DUBAI: Militants attacked a Bahraini police bus near the Jidhafs area outside the capital Manama, killing one policeman and wounding eight others, the interior ministry said on Friday.
The attack targeted the bus on the Khalifa bin Salman highway, the ministry said, adding that the militant group used a handmade bomb.
“Investigations are underway to determine the circumstances of this premeditated terrorist attack and arrest the group involved,” the ministry said in a statement on its website.
The incident was the latest in a series of attacks targeting policemen in the country where the US Fifth Fleet is based.
The government blames the attacks on Shiite militants it says are backed by Iran to destabilize the country, a charge Tehran denies.
This month, a blast wounded five policemen on Budaiya road, near Manama, while they were guarding a procession by Shiite Muslims marking the annual Ashura festival, which commemorates the death of Prophet Muhammad’s grandson Imam Hussein some 1400 years ago.
Bomb attack kills one Bahraini policeman, wounds eight
Bomb attack kills one Bahraini policeman, wounds eight
Club World Cup marks ‘new era’ for football: Infantino
- The 32-team competition, with clubs from all continents, gets under way with Inter Miami facing Egyptian club Al Ahly at Hard Rock Stadium
- The Swiss official, who was general secretary of European body UEFA before taking the helm at FIFA in 2016, said that the club tournament also offered chances to players from over 80 countries
MIAMI: FIFA President Gianni Infantino says the Club World Cup, which kicks off on Saturday, marks a historic “new era” for the game, comparing it to the first World Cup held in 1930.
In an interview with AFP, Infantino also took aim at critics of FIFA’s ticketing policy and said that skeptics who had questioned the need for the tournament would quickly change their minds.
The 32-team competition, with clubs from all continents, gets under way with Inter Miami facing Egyptian club Al Ahly at Hard Rock Stadium.
“It starts a new era of football, a new era of club football. A little bit like when, in 1930, the first World Cup, right, started,” Infantino told AFP.
“Everyone today speaks about the very first World Cup. That’s why it’s also, this World Cup here is historic.”
The first World Cup was held in Uruguay in 1930 and Infantino noted that only European and South American teams took part, adding that the Club World Cup would give a chance to clubs from outside of football’s traditional heartlands to play on the global stage.
“We want to be inclusive. We want to give opportunities to clubs from all over the world,” he said.
“It’s really to globalize football, to make it truly, truly global. Because when you scratch the surface, we say it’s the number one sport in the world, and it is but then the elite is very concentrated in very few clubs, in very few countries,” he said.
The Swiss official, who was general secretary of European body UEFA before taking the helm at FIFA in 2016, said that the club tournament also offered chances to players from over 80 countries.
“Countries who would never have a chance to play in a World Cup are suddenly part of a World Cup and they feel to be part of it, the fans of these players and of these clubs,” added Infantino, who noted several great players of the past who never played in a World Cup,
“A very good friend of mine is George Weah...former legend, great player, Ballon d’Or winner, only African player who ever won the Ballon d’Or, by the way. He never played in a World Cup. He would have been playing in a Club World Cup and made not only his club and also his country proud,” he added.
Infantino dismissed concerns that the tournament added to fixture congestion but acknowledged that some fans were yet to be sure of the value of the tournament, saying though that would quickly change.
“I believe, I’m convinced that, you know, as soon as the ball starts rolling, the whole world will realize what is happening here. It’s something special,” he said.
Reports of low uptake of tickets for same games has led to criticism of FIFA’s ticketing policy with ‘dynamic pricing’, increasingly common in the United States, allowing for prices to rise and fall according to demand.
But Infantino defended the approach and the decision to offer heavy discounts to students in Miami.
“I’m a positive person generally, but they criticize FIFA if the prices are too high, then they criticize FIFA if the prices are too low.
“Then they criticize FIFA if we make ticketing promotions with students. Students! I mean, when I was a student and I didn’t have money, I would have loved FIFA to come to me and say, you want to come and watch a World Cup match?”
“We don’t want to see empty stadiums. I believe the stadiums will be pretty full,” he said.
The FIFA president said that the tournament, which secured a global broadcasting deal with DAZN reported to be worth $1 billion, was already an economic success and stressed that all the money generated from commercial deals would be plowed back into the game.
Asked how he would judge whether the tournament had been a success, Infantino said he would feel it in his ‘heart’ but said he was confident.
