France wasted its chance to move a step closer to World Cup qualification after a 0-0 home draw with Luxembourg that leaves automatic qualification from Group A wide open with two games to go.
Belgium overcame stern resistance from Greece to qualify for the World Cup, winning 2-1 away from home. Manchester United striker Romelu Lukaku’s winning goal put the other Red Devils out of reach at the top of Group H.
Sweden moved one point behind France after easing to a 4-0 win away to Belarus, while a selection choice from Netherlands coach Dick Advocaat paid off as midfielder Davy Proepper scored his first two international goals in a 3-1 home win against Bulgaria.
Advocaat’s side is three points behind Sweden with two games remaining and still in with an outside chance of securing a playoff spot.
Group B rivals Switzerland and Portugal both won, with the Swiss maintaining a three-point lead. An Oct. 10 showdown between them in Lisbon will likely decide which team qualifies automatically for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. The two sides have already secured the top two spots.
Only the group winners automatically advance in European qualifying for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
Elsewhere, defender Domagoj Vida’s header gave Group I leader Croatia a 1-0 win against Kosovo in a match rescheduled from Saturday.
France held by Luxembourg; Belgium qualifies for World Cup
France held by Luxembourg; Belgium qualifies for World Cup
Royal Jordanian, Ethiopian Airlines to resume flights to Lebanon, Gulf carriers delay decisions
- Both airlines announce service resumption in coming days, but most foreign airlines remain wary as they monitor stability of truce
- Lebanon’s ATTAL president says ‘7-8 companies expected to return in coming days’
LONDON: Royal Jordanian, and Ethiopian Airlines have announced the resumption of flights to Beirut following the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah that took effect on Wednesday.
However, most Gulf and European airlines are delaying any immediate return to Lebanese airspace as they monitor the stability of the truce.
Jordan’s flag carrier, Royal Jordanian, will restart flights to Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport on Sunday after halting operations in late August amid escalating hostilities. CEO Samer Majali confirmed on Thursday that services would resume following the ceasefire.
Ethiopian Airlines has also reopened bookings for flights to Beirut, with services scheduled to resume on Dec. 10.
But despite these developments, most international airlines remain cautious.
Fadi Al-Hassan, director of Beirut Airport, told LBCI that Arab and foreign carriers were expected to gradually resume operations in the coming weeks, especially as the holiday season approaches.
However, Jean Abboud, president of the Association of Travel and Tourist Agents in Lebanon, predicted a slower return.
Abboud said in a statement that he expects “the return of some companies within a few days, which do not exceed seven to eight companies out of about 60 companies,” adding that many carriers were eyeing early 2025 to resume operations.
Airline updates
- Emirates: Flights to and from Beirut remain canceled until Dec. 31.
- Etihad Airways, Saudia, Air Arabia, Oman Air, Qatar Airways: Suspensions extend until early January 2025.
- Lufthansa Group (including Eurowings): Flights to Beirut suspended until Feb. 28, 2025.
- Air France-KLM: Services to Beirut suspended until Jan. 5, 2025, and Tel Aviv until Dec. 31, 2024.
- Aegean Air: Flights to Beirut from Athens, London, and Milan are suspended until April 1, 2025.
At present, Middle East Airlines remains the sole carrier operating flights to and from Beirut, having maintained operations despite intense Israeli airstrikes near the airport.
The airline serves all major Gulf and European hubs, but flights are fully booked in the coming days as Lebanese expatriates rush to return home following the ceasefire announcement.
The upcoming Christmas season has also driven a surge in demand, offering a glimmer of hope for a country reeling from widespread destruction and an escalating economic crisis.
With the conflict having severely impacted Lebanon’s tourism sector, the holiday season could provide a much-needed lifeline for the struggling economy.
The resumption of additional services is expected to depend on whether the ceasefire holds and the overall security situation stabilizes.
France arrests 26 as South Asian migrant trafficking ring smashed
- Traffickers are suspected of having smuggled several thousand people from India, Sri Lanka and Nepal
- Authorities estimate the network generated several million euros in illegal profits
PARIS: French authorities arrested 26 people and seized 11 million euros ($12 million) as they smashed a migrant trafficking ring suspected of bringing several thousand people from South Asia into France, border police told AFP on Thursday.
Charging between 15,000 and 26,000 euros per person, the traffickers are suspected of having smuggled several thousand people from India, Sri Lanka and Nepal into France since September 2021, the force said.
