Boycott deepens freeze in India-Pakistan cricket relations after Islamabad’s decision on Sunday Pakistan’s decision to boycott its Twenty20 World Cup match against India has drawn widespread support from fans and administrators who hailed the move as a long-overdue stand in a rivalry in which sport and geopolitics have collided. The government on Sunday cleared Pakistan to take part in the tournament beginning February 7 but barred the team from playing India in a February 15 group match in Colombo, a decision the International Cricket Council (ICC) said was not in the interests of the global game. The boycott deepened a long freeze in bilateral cricket between the nuclear-armed neighbours – who have not played a full series since 2012-13 and now meet largely at neutral venues – and dealt a blow to the ICC’s marquee event, with India-Pakistan matches the biggest drivers of global viewership and revenue. ‘ENOUGH IS ENOUGH’For many in Pakistan, however, the boycott was less about cricketing issues, with Pakistan forfeiting two points by skipping the match, and more about symbolism. “Enough is enough,” former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Najam Sethi told Reuters, accusing India’s board of politicising the ICC.“It’s time to challenge this duplicitous approach by exercising PCB’s options in alliance with Bangladesh.” The Indian government, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the International Cricket Council did not respond to requests for comment. The ICC said it was still awaiting an official communication from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) conveying their “position of selective participation”. “While the ICC respects the roles of governments in matters of national policy, this decision is not in the interest of the global game or the welfare of fans worldwide, including millions in Pakistan,” the Dubai-based body said in a statement on Sunday. The government has not publicly detailed its reasoning, but Mosharraf Zaidi, a spokesperson for Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, linked the move to security tensions with India. “Nothing is more important than the memory of Pakistani citizens and troops murdered by Indian proxy terrorists over the weekend,” Zaidi said. “With funerals taking place today, this was the least that could be done.” The remarks followed co-ordinated attacks by Baloch separatist militants across Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province over the weekend that killed nearly 50 people. India’s foreign ministry rejected Pakistan’s accusations, calling them “baseless” and accusing Islamabad of deflecting attention from its own internal issues. Pakistan’s World Cup jersey has been branded the “Markhor Edition,” after the national animal, a symbol of resilience also used in military iconography, Geo TV reported.‘LET CRICKET JUST BE A GAME’ On the streets of Pakistan’s major cities, many cricket fans backed the boycott as a response to what they see as India’s growing influence over global cricket governance.“This arrogance of India should be broken a little,” said Mohammad Asghar, a fan in Karachi. “They should realise someone has come forward to challenge them.” Others drew parallels with Bangladesh’s earlier withdrawal from the tournament over safety concerns, a move that led to Scotland replacing them, and questioned why Pakistan should be held to a different standard.“If Bangladesh can boycott for one player’s safety, why can’t Pakistan take a stand?” said Ayaz Ahmed. The decision also sparked heated debate on social media, with users divided between calls for “self-respect” and warnings that skipping the match could further isolate Pakistan in global cricket.Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi agreed.“Cricket can open doors when politics closes them,” he wrote on X.“It’s regrettable that Pakistan won’t play India, but this is the moment for the ICC to prove it is impartial,” the former Pakistan skipper added. Source link
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) warned the Israeli entity against dropping unidentified chemical substances from its aircraft over southern Lebanon. In a statement, UNIFIL said Israel informed the mission on Sunday that it would conduct an aerial activity to release what it described as a non-toxic chemical substance over areas near the Blue Line, requesting that UNIFIL forces remain under shelter. UNIFIL added that it was unable to carry out routine operations along about one-third of the Blue Line, and could only resume normal activities after more than nine hours. The mission assisted the Lebanese Armed Forces in collecting samples to test their toxicity levels. UNIFIL stressed that this activity is unacceptable and violates UN Security Council Resolution 1701, noting that the deliberate and planned actions by Israel not only limited the peacekeepers’ ability to carry out their mandated tasks but could also potentially endanger their health and that of civilians. The dropping of chemical substances has raised concerns among residents about unknown long-term effects on local agricultural lands and the return of civilians to their homes and livelihoods. According to UNIFIL, this is not the first instance of the Israeli army releasing unidentified chemical substances from its aircraft over Lebanon. Source link