“In terms of inclusivity, in terms of economy, in terms of fan interest, you take all of these criteria, we’ll speak again at the end of the club World Cup, but already now, I (feel positive), when I look at the number of tickets sold, and I look at the TV rights,” he said, noting that the games were available on DAZN’s streams for free.
“Tell me one top competition today, where you can watch football for free?” he asked.
The Club World Cup has also been caught up in the US’s fierce debates over immigration control with games being held near Los Angeles, scenes of violent clashes between protesters and immigration officers.
“Security for me and for us is a top priority, always. So when something is happening, like in Los Angeles we are obviously monitoring the situation, we are in constant contact with the authorities, we want fans to go in games in a safe environment,” he said.
REVIEW: ‘Stick’ — Apple’s golf-based comedy unlikely to rival ‘Ted Lasso’ success
- Owen Wilson’s charisma shines through, but ‘Stick’ is forgettable fluff
JEDDAH: You remember “Ted Lasso,” right? The Jason Sudeikis-fronted feelgood football-based sporting comedy that was a huge hit for Apple? Apple sure does. Hence “Stick.”
The Jason Sudeikis of “Stick” is Owen Wilson — a solid choice, possessed of a similar goofy charisma and real comedy pedigree. The football of “Stick” is golf. Which, while it’s easier to convincingly replicate to a high standard on screen (the supposedly elite football action in “Ted Lasso” was, unintentionally, just as hilarious as its best jokes) is also nowhere near as visually engaging as football. So “Stick” already has a lot of work to do.
The plot: Wilson is former pro golfer Pryce “Stick” Cahill, a serious talent who had a serious meltdown during a televised tournament, basically ruining his life. He now sells golf gear, gives lessons, and carries out side hustles with his former caddy Mitts (Marc Maron, doing what Marc Maron does — grumpy, cynical, with a glimpse of heart). And he’s going through a protracted divorce with a woman he still clearly loves but who has moved on.
One day, Pryce spots a young teen, Santi (Peter Dager), smashing balls further than most pros manage. Pryce quickly identifies that Santi is a prodigy and convinces his single mom Elena (Mariana Trevino) to let him coach/manage/try and qualify Santi for the US amateur championships. This involves a road trip in Mitts’ RV. It also involves Pryce handing over $100,000 that he really can’t afford to Elena to prove to her he’s serious. She knows Santi’s good, but since his dad — and former coach — left them, he hasn’t wanted to play golf at all. Santi is hugely talented, but prone to losing his head if things don’t go perfectly for him.
And that’s about it (in episodes up to the time of writing). We follow the mismatched crew on their road trip; Santi plays some golf and wows people; Pryce kind of becomes a substitute dad; Mitts and Elena bicker in a kind of flirty way. Nothing much happens, no huge laughs are had, Dager is a convincing mix of adolescent arrogance and angst, and Wilson is his usual quirky, charming self.
There’s nothing to hate about “Stick,” but there’s nothing really to love about it either. It’s nice. It’s vaguely entertaining. I’m already forgetting it.
J.J. Spaun leads US Open at Oakmont on a wild day of great shots and shockers
- Spaun played bogey-free and finished with 10 straight pars for a 4-under 66 on America’s toughest course hosting the major known as the toughest test in golf
- Patrick Reed made the first albatross in 11 years at the US Open when he holed out a 3-wood from 286 yards on the par-5 fourth
OAKMONT, Pennsylvania: J.J. Spaun is still new enough to the US Open, and a newcomer to the brute that is Oakmont, that he was prepared for anything Thursday. He wound up with a clean card and a one-shot lead on an opening day that delivered just about everything.
Scottie Scheffler had more bogeys in one round than he had the entire tournament when he won the Memorial. He shot a 73, his highest start ever in a US Open, four shots worse than when he made his Open debut at Oakmont as a 19-year-old at Texas.
Patrick Reed made the first albatross in 11 years at the US Open when he holed out a 3-wood from 286 yards on the par-5 fourth. He finished with a triple bogey.
Bryson DeChambeau was 39 yards away from the hole at the par-5 12th and took four shots from the rough to get to the green.
Si Woo Kim shot a 68 and had no idea how.
“Honestly, I don’t even know what I’m doing on the course,” Kim said. “Kind of hitting good but feel like this course is too hard for me.”
Through it all, Spaun played a steady hand in only his second US Open. He played bogey-free and finished with 10 straight pars for a 4-under 66 on America’s toughest course hosting the major known as the toughest test in golf.
