Al Wasl and Al Hilal, champions of the UAE and Saudi Arabia respectively, both recorded away wins to get their campaigns in the revamped Asian Champions League up and running.
Dubai-based Wasl won 1-0 at Uzbekistan's Pakhtakor thanks to Soufiane Bouftini's second-half header while Riyadh giants Hilal cruised to a 3-1 win over Al Rayyan of Qatar.
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic powered through the penalty area to meet Malcom's cross in the 15th minute with a firm header that gave Al Hilal the lead.
Two goals in two minutes at the end of the half put the Saudi side in control, Joao Cancelo latching onto Malcom's through pass to thump his shot home in the 42nd minute to double the lead.
Cancelo turned provider in the 44th minute, the Portuguese full-back setting up Marcos Leonardo to score from the edge of the six-yard box.
Al Hilal could have won by a larger margin, but Aleksandar Mitrovic saw his 71st-minute penalty saved by Paulo Victor while Malcom also hit the post for the Saudi Pro League champions.
The wins for Al Hilal and Al Wasl see them join Iran's Esteghlal and Al Ahli of Saudi Arabia as the only teams to pick up three points from their opening game in the league phase in West Asia.
Twelve clubs from the eastern and western halves of the continent will play eight games using the Swiss League format in the opening phase of the competition, with the top eight sides on each side of the draw advancing to the knockout rounds.
The last 16 will be played in March with the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final, which will be held on May 4, all due to be played on a centralised basis in Saudi Arabia.
Meanwhile, Saudi giants Al Nassr, who opened their Champions League campaign on Monday with a 1-1 draw at Al Shorta, announced Tuesday the departure of coach Luis Castro following a disappointing start to the campaign.
Nassr have drawn two of their first three Saudi Pro League games, with Monday's match in Iraq Castro's last game in charge having replaced Rudi Garcia in the hot seat in July 2023.
As the 63-year-old Portuguese exited the club, talisman Cristiano Ronaldo, who missed the Al Shorta match due to illness, sent out a farewell message for his countryman.
Ronaldo took to Instagram to share a photograph of himself with Castro as he wrote, "Thank you for everything."
Former AC Milan boss Stefano Piolo is reported to be the frontrunner to replace Castro having left the Italian giants in the summer.
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Brief scores:
Toss: Pakhtunkhwa Zalmi, chose to field
Environment Agency: 193-3 (20 ov)
Ikhlaq 76 not out, Khaliya 58, Ahsan 55
Pakhtunkhwa Zalmi: 194-2 (18.3 ov)
Afridi 95 not out, Sajid 55, Rizwan 36 not out
Result: Pakhtunkhwa won by 8 wickets
More on animal trafficking
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What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
How does ToTok work?
The calling app is available to download on Google Play and Apple App Store
To successfully install ToTok, users are asked to enter their phone number and then create a nickname.
The app then gives users the option add their existing phone contacts, allowing them to immediately contact people also using the application by video or voice call or via message.
Users can also invite other contacts to download ToTok to allow them to make contact through the app.
What is tokenisation?
Tokenisation refers to the issuance of a blockchain token, which represents a virtually tradable real, tangible asset. A tokenised asset is easily transferable, offers good liquidity, returns and is easily traded on the secondary markets.
German intelligence warnings
- 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
- 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
- 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250
Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution
Vidaamuyarchi
Director: Magizh Thirumeni
Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra
Rating: 4/5
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
