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Rooney compares Spain's Nico Williams to the young Cristiano Ronaldo
Former England great Wayne Rooney has said that Spain winger Nico Williams reminds him of the young Cristiano Ronaldo with whom he used to play at Manchester United. Rooney said in his column in The Times newspaper on the eve of Sunday Euro 2024 final between England and Spain that Williams will be a big threat for the Three Lions in Berlin. "Williams, for me, is exceptional. He reminds me of Cristiano Ronaldo when Cristiano was young," Rooney said. "He’s a big lad, he’ll take the ball and sometimes tries too much but usually makes the right decisions." "He is an incredible threat in...
Storms hit Austria with 190,000 lightning strikes in one day
Heavy rain and hailstorms caused damage across Austria on Friday, with weather forecasting service UBIMET recording 190,000 lightning strikes in the Alpine country in a single day, the highest figure this year. In the western state of Vorarlberg, rainfall in the Rhine Valley near Lake Constance was so heavy that trees buckled, roofs were blown away and roads were flooded due to blocked drains. Due to the large quantity of run-off water flowing into the Rhine, authorities closed off areas near the river to the public as a precaution. The Austrian Hail Insurance (Österreichische Hagelversicherung) company estimated the total damage in Vorarlberg at around €1.2 million ($1.3 million). More than 5,000 hectares of crops were devastated, it said. Roads in the neighbouring state of Tyrol that were blocked by mudslides were partially reopened on Saturday. The Oberinntal and Villgratental roads remained closed. In the south-eastern state of Styria, storms caused flooding and fallen trees. Meanwhile, in the neighbouring southern state of Carinthia, emergency services were deployed to several lakes to rescue swimmers, stand-up paddlers and surfers who were unable to reach the shore due to strong waves. Around 40 flights had to be cancelled at Vienna Airport on Friday evening due to the adverse weather conditions.
Floods, hailstones cause havoc across Germany
Heavy rains caused havoc across Germany on Friday, with flooding reported in numerous regions. A major storm in the southern German state of Bavaria left roads and cellars flooded, with fallen trees causing disruptions. According to a police spokesman in the city of Kempten, south-west of Munich, roads were turned white by hailstones, with around 320 operations reported by emergency services between 6 pm (1600 GMT) and midnight. Most affected were the Allgäu region and the Lindau district, near Lake Constance and the border to Austria. Follow-up operations, including pumping out cellars, continued into the night. Another 230 operations were recorded by the police...
French sports minister swims in River Seine ahead of Paris Olympics
French sports minister Amélie Oudéa-Castéra took a dip in the River Seine on Saturday, less than two weeks before the start of the Paris Olympics where triathletes and open water swimmers are to their events in the river. Wearing a wetsuit, Oudéa-Castéra slightly slipped before entering the water where she swam with French para-triathlete Alexis Hanquinquant. The event took place close to Pont Alexandre III where the Olympic triathletes will have their swim portion and the open water swim events are also to be held there at the July 26-August 11 Games. Oudéa-Castéra swam the day after the city said that Seine water quality was good enough to stage the planned Olympic events in six of the last seven days. Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo also plans to swim in the Seine on Wednesday, and so reportedly does French President Emmanuel Macron. Hidalgo had initially wanted to take her dip on June 23 but water quality was not deemed good enough at the time. Heavy rain in Paris and upstream areas was the main reason for water quality problems.
Pakistani court overturns ex-PM Khan's conviction in marriage case
A local court in Pakistan on Saturday acquitted former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife of charges related to violations of Muslim marriage laws, effectively rendering him a legally free man. A district court in Islamabad ordered prison authorities to immediately release Khan if there was no other case pending against him. The cricketer-turned-politician faces multiple charges in more than 100 cases. His sentences and convictions in other cases have either been suspended or overturned by the courts. “There is no case that could keep Khan in prison,” a party spokesperson told dpa. However, Khan will not be immediately released from the jail. The...
'Right warning shot' - German women's coach still upbeat for Olympics
German women's team coach Horst Hrubesch hopes that their 3-0 defeat in Iceland was a warning at the right time ahead of the Olympic tournament which starts in less than a fortnight. The loss in chilly Reykjavik on Friday night was the heaviest loss for the team since being beaten by the same score by France in 2018. The team can make up for it in on Tuesday at home against Austria in the final Euro 2025 qualifier. Germany had clinched their place at the finals in Switzerland before the last two games. Hrubesch said he was not concerned regarding the Paris Olympics...
