https://arab.news/4ksuk
JERUSALEM: Israel carried out air strikes on the Gaza Strip on Wednesday in response to rockets fired from the Palestinian coastal enclave, the army said.
“In response to the rockets launched earlier tonight (Wednesday), the IDF (Israel Defense Force) is currently striking in the Gaza Strip,” the army said, which a Palestinian security source said had hit a Hamas military site in northern Gaza but caused no injuries.
A few months ago, the prospect of Roberto Firmino swapping the famous red shirt of Liverpool for the green of Al-Ahli would have been laughed off. After all, the Brazilian was, and is, a legend at Anfield.
His eight years at the six-time European champions saw 362 games, 111 goals and seven trophies, including the English Premier League, the UEFA Champions League and the FIFA Club World Cup.
At the same time, Al-Ahli were in the second tier after a shock relegation.
Fortunately, the Jeddah giants bounced straight back and are now preparing for a hugely exciting return to the big time.
The club, still without a coach after the departure of Pitso Mosimane, now have Edouard Mendy in goal after the Senegalese shot-stopper arrived from Chelsea in the last week of June. And now they have the Brazilian, long affectionately known as “Bobby” by Liverpool fans. It is another major coup for the league and especially for Al-Ahli who really are now back in the big time.
Firmino, who has signed a three-year deal, is a skillful, wily player who creates goals and scores them. A hard worker who can play in a variety of positions in attack, he is a dream for any coach and for his teammates and surely he will be missed next season by a certain Mohamed Salah in England, though the Egyptian has also been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia. Liverpool fans will now be able to see Firmino in action as well as other Anfield legends Steven Gerrard and Robbie Fowler coaching in the country.
It is another example of top-class talent coming to Saudi Arabia from the English Premier League, regarded by most as the best in the world. Just a few weeks ago, he was scoring goals in front of the Kop and now he is preparing to take Al-Ahli back into the upper reaches of the top tier.
Following the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Kalidou Koulibaly, Ruben Neves, Karim Benzema and N’Golo Kante, Firmino is the first big-name South American to arrive in Saudi Arabia this summer. Fans back in Brazil will be keeping an eye or two on how he performs for his new club. There are not many high-profile Brazilians in the country at the moment.
Those watching back home should remember that this is not going to be an easy gig for Firmino.
For one, Al-Ahli are readjusting back to life in the big time. This is a big club and the players, much to the chagrin of Mosimane, did not celebrate upon winning promotion as they felt that such an achievement for a team that won the third of its Saudi Arabian championships as recently as 2016 was beneath them. Whether it was the right thing to do is a debate for a different time (Mosimane thought it wasn’t), but the club has been struggling for a while and while relegation was a surprise, it wasn’t a massive shock.
Now expectations are growing that they will return to what they see as their rightful place in the top three or four next season. That is not a given even with Mendy and Firmino. There are now 18 teams in the league and even those who are expected to be battling against relegation have firepower with forwards who can score given just half a chance.
Firmino will see with his own eyes. Even the likes of Ronaldo don’t get it all their own way, but if the former Liverpool man can help Al-Ahli get off to a good start next season and can develop an understanding with his fellow forwards, then this newly promoted team, not content with mere survival, will be one for the rest to fear.
Firmino’s arrival shows that Al-Ahli are back in the big time.
A few months ago, the prospect of Roberto Firmino swapping the famous red shirt of Liverpool for the green of Al-Ahli would have been laughed off. After all, the Brazilian was, and is, a legend at Anfield.
His eight years at the six-time European champions saw 362 games, 111 goals and seven trophies, including the English Premier League, the UEFA Champions League and the FIFA Club World Cup.
At the same time, Al-Ahli were in the second tier after a shock relegation.
Fortunately, the Jeddah giants bounced straight back and are now preparing for a hugely exciting return to the big time.
