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Iran's Khamenei congratulates reformist presidential election winner
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has congratulated Masoud Pezeshkian, a political moderate, on winning the presidency. "I call on everyone to work together," said Khamenei, who wields ultimate power in Iran and has final say on all matters of state. Khamenei said that the rivalry seen on the campaign trail should be transformed into friendship for the good of the Islamic Republic. Pezeshkian decisively won Friday's second-round presidential election, defeating ultra-conservative hardliner Saeed Jalili. The head of the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Hossein Salami, also commended Pezeshkian. "We are fully prepared to continue and strengthen the cooperation and interaction between the Revolutionary Guards and the government," he said in a statement.
Erdogan expected in Berlin shortly ahead of Euro quarter-final
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is set to arrive in Berlin shortly before Turkey's Euro 2024 quarter-final against the Netherlands later on Saturday, amid controversy around a UEFA ban on Turkish player Merih Demiral. Erdogan will arrive in Berlin not long before the 9 pm (1900 GMT) kick-off in the Olympic Stadium, and leave the same evening, Erdogan's office told dpa. No further appointments in Germany have so far been announced. Erdogan has not yet commented on the UEFA two match ban on defender Demiral. Demiral mimicked with his fingers the shape of a wolf's head after his second goal in a 2-1 victory over Austria in the round of 16 on Tuesday. The controversial wolf salute is attributed, among other things, to a right-wing extremist movement. The movement known as “Ülkücü” or “grey wolves” are linked to Erdogan's political allies, the ultra-nationalist MHP in Turkey. Erdogan dismissed criticism of the gesture, saying that the player had only expressed his "enthusiasm". UEFA's decision sparked outrage in Turkey. Turkish broadcaster TRT described the decision as a "scandal" while the football federation head Mehhmet Büyükeksi called it "unacceptable, illegal and political". Certain Turkish football fan groups called on fans to make the wolf salute in Berlin's Olympic Stadium.
Ronaldo consoled by family after Euro exit
Cristiano Ronaldo was consoled by his family after Portugal's quarter-final exit at Euro 2024 which is also expected to be the end of his big event career spanning two decades. Ronaldo's sister, Katia Aveiro, posted photos on Instagram Saturday, showing her, the other sister Elma Avairo, mother Dolores, and stepfather Jose Andrade together with the 39-year-old great in what appeared to be the team dressing room in the Hamburg stadium. "Whether I laugh or cry, most important are the emotions I have experienced," Katia Aveiro said in a caption. Portugal went out on penalties against France after a 0-0 deadlock, and Aveiro also...
French minimalists into Euro semis with stability at the back
France are yet to score on their own from open play in now eight hours of Euro 2024 football but that has not stopped them from reaching the semi-finals - because they haven't conceded from the flow of play either. The results read 1-0, 0-0, 1-1, 1-0, 0-0, with the three goals coming from own goals by Austrian Maximilian Wöber and Belgium's Jan Vertonghen, and a Kylian Mbappe penalty. Add to that five successful spot kicks in a shoot-out to win Friday's quarter-final against Portugal. The only goal Les Bleus have conceded was a Robert Lewandowski penalty against Poland. The next test comes on...
Milan's main international airport to be renamed after Berlusconi
The main international airport in the northern Italian city of Milan will in future bear the name of the late former prime minister and media tycoon Silvio Berlusconi. Milan Malpensa Airport, which lies about 50 kilometres outside of the city, will officially be called Aeroporto Silvio Berlusconi. Right-wing Transport Minister Matteo Salvini announced the name change on Friday following a decision on the matter by the Italian aviation authority ENAC. But Milan Mayor Beppe Sala, a centre-left politician, insists that the airport's name cannot be changed because of a rule that public buildings and squares may only be named after a famous person...
Hungary: Talks off with Germany's top diplomat for scheduling reasons
The Hungarian Foreign Ministry said planned talks were cancelled between its foreign minister, Péter Szijjártó, and Germany's top diplomat, Annalena Baerbock, due to an "unforseen change in his schedule." The ministry asked Berlin to postpone the visit to a later, but still timely date, it told 444.hu, a Hungarian news site, on Saturday. "There are only technical reasons in the background, not political ones," the statement said. German Foreign Minister Baerbock had originally been scheduled to travel to Budapest on Monday, in the first visit by a German politician to Hungary in some time, with lawmakers having kept their distance due to...
