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From the village of Deir Hanna in Galilee to Hollywood, acclaimed Palestinian actress Hiam Abbass has carried her heritage across continents and cultures.Speaking at the Ajyal 2024, she underlined how her four-decade journey in cinema has reinforced the power of collective storytelling."Through cinema and our work, we are able to raise our voices and exist on our own terms, not as others want us to exist," Abbass said. "History and memory may be personal at first, but we are part of a collective memory and we have to remember that we are parts of a whole."The veteran performer, known for her diversity of roles from Arab cinema to Hollywood films and acclaimed series, said that she has several upcoming projects, including collaborations with Danielle Arbid and a special role in Annemarie Jacir's period film, where she portrays a former Palestinian resistance fighter in a multi-generational story.Abbass has worked with directors including Yousry Nasrallah, Hani Abu Assad, Steven Spielberg, Jim Jarmusch, Denis Villeneuve, Terrence Malick, Amos Gitai and Ridley Scott.She described her career across different cultures and film industries as a beautiful and rich journey where she was able to collaborate with many great directors and great thinkers and connect her vision as an actor to the bigger vision of the director or the writer.Abbass said that acting has helped her learn about herself, about life, about people, about humanity, and has shaped her way of thinking.She recently appeared in her daughter Lina Soualem's documentary *Bye Bye Tiberias, a project supported by the Doha Film Institute.Despite initial apprehension about revealing intimate aspects of her life, Abbass said that she is proud of Soualem and the final result.Her role in *Bye Bye Tiberias, she said, felt like a responsibility that she had as a mother and a Palestinian woman to tell the story of the Palestinian people."I have been part of several North African films from Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia, and I have a special connection with the women there through my work,” Abbass said. “We have the ideas, but the lack of financial support hinders the Palestinian film industry."As a director, she has also helmed an episode of *Ramy and created a short film, *Le Donne della Vucciria, for Prada's *Women's Tales series. – QNA

Wealthy countries raised their offer of climate finance to $300bn a year at COP29 on Saturday, raising hopes of a deal with developing nations that had dismissed an earlier proposal as insufficient to address the impacts of global warming.The UN climate summit had been due to finish on Friday but ran into an extra day as negotiators from nearly 200 countries — who must adopt the deal by consensus — tried to reach agreement on the contentious funding plan for the next decade.The two-week conference cut to the heart of the global debate over the financial responsibility of rich industrialised countries, whose historical use of fossil fuels caused the bulk of greenhouse gas emissions, to compensate for the damage wrought by climate change.Negotiators from several developing countries and island nations aired frustration over a UN process they said was not rising to the challenge of global warming and temporarily walked out of talks on Saturday afternoon.It was unclear if they would ultimately accept the proposed figure of $300bn a year by 2035. Fiji’s Deputy Prime Minister Biman Prasad said he was optimistic. “When it comes to money it’s always controversial but we are expecting a deal tonight,” he told Reuters.COP29 President Mukhtar Babayev asked country delegations to overcome their differences: “I ask you to now step up your engagement with one another to bridge the remaining divide,” he said in a plenary speech.Developing countries had dismissed as insufficient a previous proposal, drafted by the Azerbaijan host on Friday, that would have seen the United States, Europe and other developed countries lead $250bn in annual funding.Past failures to meet climate finance obligations have also made developing countries mistrustful of new promises.Five sources with knowledge of the closed-door discussions said the EU had agreed it could accept the higher number of $300bn a year. Two of the sources said the United States, Australia and Britain were also on board.A European Commission spokesperson and an Australian government spokesperson both declined to comment on the negotiations. The US delegation and the UK energy ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment.The new goal is intended to replace developed countries’ previous commitment to provide $100bn in climate finance for poorer nations per year by 2020. That goal was met two years late, in 2022, and expires in 2025.Representatives from the least developed countries and small island nations blocs walked out of a negotiating room in frustration at one point on Saturday afternoon, but said they remained committed to finding a deal.