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“We offer our condolences to the families of the victims and wish a speedy recovery for the injured,” the Kabul-based UN mission (UNAMA) said in a statement.Women and children among victimsWomen and children are among…
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Paraguay stunned four-time world champions Germany 4-3 on penalties on Monday to advance to the World Cup round of 16 in one of the biggest upsets in the competition’s history, after the teams were tied 1-1 over 120 minutes.Jose Canale hit the decisive penalty to give the underdogs a memorable victory and spark wild celebrations, as they advanced to the next round where they will face either title contenders France or Sweden in the last 16.The Germans saw Kai Havertz, Nick Woltemade and Jonathan Tah fail to score from the spot before Canale, after two misses by the South Americans, kept his composure to seal their win.For the Germans, who had a Tah header disallowed in extra time, it was a bitter defeat and the first time they lost a penalty shootout at a World Cup.”We should not be blaming the referee or the penalty shootout today,” Germany captain Joshua Kimmich said. “If you cannot beat Paraguay over 120 minutes then you are deservedly eliminated. You should not depend on the opponents’ luck or no luck. You should have the quality in the squad to clearly beat this opponent.”It was the biggest win at the tournament for the South Americans, who reached the quarter-finals in 2010 and had not qualified since, while Germany’s international reputation is now in tatters after consecutive World Cup group-stage exits in 2018 and 2022.”I think the feeling we have is difficult to explain,” a beaming Paraguay captain Gustavo Gomez said. “I’m very proud of my teammates and of this group. Today was a match in which we had to be Paraguay more than ever.””I think deep down Germany knew that if they wanted to beat us, they would have to sweat blood, because we were going to make defeat very, very expensive for them,” he said.Germany’s Julian Nagelsmann, who at the age of 38 became the youngest coach in a World Cup knockout stage in 40 years, will now be under massive pressure once he returns home after yet another World Cup debacle.”I am disappointed. It was just not enough to beat this opponent,” said Nagelsmann, who had publicly set Germany the goal of winning a fifth World Cup. “The opponent scored once and we did not defend very well. We lost control of possession. We tried a lot of things but we should have scored earlier.”If you are eliminated by Paraguay you are just not a first-class football team. I am very disappointed.” ATTACKING START Nagelsmann opted for an attacking lineup, giving his team’s top scorer in the tournament, Deniz Undav, his first start. The forward, who had three goals and two assists in the group stage, threatened early on with a curled shot as the Germans controlled possession.While spending most of the time without the ball, Paraguay were content to soak up the pressure as Germany attempted every possible route to their opponents’ goal but had no single effort on target in the entire first half.By the 35th minute Germany had completed 244 passes to Paraguay’s 31 but had not managed to come any closer to breaking the deadlock.Executing their game plan to perfection, the South Americans, with Miguel Almiron back in the side after his suspension, stunned the favourites with a quick move down the right before Enciso powered home his header to score his country’s first-ever goal in the knockout stage of a World Cup.The small pockets of Paraguay fans, completely outnumbered by the white-clad Germany supporters, exploded with joy, pounding their drums as silence fell across large swathes of the stands.Frustration was visible among the Germany players as their dominance proved unprecedented – no team had ever completed 253 more passes than their opponents in a World Cup first half and still gone in behind at halftime.They hit back nine minutes after the restart with Florian Wirtz floating a cross into the box and Havertz levelling with a glancing header. They thought they had snatched a winner in the 102nd minute when Tah headed in a corner at the far post but after a lengthy VAR review the goal was disallowed for a foul on the keeper. Related Story Source link
There are destinations that impress with their monuments, and then there are places that leave a lasting impression through their soul. Kazan, the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan in Russia, belongs firmly to the latter category. Situated at the confluence of the Volga and Kazanka rivers, this fascinating city offers a remarkable blend of East and West, Islam and Christianity, tradition and modernity.Kremlin: A Symbol of HarmonyMy journey through Kazan began at the magnificent Kazan Kremlin, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and undoubtedly the city’s crown jewel. As I walked through its historic walls, our guide Natalia explained that the Kremlin is not merely a fortress but a symbol of the unique coexistence that defines Kazan.”Here, you can see the story of Kazan in one place,” she said. “The Kremlin represents centuries of interaction between different cultures, religions and peoples.”The first landmark to capture my attention was the stunning Kul Sharif Mosque, with its distinctive turquoise domes rising against the skyline. Pointing towards the mosque, the guide explained that it stands as one of the largest mosques in Russia and a powerful symbol of Tatar identity.”The original mosque was destroyed during the conquest of Kazan in the 16th century,” she noted. “What you see today is a reconstruction that reflects the resilience and pride of the Tatar people.” The iconic Kul Sharif Mosque, with its striking turquoise domes, stands as a symbol of Tatar identity…