Officials say 71 killed, hundreds injured in Gaza refugee camp strike
Palestinian medics reported that at least 71 people have been killed and hundreds injured in an Israeli airstrike on a refugee camp in southern Gaza. The Hamas-controlled health authorities in Gaza said on Saturday that at least 289 people were injured in the attack on the Al-Mawasi camp when tents for displaced persons were hit, with many severely wounded. Israeli media reported that the target of the strike was Mohammed Deif, the leader of Hamas' military wing in Gaza. It is unclear whether Deif was hit, and the Israeli army has not commented. The Israeli Foreign Ministry said it was investigating the airstrike...
New Iranian president outlines foreign policy ideas, slams Israel
Iran's new President Masoud Pezeshkian said his country is not building nuclear weapons, as he presented his foreign policy ideas in an editorial on Friday. Writing in the Tehran Times, Pezeshkian reiterated that "Iran's defense doctrine does not include nuclear weapons," adding that the United States should lift harmful economic sanctions. Pezeshkian, widely seen as a moderate reformist, won presidential elections in July after his predecessor Ebrahim Raisi was killed in a helicopter crash in May. In the editorial, Pezeshkian said his first foreign policy priority is to secure a ceasefire in Gaza. He criticized Tehran's arch-enemy Israel, which he said was adding...
New Iranian president outlines foreign policy ideas, slams Israel
Iran's new President Masoud Pezeshkian said his country is not building nuclear weapons, as he presented his foreign policy ideas in an editorial on Friday. Writing in the Tehran Times, Pezeshkian reiterated that "Iran's defense doctrine does not include nuclear weapons," adding that the United States should lift harmful economic sanctions. Pezeshkian, widely seen as a moderate reformist, won presidential elections in July after his predecessor Ebrahim Raisi was killed in a helicopter crash in May. In the editorial, Pezeshkian said his first foreign policy priority is to secure a ceasefire in Gaza. He criticized Tehran's arch-enemy Israel, which he said was adding...
Spain's Cucurella criticises booing German fans: 'wasted tickets'
Spain defender Marc Cucurella has expressed little understanding for the German fans who booed him throughout during the Euro 2024 semi-final match against France. Cucurella was booed every time he had the ball by German spectators in Munich, in the wake of his handball incident in the quarter-final against Germany which did not result in a penalty. "At the start, I was surprised," left back Cucurella told The Athletic portal ahead of Sunday's final against England. "I realised for the first time when my name was read out before the match, and a lot of people started booing. I thought about it a...
Title holder Zverev not sure yet whether he will play in Hamburg
Alexander Zverev has arrived in his home city of Hamburg but will only decide after first training sessions whether he will participate in the ATP tournament there next week. Zverev damaged his knee last week at Wimbledon, and while the injury is not serious he will not want to take any risks a fortnight before the start of the Olympic tournament in Paris where he aims for back-to-back gold medals. "I am hopeful that I can play in my home town. It is special for me to play in Hamburg. But I must see how my body reacts to the first and second training session," Hamburg title holder Zverev told broadcasters NDR. "I can walk normally, do everything, but I can't play tennis so well. I can't perform the way I normally do but I am getting there." Zverev confirmed that he will play at the Olympics from July 27 onwards, in singles and in mixed doubles together with Laura Siegemund. "This time it will hopefully only be a few weeks, then I will be back and at 100% for the Olympics," he said.
German frigate returns home after four-month UN mission off Lebanon
A German Navy frigate has returned home after completing a four-month United Nations mission in the eastern Mediterranean. The Brandenburg docked in the northern German port of Wilhelmshaven early on Saturday, a spokesman confirmed, with relatives and friends of the 185 servicemen and women on board gathering to welcome them home. The frigate departed Germany in mid-March to serve as part of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). Its mission was to combat smuggling, secure borders and support the training of the Lebanese Navy. The UN mission also monitors the border area between Israel and Lebanon, where there have been repeated...
Euro 2024 top scorer: Kane, Olmo - or six again?
England captain Harry Kane and Spain's Dani Olmo are best positioned to claim the Golden Boot award as Euro 2024 top scorer when they aim to find the net again in Sunday's final. But there could also be a repeat of the 2012 tournament when six players finished top on three goals apiece. Kane and Olmo are now locked on three goals with four other players whose teams have been eliminated: Cody Gakpo of the Netherlands, Germany's Jamal Musiala, Ivan Schranz of Slovakia and Georgia's Georges Mikautadze. UEFA has confirmed that only goals count for the Golden Boot, with neither assists or minutes...