He matched the low opening round in US Opens at Oakmont — Andrew Landry also shot 66 the last time here in 2016 — and it was no mystery. Good putting never fails at any US Open, and Spaun holed five par putts ranging from 7 feet to 16 feet to go along with four birdies.
“I didn’t really feel like I’m going to show a bogey-free round 4 under. I didn’t really know what to expect especially since I’ve never played here,” said Spaun, playing in only his second US Open. “But yeah, maybe sometimes not having expectations is the best thing, so I’ll take it.”
Oakmont lived up to its reputation with a scoring average of about 74.6 despite a course still relatively soft from rain and moderate wind that didn’t stick around for long.
And oh, that rough.
Just ask Rory McIlroy, although he chose not to speak for the fifth straight competitive round at a major since his Masters victory. He had to hack out three times on the fourth hole to get it back to the fairway, and then he holed a 30-foot putt for a most unlikely bogey. He shot 74.
“Even for a guy like me, I can’t get out of it some of the times, depending on the lie,” DeChambeau said after a 73. “It was tough. It was a brutal test of golf.”
The start of the round included Maxwell Moldovan holing out for eagle on the 484-yard opening hole. Toward the end, Tony Finau hit an approach just over the green, off a sprinkler head and into the grandstand, his Titleist marked by green paint of the sprinkler. He saved par.
When the first round ended more than 13 hours after it started, only 10 players managed to break par. That’s one fewer than the opening round in 2016.
Scheffler, the heavy favorite as the No. 1 player in the world who had won three of his last four tournaments by a combined 17 shots, made a 6-foot birdie putt on his second hole. Then he found the Church Pew bunkers on the third and fourth holes, made bogey on both and was never under the rest of the day.
“I made some silly mistakes out there, but at the same time, I made some key putts and some good momentum saves in my round,” Scheffler said. “But overall just need to be a little sharper.”
Spaun, who started his round by chipping in from ankle-deep rough just right of the 10th green, was walking down the 18th fairway when a spectator looked at the group’s scoreboard and said, “J.J. Spaun. He’s 4 under?”
The emphasis was on the number, not the name.
But some of the names were surprising, starting with Spaun. He lost in a playoff at The Players Championship to McIlroy that helped move him to No. 25 in the world, meaning he didn’t have to go through US Open qualifying for the first time.
Thriston Lawrence of South Africa, who contended at Royal Troon last summer, had six birdies in a round of 67.
And perhaps Brooks Koepka can count as a surprise because the five-time major champion has not contended in a major since winning the PGA Championship in 2023, and he missed the cut in the Masters and PGA Championship this year.
He looked like the Koepka of old, muscling his way around Oakmont, limiting mistakes and closing with two birdies for a 68 that left him in a group with the South Korea duo of Si Woo Kim and Sungjae Im.
“It’s nice to put a good round together. It’s been a while,” Koepka said. “It’s been so far off ... but now it’s starting to click. Unfortunately, we’re about halfway through the season, so that’s not ideal, but we’re learning.”
Another shot back at 69 was a group that included two-time major champion Jon Rahm, who went 11 holes before making a birdie, and followed that with an eagle.
“I played some incredible golf to shoot 1 under, which we don’t usually say, right?” Rahm said.
The course allowed plenty of birdies, plenty of excitement, and doled out plenty of punishment.
McIlroy also was bogey-free, at least on his opening nine. Then he three-putted for bogey on No. 1 and wound up with a 41 on the front nine for a 74. Sam Burns was one shot out of the lead until playing the last four holes in 5 over for a 72 that felt a lot worse.
Spaun was not immune from this. He just made everything, particularly five par putts from 7 feet or longer.
“I think today was one of my best maybe putting days I’ve had maybe all year,” Spaun said. “Converting those putts ... that’s huge for momentum and keeping a round going, and that’s kind of what happens here at US Opens.”
Spaun wouldn’t know that from experience. This is only his second US Open, and his ninth major since his first one in 2018. He didn’t have to qualify, moving to No. 25 in the world on the strength of his playoff loss to McIlroy at The Players Championship.
“I haven’t played in too many,” Spaun said “I knew it was going to be tough. I did my best just to grind through it all.”
It was every bit of a grind, from the rough and on the fast greens. Three more days.
Recipes for Success: Chef Davisha Burrowes offers advice and a tasty recipe
RIYADH: The Mediterranean dining venue The Lighthouse, founded in the UAE, recently opened its first Saudi outpost in Riyadh’s Diplomatic Quarter.
