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Qatari side Al-Sadd sack Sanchez after slump; Alegre named interim coach

Qatari side Al-Sadd sack Sanchez after slump; Alegre named interim coach

QATAR champions Al-Sadd have parted ways with coach Felix Sanchez by mutual agreement, the club announced on Wednesday, ending a tenure that began with high expectations but delivered mixed results. Assistant coach Sergio Alegre will assume interim charge starting today, the club said in a statement posted on X. Sanchez, 49, took over in July 2024 after several years with the Qatar national team, overseeing their historic 2019 Asian Cup title win and their debut World Cup campaign on home soil in 2022. His appointment was seen as a strategic move to restore Al-Sadd’s domestic dominance and continental competitiveness. However, the team have struggled for form, sitting seventh in the Qatar Stars League and seventh in their AFC Champions League elite group. Alegre, who worked alongside Sanchez during his time with Qatar’s youth and senior national teams, will lead preparations for Al-Sadd’s upcoming league fixture later this week. - Reuters

Canada runway incursions hit record high with 639 cases in 2024

Canada runway incursions hit record high with 639 cases in 2024

MONTREAL : Canada’s Transportation Safety Board has raised fresh concerns about near-misses between aircraft following a record number of runway incursions last year. The agency reported 639 runway incursions in 2024, up from 566 cases in 2023, marking the highest figure in 15 years of available data. Runway incursions occur when an aircraft or vehicle incorrectly occupies a runway designated for landing or takeoff. This trend reflects broader aviation safety worries across multiple countries, including the United States, where understaffed air traffic control operations face strain. A recent incident involved a Southwest Airlines flight that aborted landing less than 200 feet behind a business jet at Chicago Midway Airport. Another near-miss occurred at Pearson International Airport when an Air Canada A220 narrowly avoided a taxiing Bombardier business jet during takeoff. TSB Chair Yoan Marier described incursions as difficult to prevent because they involve multiple stakeholders like airports and airlines. He emphasised the complexity of resolving this safety issue during an interview. Growing air traffic is increasing pressure on aviation authorities to implement cockpit alert systems designed to prevent such incidents. The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board has called for mandatory surface alert technology to address similar concerns. Canada’s TSB has proposed actions including cockpit alert systems, improved technology, and better airport signage and lighting. Marier noted that cockpit alerting technologies represent one key component of the solution but not the only required measure. While most runway incursions are not considered high-risk, some incidents can have deadly consequences. A Japan Airlines A350 collision with a Coast Guard turboprop at Tokyo’s Haneda airport last year killed most crew members on the smaller aircraft. – Reuters

Semangat juang julang skuad kebangsaan

Semangat juang julang skuad kebangsaan

PETALING JAYA: Pengendali Harimau Malaya, Peter Cklamovski mengakui beliau mempunyai kelompok pemain yang istimewa yang sanggup berkorban untuk memastikan kemenangan berpihak kepada pasukan. Jurulatih kelahiran Australia itu berkata, para pemainnya sentiasa menunjukkan semangat juang yang tinggi termasuk etika bangkit membenam Laos 5-1 dalam aksi kelayakan Piala Asia 2027, di laman sendiri, kelmarin. Katanya, kredit seharusnya ... Read more The post Semangat juang julang skuad kebangsaan appeared first on Utusan Malaysia .

French court rejects Le Pen appeal against parliamentary election rules

French court rejects Le Pen appeal against parliamentary election rules

PARIS : France’s highest administrative court rejected a challenge to electoral rules by far-right leader Marine Le Pen on Wednesday. This decision deals a blow to her efforts to overturn a sentence that could derail her candidacy in the 2027 presidential election. Le Pen was barred in March from seeking public office for five years after the Paris Criminal Court convicted her and other members of her party for misappropriation of funds. She has said the case and the decision were politically motivated. A final ruling in the case is expected in January. Le Pen had launched a separate appeal to the Council of State challenging electoral rules that could prevent her from standing again for parliament. If France’s political crisis results in a snap parliamentary election, Le Pen intends to run for re-election in the Pas-de-Calais department. The Council of State said it was rejecting Le Pen’s appeal because it did not seek to repeal regulatory provisions but rather to amend the law. The articles she had contested were either nonexistent or unrelated. Le Pen’s lawyer Rodolphe Bosselut told Reuters that the Council of State’s decision would not bar his client from running for parliament ahead of January’s final ruling. “It does not in any way prejudge her ability to stand as a candidate in future parliamentary elections,“ he said. The Paris Criminal Court’s ruling in March handed Le Pen a four-year prison sentence including two to be served. She also received a 100,000-euro fine and a five-year ban on holding public office that was immediately enforceable despite pending appeals. The ruling has cast doubt on her ability to run in the 2027 presidential election where she remains a leading contender. Le Pen had argued that the immediate application of the law unfairly infringed upon her political rights. The law bars people convicted of certain crimes including those related to corruption fraud or misuse of public funds. – Reuters

‘Rising cost of living outpacing financial aid’

‘Rising cost of living outpacing financial aid’

PETALING JAYA : The Penang Hindu Association has warned that Budget 2026’s cash handouts and targeted subsidies are losing their punch as the cost of living continues to outpace financial aid. Its president Datuk P. Murugiah said while programmes such as Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah, Sumbangan Asas Rahmah and the Budi95 fuel subsidy remain in place, their real value has shrunk. “The handout amounts have not increased in line with rising prices. With inflation expected at 3% to 3.5% next year, what RM100 buys today would be less tomorrow. The amount stays the same, but everything costs more. “Many elderly people continue to face neglect or lack proper retirement support. Even with the Senior Citizens Fund, capacity must be increased to meet demand,” he said. He added that B40 families are struggling to make ends meet despite the aid. Murugiah said tax incentives in Budget 2026, such as the RM4,000 EPF matching grant and stamp-duty exemptions, benefit only those with savings or plans to buy property. “These measures do not help the poorest households because they simply do not qualify,” he said. He urged the government to review subsidy amounts annually to keep pace with inflation and ensure constituency funds are used transparently and reach those in need. Murugiah called for a stronger social security scheme covering informal workers through a pension-style model, as well as free electricity for eligible households via rooftop solar installations under the Solar for Rakyat programme.

Kelayakan Piala Dunia: England mara ke pusingan akhir

Kelayakan Piala Dunia: England mara ke pusingan akhir

RIGA – England menjadi pasukan Eropah pertama mengesahkan kemaraan ke pusingan akhir Piala Dunia 2026 selepas membelasah Latvia 5-0 pada aksi kelayakan Kumpulan K di Stadium Daugava awal pagi semalam. Dua gol menerusi Harry Kane selain masing-masing satu gol jaringan Anthony Gordon, Eberechi Eze dan gol sendiri Maksims Tonisevs memastikan The Three Lions berjaya membawa ... Read more The post Kelayakan Piala Dunia: England mara ke pusingan akhir appeared first on Kosmo Digital .