“We want nothing more than to continue to engage, but the process must be inclusive,” the Alliance of Small Island States said in a statement. In a sign of some progress, countries agreed on Saturday evening on rules for a global market to buy and sell carbon credits that proponents say will mobilise billions of dollars into new projects to help fight global warming.Marina Silva, Brazil’s minister of the environment and climate change, has said that the Amazon rainforest nation — which is set to host next year’s summit — was pushing for $390bn annually from developed countries by 2035.“After the difficult experience that we’re having here in Baku, we need to reach some result, some outcome which is minimally acceptable in line with the emergency we are facing,” she said on Saturday in a speech to the summit. Negotiators have worked throughout the two-week summit to address other critical questions on the finance target, including who is asked to contribute and how much of the funding is on a grant basis, rather than provided as loans.The roster of countries required to contribute — about two dozen industrialised countries, including the US, European nations and Canada — dates back to a list decided during UN climate talks in 1992. European governments have demanded others join them in paying in, including China, the world’s second-biggest economy, and oil-rich Gulf states.Donald Trump’s US presidential election victory this month cast a cloud over the Baku talks. Trump, who takes office in January, has promised to again remove the US from international climate co-operation, so negotiators from other wealthy nations expect that under his administration the world’s largest economy will not pay into the climate finance goal.A broader goal of raising $1.3tn in climate finance annually by 2035 — which would include funding from all public and private sources and which economists say matches the sum needed — was included in the draft deal published on Friday.

Pakistan’s capital Islamabad has been sealed ahead of today’s protest call by the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) party of incarcerated former prime minister Imran Khan.The PTI has issued a “final call” for nationwide protests today, urging supporters to converge on Islamabad to demand his release and challenge the controversial 26th Constitutional Amendment that has considerably eroded the powers of the superior judiciary.Khan, who has been imprisoned for over a year facing more than 150 cases, maintains significant public support.In anticipation of the planned rally, Pakistani authorities have implemented extensive security measures to prevent large gatherings. Islamabad’s Red Zone has been sealed off, with shipping containers blocking major roads and highways leading into the capital.Key routes connecting Islamabad and Rawalpindi, including Faizabad, have been obstructed, causing significant traffic disruptions.The Islamabad administration has imposed Section 144, banning public gatherings of five or more people, processions, rallies, and demonstrations for two months, citing concerns over potential unlawful assemblies and disruptions to public order.Additionally, authorities are considering suspending mobile phone services in parts of Pakistan to prevent co-ordination among protestors. The National Highways and Motorway Police have announced the closure of key routes for maintenance, advising the public to avoid unnecessary travel due to intelligence reports indicating potential violence from protestors.Despite these measures, the PTI remains resolute in proceeding with the planned march. Senior PTI leaders have confirmed their decision to move forward with the protest, emphasising that it will continue until their demands are met.The protest coincides with the scheduled visit of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko to Islamabad tomorrow, prompting heightened security concerns. A Pakistani court has barred PTI from holding the rally on the eve of the visit, citing security reasons.