“I like to describe the Lighthouse menu as a celebration of fresh and seasonal ingredients that represent the Mediterranean culturally as a whole,” says its executive chef Davisha Burrowes. “I think it’s a perfect balance between East and West.”
Burrowes — who grew up in Barbados — caught the culinary bug early.
“I was around nine years old when I started cooking,” she says. “And that just grew around the age of 14 or 15. I did a few competitions in Barbados, and from there, I took my degree in culinary arts, worked around the world in different cuisines, then finally landed with the Lighthouse.”
When you started out, what was the most common mistake you made?
I think all young chefs tend to seek perfection. I was definitely overthinking the little things. And when you overthink, you tend to overcomplicate and overseason. and throughout the years, with growth from maturing as a chef, I will tell anyone that lasts this morning.
What’s your top tip for amateur chefs?
Experiment. Don’t be afraid to try new things — new flavors, new blends. Go with the flow a little bit, and don’t be so hard on yourself. Some of the best recipes, by a lot of chefs around the world, have been born through mistakes.
What one ingredient can instantly improve any dish? And why?
Probably a fresh squeeze of lemon. It brightens, it lifts, it cuts through very rich flavors as well. But personally, I think the best ingredient you can put in a dish is love, cooking with your heart, with your passion, just enjoying it and giving respect to each ingredient, whether it’s something as humble as an onion or a piece of foie gras.
When you go out to eat, do you find yourself critiquing the food?
It depends. If I go to somewhere casual, you know, I take it for what it is. I manage my expectations. I also work within hospitality, so I know there can be certain challenges within the back of house and within the operation. But if I’m going somewhere where I have high expectations, then I hold them to a certain level.
What’s your favorite cuisine?
I love Japanese cuisine. I worked in Japanese cuisine for two years, so I love a good selection of Nigiri platter. It needs precision, but it’s very, very simple.
What’s your go-to dish if you have to cook something quickly at home?
I love cooking spaghetti carbonara. It has very few ingredients, it takes minimal effort, but it also has its intricacies.
What’s your favorite dish to cook?
If time’s not a factor, then it’s a barbecue. Going back to my roots, I’m from the Caribbean, and we do a lot of barbecue — it’s always summer in the Caribbean, so we do a lot of cooking outdoors. So, definitely a barbecue feast or a grazing plate.
What customer behavior most annoys you?
I wouldn’t say it necessarily “annoys” me, but I do get a little disappointed when some ingredients are swapped out of dishes — especially ingredients that are essential to the harmony of the dish. As chefs, we spend a lot of time curating dishes, making sure the flavors are balanced, so when ingredients are swapped out, it just changes the whole experience that we’re trying to offer.
As a leader, what are you like? Are you a disciplinarian? Or are you more laid back?
I prefer to inspire rather than intimidate. I’m very hands-on in the kitchen. I like to lead by example. I think that as a chef — or as a leader in any field — it’s important that the team see you do it, so they can have the encouragement to do it on their own.
Chef Davisha’s charred aubergine with labneh and hot honey harissa
(Serves 2)
Ingredients:
For the Charred Aubergine:
1 large eggplant (aubergine)
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp labneh (or see Labneh Mix below)
1 tbsp hot honey harissa (see Hot Honey Harissa below)
1 tsp toasted pine nuts
A few fresh chives, finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
For the Labneh Mix (optional, for a more flavorful labneh):
60g labneh
0g Greek yogurt
Pinch of table salt
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
For the Hot Honey Harissa:
20g butter
10g olive oil
3g harissa paste (or more for extra heat)
1g crushed chili flakes
5g smoked paprika
10g honey
INSTRUCTIONS:
Char the Aubergine: Preheat a grill pan or BBQ to high heat. Brush the aubergine halves with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Place cut-side down on the hot grill and cook until charred and softened (about 6-8 minutes per side). For a true smoky flavor, roast directly over a gas flame or in a preheated oven at 220°C for 20 minutes.
Prepare the Labneh Mix (optional): In a bowl, whisk together labneh, Greek yogurt, salt, and lemon juice. Adjust seasoning to taste.
Make Hot Honey Harissa: In a small saucepan, melt the butter and olive oil over medium heat.
Add the harissa paste, chili flakes, smoked paprika, and honey. Stir well and cook for 2 minutes until fragrant. Remove from heat.
Assemble: Place the charred aubergine on a serving plate. Dollop with labneh (or labneh mix), drizzle generously with hot honey harissa, and scatter toasted pine nuts and chopped chives on top.
