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Sharjah FC came from behind to force an entertaining 1-1 draw with Al Sadd in their AFC Champions League Elite 2025-26 tie at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium Tuesday.The hosts’ Akram Afif’s cracker of a shot in the 18th minute was cancelled out by the UAE side’s Caio Fernandes in the 73rd minute to give the teams a share of the points.Sharjah were the early aggressors, with Rei Manaj and Caio Fernandes both sending their attempts over the bar within the first six minutes while Manaj blasted his free-kick straight into the defensive wall in the eighth minute.Afif, however, flipped the script in the 18th minute when he came down the right, cut in and rifled an unstoppable shot from 20 yards past Darwish Habib’s right hand.The thrills continued two minutes later when the UAE side were awarded a penalty after Boualem Khoukhi handled the ball, but keeper Meshaal Barsham judged correctly, diving to his right and palming out Caio’s attempt.The game slowed down after the initial rush, with the next noteworthy moment coming in the 40th minute when Manaj picked up a pass from Khaled Ebraheim, pivoted in the box and let loose a shot that rattled the left post. Barsham pulled off a fine save from Manaj in the 61st minute after the striker controlled the ball and side-footed from close range while his counterpart Darwish pulled off an equally important save four minutes later from Rafael Mujica inside the area.Sharjah’s determination was finally rewarded when Caio made amends for his penalty miss, picking up a lovely chip from Adel Taarabt in the 73rd minute and blasting home from just outside the six-yard box. Barsham prevented Sharjah from increasing the scoreline 10 minutes later when he went into a full-length dive to prevent Ousmane Camara’s low shot from going into the bottom left corner.Al Sadd coach Felix Sanchez sounded disappointed after his side were held to a draw by Sharjah, with the Spaniard saying his team had “lost two points” at home.“We took the lead in the first half,” Sanchez said at the post-match press conference. “We wanted to continue the same performance in the second half and play attacking football, but the team retreated and we conceded a goal unexpectedly. The match was evenly balanced, and we were unable to control it.”Sanchez said that a draw was not the target, especially on home soil.“Yes, we definitely lost two points. We should have won, and our goal was to win the match. We got a point, but it wasn’t enough,” he said. Sanchez acknowledged the need for improvement while pointing to the absence of key players.“I made several changes during the match, some of which were necessary, as we wanted to increase the pressure on the opposing team. We didn’t achieve the desired result, and I don’t want to find excuses, but we are waiting for the return of Claudinho and other injured players. We have a good team, and we must develop ourselves in the coming period,” the former Qatar coach said.The result leaves 2011 champions Al Sadd still looking for their first win after their 1-1 opening stalemate with Iraq’s Al Shorta while Sharjah have amassed four points after their 4-3 win against Qatar’s Al Gharafa SC on Matchday One. Sharjah will meet Islamic Republic of Iran’s Tractor FC on Oct 20 while Al Sadd face Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal SFC the next day.-www.the-afc.com

Al Gharafa of Qatar turned on the power in the second half to defeat Iraq’s Al Shorta 2-0 in their AFC Champions League Elite tie Monday.Strikes from Joselu and Ferjani Sassi earned Pedro Martins’ side the points as Al Gharafa got on the winning trail after having suffered a 4-3 defeat against UAE’s Sharjah FC in their opener.Al Shorta, meanwhile, are still seeking their first win after having played to a 1-1 draw with Qatar’s Al Sadd two weeks ago. The home side were almost caught napping by a counter-attacking move in the fifth minute when Ahmed Yahia powered down the left and relayed the ball to Mahmoud al-Mawas, whose shot rattled the left post from inside the six-yard-box.Al Gharafa came close to taking the lead in the 13th minute when Joselu pounced on a poor back pass from Mehdi Ashabi, only to see his effort from an acute angle strike the right post. The Iraqi outfit had a great chance just moments later after Mahmoud al-Mawas lost his marker down the right and set up Leonel Ateba who fumbled his shot from close range.The duo almost conjured the opener just after the half-hour mark when al-Mawas timed his run to perfection to slip the ball to Ateba, whose effort from inside the box was foiled by Al Gharafa keeper Amine Lecomte-Addani. At the other end, Al Shorta wasted their best chance of the half from a fast break which saw Fabricio Díaz play the ball across to Ahmed al-Ganehi, who skied his effort.The deadlock was broken three minutes into the second half when al-Ganehi intercepted a poor pass, leaving Yacine Brahimi to tee up Joselu to slot home from close range.Gharafa extended their lead in the 