Qatar National Library (QNL) hosted an international team of experts as part of a locally driven and globally connected initiative to preserve Palestinian and Lebanese heritage.Titled "Fighting Erasure: Archiving Against the Gaza Genocide and the War on Lebanon," the project seeks to contribute to the safeguarding of Palestinian and Lebanese cultural heritage through public education and advocacy, training, social media archiving, resource sharing and digital infrastructure development.Director of National Collections and Special Initiatives at QNL, Abeer al-Kuwari said: "Today's discussions mark the latest in a series of initiatives that the Library has undertaken to help protect our collective Arab heritage since the war on Gaza began. The expansion and intensification of bombardments are putting an increasing number of archaeological heritage sites throughout Gaza and Lebanon at risk, threatening the erasure of landmarks that embody thousands of years of history.""At least 104 archaeological heritage sites have so far been destroyed in Gaza and we fear the erasure of the region's cultural heritage could further expand as the assault on Lebanon continues. Through advocacy, social media archiving, resource sharing and digital infrastructure development, we hope to limit this damage and protect the region's cultural identity," she explained.The event brought together Dr Jamila J Ghaddar, founding director of the Archives and Digital Media Lab and Assistant Professor at Dalhousie University in Canada, along with Dr Hanine Shehadeh, a visiting assistant professor of humanities at NY Abu Dhabi and a research affiliate at the Palestine Land Studies Center (PLSC) at the American University of Beirut.Dr Ghaddar said the initiative leverages global connections and media exposure to mitigate the war's negative impact on the cultural front. "Through global collaborations and leveraging new media, we work against the cultural dimensions of the genocide, safeguarding Palestinian and Lebanese archives and heritage in defence of Arab life, land and freedom," she said.Dr Shehadeh described efforts to protect heritage as an act of peaceful opposition. "Preserving memory is an act of resistance. Palestinians might be burning, but they are not consumed. They rise again and again to share photos under fire, continuously defying Israel's erasure to keep the truth alive," she argued.Ghaddar and Shehadeh were joined by Rula Shahwan, director of the Library and Visual Archive Department at the Arab American University (AAUP), Ghada Dimashk, an archival and library fellow at Dalhousie University in Canada, Dr Rami Zurayk, professor of ecosystem management at the American University of Beirut, and Tamara Rayan, PhD candidate in the School of Information at the University of Michigan.The talks were moderated by Rawad Bou Malhab, head of manuscripts and archives at Qatar National Library.Since the launch of the assault on Gaza, the Library has organised numerous events to help protect Palestinian heritage and emphasise Palestine's deep-rooted Arab identity.

Jaguar’s Reimagine strategy reaches a significant milestone with the first prototypes being tested on British roads as part of a comprehensive global testing and development programme, Alfardan Premier Motors said in a statement.Disguised prototypes of the first new Jaguar, an all-electric 4 door GT have completed tens of thousands of kilometres of virtual and physical testing and will soon be deployed at test sites and public roads around the world.The first reimagined Jaguar will be built in Solihull in the UK on a dedicated electric architecture called JEA (Jaguar Electric Architecture).The next stage in the transformation of Jaguar will be revealed at Miami Art Week on December 2, including the debut of its Design Vision Concept, the statement added.

Al Duhail scored a convincing 5-0 win over Al Arabi to regain a three-point lead at the top of Qatar Stars League at the Al Thumama Stadium on Saturday.Homam al-Ameen netted a brace (fifth and 16th minutes), while Lucas Verissimo (ninth minute), Benjamin Bourigeaud (26th minute) and Luis Alberto (65th minute) chipped in with a goal each as Duhail extended their lead to 25 points – three ahead of Al Sadd. Al Arabi, meanwhile, are just above the relegation zone in 10th place with 10 points.Al Duhail almost took the lead within 30 seconds of the opening whistle when Alberto saw his right-footed shot from the centre of the box blocked. From thereon, it was one-way traffic, with coach Christophe Galtier’s men dominating and dictating the proceedings from all angles of the field. It was soon a matter of when and not if the goals would come and the first answer came in the fifth minute, with Homam banging home a long-range left-footer from an acutely-tight