The battle for the Fifa presidential hot seat has intensified after Mohamed bin Hammam criticised Sepp Blatter for spending the governing body's money "arbitrarily" on an Interpol program without consulting the executive body.
Bin Hammam is challenging Blatter in Fifa's presidential election on June 1 and the Qatari said on Twitter that Blatter "has taken on too much of an executive role" by announcing plans to donate ?20 million ($29 million) to Interpol to tackle match-fixing and betting fraud over the next decade.
Bin Hammam, 61, said: "Imagine Fifa financing Interpol's activities!"
He said the decision "was taken arbitrarily by the Fifa President and was not discussed with the Executive Committee."
Blatter, who is under pressure to address alleged corruption with the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bidding, has made fighting corruption a central campaign theme.
He has. however, won the backing of Oceania's 11 soccer nations in his re-election campaign. Oceania Football Confederation President David Chung says all the members agreed that Fifa under Blatter has had a "significant impact" on soccer's development and popularity in their region.
Chung said the 11 nations can still independently choose to back bin Hammam, but today's decision shows "unity and transparency" in Oceania. Blatter, who's been president since 1998, also has been publicly supported by leaders of European authority Uefa and South America's CONMEBOL confederation. Fifa's 208 national members will vote June 1 at their congress in Zurich.
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Squads
Sri Lanka Tharanga (c), Mathews, Dickwella (wk), Gunathilaka, Mendis, Kapugedera, Siriwardana, Pushpakumara, Dananjaya, Sandakan, Perera, Hasaranga, Malinga, Chameera, Fernando.
India Kohli (c), Dhawan, Rohit, Rahul, Pandey, Rahane, Jadhav, Dhoni (wk), Pandya, Axar, Kuldeep, Chahal, Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar, Thakur.
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Things Heard & Seen
Directed by: Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini
Starring: Amanda Seyfried, James Norton
2/5
Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
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Based: Tunisia
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Number of staff: 22
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Other workplace saving schemes
- The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
- Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
- National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
- In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
- Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
Results
57kg quarter-finals
Zakaria Eljamari (UAE) beat Hamed Al Matari (YEM) by points 3-0.
60kg quarter-finals
Ibrahim Bilal (UAE) beat Hyan Aljmyah (SYR) RSC round 2.
63.5kg quarter-finals
Nouredine Samir (UAE) beat Shamlan A Othman (KUW) by points 3-0.
67kg quarter-finals
Mohammed Mardi (UAE) beat Ahmad Ondash (LBN) by points 2-1.
71kg quarter-finals
Ahmad Bahman (UAE) defeated Lalthasanga Lelhchhun (IND) by points 3-0.
Amine El Moatassime (UAE) beat Seyed Kaveh Safakhaneh (IRI) by points 3-0.
81kg quarter-finals
Ilyass Habibali (UAE) beat Ahmad Hilal (PLE) by points 3-0