54th minute after Brahimi’s precise cross into the box was headed by Sassi past outstretched keeper Ahmed Basil.The home side were denied a third goal in the 66th minute when al-Ganehi’s effort struck the bar from inside the box, while Al Shorta came close on a breakaway with Al Mawas teeing up Dominique Mendy, whose shot was blocked.Al Gharafa next meet defending champions Al Ahli Saudi in an away game on October 20, with Al Shorta to host Al Ittihad Club on the same day.Duhail hold defending champions AhliAl Duhail and Al Ahli Saudi FC both had the lead but eventually had to settle for a 2-2 draw in their AFC Champions League Elite match.While the stalemate meant Al Ahli equalled the tournament’s unbeaten run record of 20 matches, it ended their eight-game winning run as Duhail earned a well deserved point. The reigning champions didn’t have to wait long to register their first attempt on target, Matheus Goncalves with a delicate chip into the box in the eighth minute which Roger Ibanez got his head to, forcing Al Duhail goalkeeper Arthus Desmas to backtrack to tip the ball over.Al Ahli, however, then found themselves trailing for the second game running as Matthias Jaissle’s side switched off the 25th minute, allowing a goal kick to be flicked on by Krzysztof Piatek to Adil Boubina, who hit the post but Edmilson Junior was on hand to tap home the rebound. Al Duhail suffered a blow seven minutes later when Desmas - who was making his debut for the Qatari side - suffered a head injury after a heavy collision with Feras Albrikan, with Bautista Burke replacing him.Burke, however, didn’t have time to settle in as Al Ahli drew level on 42 minutes when Goncalves cut inside Youssef Ayman before firing a low shot to the near post which the 22-year-old got a hand to but was not enough to keep the ball out.Things went from bad to worse for Burke four minutes later when his attempted pass out from the box went straight to Riyad Mahrez, who had the simple task of rolling the ball into an unguarded goalmouth. Djamel Belmadi took a gamble at the start of the second half, replacing midfielder Luis Alberto with forward Almoez Ali, who partnered Piatek and the Al Duhail head coach was rewarded just two minutes in.Edmilson got away from Goncalves on the right flank before delivering a telling cross that was thumped into the top corner by Piatek. Piatek should have gotten his second 10 minutes later from another Edmilson cross but despite being unmarked, could not get his volley on target while Ivan Toney had a late attempt saved by Burke as the sides settled for a share of the points.

Omid Ebrahimi’s last-gasp penalty salvaged a 1-1 draw for Al Shamal against Qatar SC in the Qatar Stars League at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium Saturday.Iranian midfielder's spot-kick, converted nine minutes into stoppage time, denied Qatar SC what would have been a crucial victory. Instead, Al Shamal stayed top of the table with 14 points, level with Qatar SC, who remain second. Al Gharafa are third with 13 points.The match produced a flurry of chances but neither side could break through in the first half. The deadlock was finally broken in the 58th minute, when Al Shamal’s Moufak Awad turned Eisa Palangi’s cross into his own net to give Qatar SC the lead.Late drama followed as Al Shamal were initially denied a penalty for a foul on Baghdad Bounedjah after a VAR review in the 85th minute. But deep into injury time, another foul was awarded on Bounedjah, and Ebrahimi made no mistake from the spot to ensure a share of the spoils.Al Sailiya shock Al Arabi 4-0Earlier, Al Sailiya shocked fancied rivals Al Arabi 4-0 at the Al Bayt Stadium. Khalid Ali Binsabaa scored a brace for the winners striking in the 35th and 45+4 minutes, while Youssef Snana (52nd minute), and Mohamed Benyettou (54th minute) added more to the scoreline.Their first win – after five losses – gave Al Sailiya full points but they remain 12th in standings with three points while Al Arabi are 11th with four points. It was a fine show of attacking play and precise striking by Al Sailiya, who were engaged in a fierce battle at the start with Al Arabi - also looking to draw first blood.The Dream Team came close twice to scoring early but on both occasions Al Sailiya goalkeeper Fahad Younis spoiled their efforts. In the 14th minute, a deceiving Roriguez Sanchez shot was blocked by Fahad while in the 30th minute his stretched right leg cut off a potential Isaac Lihadji attempt.Al Sailiya hit back minutes later as Al Arabi goalkeeper Yousef Hassan Ali spilled a shot taken from outside the box but an alert Binsabaa was at hand to make a left-footed kick into the net. Binsabaa doubled the lead for Al Sailiya in added time of first half making a diving header to a fine assist from Mohamed Hassan Al Taabouni.Al Sailiya consolidated soon in the second session with Snana putting in an Al Taahouni through ball that caught as many as five Al Arabi defenders napping. Minutes later, a sweeping Benyettou kick from outside the box left Al Arabi dismayed.