angle to open the door for the goal rain.Four minutes later, Verissimo doubled the lead for the visiting team with a glancing header from Bourigeaud’s corner kick.By the 16th minute, any hope of Al Arabi taking anything away from the game was extinguished as Homam hit his brace of the night with a low-driven but powerful left-footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner.Al Arabi were lucky not to concede the fourth goal in the 21st minute when Veríssimo’s shot from more than 35 yards, following a Karim Boudiaf assist, was almost finding the target only to be off by just a few inches.Al Duhail were only delayed, but not denied as their fourth of the night came five minutes later through Bourigeaud, who perfectly finished a sublime assist by Ismail Mohammed with a right-footed shot from the centre of the box to the high centre of the goal.Al Duhail’s fifth goal came in the 65th minute, with Almoez Ali helping Alberto as the Spanish attacking midfielder banged in a right-footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner.A desperate Al Arabi were reduced to 10 men with six minutes to the end of regulation time in the encounter after Yousef Msakni got the marching orders for a dangerous play with his initial yellow card upgraded to red after a VAR review.Meanwhile, Al Ahli climbed back to third place in the table after a 3-0 win over Umm Salal at Grand Hamad Stadium. The victorious team got all their goals in the first half through Erik Expisito (29th minute) and Idrissa Doumbia (36th minute) after Antonio Mance had scored an own goal in the 10th minute. The result extended Al Ahli’s points tally to 21, while Umm Salal are eighth on 11 points.Al Ahli got off to a dream start with Umm Salal’s Mance unwittingly giving them the lead when he mistakenly turned a header into his own net following a set piece by Driss Fettouhi in the 10th minute.The Orange Fortress fought like a warrior from thereon with the hope of equalising but tried as much as they attempted; it was the Brigadiers who added to their tally in the 29th minute, with an unmarked Exposito having all the time in the world to nod home from the center of the box an inch-perfect cross by Islam Yaseen to the consternation of the hosts.With a possibility of an embarrassing defeat staring them in the face, Umm Salal made a substitution in the 35th minute in order to shore up their defence with full back Omar Yahya coming in for Ali Said, but the efforts appeared to have been fruitless as Al Ahli got their third of the match almost immediately, with Doumbia registering his name on the scorers sheet in the 36th minute after outwitting two Umm Salal’s defender before slotting home a left-shooted shot from the centre of the box that left Umm Salal’s goalkeeper Landing Badji stunned.Oussama Tannane came very close to reducing the deficit for Umm Salal in the 67th minute, but his power-packed left-footed shot from a set piece just outside of the box disappointingly rattled the bar on its way out.After several efforts, a resolute Umm Salal appeared to have gotten one back through Victor Lekhal, who nodded home from a corner kick by Tannane, two minutes to the end of regulation time. But a lengthy VAR review, however, put paid to that with the referee signalling an infringement against Al Ahli’s goalkeeper Marwan Badreldin prior to the goal as Al Ahli’s three-goal lead remained untouched, to the disappointment of Umm Salal’s fans and bench as the match came to an end.In the other match of the day, two stoppage-time goals saw Al Shahania beat Qatar SC 3-1 at the Suhaim Bin Hamad Stadium. Pelle van Amersfoort (22nd minute and 90+3 minute) and Lotfi Majder (90+10 minute) scored for the winners while Qatar SC’s only goal came from Sebastian Soria in the 70th minute.The result saw Al Shahania leapfrog to four places to 11th spot with 11 points, ahead of Umm Salal on goal difference. Qatar SC slid a rung to 11th place with 10 points to their credit.

Manchester City collapsed to their fifth straight defeat on Saturday, hammered 4-0 by Tottenham in another huge blow to their Premier League title hopes as Arsenal got their challenge back on track.The rout at the Etihad ends City’s 52-game unbeaten home run and leaves manager Pep Guardiola scrambling for answers just two days after he signed a contract extension. Before the start of the match, City staged a spectacular tribute to the injured Rodri, who showcased the Ballon d’Or trophy he won last month.But the feel-good spirit did not last long as Spurs showed the home team how much they are missing the Spain midfielder, who has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a knee injury. James Maddison scored twice in the opening 20 minutes and Pedro Porro extended the away side’s lead early in the second