Floods, hailstones cause havoc in southern Germany
A major storm caused flooded roads and cellars and traffic obstructions due to fallen trees in the southern German state of Bavaria on Friday evening. According to a police spokesman in the city of Kempten, south-west of Munich, roads were turned white by hailstones, with around 320 operations reported by emergency services between 6 pm (1600 GMT) and midnight. Most affected were the Allgäu region and the Lindau district, near Lake Constance and the border to Austria. Follow-up operations, including pumping out cellars, continued into the night. Another 230 operations were recorded by the police station in Rosenheim, further east. Emergency services responded to flooded cellars and trees that had fallen onto roads and sometimes onto tracks. No injuries were reported.
Meta lifts remaining restrictions on former US president Donald Trump
Social media giant Meta is lifting remaining restrictions on former US president Donald Trump ahead of his potential rematch with President Joe Biden in November's elections. Trump was banned from major social media platforms in early 2021 after his supporters stormed the Capitol building in Washington, but had his accounts on Meta's Facebook and Instagram restored in 2023. Meta said in a blog post on Friday that remaining "heightened suspension penalties" linked to Trump's repeated offences will be removed after his nomination as the Republican Party's presidential candidate at the party's national convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin next week. "In assessing our responsibility to...
Spain's Yamal not interested in Messi comparison
Spain sensation Lamine Yamal does not want to be compared to Argentina star Lionel Messi as he approaches his biggest match to date in Sunday's Euro 2024 final against England. "I try to be Lamine. At the end of the day, it doesn't help you to compare yourself to the best player in history because nobody will ever be like him," Yamal told Saturday's edition of Spanish sports paper Marca. "I try to be myself so that people recognise me as Lamine Yamal. That's all." Barcelona's Yamal turned 17 on Saturday and has been one of the stars at Euro 2024. He has...
Russian and US defence chiefs have brief telephone call
US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin spoke by phone with Russian Defence Minister Andrey Belousov on Friday. The Russian Defence Ministry said the telephone call was "initiated by the Russian side." "They touched upon the issue of preventing security threats and reducing the risk of potential escalation," it continued. In Washington, Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said the "secretary emphasized the importance of maintaining lines of communication amid Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine." The two had most recently spoke in June. Neither side provided details about the latest conversation. Earlier this week, Germany and the US announced an agreement to station long-range US missiles on Germany territory beginning in 2026, the first time such weapons have been stationed in Germany since the end of the Cold War. The US weapons are to include Tomahawk cruise missiles with a range of up to 2,500 kilometres capable of striking deep into Russia, as well as SM-6 air defence missiles and newly developed hypersonic weapons. Russian officials have reacted harshly to the announcement, accusing Germany and the United States of driving up tensions and pushing toward an arms race.
Drinks giants asked to cut plastic use but solutions look far off
Describing plastic pollution as "a significant threat to nature" and a "risk to human health," 102 athletes, among them Olympic medallists, have published a letter asking Coca-Cola and Pepsi to use less plastic. "The world needs more reusable packaging and less single-use plastic that pollutes our planet," wrote the signatories, 22 of whom are due to compete at the upcoming Paris games. But replacing fossil fuels-based plastic with greener alternatives will not be easy or cheap, Dutch bank ING has warned. "Fossil-free bio-based plastics can cost one and a half times as much, while plastics from green hydrogen can be up to four...
New Fiat Grande Panda to be one of the most affordable EVs
Fiat has revealed more details about its upcoming Grande Panda supermini. The new model will be available with either electric or mild-hybrid powertrains. The electric version will come with a 44kWh battery – the same as in its Citroen e-C3 stablemate at Stellantis – and will do an estimated 198 miles on a single charge. However, this figure hasn’t been officially confirmed on the WLTP cycle. Further performance figures are yet to be revealed, but the electric motor will produce 111bhp and send power to just the front wheels. The mild-hybrid petrol version, which comes with a manual gearbox, will use a small...
Huff, puff: Blowing down five strength-training myths
Come on, don't be a weakling: Load weight plates onto a barbell on a squat rack at chest level. And making sure to follow proper technique to avoid injury, do several sets of squats - uff - a standard strength-training exercise. Strength training is diverse and can be quite complex, and many myths surround it. We spoke with two fitness experts, who dispel five common ones. 1. You should train as often as possible, and with heavy weights "It's not that simple," says physiotherapist and fitness coach Johannes Frank, who owns a fitness facility in Berlin. Proper strength training is a matter of...
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