The club, still without a coach after the departure of Pitso Mosimane, now have Edouard Mendy in goal after the Senegalese shot-stopper arrived from Chelsea in the last week of June. And now they have the Brazilian, long affectionately known as “Bobby” by Liverpool fans. It is another major coup for the league and especially for Al-Ahli who really are now back in the big time.
Firmino, who has signed a three-year deal, is a skillful, wily player who creates goals and scores them. A hard worker who can play in a variety of positions in attack, he is a dream for any coach and for his teammates and surely he will be missed next season by a certain Mohamed Salah in England, though the Egyptian has also been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia. Liverpool fans will now be able to see Firmino in action as well as other Anfield legends Steven Gerrard and Robbie Fowler coaching in the country.
It is another example of top-class talent coming to Saudi Arabia from the English Premier League, regarded by most as the best in the world. Just a few weeks ago, he was scoring goals in front of the Kop and now he is preparing to take Al-Ahli back into the upper reaches of the top tier.
Following the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Kalidou Koulibaly, Ruben Neves, Karim Benzema and N’Golo Kante, Firmino is the first big-name South American to arrive in Saudi Arabia this summer. Fans back in Brazil will be keeping an eye or two on how he performs for his new club. There are not many high-profile Brazilians in the country at the moment.
Those watching back home should remember that this is not going to be an easy gig for Firmino.
For one, Al-Ahli are readjusting back to life in the big time. This is a big club and the players, much to the chagrin of Mosimane, did not celebrate upon winning promotion as they felt that such an achievement for a team that won the third of its Saudi Arabian championships as recently as 2016 was beneath them. Whether it was the right thing to do is a debate for a different time (Mosimane thought it wasn’t), but the club has been struggling for a while and while relegation was a surprise, it wasn’t a massive shock.
Now expectations are growing that they will return to what they see as their rightful place in the top three or four next season. That is not a given even with Mendy and Firmino. There are now 18 teams in the league and even those who are expected to be battling against relegation have firepower with forwards who can score given just half a chance.
Firmino will see with his own eyes. Even the likes of Ronaldo don’t get it all their own way, but if the former Liverpool man can help Al-Ahli get off to a good start next season and can develop an understanding with his fellow forwards, then this newly promoted team, not content with mere survival, will be one for the rest to fear.
Firmino’s arrival shows that Al-Ahli are back in the big time.
LONDON: Religious leaders of major faiths in the UK have backed calls by the most senior cleric in the Church of England to oppose new migration laws proposed by the government.
Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby has been joined by senior Muslim, Sikh, Hindu and Jewish figures in signing a letter urging a different approach to tackling the UK’s migration crisis.
The signatories include the chairman of the Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board, Leeds-based Sunni Imam Qari Asim and Shiite cleric Imam Sayed Razawi, Scotland’s most senior Muslim scholar.
Other names of note are rabbis Charley Baginsky and Josh Levy, CEOs of the Progressive Judaism movement; the president of the Hindu Forum of Britain, Trupti Patel; Sikh peer Lord Singh of Wimbledon; the Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell and the Bishop of Durham Paul Butler.
Tens of thousands of migrants are currently in temporary accommodation in the UK due to a shortage of housing and a backlog in Home Office processing of asylum applications.
The government’s proposals outlined in the Illegal Migration Bill include giving authorities more powers to detain, deport and ban people from re-entering the UK who have arrived illegally, as well as to send asylum-seekers to Rwanda to await the outcomes of their applications.
In their letter, published in The Times, the faith leaders wrote: “We represent people and communities whose belief, worship and action point us towards the kind of society we wish to build for the common good.
“The Illegal Migration Bill falls short of our obligation towards the most vulnerable; it fails to meet the basic test of an evidence-based and workable policy. We need an alternative approach that reflects our country’s history, values and responsibility.”
The letter continued: “With more than 100 million people displaced around the world, this crisis will not be solved without significant collective endeavour.
“The UK should take a lead in setting out a just, compassionate approach, ensuring that people seeking sanctuary are protected, claims decided quickly and justly, human traffickers are punished, and the root causes of mass migration are properly addressed.”
