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Qatari national team swimmer Ali Tamer has qualified for the 100m freestyle final at the 20th Asian Games (Aichi-Nagoya 2026), currently taking place in Japan until Oct. 4, following the men’s preliminary heats held at the Aquatics Center on Sunday.Tamer secured his spot in the final after placing second in his heat with a time of 48.65 seconds, breaking his previous national record of 49.10 seconds.The Qatari swimmer aims to continue his impressive performance in the final to achieve a result that brings honor to Qatari swimming.Qatar’s national swimming team will return to the pool on Monday to compete in the men’s 4×200-meter freestyle relay. They hope to achieve a positive result and strengthen their presence in the Asian competition.Qatar is represented in the swimming events by six athletes: Mohamed Mahmoud, Ali Tamer, Saad Al Din Saad Al Din, Emile Mounir Fouzai, Abdullah Al Ghamri, and Mohamed Aziz Jilani.The Asian Games swimming program encompasses 41 individual and relay events.Qatar is participating in the 20th Asian Games (Aichi-Nagoya 2026) with a delegation of 427 members, including 243 athletes (184 men and 59 women). Source link
Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) today (20 September) approved revised match fees for players participating in domestic competitions while agreeing in principle to introduce a six-team competition…
Temporary container huts being used to house athletes for the 2026 Asian Games at the Garden Pier in Nagoya. (AFP) IOC president Kirsty Coventry called the shipping container-style huts for Asian Games athletes “beautiful” on Sunday — but conceded they were “a little tighter” than similar accommodation at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. Asia’s biggest sporting spectacle, which opened on Saturday in the Japanese city of Nagoya, has split with past Games by having no traditional athletes’ village.To save costs, the more than 17,000 Asian Games participants will stay in temporary huts, hotels and a cruise ship. Some countries have criticised the wooden cabins as too small, with beds that are too short. But after touring the lodgings, International Olympic Committee president Coventry said she could not understand the negativity.”We had similar cabins in Milan-Cortina (Winter Games this year) and the athletes were very happy. And the cabins here are really nice,” said the Zimbabwean former Olympic champion swimmer.”They’re a little tighter. So, you know, if you want something negative, it’s a little smaller. “But I don’t think it’s a negative thing. I love the village.”About 2,000 participants are staying in the lodgings by the water in Nagoya. Coventry said: “The cabins are quiet, they’re very cool. The air conditioning is working well.”The flooring and the walls are beautiful. It’s better than some of the villages I’ve stayed in. “So I think to be very fair to Japan and to the organising committee, I was really impressed.”I had only been reading everything that had been said. And I was expecting something completely different to when I walked in.” Asked by AFP if she would happily see the temporary cabins and also a cruise ship serve as accommodation at the Olympics, she said she had not been to the vessel.But she pointed to the accommodation at Milan-Cortina, and said those “very closely” resembled the ones in Nagoya.”It’s not a new concept,” she added. “And it is a concept that I think, for me, when we talk about an athlete experience, being an athlete… as soon as I go in, I’m not necessarily concerned about the look.” Related Story Source link
Four years at the helm, now Joty puts the bat first. BSS 20 September, 2026, 08:45 pm Last modified: 20 September, 2026, 08:56 pm Bangladesh women’s…
The US approved a potential $2.68bn sale of air defence equipment to Ukraine on Friday. It has been reported that Kyiv has made repeated pleas for support from the US and other countries amid the ongoing crisis due to prolonged war with Russia. The pleas have been made to fend off the growing Russian attacks, the intensity of which have left Ukraine exposed new dangers. The State Department said in a congressional notification that it made “a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Ukraine” for buying air defence development upgrades and related equipment and services. Kyiv has requested to buy equipment including multiple types of missiles, launchers, counter-drone radars and trailers, according to the State Department. The proposed sale is subject to congressional review. “If the proposed purchase is concluded, Ukraine would finance it using a combination of European contributions and US Foreign Military Financing appropriated during the prior Administration,” the State Department said. US President Donald Trump said this month he would ask Europeans to repay the Americanaid provided to Ukraine under the administration of his predecessor Joe Biden. Trump has long demanded that Europeans shoulder more of the cost of Western support for Ukraine. Friday’s proposal, which the State Department estimated would cost $2.68bn, came as Trump signed a bill authorising new sanctions designed to squeeze Russia. Ukraine’s capital Kyiv has seen a surge in Russian attacks, which its air defences have struggled to repel due to ammunition shortages. Moscow is seeking to drain Ukrainian morale and intimidate Kyiv’s European allies at a time when the Kremlin believes it has the advantage in weapons production, analysts say.The war in the Middle East has also hampered US-mediated talks on ending the conflict, taking up much of Washington’s time and munitions. But even before that conflict, which broke out in February, Russia and Ukraine remained at odds over the key issue of territory. Ukraine has proposed freezing the conflict along the current front lines. Russia has rejected this, saying it wants the whole of the Donetsk region, despite it being partly controlled by Ukraine — a demand Kyiv says is unacceptable. Source link