At-home tips
Labneh Substitute: If you don’t have labneh, use thick Greek yogurt, strained through a cheesecloth or coffee filter for a few hours to mimic labneh’s rich texture.
Char at Home: If you don’t have a grill, broil the aubergine in your oven or cook it in a cast-iron pan to achieve a similar smoky effect.
Harissa Hack: No harissa paste? Mix 1 tbsp tomato paste with 1 tsp chili flakes, ½ tsp cumin, and a pinch of smoked paprika for a quick substitute.
Honey Choices: Use mild, floral honey for a more balanced sauce or a spicy honey to really turn up the heat.
In a Pakistan valley, a small revolution among women
- Woman-led carpentry shop in Hunza Valley has trained around 100 women since 2008, employs 22 people
- Experts say high literacy rate driving socio-economic progress of women in Hunza compared to rest of Pakistan
KARIMABAD, Pakistan: In a sawdust-filled workshop nestled in the Karakoram Mountains, a team of women carpenters chisel away at cabinets — and forge an unlikely career for themselves in Pakistan.
Women make up just a fraction of Pakistan’s formal workforce. But in a collection of villages sprinkled along the old Silk Road between China and Afghanistan, a group of women-led businesses is defying expectations.
“We have 22 employees and have trained around 100 women,” said Bibi Amina, who launched her carpentry workshop in 2008 at the age of 30.
Hunza Valley’s population of around 50,000, spread across mountains abounding with apricot, cherry, walnut and mulberry orchards, follow the Ismaili branch of Shiite Islam.
Ismailis are led by the Aga Khan, a hereditary position held by a family with Pakistani roots now living in Europe.
The family opened a girls’ school in Hunza in 1946, kickstarting an educational investment that pushed the valley’s literacy rate to 97 percent for both men and women. That rate far outstrips the country average of around 68 percent for men and 52.8 percent for women.
As a result, attitudes have shifted, and women like Amina are taking expanded roles.
“People thought women were there to wash dishes and do laundry,” Amina said of the generation before her.
Trained by the Aga Khan Foundation to help renovate the ancient Altit Fort, Amina later used her skills to start her own business. Her carpenters are currently at work on a commission from a luxury hotel.
Only 23 percent of the women in Pakistan were officially part of the labor force as of 2024, according to data from the World Bank.
In rural areas, women rarely take on formal employment but often toil in the fields to support the family’s farming income.
In a Gallup poll published last year, a third of women respondents said their father or husband forbade them from taking a job, while 43.5 percent said they had given up work to devote themselves to domestic tasks.
Cafe owner Lal Shehzadi spearheaded women’s restaurant entrepreneurship in Hunza.
She opened her cafe at the top of a winding high street to supplement her husband’s small army pension.
Sixteen years later, her simple set-up overlooking the valley has become a popular night-time tourist attraction. She serves visitors traditional cuisine, including yak meat, apricot oil and rich mountain cheese.
“At the start, I used to work alone,” she said. “Now, 11 people work here and most of them are women. And my children are also working here.”
Following in Shehzadi’s footsteps, Safina quit her job to start her own restaurant around a decade ago.
“No one wanted to help me,” she said. Eventually, she convinced family members to sell two cows and a few goats for the money she needed to launch her business.
Now, she earns the equivalent of around $170 a month, more than 15 times her previous income.
The socio-economic progress of women in Hunza compared to other rural areas of Pakistan has been driven by three factors, according to Sultan Madan, the head of the Karakoram Area Development Organization and a local historian.
“The main reason is the very high literacy rate,” he told AFP, largely crediting the Aga Khan Foundation for funding training programs for women.
“Secondly, agriculture was the backbone of the economy in the region, but in Hunza the landholding was meager and that was why women had to work in other sectors.”
Women’s increased economic participation has spilled into other areas of life, like sports fields.
“Every village in the valley has a women’s soccer team: Gojal, Gulmit, Passu, Khyber, Shimsal,” said Nadia Shams, 17.
On a synthetic pitch, she trains with her teammates in jogging pants or shorts, forbidden elsewhere by Pakistan’s dress code.
Here, one name is on everyone’s lips: Malika-e-Noor, the former vice-captain of the national team who scored the winning penalty against the Maldives in the 2010 South Asian Women’s Football Championship.
Fahima Qayyum was six years old when she witnessed the killer kick.
Today, after several international matches, she is recruiting the next generation.
“As a girl, I stress to others the importance of playing, as sport is very good for health,” she told AFP.
“If they play well, they can also get scholarships.”