half.Spurs completed their crushing win in stoppage time when Timo Werner raced down the left, squaring for Brennan Johnson to slide home.The home side, who have lost their past three Premier League matches and their last five in all competitions, remain five points behind leaders Liverpool, who play their game in hand against Southampton on Sunday. The four-time defending Premier League champions travel to Anfield next weekend, where defeat would leave their title hopes in tatters.Arsenal earlier crushed Nottingham Forest 3-0 to pull level on 22 points with third-placed Chelsea, who saw off Leicester in the early kick-off. Mikel Arteta’s Gunners were expected to be contenders to take City’s crown after finishing second in each of the past two seasons. But they had failed to win in their previous four league games. Martin Odegaard’s return from a long injury lay-off is a major boost to Arsenal’s hopes of a first title in more than 20 years and he teed up Bukayo Saka to blast home the opener on 15 minutes. Saka turned provider for another special strike, this time by Thomas Partey early in the second period.Teenager Ethan Nwaneri then came off the bench to score his first Premier League goal. “I think we started really well,” Arteta said. “The sense I was getting in the last 48 hours after the international break, the boys coming together and were all at it.”Speaking about Odegaard, who returned to action at Inter Milan earlier this month, he said: “It’s not a coincidence. The team flows in a different way when he is playing.”Chelsea remain ahead of Arsenal on goals scored after a 2-1 win on manager Enzo Maresca’s return to Leicester. Nicolas Jackson scored the opener but Chelsea struggled to make their dominance count until Enzo Fernandez headed home, before a late consolation goal from the penalty spot for Jordan Ayew.Aston Villa are now winless in six games in all competition and had to twice come from behind to salvage a 2-2 draw at home to Crystal Palace. Ismaila Sarr and Justin Devenny twice put the Eagles in front either side of Ollie Watkins’ leveller before half-time.Villa also had Youri Tielemans’ first-half penalty saved by Dean Henderson but the Belgian midfielder made amends with the delivery for Ross Barkley’s header to secure a point. Brighton’s incredible start under 31-year-old boss Fabian Hurzeler continued with a 2-1 win at Bournemouth to climb up to fifth.Joao Pedro and Kaoru Mitoma were on target for the Seagulls, who survived playing the final half hour down to 10 men after Carlos Baleba saw red. Wolves are out of the bottom three thanks to a stunning 4-1 win at Fulham, with Matheus Cunha scoring twice.Everton failed to take advantage of an early red card for Brentford’s Christian Norgaard in a 0-0 draw at Goodison Park. Ruben Amorim takes charge of Manchester United for the first time in the pick of Sunday’s action when the Red Devils visit Ipswich.

Mohammed Khalifa al-Baker stole the spotlight in the sixth round of the Longines Hathab – Qatar Equestrian Tour, winning the Big Tour class with an impressive time of 29.41 seconds on Lisbon. At the Longines Arena in Al Shaqab, Khaled Abdulaziz al-Eid secured second place on Q-Line with a time of 30.71 seconds, while Andre Sakakini finished third in 31.49 seconds on Heavens. The trophies were presented to the winners by Ahmed Jaber al-Mulla, a board member of the Qatar Equestrian Federation.In the Open Class, Khaled Mohammed al-Emadi emerged triumphant astride Meera in 27.98 seconds. Fahad bin Jassim al-Thani took second place on Kiara Lu, finishing in 29.75 seconds, and Thorsten Wittenberg came in third, clocking 33 seconds on Damon.In the Future Riders 60cm event, Khalifa bin Joaan al-Thani secured first place in 50.01 seconds on Ardvreck Apollo, followed closely by Salman Faisal al-Marri in second place with 50.09 seconds on Saeeda. Hissa Ali al-Jabir finished third, recording 49.77 seconds on Tinkerbell.In the 80cm category, Abdulaziz Abdullah al-Abri took first place with a time of 49.95 seconds on Any Way, followed by Mohammed Faisal al-Marri in second on Soul Rebel with 50.08 seconds. Tamim bin Joaan al-Thani came in third, finishing in 50.28 seconds on Fallon Nevada. The winners in both events were awarded by Badr bin Mohammed al-Darwish, President of the Qatar Equestrian Federation.Commenting on the competition, Abdullah al-Qashouti, Head of Media and Live Broadcasting for Hathab, emphasised that the tournament continues to provide numerous benefits, including improving riders’ readiness and fitness, raising the level of competition, and offering them the opportunity to vie for titles at various levels.He highlighted that the Doha International Equestrian Rounds will commence in a few weeks, a prestigious event featuring top riders from around the world.