Qatar aims to reclaim its Gulf football dominance during the 27th Arabian Gulf Cup, hosted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from Sept. 23-Oct. 6, seeking to secure its fourth title.Qatar has won three Gulf Cup tournaments: the 1992 and 2004 editions, both held in Doha, as well as the 2014 edition, held in Saudi Arabia.In its bid to secure a fourth title, Qatar will rely on several key assets, most notably the accumulated experience of its current squad. The team comprises players who have formed its core over the past few years, including those who participated in the qualifiers and finals for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, alongside seasoned veterans who played pivotal roles in winning the 2019 and 2023 Asian Cup titles.The team will also rely on the coaching of Julen Lopetegui, who led the technical staff at the World Cup, having guided the squad to qualify for the tournament for the first time, following their debut appearance as hosts at the Qatar 2022 tournament.Lopetegui named a 26-player squad: Salah Zakaria, Shehab Ellethy, Mahmoud Abu Nada, Ahmed Alaa, Ahmed Fathy, Akram Afif, Ayoub Al Alawi, Edmilson Junior, Jassem Gaber, Sultan Al Brake, Tarek Salman, Assim Madibo, Issa Laye, Abdulaziz Hatem, Tahseen Mohammed, Naif Al Hadhrami, Mohammed Manaei, Homam Al Amin, Almoez Ali, Yousef Abdulrazak, Hashim Ali, Hassan Al Haydos, Boualem Khoukhi, Pedro Miguel, Ahmed Al Ganehi, and Karim Boudiaf.The new additions to the squad selected by Lopetegui were limited to three players making their national team debut: Hashim Ali, Tahsin Mohammed, and Naif Al Hadhrami; all of whom have delivered impressive performances since the start of the season and earned their place in the national team.Otherwise, Lopetegui has retained the squad members who participated in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, relying on star player Akram Afif to lead the team on the pitch, thanks to his exceptional skill and superior ability to both create and score goals. Almoez Ali also stands out as the national team’s top scorer. He has begun to gradually regain his form following a season plagued by multiple injuries that sidelined him for extended periods, and the Gulf Cup is set to serve as the true launchpad for the return of the 2019 Asian Cup’s top scorer and best player.Meanwhile, key figures such as captain Hassan Al Haydos, defenders Boualem Khoukhi and Pedro Miguel, and influential winger Edmilson Junior cannot be overlooked.Although the tournament serves as a crucial preparatory step in Qatar’s bid to defend its two continental titles at the 2027 Asian Cup, hosted by Saudi Arabia in early 2027, the expectation is to bring home the trophy that has eluded the team since 2014.Qatar’s first match of the tournament will be against defending champions Bahrain on Sept. 24.The draw placed Qatar into Group A, alongside Bahrain, the UAE, and Yemen. Group B includes Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Oman, and Kuwait. Source link
US President Donald Trump said yesterday he was banning news outlets CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House, accusing them without specifics of reporting “fiction and lies.” Trump added that “other Fake News Media Outlets” would face a similar fate, but did not say which ones. The move drew immediate accusations that it was unconstitutional and would be thrown out by the courts. “I am proud to announce that, effective immediately, I am banning Fake News CNN, MSNOW… and Politico… from the White House as a result of their constant ‘reporting’ FAKE NEWS!” Trump said on his Truth Social platform. Trump did not say what had prompted the move but added that “media Outlets shouldn’t be able to constantly write or report FICTION and LIES when they’re covering the President of the US, the Trump Administration, or the US of America.” Later in the Oval Office, Trump told reporters: “I think that somebody has a right to keep them away if they’re going to write false stories all the time. It’s really just cumulative stories over the last two years. You get sick of it,” he said. “They’re smart people, but they purposely write negative news, and they do that because they want to try and diminish the Republicans and our administration.” It is extremely rare for US presidents to outright bar news outlets from the White House, although Trump banned a CNN reporter in his first term and Richard Nixon put restrictions on The Washington Post over its reporting on the Watergate scandal. But in his second term, Trump’s administration has put stricter controls on reporters, including taking control of which journalists can cover events as part of the “pool” admitted to tight spaces such as the Oval Office and Air Force One. Last year, Trump barred The Associated Press from some events because of the news agency’s decision to continue referring to the “Gulf of Mexico” — and not the “Gulf of America” as decreed by Trump. For the time being, reporters for Politico and CNN were still in the White House press room following Trump’s announcement. Both of the 80-year-old president’s White House terms have seen him lash out repeatedly at media whose coverage displeases him. Trump has filed multiple defamation suits against news outlets, attacked the press onTruth Social and verbally assaulted several reporters, notably women. Trump’s surprise announcement yesterday comes at a time when his approval ratings are at record lows and his Republican Party risks losing control of Congress in November’s midterm elections. The war in Iran and rising prices, particularly at the gas pump, are among the factors that have contributed to his sinking political fortunes. Source link