Substitute Jacinto Dala scored two goals as Al Wakrah defeated Umm Salal 3-2 in the Qatar Stars League at the Khalifa International Stadium Friday. Despite The Blue Wave’s series of relentless attacks, they met a formidable wall of defence in Umm Salal, which they could not break down until the 54th minute when Hamdy Fathy found the net.Umm Salal got the equaliser in the 63rd minute through Cristo Gonzalez. Dala, who came in the 74th minute, restored Al Wakrah’s lead from the edge of the box in the 78th minute. Ironically, Dala turned from a hero to a villain nine minutes later when he mistakenly nodded the ball into his own net from an Umm Salal set piece. The Angolan international, however, got a redemption in two minutes of added time as he scored the winner.Al Shahania were beaten 1-2 by Al Ahli in their enthralling match at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium. Pelle van Amersfoort opened the scoring for Al Shahania from the spot in the 14th minute after Al Ahli’s Driss Fettouhi fouled Mohammed Sayyar inside the box. The Dutchman made no mistake in converting with a right-footed shot, once the controversy that ensued following the penalty decision was resolved after a lengthy VAR check.The lone goal separated the two sides going into the half-time break. Parity was restored for Al Ahli in the 54th minute through Suhaib Gannan, who perfectly turned in a cross from Erik Exposito with ease. Twelve minutes later, Michel Vlap registered his name on the scorers’ sheet as Al Ahli took the lead, with the goal eventually proving to be the match winner.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot blasted Hugo Ekitike for a stupid sending-off after tapping home a winner against Southampton in the League Cup on Tuesday and then removing his shirt in celebration. The Frenchman, who replaced record signing Alexander Isak at half-time, had been booked already for kicking the ball away in frustration and the second yellow five minutes from time left Liverpool defending a 2-1 third-round lead with 10 men.Liverpool captain Andy Robertson told said it was a stupid thing to do when on a yellow card and Slot doubled down afterwards. “I think it’s also stupid if you haven’t had a yellow card yet,” he said.“Maybe I’m a bit old-fashioned, maybe a bit old school, but I did score a few goals – not at this level – as well and if I maybe outplay three players, which I never did, and then hit it in the top corner, then maybe you can say ‘oh, this is all about me.’“But if I had to score a goal like he did tonight, I would have turned around and walked up to Federico Chiesa and would say ‘It’s all about you, Federico. Great assist, great run and I didn’t have to do a lot’. It was stupid, not smart in every sense... he’s now suspended for Saturday and that is far from ideal.”Ekitike later apologised on Instagram: “The emotion got the better of me tonight,” he said. “My apologies to all the Red family...”League leaders Liverpool, with a 100% record so far this season, have a tricky away trip to unbeaten Crystal Palace next in the league. Slot fielded a completely changed starting lineup on Tuesday from the side that played Everton on Saturday, with Isak starting and scoring his first goal for the club.“It wasn’t our best performance, which probably has a lot to do with players that haven’t played for a long time or for the first time,” he said. The manager said Isak would get increasing game time, with Liverpool trying to build him up faster than usual, but did not expect him to be fully up to speed until after the next international break.Club World Cup champions Chelsea suffered an early scare at third tier Lincoln City but came back from a goal down at half-time to win 2-1 with teenager Tyrique George equalising in the 48th and providing the assist for Facundo Buonanotte’s 50th-minute winner.League One (third tier) Cardiff City provided the upset of the eight games on the programme by beating top flight Burnley 2-1 at Turf Moor. Premier League bottom side Wolverhampton Wanderers won their top flight clash 2-0 against Everton, who had James Garner hit the bar with a second-half free kick and Jack Grealish coming off the bench.Paraguayan midfielder Diego Gomez scored four, including a 24-minute first-half hat-trick, as Premier League Brighton & Hove Albion thumped third tier Barnsley 6-0 at Oakwell to reach the fourth round for the fifth time in six seasons. Second tier Wrexham gave their Hollywood owners another home night to savour by beating Reading 2-0, with Nathan Broadhead scoring both – his first for the Welsh side who go through to the fourth round for the first time since 1977.Premier League Fulham beat fourth tier visitors Cambridge United 1-0 at Craven Cottage with Emile Smith Rowe scoring the 66th-minute winner. Championship side Swansea City and fourth tier giantkillers Grimsby Town are already through to the fourth round along with Premier League Brentford and Crystal Palace.