The impact of the historic FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 was one of the highlights of this year’s MISK Global Forum 2024, held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia recently.Coinciding with the tournament’s two year anniversary, Qatar 2022 CEO Nasser al-Khater took to the stage to reflect on the success of Qatar 2022 and the impact it had on the youth of the Arab world.The discussion saw al-Khater and Hammad Albalawi, Head of the Saudi 2034 World Cup Bid Unit, engage in a fireside chat to highlight the role of mega sporting events in driving positive change in the Middle East and Arab World.Al-Khater spoke about the importance of youth at every stage of Qatar 2022, from planning and execution to post-event initiatives.He praised the thousands of young volunteers, professionals, and entrepreneurs from across the Arab world who contributed to the event’s success, creating pathways for young people in sports management, technology, hospitality, and cultural diplomacy.He said: “The World Cup was such an important moment for Qatar. It was more than just an event, it was a matter of national pride for our country and our region. The opportunity to deliver this tournament was inspirational for a young team and organisation that grew into the challenge. We hope it inspires the next generation of people in our region who want to achieve what others say is impossible.”Two years after welcoming 1.4mn visitors to Qatar for the tournament, the legacy of 2022 continues to be felt across the Middle East and Arab world. From 11-18 December, the FIFA Intercontinental Cup Qatar 2024 will be held in Stadium 974 and Lusail Stadium – culminating in a Final featuring Real Madrid on the two year anniversary of the FWC Final.With a final decision set to be made on Saudi Arabia’s bid to host the FIFA World 2034, Hammad Albalawi admitted his team have looked to Qatar 2022 as a foundation to galvanise regional solidarity and youth empowerment.He said: “Qatar really set the standard by hosting the best FIFA World Cup of all time. As we have navigated our own bid, we have learned from Qatar and asked questions of the 2022 team. They have been through it all and delivered on their promises for the region. We are a young team looking to achieveThe MISK Global Forum 2024 invites all aspiring changemakers, educators, policymakers, and thought leaders to join the discussion and be part of this ongoing movement toward regional and global progress.Participants at this year’s event included Prince Turki bin Talal al-Saud, Microsoft founder Bill Gates and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak.

RB Leipzig continued to lose ground on Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich with a 4-3 defeat at lowly Hoffenheim yesterday, while Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen registered big wins.Hoffenheim came from a goal down to equalise three times and took the lead with four minutes remaining in a wild debut for new manager Christian Ilzer. Equal on points with Bayern just three matchdays ago, Leipzig have since lost two and drawn one. They now sit eight points behind the league leaders after falling to third third as a result of Eintracht Frankfurt’s home win over Werder Bremen in the late game.Hoffenheim’s Adam Hlozek collected a brace while Tom Bischof scored a clever free-kick and Jacob Bruun Larsen was responsible for the winner in the 86th minute. Leipzig’s efforts came through Willi Orban, Antonio Nusa and an own goal from Hoffenheim’s Stanley N’Soki. The team from eastern Germany had only conceded five goals in the league season before yesterday’s defeat.Mario Goetze, the hero of Germany’s 2014 World Cup win, scored in his 100th Frankfurt game as his side beat Bremen 1-0 to continue their impressive league form this season.Goetze’s 45th-minute goal, blasted in from near the penalty spot, was set up by a a delicate pass from French striker Hugo Ekitike, his sixth assist of the league campaign.Dortmund beat Freiburg 4-0 thanks to goals from Maximilian Beier, Felix Nmecha, Julian Brandt and Jamie Gittens, while the visitors finished with nine men. Under fire and sitting outside the European spots coming into the match, Dortmund’s one saving grace this league campaign has been their home form, with five wins from five.Defending champions Leverkusen came from two goals down to win 5-2 at home against Heidenheim thanks to a hat-trick from Patrik Schick. Heidenheim, who host Chelsea in the Conference League on Thursday, were two goals up within 21 minutes, with Niklas Dorsch and Mathias Honsak taking advantage of some sleepy defending.Argentine World Cup winner Exequiel Palacios pulled one back on the half-hour mark before Schick scored three unanswered goals to wrestle back control of the match, before Granit Xhaka added a fifth.Last season’s runners-up Stuttgart scored two second-half goals through Chris Fuehrich and Justin Diehl to win 2-0 at home over bottom club Bochum, who have just two points from 11 games this season.Elsewhere, Ridle Baku scored the only goal as Wolfsburg defeated Union Berlin 1-0 at home.