Qatar’s handball team opened its campaign at the 20th Asian Games, Aichi-Nagoya 2026, with a 40-17 victory over Hong Kong on Sunday in the opening round of Group A.Qatar, seeking its fourth consecutive Asian Games gold medal, delivered a strong performance throughout the match, taking a 21-9 lead at halftime before maintaining its advantage in the second half, which it won 19-8.The victory gave Qatar its first two points in the group, which also includes hosts Japan and China. Hong Kong finished the opening round without a point.Qatar will face China on Monday in the second round of Group A before concluding the group stage against Japan in the third and final round. Source link
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio poses for a photo with Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun. (Reuters/File photo Republic of Korea’s Foreign Minister Cho Hyun met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday as the longtime allies grappled with delayed Korean investments in the US and Seoul’s role in Middle East security. US President Donald Trump has criticised Seoul in recent weeks over what he described as a lack of South Korean support for US efforts to pressure Iran. The two countries have also yet to finalise agreements governing $350bn in Korean investments pledged under a trade deal reached last year. Cho explained to Rubio Seoul’s willingness to make a substantive contribution to restoring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, the ministry said in a statement without elaborating. On Seoul’s investment commitments, Rubio stressed their swift execution, the State Department said, while Korea’s foreign ministry said Rubio and Cho agreed to keep communicating to ensure ongoing consultation plans “bear good fruit”. Rubio and Cho also pledged ongoing collaboration across key strategic sectors including semiconductors, the State Department said, while Rubio underscored the need for a fair and transparent business environment for US companies in South Korea. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, who is due in the US next week for the UN General Assembly, said on Friday he would not deploy military assets to the Middle East in a way that could draw the country into conflict. However, he said Seoul was reviewing whether to play a greater role in safeguarding navigation in the region.Cho said before leaving Seoul on Thursday that investment plans under its trade deal had been delayed while procedural issues were clarified, without elaborating. Lee told a news conference on Friday that concerns over the commercial viability of the package had become a sticking point in negotiations, although the two sides were nearing an agreement. He said some elements of the package were difficult for Seoul to accept, but the government would continue discussions to ensure any deal protects South Korea’s interests while benefiting both countries and the broader US-South Korea relationship. Seoul committed last year to invest in US manufacturing in return for lowering tariffs on imports from South Korean to 15%.Lee said Seoul had insisted on including a reference to “commercially reasonable” investments in the text of the agreement. North Korea also featured in the talks, amid speculation over a possible summit between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.Rubio and Cho reaffirmed their commitment to the complete denuclearisation of North Korea, the State Department said, while Cho said Seoul would actively support the resumption of talks between Washington and Pyongyang, according to the ministry.President Lee said on Friday it was possible for a summit meeting between Kim and Trump to take place in coming months, but it remained uncertain. Source link
Violence flared in the occupied West Bank on Sunday when a suspected Palestinian gunman shot dead an Israeli man, police said, and Israeli soldiers killed a Palestinian motorist who the military said was attempting to run them over.The gunman opened fire from his vehicle at Israelis gathered at a spring near the settlement of Neve Tzuf, near Ramallah, according to the Israeli military and police. Medics who arrived at the scene of the shooting said they found a man in a car suffering from critical gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at hospital, police said.The gunman was located a few hours later at a hospital in Ramallah and arrested, police said.Shortly after the shooting, the military said that its forces “eliminated” a Palestinian driver who had attempted a ramming attack on soldiers near the settlement of Ganim, further north in the West Bank. No soldiers were hurt, it said. Reuters was not able to immediately verify the soldiers’ account.It was not clear whether the fatal incidents, on the eve of the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur, were connected.Following the incidents, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had instructed security agencies to beef up their forces and carry out arrests and offensive activities in the area.Palestinian militant group Hamas praised the shooting attack but did not claim responsibility for it. Source link