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BILBAO, Spain: Athletic Bilbao thumped Atletico Madrid 3-0 in La Liga on a miserable Saturday afternoon for Diego Simeone’s side.

Nico Williams, Robert Navarro and Oihan Sancet’s goals gave the Basque hosts a resounding victory at their San Mames stadium.

Elsewhere promoted side Deportivo La Coruna earned an exciting 3-2 win at Villarreal to climb provisionally fourth.

Athletic secured back-to-back wins under former Borussia Dortmund coach Edin Terzic, after losing their first two matches of the campaign.

Simeone’s Atletico fell to their first defeat of the season, putting up little fight in the second half after Athletic made the breakthrough with two quick strikes from Williams and Navarro.

“Their two goals, in the blink of an eye, did us a lot of damage,” Atletico’s Pablo Barrios told Movistar.

Atletico must pick themselves up for Wednesday’s visit to face Liverpool in the Champions League at Anfield.

“(We had) two minutes of inattention and poor decision-making in situations we should have handled better,” said Simeone. “Bilbao capitalised on that lapse.”

Striker Julian Alvarez, who tried to leave the club to join Barcelona this summer, returned as a substitute after illness in an ineffective second half appearance.

The visitors had the better of the opening period, although they failed to create many clear-cut chances after an early opportunity for Lee Kang-In.

The South Korean international struck a shot against the post in the third minute after the hosts were carved open.

Athletic goalkeeper Unai Simon saved from Alex Baena as Atletico threatened, while Sancet came close at the other end with a blast into the side-netting.

Pablo Barrios hit the post before the break for Atletico, who were sucker-punched early in the second half by Terzic’s side.

The Williams brothers combined for Athletic’s first, with Inaki’s deflected shot headed home by younger sibling Nico after 46 minutes.

Navarro doubled Athletic’s lead in the 48th minute, steering home after Inaki Williams played him in.

“We were good in the first half but the game got away from us in those (couple of) minutes,” said Simeone.

“We lacked in the second half everything that we had in the first.”

No impact for Alvarez

Simeone rang the changes, including sending on want-away striker Alvarez to little effect.

The Argentina international struggled to get involved in the game, and produced just one shot from the edge of the box, saved comfortably by Simon.

Sancet wrapped up Athletic’s victory in the 90th minute when he stroked home a loose ball after a blocked cross.

“It’s always good to win games, especially at home,” said Terzic.

“Today we are happy and we are going to be very satisfied when we go to bed tonight, and then from tomorrow onwards we’ll prepare everything to go for the next (game).

“We have six points from the last two games, but this won’t help us to reach all our targets by the end of the season.”

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored for the fourth match running and set up two more as the former Arsenal and Barcelona striker excelled in Depor’s surprise win at Villarreal.

Another ex-Arsenal attacker Nicolas Pepe put the hosts ahead but Luismi Cruz levelled for the Galicians before the interval.

Adama Traore’s own goal gave Villarreal the advantage once more but Zakaria Eddahchouri and Aubameyang, 37, struck to claim Depor a superb victory.

Sergio Camello netted twice for Rayo Vallecano in an entertaining 3-2 win over Racing Santander.

On Sunday, La Liga leaders Barcelona visit Valencia looking to move clear of Real Madrid, who lost 1-0 at Real Betis on Friday, among other fixtures.

Who: Real Madrid vs Inter Milan
What: Champions League league phase
Where: Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain
When: Tuesday, September 8, at 9pm (19:00 GMT)
How to follow: Al Jazeera Sport will bring you all the build-up from 16:00 GMT ahead of our live text commentary stream

When Jose Mourinho left Inter Milan for Real Madrid in the summer of 2010, after leading the Italian outfit to Champions League glory, he was at the peak of his powers.

The Portuguese coach claimed an historic treble with Inter, clinching Serie A in the last week of the season and lifting the Coppa Italia.

Inter beat Bayern 2-0 in the Champions League final at Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu stadium, winning the trophy for the first time since 1965 and becoming the first Italian team to win the treble.

The day after the final Mourinho said it was likely his last match in charge and about a week later his appointment at Real Madrid was finalised.

Now 16 years on, and beginning his second stint at Madrid, Mourinho kicks off the record 15-time Champions League winners’ European campaign against Serie A champions Inter on Tuesday at the Bernabeu.

Mourinho denies feeling pressure to lift Champions League

The Champions League is the only trophy that evaded Mourinho during his first stint at Real Madrid.

“No, it is two different spells,” he said when asked at a pre-match news conference if he was in debt to the club. “When I left in 2013, we won what we won and lost what we lost and ‌we gave it our all. And that was that. What I need to do now has nothing to do with the past.”

“Back in 2010, we weren’t even reaching the quarterfinals of the Champions League and it had been ages since we’d played in a semifinal. Now we’ve won six Champions Leagues in a little over a decade.”

All eyes will be on how Real respond to their first setback of Mourinho’s second spell – a 1-0 defeat ⁠by Real Betis in La Liga on Friday.

“We want to win every ⁠match, every competition,” he said. But you have to work to accomplish stability. Stability. Stability … Structure …

“So Real Madrid need to reach that stability that is so important to achieve something great. But Real Madrid are Real Madrid, you ⁠need to win here no matter what.”

‘We all need to improve’

Sitting alongside Mourinho, star striker Kylian Mbappe was asked several times about his relationship ⁠with Vinicius Jr and the atmosphere in the Real dressing room.

“What does an improvement in the dressing room mean?” Mbappe said when asked if there had been a change from last year.

“Do you have the feeling that something wasn’t right ‌last year? No, it’s the same as last year. It’s true we have a different coach, but it’s the same.”

Mbappe acknowledged his side have to improve in front of goal.