Inter Milan moved top of Serie A on Saturday after a first-half blitz led to the Italian champions sweeping sorry Verona aside 5-0 and going two points clear, while AC Milan played out an uneventful goal-less draw with Juventus. Simone Inzaghi’s side are provisionally ahead of Napoli after netting all five of their goals in the opening 45 minutes at the Stadio Bentegodi through a Marcus Thuram brace and further strikes from Joaquin Correa, Stefan de Vrij and Yann Bisseck. Atalanta will claim top spot with a win over promoted Parma in late match, while on Sunday Napoli host Roma on Claudio Ranieri’s return to top-flight management. Correa’s opener in the 17th minute, a delightful dink after smart interplay with Thuram, didn’t just spark a rout, it was also the Argentinian’s first Serie A goal in over two years. Out-of-favour Correa had only played 38 minutes this season before this weekend but was excellent in place of captain and star striker Lautaro Martinez who was sent home early on Saturday with the flu. Correa, 30, hit the woodwork twice and also laid on Thuram for the first of his two near-identical goals, which were netted within the space of three minutes and came after the France forward skipped around Verona goalkeeper Lorenzo Montipo. By the time defenders De Vrij and Bisseck - with another strike set up by Correa - lashed in unlikely finishes Verona were submerged in boos and whistles from the home support. Verona have lost nine of their 13 league matches this season and sit 14th, just three points above the relegation zone. Inter now host Leipzig on Tuesday as they push for direct qualification for the last 16 of the Champions League, having thumped Verona with a clutch of starters either injured or rested. As well as Martinez, Hakan Calhanoglu, Federico Dimarco and Benjamin Pavard missed Saturday’s match after a busy period on international duty. Juve trail Inter by three points in sixth place after offering little to shout about at the San Siro. Ravaged by injuries, including to starting centre-forward Dusan Vlahovic, coach Thiago Motta was forced into an experimental line-up featuring midfielder Teun Koopmeiners up front. Despite the depleted line-up Juve had more shots on target - two to one - in a hugely disappointing contest in front of a crowd of more than 75,000. “I’m pleased with our performance, especially defensively against a team which created very little,” Motta said. “All in all we played well, I think a point right now keeps us going. I’m happy to see that we’re well-organised and are capable of playing like a big team should.” Milan, who started with former Juve forward Alvaro Morata leading the line, were unable to break down Juve and are seventh, nine points behind their league-leading local rivals with a game in hand. Paulo Fonseca’s side failed to trouble Juve goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio until stoppage time with a weak header from Theo Hernandez, which was followed shortly afterwards by a hail of whistles from annoyed home fans.

By Sports ReporterDohaAl Shaqab Racing’s homebred Al Dafnah, on perfect debut, landed the Local Thoroughbred Guineas race in Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club’s (Guineas &Barzan Cups Day – Division 2 on turf at the Al Uqda Racecourse on Saturday.Under Faleh Bughanaim’s well-timed riding, the Jean de Mieulle-trained bay filly came with a sweep from outside in the last 200m to take the lead and land the spoils in the 1400m contest for three-year-olds, completing a quick-fire double for Bughanaim.Abdulla Rashid al-Kubaisi, QREC Racing Manager, presented the trophies to the winners.Earlier, the Osama Omer E al-Dafea-owned-and-trained Taxiwala (IRE) won the Thoroughbred Open 1200m Race for three-year-old+ under Faleh Bughanaim, winning by one and a half length.Pearling Path (FR), owned by Mohammed Abdulhadi S al-Hajri and trained by Ibrahim Saeed al-Malki excelled with jockey Alberto Sanna to claim the Thoroughbred Handicap (75-95) for three-year-old+ 1400m race winning by a length and quarter.It was Sanna’s third win of the day after he rode Tareq (FR), owned by Al Rufaa Racing and trained by Jassim Ghazali, to victory in the 2100m Purebred Arabian Novice Plate for four-year-olds.In the day’s opening race, Sheikh Abdul Rahman bin Rashid AM al-Thani’s Gulf Legend (FR), trained by Jassim Ghazali won the Thoroughbred Maiden Plate, 3YOs over 2100m under Sanna, winning by a length.