Source: BBC
Security & Justice
Four Italian Soldiers Hurt in UNIFIL Base Attack, Hezbollah Suspected
Four Italian soldiers were lightly injured after two rockets exploded at a UNIFIL peacekeeping force base in southern Lebanon, the Rome government said on Friday, expressing outrage at the incident.
Friday, November 22, 2024
UN Reports Heavy Clashes Between Israeli Troops and Hezbollah in South Lebanon
Israeli troops fought fierce battles with Hezbollah fighters on Friday in different areas in south Lebanon, including a coastal town that is home to the headquarters of U.N. peacekeepers.
Friday, November 22, 2024
Opinion
Lebanon's Economy—Not Battlefield—May Have the Final Word
Time and again during this most recent war in Lebanon, we hear the phrase, “The battlefield has the final word”. It has become the sole and wholly unsatisfactory refrain of Hezbollah and the so-called 'Axis of Resistance'.
Wednesday, November 20, 2024
Flying Above the Bombs, a Lebanese Airline Becomes an Unlikely National Hero
It used to be like almost any other national carrier, fielding gripes about flight delays, ticket prices and bad food.
Wednesday, November 20, 2024
Sports
Israel Face France in Paris Football Match Under Tight Security
Israel face France in a Nations League football match in Paris on Thursday surrounded by a huge security operation to prevent a repetition of the attacks on Israeli fans in Amsterdam last week.
Thursday, November 14, 2024
Alcaraz Beats Rublev to Open ATP Finals Account
Carlos Alcaraz opened his account at the ATP Finals on Wednesday with an entertaining 6-3, 7-6 (10/8) win over Andrey Rublev which boosted his hopes of reaching the semifinals.
Wednesday, November 13, 2024
Tuesday 19 March 2024 15:00:06
Lionel Messi: Fans to Get 50% Refund for No-Show Match in Hong Kong
Lionel Messi's Hong Kong fans who bought tickets to a friendly that he skipped at the last minute will get a 50% refund, the match organiser said.
Messi's absence from the game in February, which he blamed on an injury, sent Chinse fans seething for weeks.
Ticketholders applying for refunds must agree not to pursue legal action, Tatler Asia said.
The refunds could cost up to HK$56m (£5.6m; $7.1m), the publication said.
Fans had paid up to HK$4,880 each to watch the 36-year-old Argentine footballer but Messi remained on the bench throughout the match.
Some 38,000 spectators at the sold-out Hong Kong Stadium booed and demanded refunds at the end of the game.
Tatler Asia had said it was told only at halftime that Messi would not be playing and that they "immediately" informed the government about it.
Hong Kong authorities said they requested Messi to "explore other remedies" such as appearing on the field to interact with fans but to no avail.
Messi played in Japan days after. He said he regretted not being able to play in Hong Kong due to a "swollen and painful" groin injury.
This only enraged his fans further and fuelled conspiracy theories. State media outlet Global Times accused the footballer and his club Inter Miami of "political motives" with the aim of "embarrassing" Hong Kong.
Messi rejected these claims, stressing that he holds a "special affection" for the people of China.
The backlash against him lasted for weeks and saw Chinese officials cancelling two Argentine friendlies due to take place in the country this month.
This stood in contrast to the roaring welcome Messi received in June last year, when Argentina played Australia in a friendly at the Beijing's Worker's Stadium.
Tatler Asia said those seeking refunds would have to accept certain conditions, which include not pursuing "proceedings before any court of law, tribunal [or] regulatory authority".
Under fire for its handling of the event, it also withdrew its application for a HK$16m government grant.