Iran's new reformist president pledges to 'extend hand of friendship'
Reformist candidate and heart surgeon Masoud Pezeshkian has won Iran's presidential election after beating his ultra-conservative rival Saeed Jalili in a run-off vote. Iran's electoral authority said on Saturday that Pezeshkian, a former health minister, received 53.7% of the votes cast to the 44.3% won by Jalili, a former top government nuclear negotiator. State television showed images of supporters celebrating the 69-year-old Pezeshkian's win by honking their car horns in the early hours of the morning. "We will extend the hand of friendship to everyone," said Pezeshkian in his first remarks, emphasizing that he would work with his political opponents "for the advancement...
Spain end their own curse to extend home nation rot at Euros
Spain ended a 90-year curse when they edged Germany 2-1 in the Euro 2024 quarter-finals, a result that extended another rot. Success in Stuttgart on Friday was Spain's first ever victory against a home nation at the Euros or a World Cup on their 10th attempt. At the World Cup they lost matches 1934 against Italy, 1950 against Brazil, 2002 against South Korea and 2018 against Russia. Their Euro defeats were 1980 against Italy, 1984 against France, 1988 against West Germany, 1996 against England and 2004 against Portugal. The defeat against France came in the 1984 final which also marks the only time...
Dutch far-right party to join Orbán's new EU Parliament alliance
The Party for Freedom (PVV), a Dutch far-right nationalist party, will join a new alliance of similarly like-minded parties in the European Parliament, its leader said. Dubbed the Patriots for Europe, the alliance was recently formed by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. "We are PVV patriots, we love our nation. Strong and sovereign. Resisting illegal immigration. We defend peace and freedom. And support Ukraine. We protect our Judeo-Christian heritage. And our families," wrote PVV leader Geert Wilders on X on Friday evening. "We want to combine forces in the EP and will proudly join Patriots For Europe!" Wilders' party won the parliamentary elections in...
AfD faction in Bundestag praises Orbán's 'peace' efforts with Putin
The far-right Alternative for Germany's parliamentary group has welcomed Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's controversial trip to Moscow as a "peace initiative." "Hungary is leading the way and speaking with both direct parties to the conflict on the first day of its EU Council Presidency. This has been a core demand of the AfD parliamentary group since the beginning of the war," said Matthias Moosdorf, the Bundestag faction's foreign policy spokesman. Orbán is the only European leader who still has open channels of dialogue with Russian President Vladimir Putin, he said. "The AfD parliamentary group welcomes the fact that the possibility of an...
Canada into first Copa America semi-final, meet Argentina again
Canada beat Venezuela 4-3 on penalties on Friday night to reach the semi-finals of the Copa America for the first time for a rematch with Lionel Messi's defending champions Argentina. Ismael Koné decided the shoot-out in Arlington, Texas, in sudden death after Wilker Angel's sixth penalty for Venezuela was saved by goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau. The score was locked at 3-3 after each side had taken five penalties, and 1-1 after 90 minutes, with no extra time played at the Copa. Jacob Shaffelburg gave Canada a 13th-minute lead and Canada had further chances, but Salomon Rondon scored a stunning equalizer over Crépeau in the 64th from midway in the Canadian half. Canada will now face Argentina, who also needed penalties to get past Ecuador on Thursday. Argentina beat Canada 2-0 in the tournament opeer on June 20. The other quarter-finals, Colombia v Panama and Uruguay v Brazil, are on Saturday. The semis are on Tuesday and Wednesday, and the final on July 14 in Miami.
Germany face a brighter future despite painful Euro 2024 exit
Amid all the disappointment over the quarter-final exit against Spain at Euro 2024 there is a feeling that Germany can look into a brighter football future again. Germany were a team to be feared at the home event after years of poor showings culminating in World Cup group stage exits in 2018 and 2022. It was more than just defiance when coach Julian Nagelsmann said on Saturday: "It hurts that you now have to wait for two years to become world champions." The 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico is the next big event, and preparations effectively start in...
Saudi leaders congratulate Iran's Pezeshkian on election win
Saudi Arabia's leaders have congratulated Iranian reformist Masoud Pezeshkian on winning the presidential election and expressed interest in the growth of ties with his country. Last year, Saudi Arabia and its regional rival Iran, who supported opposing sides of the conflicts in Yemen and Syria, agreed in a China-brokered deal to restore ties after a rupture of seven years. The Saudi state news agency SPA reported Saturday that King Salman had said in a congratulatory cable to Pezeshkian that he looks forward to "continued development of relations" between the two countries and coordination to "enhance regional and international security and peace." Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the oil-wealthy monarchy's de-facto ruler, sent similar congratulations, according to SPA.