Two of Qatar’s football giants will collide when Al Sadd host Al Duhail in the Qatar Stars League at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium Thursday. The clash, which kicks off at 8pm, promises to be one of the early season highlights, pitting two sides that have dominated the domestic scene over the past decade.Both teams enter the fixture level on seven points, separated only by goal difference. Al Duhail sit sixth with two wins, two losses and a draw, while Al Sadd are just behind in seventh after recording the same results but with fewer goals scored. With the season still in its early stages, neither side can afford to lose ground in the title race, making the encounter one with potentially significant repercussions.While the league table shows little between them, recent form tells a different story. Duhail arrive brimming with confidence after back-to-back victories, including a 4-2 win over Umm Salal and a statement 8-1 demolition of Al Arabi. These results have re-energised Djamel Belmadi’s side after a patchy start, sending a message to rivals that Duhail remain serious contenders. Al Sadd, by contrast, have stumbled in their last two outings, losing to Al Shahania before being held to a draw by Al Wakrah. Felix Sanchez’s men have shown flashes of their attacking quality but have struggled to convert dominance into victories.Sanchez on Wednesday emphasised the need for his players to stay composed under pressure. “We have a very competitive match. We finished last season as the top two teams in the league, so we expect it to be a tough match,” he said. “Unfortunately, we were not able to score many points in the last two matches, so we will try to bounce back. We know the situation is not easy, but the players are accustomed to dealing with the pressure of competition and we must achieve the desired results.”Al Sadd’s veteran defender Boualem Khoukhi underlined the importance of the contest, describing it as “worth six points.”He said: “Every player will give 100 per cent to win. I know how sad our fans are with the team’s current results and we will do everything in our capacity to make them happy. The match will be at our home stadium and the presence of fans will provide us with great motivation, especially before our match against Sharjah of the UAE in the AFC Champions League Elite.”Duhail coach Belmadi, on the other hand, was quick to highlight the historical weight of the rivalry. “The match against Al Sadd is always a top-of-the-range affair, regardless of the circumstances and results of the two teams,” he said. “If we look back over the past 15 years, we will find that the competition has always been confined to the two teams, and this confirms to everyone the value of this match. It will be a very significant encounter.”The Algerian added: “Each match has its own unique nature and the accompanying events vary from one match to the next. We achieved a big win against Al Arabi in our last match, while Al Sadd settled for a draw in the same round. This does not mean much and does not reflect the outcome of the next match. The match against Al Sadd always has its own unique characteristics, and we will try to put in a strong performance against a strong competitor. We will strive to advance in the league competition, given our slight drop in the standings.”Duhail defender Sultan al-Breik echoed his coach’s sentiments: “We will try to maintain the team’s upward trend after we managed to secure six points from two consecutive victories. We will strive to achieve the match objective, which is to win with the three points.”Over the past decade, meetings between Al Sadd and Al Duhail have rarely disappointed. From title-deciding encounters to dramatic goal-fests, the rivalry has consistently delivered drama and intensity. Thursday's fixture carries all the hallmarks of another classic: two teams evenly matched on points, both with something to prove.Rayyan face GharafaIn the other match Thursday, Al Rayyan will host Al Gharafa at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium. Both teams are currently tied on 10 points, having won three matches, drawn one and lost one. Al Rayyan hold the advantage in goal difference and occupy the third position. Al Gharafa come into the match after a 0-0 draw against leaders Al Shamal. On the other hand, Al Rayyan secured a convincing 3-0 win over Al Ahli.

The State of Qatar participated in the annual ministerial consultative meeting of the Council of the Arab League at the level of foreign ministers, on the sidelines of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The State of Qatar's delegation was headed by His Excellency Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sultan bin Saad Al Muraikhi.