Asim told The Times: “I think people of all faiths are appalled to hear about the proposals by the government. It shows inhumanity and incompetence in dealing with the crisis. It goes against the values of the history of Britain.”
Welby, who sits in the House of Lords, has tabled a series of amendments to the proposed legislation, which is set to be debated in Parliament, including establishing “ten-year strategies for collaborating internationally” to halt human trafficking.
He told The Times: “As faith leaders we hold different beliefs on many things, but we are united in our concern for people seeking sanctuary. Britain must have an asylum system based on justice and compassion.”
Baginsky said: “Religion is political. It’s absolutely right that if you put bishops into the House of Lords, they are going to speak about that crossover between religion and politics. The issue of refugees and the way we welcome people into this country (falls) exactly where that crossover happens.”
A Home Office spokesperson said: “The only way to ensure that people are not subjected to dangerous journeys at the hands of criminal gangs, is to remove the incentive for taking those journeys in the first place — that is what our ‘Stop the Boats Bill’ sets out to do.”
RIYADH: POWR Villa, one of the main attractions appearing at Gamers8: The Land of Heroes, the biggest gaming and electronic sports festival in the world, is offering people the ultimate gaming experience this summer.
Supported by KFC, a strategic partner of the Saudi Esports Federation, POWR Villa is offering gamers the opportunity to meet and play with their favorite POWR team influencers, such as SHoNgxBoNg.
Located at Boulevard Riyadh City, where Gamers8: The Land of Heroes is being held for eight weeks from July 6, POWR Villa will give gamers the opportunity to level up with some incredible gaming tips, engagements and much more. POWR Villa will also be hosting the most exclusive games from a wide variety of globally renowned gaming titles.
Ahmed Albishri, deputy CEO of the SEF, said: “POWR Villa is set to be one of the favorite attractions at Gamers8: The Land of Heroes, and hugely popular with the considerable gaming crowd attending the festival.
“Being able to interact with huge influencers is a great way to further fans’ passion for gaming, POWR, and Gamers8: The Land of Heroes. A big ‘thank you’ goes to our valued strategic partner KFC for their support of POWR Villa and our other initiatives that significantly empower and enhance the gaming and e-sports landscape.”
SHoNgxBoNg said: “POWR Villa was one of the most popular attractions at Gamers8 last year and I’m really excited to see all the fans and gamers at Gamers8: The Land of Heroes this summer. With even more on offer, it’s going to be absolutely amazing.”
KFC is also a strategic partner for the Saudi eLeague, Global Esports Games and Voices of Saudi Esports. The brand will also create a series of KFC-backed e-sports and challenge-based experiences for fresh Saudi talent in an activation that will kickstart at Gamers8 from the KFC Challenge Arena.
Ozge Zoralioglu, chief marketing officer for KFC in the Middle East, North Africa, Pakistan and Turkey, said: “KFC is delighted to be the main partner for POWR Villa at Gamers8: The Land of Heroes, in an association that furthers our strategic partnership with the SEF. Our long-standing history resides in being original, and we are invested in supporting all gaming audiences — and have been investing in gaming audiences for four years — with a deep understanding of how to drive entertaining programs.
“Gaming and e-sports is a key and rapidly growing part of the entertainment offering in Saudi Arabia, a country to which we are firmly committed, and a sector in which we are keen to continue to play our part.”
Gamers8: The Land of Heroes — which has a prize pool of $45 million, triple that of Gamers8 last year — features elite gaming titles alongside live concerts from the biggest global, regional, and local artists. POWR Villa is one of numerous fun-filled activities and attractions for all the family.
Gamers8: The Land of Heroes concludes with the Next World Forum, a gaming and e-sports forum held at the Four Seasons Hotel Riyadh at Kingdom Center on Aug. 30-31, that brings together sector leaders and experts from around the world.
For further Gamers8 details, including ticket sales, please see all the information available on the event website.