Iran's new reformist president pledges to 'extend hand of friendship'
Reformist candidate and heart surgeon Masoud Pezeshkian has won Iran's presidential election after beating his ultra-conservative rival Saeed Jalili in a run-off vote. Iran's electoral authority said on Saturday that Pezeshkian, a former health minister, received 53.7% of the votes cast to the 44.3% won by Jalili, a former top government nuclear negotiator. State television showed images of supporters celebrating the 69-year-old Pezeshkian's win by honking their car horns in the early hours of the morning. "We will extend the hand of friendship to everyone," said Pezeshkian in his first remarks, emphasizing that he would work with his political opponents "for the advancement...
Reformist Masoud Pezeshkian wins Iran's presidential election
Reformist candidate Masoud Pezeshkian has won Iran's presidential election after beating hardliner Saeed Jalili in a run-off vote, a spokesman for the electoral authority said on state television on Saturday. Pezeshkian garnered 53.7% of votes, while his arch-conservative challenger received 44.3%. Voter turnout stood at about 49.8%, according to the electoral authority. Some 61 million people were eligible to vote for a successor to president Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash in May. Friday's run-off vote pitted Pezeshkian and Jalili against each other after none of the candidates gained an absolute majority in the first round on June 28. The president is only number two in Iran's power structure as Supreme Leader Khamenei functions as the head of state and has the final say in all strategic matters. He is also commander-in-chief of Iran's armed forces.
Reformist Masoud Pezeshkian wins Iran's presidential election
Reformist candidate Masoud Pezeshkian has won Iran's presidential election after beating hardliner Saeed Jalili in a run-off vote, a spokesman for the electoral authority said on state television on Saturday. Pezeshkian garnered 53.7% of votes, while his arch-conservative challenger received 44.3%. Some 61 million people were eligible to vote for a successor to president Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash in May. Friday's run-off vote pitted Pezeshkian and Jalili against each other after none of the candidates gained an absolute majority in the first round on June 28. Polling stations were supposed to closed at 6 pm (1430 GMT). As expected, authorities...
Poor debate was due to 'bad night' not serious condition, Biden says
US President Joe Biden has blamed his disastrous debate performance against Republican rival Donald Trump on a "bad night," vowing that he would not drop out of the race as calls for him to do so grow. In his first televised interview since last week's debate with ABC News on Friday, Biden described the evening as a "bad episode," but said there was "no indication of any serious condition." Pressure on Biden to step aside as the Democrats' 2024 presidential candidate has been growing from within his own ranks since he faced off against Trump at a 90-minute televised debate on June...
France defeat Portugal on penalties to reach Euro 2024 semi-finals
Two-time European champions France are in the Euro 2024 semi-finals after defeating Portugal 5-3 on penalties following a goalless draw on Friday in Hamburg. João Félix missed one spot-kick for Portugal and paved the way for France's win, which was complete with Theo Hernández's decisive effort. "We're in the semi-finals, and it's something we shouldn't take for granted, even if we may be used to it recently. I was already enjoying being in the quarter-finals. Now we go to win it," coach Didier Deschamps said. France will on Tuesday face Spain, who defeated hosts Germany 2-1 with a late goal in extra time. "I'm...
Merino header breaks German hearts and sends Spain into Euro semis
Mikel Merino's header late in extra time sent Spain into the Euro 2024 semi-finals and eliminated hosts Germany after tight a 2-1 win on Friday. In the battle between the record three-times champions, Spain took the lead on 51 minutes when Dani Olmo converted a clever assist from 16-year-old Yamine Lamal. Germany pushed hard for a leveller, which looked like it would not come when Niclas Füllkrug struck the post, but fellow substitute Florian Wirtz thrashed home off the post on 89 minutes. The game went to extra time and seemed to be drifting towards penalties - with Germany having a spot kick...
Hungary cancels talks with German top diplomat Baerbock
Hungary has cancelled planned talks between its foreign minister, Péter Szijjártó, and Germany's top diplomat Annalena Baerbock, the German Foreign Office said on Friday evening. Baerbock had originally been scheduled to travel to Budapest on Monday. The trip will be rescheduled at a later date, the Foreign Office said, adding that it regrets the move. Baerbock's ministry said that "a serious and honest personal discussion" between the two ministers would have been "very important" in light of Hungarian Prime Minster Viktor Orbán's surprise visit to Moscow earlier on Friday. Orbán met Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin on Friday, holding two-and-a-half hours of talks amid strong criticism of the surprise visit from top EU officials and European leaders. Several EU officials stressed that the Hungarian leader had no official EU mandate for negotiations with Russia, and that it had nothing to do with Hungary assuming the six-month rotating presidency of the European Union. The right-wing populist leader, often a thorn in the side of Brussels over a range of issues, is seen as closest to Moscow among European Union leaders. During a joint appearance with Putin after the talks, Orbán once again called for efforts to find a peaceful solution to the Ukraine war.
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