The Muslim World League welcomed the decision of the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia to officially recognize the State of Palestine. In a statement, the League's General Secretariat described the move as a historic and principled step that affirms the legitimate historical and legal rights of the Palestinian people.It stressed that the recognition reflects adherence to the values of justice and comes at a critical time in support of international efforts to achieve the two-state solution.The Muslim World League affirmed that such positions represent the only viable path toward achieving a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace in the region.

Qatar SC scored a hard fought 1-0 win over Al Shahania in the fifth round of Qatar Stars League at the Khalifa International Stadium Sunday to take the second spot in the standings with 13 points, and behind Al Shamal on goal difference.Al Rayyan beat Al Ahli 3-0 at the Al Thumama Stadium to move third in the table with 10 points, ahead of Al Gharafa on goal difference.At the Al Bayt Stadium Umm Salal prevailed 2-1 over Al Sailiya. Umm Salal are now 6th in standings with 8 points while bottom-placed Sailiya are yet to open their account.Brazilian forward Joao Pedro made the winning strike for Qatar SC in the 54th minute as he picked on an Eisa Palangi assist to dribble past defenders before essaying a kick from inside the top of the box into the far right corner of the net.Al Shahania, who were majorly confined to defence, made some big efforts to attack in the second half including a Daouda Soliman’s attempt to go over an advancing Qatar SC goalkeeper Ali Nader Mahmoud but in vain.Al Shahania are on four points following their third loss while Qatar SC have four wins and a draw in their unbeaten run so far.The Lions make a roarAl Rayyan handed Al Ahli a 0-3 defeat taking lead in the 29th minute through Rodrigo Machado, who finished off a pass from Wesley Ribeiro with a left-footed shot from very close range. The goal was, however, contested for an offside ruling against Aleksandar Mitrovic in its buildup, but the final decision, after a lengthy VAR check, ensured that it stood to the consternation of the Al Ahli bench and stand.Mitrovic made it two for the Lions just before the half-time break, nodding home the rebound of Rodrigo's attempt that bounced off the crossbar, as the coach Artur Jorge's men went into the dugout with a comfortable lead. While Al Ahli, who are enduring one of their worst starts to the season with only one win so far, tried to cut the deficit with some impressive play after their opponents' second goal.Luck was, however, not on their side, as Al Rayyan got their third in the 86th minute with Róger Guedes, assisted by Mohamed Surag, hammering home a right-footed shot from the left side of the box following a fast break to ensure an emphatic victory for the visiting team, who recorded their third win of the season.Umm Salal find winning waysUmm Salal bounced back to winning ways with a 2-1 defeat of Al Sailiya. The match appeared evenly balanced after the hour mark when Al Sailiya’s Omar Yahya conceded a penalty following a seemingly rash challenge on Umm Salal’s Abdulrahman Al Rashidi. The decision, which was heavily contested by Al Sailiya, eventually stood after a VAR check and the resultant spot kick was cleverly converted by Oussama Tannane in the 33rd minute. Umm Salal continued to be the better side on resumption of proceedings in the second half, offering waves of relentless attacks while pegging the visitors to their own half of the field for most of the encounter.Their efforts eventually paid off as they doubled their lead in the 80th minute, with Cristo Gonzalez making a brilliant overlapping run before squaring the ball to Rami Suhail to slide into an almost empty net.A consolation goal from Khalid Ali in one minute of added time ended up doing little to help Al Sailiya’s cause as Umm Salal ended up with the maximum points in their kitty.

