Source: ESPN
Security & Justice
Lebanon’s Probe into Israeli Raid Expected to Take Days as Security Officials Weigh Theories
Lebanese authorities are ramping up investigations into an Israeli commando raid last week in the northern coastal city of Batroun, during which Imad Amhaz, a Hezbollah official, was snatched.
Monday, November 4, 2024
Watch: Israeli Army Blows Up Village Near the Border
The Israeli army is still blowing up entire villages or neighborhoods, especially those near the border.
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
Tuesday 15 June 2021 10:45:04
Argentina's Lionel Messi Confesses to Worrying about Contracting COVID-19 Ahead of Copa America
Argentina striker Lionel Messi confessed on Sunday that he worries about contracting COVID-19, a day before he kicks off another Copa America with the national side amid a spate of infections among rival teams.
Players or officials from Bolivia, Colombia and Venezuela tested positive for the virus even before the South American tournament kicked off on Sunday in Brazil.
Messi, who will line up for Argentina in their opener against Chile in Rio de Janeiro on Monday, said the fear of contracting the virus was widespread in the squad.
"It worries us because it is a risk for everyone catching COVID-19," he told reporters. "We try to be careful but it's not easy. These things happen."
"We'll try to do all we can so no one gets it but sometimes it doesn't depend solely on ourselves."
Messi is not believed to have been vaccinated, even though the South American Football Confederation said in April it had received vaccinations and aimed to give all international players shots before the Copa America kicked off.
Argentina was due to host this year's Copa America but withdrew at the last minute due to a surge of COVID-19 cases. The tournament was moved to Brazil, even though the death toll there is higher than anywhere outside the United States.
Although organisers claim they put strict protocols in place, Venezuela lost eight players to positive tests before the tournament's opening match against Brazil on Sunday and Bolivia lost three.
An inexperienced Venezuela side went down 3-0, with Marquinhos, Neymar and Gabriel Barbosa scoring for the host nation.
Brazil won this tournament two years ago, beating Argentina in the semifinal in a controversial match, and Messi said he was desperate to finally replicate his club success at international level.
"I think this is the time to strike a blow and the chance could come in this Copa America," said the Barcelona forward and six-time winner of the best player in the world award.
"My big dream is to win a title with the national team. I was very close on many occasions and unfortunately it didn't work out. I will keep going until I can't any more.
"I've been lucky enough to win everything at a club level and on an individual level and it would be beautiful to win with the national team as well."