Paris St Germain’s Nuno Mendes celebrates scoring their second goal against Strasbourg in the Ligue 1 match. (Reuters) ‘In the end I don’t know if we deserved to win or not but it was important’ Nuno Mendes scored a late winner as Paris Saint-Germain survived the second-half sending-off of Achraf Hakimi to beat Strasbourg 2-1 on Sunday and reclaim top spot in Ligue 1. A dramatic game in Alsace saw PSG goalkeeper Matfei Safonov save Joaquin Panichelli’s early penalty for Strasbourg, before Senny Mayulu gave the visitors the lead. Guela Doue, elder brother of PSG star Desire, levelled for the home side before the half-hour mark, but Portugal left-back Mendes headed in the winner for the reigning French and European champions in the 81st minute. Luis Enrique’s team had been reduced to 10 men on 74 minutes as Moroccan star Hakimi was sent off for a high tackle on Panichelli – he was initially shown a yellow card only for the punishment to be upgraded to red after a VAR check. Having missed out on direct qualification for the Champions League last 16 in midweek following a 1-1 draw with Newcastle United, PSG bounced back here to make it six successive Ligue 1 victories.As a result, they are two points clear at the top of the table from Lens, who defeated Le Havre 1-0 on Friday. “We were fortunate to win this match when most people would have thought it was impossible,” said Luis Enrique.“It was not our best performance. In the end I don’t know if we deserved to win or not but it was very important.” For Strasbourg, the defeat was their first in four matches under new English coach Gary O’Neil, appointed last month after Liam Rosenior left for Chelsea.They remain seventh, but are only two points adrift of Lille in fifth. Strasbourg were awarded a penalty following a VAR check after PSG captain Marquinhos blocked a shot with his arm. However, Safonov dived to his right to keep out the penalty by Argentina striker Panichelli.“He is the best goalkeeper I have ever worked with when it comes to stopping penalties,” Luis Enrique said of the Russian. Mayulu then prodded PSG into the lead, only for Doue to finish off a fine move to equalise by turning in Ben Chilwell’s cross. Strasbourg must have hoped they could go on to win the game after Moroccan star Hakimi was sent off on his first Ligue 1 appearance in three months, but Mendes headed in Warren Zaire-Emery’s cross to take the points back to Paris. “I am really proud of the team but really disappointed that we somehow found a way to lose, because I thought we were excellent and created the better chances,” said O’Neil.“Many teams lose to PSG just defending but we were in the game the whole way – it does give us the belief that we can go again.” Elsewhere, Lyon continued their excellent run of form with a 1-0 win over Lille to make it 10 straight victories in all competitions and further boost their chances of Champions League qualification.Danish midfielder Noah Nartey scored the only goal late in the opening half, a first for the 20-year-old since his arrival from Brondby last month. The seven-time French champions have now won every game since losing at Lorient in early December, including five on the bounce in Ligue 1. That form has allowed Paulo Fonseca’s side – also boosted by the arrival of Brazil striker Endrick on loan from Real Madrid – to cement their grip on fourth place, which brings with it a spot in next season’s Champions League qualifying rounds.With 39 points, Lyon trail Marseille in third only on goal difference and are seven clear of Lille, for whom this was a sixth loss in seven matches in 2026.Marseille followed their exit from the Champions League during the week by squandering a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 at Paris FC on Saturday – OM and OL are nine points worse off than PSG. Source link
Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi yesterday (2 February) expressed his full support for Islamabad’s decision to boycott the country’s group-stage match against India at the upcoming…
Organisers of the Doha Diamond League Meeting on May 8 have confirmed that athletes who set new meeting records at the 2026 event will be awarded a $5000 bonus, an innovative concept that was first introduced in 2025.The Diamond League series broke new ground in 2025 with $9.84mn awarded in prize money across the series as a whole, the largest prize pool in Diamond League history.While the introduction of meeting record bonus payments in Doha provided another welcome incentive for athletes, the high standard of past-performances meant that only Bahrain’s Olympic silver medallist Salwa Eid Naser came close. Her winning time of 49.83 in the women’s 400m matched the meeting record set by Allyson Felix of USA in 2008, but it wasn’t quick enough for the outright best required to meet the criteria for the $5000 bonus payment.Mohammed al-Fadala, Qatar Athletics Federation president, said: “The Doha Meeting has established itself as one of the leading Wanda Diamond League fixtures and feedback from our athletes, their coaches and their managers, repeatedly tells us that our exceptional hospitality is a key factor in them wanting to return.“As Mutaz Barshim said in last year’s press conference, track and field isn’t an easy job, so it’s very important that we value our athletes and take care of them, as well as providing the perfect stage for top quality competition. By continuing to award bonus payments for new meeting records we are incentivising athletes to perform, but we are also rewarding them for their efforts.