Defending champions Al Sadd’s unbeaten run continued but they were held to a 2-2 draw by Al Wakrah while Al Duhail thrashed Al Arabi 8-1 in the Qatar Stars League Saturday. Meanwhile, Al Shamal stayed top of the table even as their perfect start ended in a goalless stalemate with Al Gharafa.Redounae Berkane’s brace rescued a point for fourth-placed Al Wakrah against Al Sadd at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium. Sadd are in sixth place.Akram Afif opened the scoring for Al Sadd in the 18th minute with a sensational curling right-footed shot from the left side of the box after Al Wakrah's defence failed to properly clear a loose ball.With a goal up, Al Sadd were in cruise control from thereon until Ahmed Suhail appeared to have conceded a penalty in the 34th minute following what seemed to be a foul on Al Wakrah’s Hamdy Fathy in the penalty area. The initial call was, however, rescinded after a VAR check.Four minutes later, Al Sadd extended their advantage as Giovani Henrique found the back of the net after seizing the ball from Al Wakrah’s Lucas Mendes and executing a left-footed shot from the center of the box.Al Wakrah had a chance to reduce the deficit in the 55th minute when Lucas Verissimo was brought down by Al Sadd’s Pau Prim in the penalty area. Nevertheless, the resulting penalty was missed by Berkane.Berkane, however, atoned for his miss two minutes later as he latched on to a rebound from Aissa Laidouni to cut the deficit for The Blue Wave with a beautiful scissors kick from the centre of the box.The Algerian striker stunned The Wolves with his brace, deep in the penalty area, in the 73rd minute as Al Wakrah drew level with their hosts to ensure the tie ended a point apiece.Al Duhail moved to fifth in the table as they thrashed Al Arabi 8-1 at the Al Thumama Stadium. Goals for Al Duhail came from Krzysztof Piatek (third minute), Al Hashmi Al Hussain (26th minute own goal), Sultan Al Brake (34th minute), Luis Alberto (38th & 60th minutes), Adil Boulbina (51st and 68th minute penalty) and Benjamin Bourigeaud (78th minute penalty). Al Arabi’s only goal was scored by Pablo Sarabia (23rd minute).Al Arabi made matters worse for themselves when Keddari committed a foul in the 66th minute to be shown the red card after a second yellow. The Red Knights opened scoring with a fabulous header from Piatek off an Al Brake cross. Sarabia equalized for Al Arabi, striking on a second attempt against defenders.Al Hussain’s header while defending conceded an own goal as Al Duhail regained lead at 2-1 and just did not stop from there on. Al Brake struck a long ranger for the spectacular third goal.Boulbina also showed presence of mind as he flicked one over the goalkeeper for his team’s fifth goal.Al Duhail’s Piatek missed a penalty strike in the ninth minute shooting wide left of the target and later he struck the top left post in the 41st minute.At the Khalifa International Stadium, Al Shamal and Al Gharafa played a goalless draw. The captivating match puts an end to Al Shamal's impeccable 100 per cent win rate, having lost points for the first time in the season. They hold a three-point advantage over Qatars SC, who are in action Sunday.The encounter featured numerous missed opportunities in the first half, prominent was Al Shamal’s Baghdad Bounedjah’s obvious sitter, which he disappointingly directed at the goalkeeper, followed by a rebound that he headed against the post in the 37th minute, much to the dismay of the entire stadium.The latter half closely resembled the initial one, as both teams had chances to overturn the stalemate but failed to capitalise on them.With the match seemingly winding down, Al Gharafa’s Ferjani Sassi missed the last obvious chance of the day after his header from the centre of the box, following an assist by Yacine Brahimi in one minute of added time, went just inches wide to the left.

HE Chairperson of the National Human Rights Committee (NHRC), Maryam bint Abdullah al- Attiyah, and member of the Arab Network of National Human Rights Institutions, called on General Secretariat of the League of Arab States to support NHRC's regional and international efforts to expose the grave Israeli violations committed in context of the aggression against Qatar, and to amplify voices of victims before all international and regional human rights bodies and mechanisms.During a meeting of the Arab Network delegation with Secretary-General of the Arab League, Dr. Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Her Excellency al- Attiyah stressed the importance of the League's backing for accountability and investigation efforts, including prosecuting those responsible for serious human rights violations and crimes and ensuring they do not escape punishment. She highlighted the dangers of violations resulting from the Israeli aggression, which targeted a populated area that included schools and diplomatic missions.The meeting, held in Cairo, was attended by President of the Arab Network of National Human Rights Institutions, Samar Haj Hassan, Secretary-General of the Arab Network, Sultan bin Hassan al-Jamali, and heads of human rights bodies and centers from several Arab countries. Al-Attiyah urged the League to support the outcomes of the Arab Network's extraordinary General Assembly, convened last Tuesday.She explained that immediately after the attacks on Qatar, NHRC sent urgent appeals to trigger international action against the aggression. Letters were addressed to Secretary-General of the UN, Antonio Guterres; UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk; President of UN Human Rights Council, Jurg Lauber; as well as the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions and its four regional networks. Communications were also sent to leading international and regional human rights organizations, including International Labour