Source: BBC Sport
The official website of the Kataeb Party leader
Security & Justice
Southern Lebanon Endures Massive Damage: 40,000 Homes Leveled Across 37 Towns
Israeli forces have systematically destroyed entire neighborhoods in southern Lebanon, leveling more than 37 towns and wiping out over 40,000 residential units, according to Lebanon's National News Agency.
Tuesday, November 5, 2024
Gaps in Coastal Radar Enabled Israeli Raid in Batroun, Army Commander Says
Lebanon’s army chief, General Joseph Aoun, detailed to Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati how Israeli forces likely exploited gaps in the country's coastal radar system during the recent raid carried out in Batroun. The briefing comes as Lebanese officials seek answers on how Israel’s elite Shayetet 13 unit carried out the landing undetected.
Monday, November 4, 2024
Opinion
The Emptying of Baalbek Is a Moment to Take Stock
“Large numbers of people continue to flee their homes every day, as Israel’s military operations in Lebanon have been going on unabated.” These disturbing words could be from almost any news report about Israel’s invasion of its northern neighbour over the past month. However, they can be found in a report by the Norwegian Refugee Council’s Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre issued on July 27, 2006.
Saturday, November 2, 2024
A Future Without Hezbollah
At the end of September, when Israel’s campaign to destroy Hezbollah was reaching its height, I met one of the group’s supporters in a seaside café in western Beirut. He was a middle-aged man with a thin white beard and the spent look of someone who had not slept for days. He was an academic of sorts, not a fighter, but his ties to Hezbollah were deep and long-standing.
Thursday, October 31, 2024
Sports
Tottenham Forward Son Heung-min Crowned Asia’s International Player of the Year
Tottenham forward Son Heung-min was crowned as Asia’s International Player of the Year for the fourth time by the Asian Football Confederation at its annual awards ceremony Tuesday.
Wednesday, October 30, 2024
Real Madrid Launch Investigation into Racist Insults After El Clasico Defeat
Real Madrid has launched an investigation into racist insults directed at players during Saturday’s 4-0 home loss to Barcelona in LaLiga, it said on Sunday.
Monday, October 28, 2024
Monday 27 May 2024 10:22:08
Nadal Sets Aside Retirement Talk to Face Zverev
Rafael Nadal returns to action at his favorite tournament on Monday - but he faces his trickiest French Open opener for many years.
The Spanish great, a record 14-time champion at Roland Garros, faces fourth seed Alexander Zverev at about 14:00 BST.
It had seemed like this would be the 37-year-old's final French Open appearance but he said earlier this week he would not "close the door" on extending his career.
Consequently, a planned farewell ceremony has been scrapped by tournament organizers.
Women's top seed and three-time champion Iga Swiatek is also in action as she looks to continue her recent Roland Garros dominance.
Meanwhile, British number one Cameron Norrie begins his tournament against Pavel Kotov, while Harriet Dart takes on Linda Noskova.
Nadal has won the French Open more than any other major, with his most recent victory coming in 2022.
Given his success at Roland Garros, tournament organizers are keen to mark his final appearance.
Nadal was widely believed to be retiring at the end of the season, but French Open tournament director Amelie Mauresmo says Nadal told her he is yet to make up his mind.
She said: "As you can imagine, we had something planned for him.
"He wants to leave the door open for him maybe to come back next year as a player. So we're not going to push him obviously to do anything.
"It's his decision when he wants to have a proper ceremony. So we're not going to do it this year."
Injuries have hampered Nadal in recent years and he returns to Paris ranked 275th.
Despite his past success, it is a tough first round for him against Italian Open champion Zverev, who many expect to challenge for the title.
British duo look to make the second week for the first time
History suggests that Norrie should get through his opening match.
He has reached the third round at Roland Garros for the past two years but is yet to go further.
British number two Dart begins against Czech 27th seed Noskova, looking to win a game in the main draw of the French Open for the first time.
She has had a difficult start to the year - the 27-year-old contracted food poisoning on her way to Australia and has since had to contend with a number of small injuries.
She put that behind her to reach her first WTA Tour semi-finals in February, losing to former world number one Karolina Pliskova at the Transylvania Open.
"This year’s been challenging," she said.
“I have goals to be top 50 by the end of the year. I just need to keep working on my game and the results will take care of themselves."
Swiatek begins bid to defend title
Poland's Swiatek, 22, begins her bid for a fourth French Open title in five years against French qualifier Leolia Jeanjean.
She heads into the tournament in fine form, after securing back-to-back titles in Madrid and Rome this year.
Swiatek boasts an impressive French Open record, having won 28 of her 30 matches there.
She is bidding to become the first woman to win three consecutive Roland Garros titles since Justine Henin, in 2007.