“Mutaz acknowledged that change is positive and that as a meeting, and across the sport as a whole, we were moving in the right direction. We in Doha remain committed to innovation and change and that remains crucial if we’re to continue to grow our reputation and profile globally.”Earlier, multiple Olympic, world and European champion Mondo Duplantis of Sweden confirmed he will compete in Doha. The 26-year-old, a two-time Olympic gold medallist and six-time world champion, is also the meeting record holder in Doha with 6.02m, set in 2022. He arrives following another standout season, having broken the world record for the 14th time, most recently with 6.30m at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.Duplantis is unbeaten in this Doha Diamond League fixture, but it’s been far from plain sailing. The 2020 event was postponed due to the pandemic (he won the rescheduled competition with a best of 5.82m), while in 2022 the men’s pole vault was delayed by one day and moved indoors due to high winds. Duplantis cleared 6.02m for the win on that occasion – a mark that still stands as the meeting record.“We’ve had a couple of challenges in the past for sure, but I’ve always loved coming to Doha,” said the 2025 World Athlete of the Year. “Last year was amazing for me. I ticked off a couple of really big goals, stuff that was high up on my bucket list, but my hunger and motivation is still 100% there. My training has gone well over the winter and I’m looking forward to competing indoors – it’s important to have something new to aim for, and for me, I want to successfully defend my European title. Doha will follow and it’s the perfect meet to kick off my outdoor season. I definitely prefer the warm weather to the cold, so hopefully conditions will be conducive to jumping high, challenging my meeting record, and setting a solid benchmark – and new goals – for the year ahead.”The azzraty Doha Meeting is the opening meeting of the 2026 Wanda Diamond League. The series comprises 15 of the most prestigious events in global track and field across four different continents. It concludes with a single final across two days in Brussels on September 4 and 5. Related Story Source link
Arsenal’s manager Mikel Arteta gestures on the touchline during the Premier League against Leeds United at Elland Road in Leeds. (AFP) Mikel Arteta said Arsenal are “actively looking” for a replacement for the injured Mikel Merino in the closing hours of the transfer window. Merino, who has been a valuable contributor in midfield and attack for the Gunners, could miss the rest of the season with a fractured right foot that requires surgery. Arteta stressed how significant the Spain international’s absence as Arsenal compete to win four trophies. The Arsenal boss hopes his club can come up with a new signing to fill the void before Monday’s 1900GMT deadline. “We are actively looking at options and we will continue to do that,” Arteta told reporters Monday. “When you lose a big player like this with four months to go, and all the competitions to play for, you need to look and we need to do everything we possibly can to see if a player is available.” The loss of Merino has been tempered by the return to fitness of Germany forward Kai Havertz. There was further good news for Arsenal as Arteta revealed an injury that kept England winger Bukayo Saka out of Saturday’s 4-0 win over Leeds is only minor. “Today, he (Saka) was better. Let’s see how he responds. It doesn’t look like something too serious,” Arteta added ahead of today’s League Cup semi-final second leg against Chelsea“Whether he is available for tomorrow or the weekend, we will have to wait and see.” Arsenal remain on course for an unprecedented quadruple. Arteta’s side hold a six-point lead at the top of the Premier League, have progressed to the last 16 of the Champions League and face third-tier Wigan in the FA Cup fourth round. But the Spaniard is focused on reaching the League Cup final as his side’s first opportunity to end a six-year trophy drought. Arsenal hold a 3-2 lead over Chelsea ahead of the second leg on home soil at the Emirates Stadium. “The next one is always the most important one. And it is the closest, at least, to reach a final,” said Arteta. “We really need to create the atmosphere, the energy, the belief that we’re going to do it.” Related Story Source link
The fourth and penultimate round of the Qatar Superstock 600 (QSTK 600) Championship delivered another weekend of thrilling action as the title race tightened up at the Lusail International Circuit. In QSTK 600, Mashal al-Naimi opened the round with a commanding victory in Race 1, completing 12 laps in 25:18.209 to lead in his Yamaha R6. Russia’s Dmitry Sedin finished second on a Kawasaki ZX-6, while Abdulla al-Qubaisi completed the podium. Sedin booked another podium spot when he topped the QSTK Trophy Class while India’s Jonathan Emmanuel came second and Hungary’s Marton Belleli finished third. Race 2 saw al-Qubaisi strike back in style, taking a dominant win in 20:48.010 in the 10-lap race ahead of al-Naimi and al-Mutawa who finished second and third respectively. This time, Emmanuel topped the QSTK Trophy class ahead of Belleli and Russia’s Yuri Nekrasov. After Race 2, al-Naimi and al-Qubaisi are locked at the top of the Superstock 600 standings on 180 points each, with Geoffrey Emmanuel third on 115. In Supersport 300 category, Mahmoud Elbanna leads the championship standings with 157 points, followed by Andrea Giacchero (109) and Nolan Macary (100), with riders now heading to the final round which will take place on February 27-28. Related Story Source link
The referee (right) looks on as Tottenham Hotspur’s Xavi Simons (left) clashes with Manchester City’s Rodri (centre) during the Premier League match at the Tottenham Hotspur…
Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz poses with the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup trophy at the Royal Exhibition Building following his victory against Serbia’s Novak Djokovic in the Australian…