Organization, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Penal Reform International, International Federation of Journalists, and UN Development Programme.She affirmed that this aggression also constitutes a flagrant violation of international law provisions related to protection of civilians, and of international human rights law, including the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which guarantees children's right to protection and safety.She noted that the Israeli attack on Qatar caused humanitarian tragedies and severe material damage, in addition to deep psychological impacts on civilians — particularly women and children — turning residential areas into zones of fear and terror.Al-Attiyah added that the communications clarified how the shelling struck a civilian area containing schools, nurseries, diplomatic residences, and several embassies, placing diplomats, children, and families in direct danger. She noted that the presence of a fuel station in the targeted area posed an imminent risk of a wider humanitarian catastrophe.She further stressed that reports indicate rising cases of trauma among schoolchildren and women, underscoring the urgent need for international attention and immediate measures to protect civilians and ensure accountability.The NHRC chairperson called for incorporating the Israeli aggression against Qatar and its resulting grave human rights violations on the agenda of Arab League's Permanent Human Rights Committee at its next session, emphasizing the League's pivotal role in supporting the recommendations of the Arab Network's extraordinary meeting.She also underlined the importance of the Arab League in strengthening comprehensive reform of the UN system, to end double standards and impunity in dealing with violations committed by Israeli occupation forces against civilians. Al- Attiyah revealed that she called for an emergency meeting of the Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in the coming days.In a related context, she reviewed the NHRC's efforts to document and expose the grave violations resulting from the aggression in its communications with relevant regional and international bodies, and to reveal all violations committed by Israeli forces against civilians.Finally, al-Attiyah praised the efforts of the Arab League's General Secretariat and its supportive stance toward Qatar and its people in the face of the Israeli attacks, commending at the same time the broad Arab and Islamic solidarity with the victims and their families.

Pep Guardiola acknowledged that Manchester City are not considered among the favourites to win the Champions League ahead of their opening game against Napoli Thursday.City have regularly reached the sharp end of Europe's top club competition in recent years, winning the trophy for the first time in 2023. They suffered a painful early exit last season, losing to 15-time champions Madrid in a two-legged play-off with a place in the knockout stages at stake.According to the bookmakers Liverpool, Barcelona, Arsenal and defending champions Paris Saint-Germain are all considered more likely winners of this season's Champions League. Guardiola was asked at his pre-match press conference whether he saw City as contenders."Apparently, we are not," he said. "And (we must) just enjoy the moment, the journey. We are happy to be here. In the past, we have been. We just won once, so that is a lot of difficulty. (We are) Just focusing tomorrow on the game we have to play, starting this competition well."City are intent on making their mark after finishing last season without a trophy for the first time in eight years. They started the Premier League season slowly, with two defeats in their first three games, but bounced back to crush Manchester United 3-0 on Sunday.Guardiola has rebuilt his squad over the past two transfer windows, with a clutch of long-serving players exiting the club, including Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan and Ederson. Thursday's game against the Italian champions will feature an emotionally charged return to the Etihad for De Bruyne, who joined Napoli in June after a 10-year trophy-laden stint in Manchester.Guardiola said he was looking forward to seeing the midfielder but only "after the game" The City boss said it was no surprise that De Bruyne had settled quickly in Italy."The players in that level don't need much time to adapt and perform well," he said, praising his former player's "talent and vision".City's new goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma also spoke to reporters on the eve of the match against Napoli, underlining that the club had been his top choice. The Italy international won the Champions League with PSG in May but was deemed surplus to requirements by the French club, completing a £26mn deadline-day switch to City. "My desire was to come here," said Donnarumma, who has replaced Ederson as first-choice goalkeeper. "That was my first and only option, the only thing I wanted."Injured Yamal ruled out of Barca's trip to NewcastleBarcelona forward Lamine Yamal will miss Thursday's visit to Newcastle United in the Champions League with a groin injury, the Spanish club said when they announced the squad that had travelled for their league phase opener at St James' Park.Yamal suffered the injury while on international duty with Spain and Barca boss Hansi Flick slammed the national team for not taking better care of the 18-year-old, who also missed the weekend LaLiga win over Valencia.Apart from Yamal, who started the season strongly with two goals and two assists in LaLiga, Barcelona said on Wednesday that Alejandro Balde and Gavi are also out along with long-term absentee Marc-Andre ter Stegen but Frenkie de Jong is available. Barca were knocked out in the semi-finals last term while Newcastle are back in the Champions League after failing to qualify for last season's competition.