Authorities estimate the network generated several million euros in illegal profits, which were laundered through construction companies, gold trafficking and informal transfers of money back to South Asia.
The arrests took place between March and November 2024, said Julien Gentile, director of the French border force at Paris Charles De Gaulle airport.
“The smugglers facilitated migrants’ travel to the European Union via Dubai or African states, while providing them with illegally obtained tourist, work or medical visas,” said Gentile.
The head of the network is still at large, with France’s request for his extradition from Dubai yet to be agreed, according to the border force.
Of the 26 men arrested, 15 were placed in pre-trial detention with seven under judicial supervision.
The remaining four, who were recently arrested, were to be presented on Thursday to the investigating judge.
The 11 million euros’ worth of assets included properties, luxury cars, jewelry and gold.
Cellphone outage in Denmark causes widespread disruption and hits emergency services
- The network provider, TDC Net, said in a press release Thursday afternoon that the problems were likely due to an update carried out in the past 24 hours
- They had no reason to believe that disruptions could be due to cyberattacks
COPENHAGEN: One of Denmark’s largest cellphone networks suffered severe outages Thursday that prevented people from contacting emergency services, forced at least one hospital to reduce non-critical medical care, and prompted security services in some regions to patrol the streets in search of people in need of help.
The network provider, TDC Net, said in a press release Thursday afternoon that the problems were likely due to an update carried out in the past 24 hours and they had no reason to believe that disruptions could be due to cyberattacks.
TDC said later on Thursday that its operations had returned to normal and it was now investigating the cause of the outage.
Trains and buses in parts of the country also suffered delays due to signaling issues, with chaos in stations and people stuck on trains, Danish media reported.
The Center for Cyber Security, Denmark’s national IT security authority, and a branch of the Danish Defense Intelligence Service could not confirm if the two incidents were related.
TDC Net said Thursday evening it had implemented a fix that allowed customers to make calls, although with a reduced sound quality. The company urged customers needing to call 112, Europe’s emergency number, to remove the SIM card from their phone before placing the call.
Saudi interior minister, Algerian president hold meeting
RIYADH: Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Nayef bin Abdulaziz met Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune on Thursday.
During the meeting at the presidential palace in Algiers, they reviewed Saudi-Algerian relations and security cooperation between the two countries, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Prince Abdulaziz passed on the best wishes of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and expressed hope for Algeria's “continued success and prosperity.”
Saudi Sailing Federation hosts Junior Global Sailing Yacht Challenge Championship
- SSF’s CEO Samia Baghdadi sees event as historic moment for sailors, teams from around the world
- ‘Hosting these two major global championships at the Jeddah Yacht Club will significantly impact the sport’s growth in Saudi Arabia,’ Baghdadi says
RIYADH: World Sailing, which was formerly the International Sailing Federation, has selected Jeddah Yacht Club to host the 2024 Junior Global Sailing Yacht Challenge Championship, organized by the Saudi Sailing Federation, which takes place from Nov. 29 to Dec. 2.
The Women’s Global Sailing Yacht Challenge Championship event will follow from Dec. 5-8.
The events reflect the successes of the Saudi Sailing Federation and are significant milestones in the federation’s efforts to promote sailing in Saudi Arabia.
Quanhai Li, the president of World Sailing, said: “We are thrilled to host these unique races at such an exceptional venue. This championship marks the first event organized by the International Sailing Federation in Saudi Arabia.”
He added it reflected the Kingdom’s commitment to developing diverse sports while enhancing its international standing.
He said: “Sailing is one of the fastest-growing sports globally, and through this event we see a fantastic opportunity to promote and develop sailing in the region.”
Samia Baghdadi, the SSF’s CEO, sees the event as a historic moment for sailors and teams from around the world.
Baghdadi said: “It’s an extraordinary opportunity to explore Jeddah’s potential as a vibrant hub for marine sports. We are working to promote sailing.
“Hosting these two major global championships at the Jeddah Yacht Club will significantly impact the sport’s growth in Saudi Arabia. We are excited to welcome all teams who participate in this remarkable event.”
David Graham, the CEO of World Sailing, said: “Selecting the Jeddah Yacht Club to host the 2024 Junior and Women’s Global Sailing Yacht Challenge Championships is a significant step in our efforts to elevate the sport on a global scale.”
The Red Sea region offers opportunities for developing programs that can benefit individuals across the Gulf, Africa, and beyond, according to Graham.
He added: “This event will serve to inspire those passionate about sailing.”
The SSF aims to raise awareness and foster a culture of sailing within the community.