An Israeli air strike in southern Lebanon killed three soldiers, Beirut’s military said yesterday as its chief travelled to Pakistan to meet with a key mediator in efforts to end the Middle East war.Israel has launched an operation into Lebanon to root out the Tehran-backed group Hezbollah, which dragged Lebanon into the wider Middle East war by launching missiles on behalf of its sponsor. The conflict has since killed thousands in Lebanon and displaced more than 1mn people.A ceasefire meant to have gone into force in April was never observed, and a new conditional truce announced after Lebanese-Israeli talks in Washington this week was flatly rejected by Hezbollah hours later. Lebanon has vowed that it will disarm Hezbollah over time, but has also denounced Israel’s invasion, accusing it of employing scorched earth tactics to drive civilians out of southern towns and villages.In the latest incident, the Lebanese army said, two officers and a soldier were killed in a strike on a military vehicle on the road between Khardali and Nabatieh.The Lebanese army has largely stayed out of hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel and has not taken part in the fighting during the current conflict. The Israeli military said the vehicle targeted was “moving suspiciously” in “an active combat zone” in an area it had ordered evacuated ahead of operations.However, it insisted that it “operates against the Hezbollah (…) organisation, not against the Lebanese army”, and added it was “reviewing the incident”. Hezbollah dubbed the attack a “heinous crime” and accused the Lebanese government of exposing its own country to bloodshed through its “complete surrender to the enemy’s demands in Washington”. The truce deal announced this week would require Hezbollah to stop firing and withdraw from near the Israeli border, and would see Lebanon’s army deploy to new “pilot zones” in the area where it will exercise exclusive control. However, Hezbollah’s chief rejected the agreement, demanding a full Israeli withdrawal.The Lebanese army said yesterday that “the continuation of the deliberate and repeated brutal Israeli aggression… is aimed at thwarting all efforts to reach a solution”. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun also denounced the latest attack, calling it a “flagrant violation of Lebanese sovereignty… despite Lebanon’s efforts in the Washington negotiations to put an end to the continued Israeli aggression that goes unchecked”. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam called it “a heinous crime and an attack on Lebanon and all Lebanese people”.On Friday both Aoun and Salam accused Iran of using Lebanon as a “bargaining chip” in talks to end the wider war, with Aoun telling Tehran to stop interfering in his country. Iran insists Lebanon be included in any agreement with the United States to end the Middle East conflict.On Saturday, Israel renewed evacuation orders for five villages in Lebanon’s south and east, telling residents to move north of the Zahrani River. Its military conducted several strikes across south Lebanon, according to Lebanese state media.Hezbollah meanwhile said it had targeted Israeli troops in southern Lebanon, and an artillery position near Israel’s side of the border.Israel’s extensive campaign of airstrikes and a ground invasion that have killed nearly 3,600 people, according to Lebanon’s health ministry.In his remarks to CNN aired on Friday, Aoun called Iran’s treatment of Lebanon “unacceptable”, adding: “The majority of the Lebanese people are fed up with war.” Source link
England’s Ollie Robinson celebrates after taking the wicket of New Zealand’s Rachin Ravindra on the third day of…
India have called up teenager Vaibhav Sooryavanshi for their upcoming Twenty20 international series against Ireland and England. India have called up teenager Vaibhav Sooryavanshi for their upcoming Twenty20 international series against Ireland and England, the country’s cricket board (BCCI) announced on Saturday, while Shreyas Iyer has been named captain.Sooryavanshi, 15, is fresh off a breakout campaign in the Indian Premier League in which he topped the scoring charts with 776 runs in 16 matches, while also breaking Chris Gayle’s record for most sixes in a season.His performances for the Rajasthan Royals made him the first player in IPL history to be named both the Most Valuable Player (MVP) and the Best Emerging Player, with many tipping him for a spot in the senior Twenty20 International side.Should Sooryavanshi go on to make his debut against either Ireland or England, he would become the youngest player to represent an Indian men’s senior team, bettering great Sachin Tendulkar, who made his debut aged 16.”We’ve seen what he can do, towards playoffs, almost single-handedly carried Rajasthan Royals,” selection panel chairman Ajit Agarkar told reporters.”Not just this season, had a great start and to back-it up in a competition that is as competitive and high-pressure, he’s a game-changer. We’ve got high hopes of him and he has picked himself.”Agarkar added that Iyer, who replaces Suryakumar Yadav, had been appointed captain after guiding Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to the Indian Premier League title in 2024, while also leading other franchises in the league.Iyer last played a T20I in 2023.”Led a team to (IPL) title, his own performances been good. He was close to being part of the World Cup squad, in my opinion was a ‘stand-out candidate’,” Agarkar added.India play Ireland in two T20Is later this month, before a five-match series against England in July.The BCCI also named their squad for this year’s men’s cricket competition at the Asian Games in Japan, which includes veteran bowler Jasprit Bumrah.The Asian Games men’s competition will begin on September 24, with the final scheduled for October 3.T20I Squad for Ireland and England series: Shreyas Iyer (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma, Nitish Reddy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakravarthy, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, Prince Yadav, Vaibhav SooryavanshiSquad for Asian Games: Shreyas Iyer (captain), Tilak Varma, Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Shivam Dube, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi …
India’s captain Shubman Gill (left) and KL Rahul bump their fists during the first day of the only…
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