“I could say that I score more goals than some PSG players so they need to score more, but I have to be smart and acknowledge that I need to improve too, even if I do certain things that others don’t,” he said.

“It’s an endless debate. We all need to improve [in front of goal], and also with the ball.”

What happened in Madrid’s last match?

Mbappe missed a late penalty as Troy Parrott scored his first goal for Real Betis in their 1-0 win on Friday, ending Mourinho’s perfect start to the La Liga season.

Madrid had won each of their first three matches under Mourinho in his second spell in charge, but Betis goalkeeper Alvaro Valles denied Mbappe from the spot deep into stoppage time to seal a memorable victory at La Cartuja.

Vinicius Junior hit the post in the first half from Arda Guler’s pass across the face of goal, with Mbappe foiled twice by heroic blocks from Natan Bernardo de Souza and Marc Bartra.

As Madrid struggled to break Betis down, the hosts took a surprise lead nine minutes from time when Parrott fired home the rebound after Thibaut Courtois had produced a fine save to deny Nelson Deossa’s header.

What happened in Inter’s last match?

A last-gasp winner from Lautaro Martinez sealed a breathless win for Inter as the Serie A champions fought back from two goals down to edge visiting Napoli 3-2 on Saturday.

The game exploded in the second half when Matteo Politano guided home a shot in the 50th minute before Rasmus Hojlund’s curler doubled the Napoli lead three minutes later.

Inter responded almost immediately when Martinez hammered in his first goal of the season from a Dimarco cross. Substitute Marcus Thuram came agonisingly close to a leveller when he headed off the post.

The France international would not be denied twice, though, and smashed a towering header past Alex Meret in the 82nd minute to level the scores.

Chances fell at both ends before Martinez’s penalty box instincts proved decisive in the 91st minute as Napoli failed to clear in a goalmouth scramble and the Argentina striker pounced to settle an extraordinary match.

Prediction

The Opta supercomputer makes Real Madrid the favourites, with a win probability of 56 percent. Inter given a 22.3 percent chance of winning.

Head-to-head

They have faced each other on 19 occasions; Madrid won 10 games, Inter won seven, and two ended as draws.

Somewhat surprisingly, Inter have not beaten Real Madrid since 1998, a game in which the great Roberto Baggio scored a brace for the Italians.

Last five encounters:

• December 07, 2021:  Real Madrid 2-0 Inter Milan (Champions League)
• September 15, 2021: Inter Milan 0-1 Real Madrid (Champions League)
• November 25, 2020:  Inter Milan 0-2 Real Madrid (Champions League)
• November 03, 2020:  Real Madrid 3-2 Inter Milan (Champions League)
• November 25, 1998:  Inter Milan 3-1 Real Madrid (Champions League)

Real Madrid’s team news

Eduardo Camavinga, Arda Guler and Bernardo Silva will all miss the game due to suspensions carried over from last season.

Madrid also have a host of injuries to contend with as Eder Militao, Rodrygo, Ferland Mendy and Raul Asencio are all ruled out.

Aurelien Tchouameni, Thiago Pitarch, Endrick and Marc Cucurella face late fitness tests as they struggle to recover from injuries, but all are reportedly back in training.

Predicted starting XI:

Courtois (goalkeeper); Dumfries, Konate, Huijsen, Cucurella; Bellingham, Valverde; Diomande, Diaz, Vinicius Jr; Mbappe

Inter Milan’s team news

Left-back Federico Dimarco is unavailable due to a knee injury, while new signing Djed Spence is still working his way back to full fitness after an undisclosed injury and is unlikely to feature.

Predicted starting XI:

Josep Martinez (goalkeeper); Bastoni, Bisseck, Akanji; Diouf, Barella, Jones, Calhanoglu, Augusto; Lautaro Martinez, Thuram

Rybakina, 27, dropped only four points in a near flawless performance on serve against four-time Grand Slam champion Osaka, who said after the match she was struggling with pain in her leg.

She faced the 28-year-old full of confidence, having not dropped a set in her opening three matches at the tournament, and took control of the contest in a dominant first set.

Reigning Australian Open champion Rybakina opened up a double break over Osaka, before sealing the set in just 21 minutes.

Osaka showed greater resistance early in the second set but, after failing to convert her only break point of the match, Rybakina soon seized control again.

She broke to go 4-3 up, before safely seeing out the rest of the match, with Osaka unable to contend with her opponent’s deep groundstrokes.

Rybakina sealed the match inside 66 minutes with her seventh ace of a match where she hit a total of 29 winners to Osaka’s nine.

Asked about the gap of almost six years since her last major win, at the 2021 Australian Open, Osaka said: “I thought about it, and if I win another Grand Slam, it’s not going to change my life.

“That’s kind of crazy that I can say that, because I remember the first Slam that I won, it was, like, a huge whirlwind.”

The Rams will depart for Australia on Tuesday night for their season opener against the San Francisco 49ers.

Will star defensive lineman Aaron Donald be with them?

“Feeling good, feeling really good,” Donald said Monday. “Come up with a game plan and see.”

But could he say for certain he will make the trip?

“I’m feeling really good. Feeling great,” he said. “Come up with a game plan and see what’s going on but I’m telling ya, I feel great.”

Donald, 35, returned from a two-year retirement to join a Rams team that is favored to win Super Bowl LXI. But the three-time NFL defensive player of the year has gone through only one 11-on-11 practice.

2026 NFL season preview

He did that on Sunday, but did not practice Monday. Donald said he did a cardio workout as part of a scheduled day off.

“I’m 35,” he said, chuckling. “You don’t play football in two years, you got to be smart. Even if I feel good, you still gotta be smart.”

Coach Sean McVay has said that Donald’s situation would be evaluated daily.

Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula, asked if a decision had been made regarding whether Donald would play against the 49ers, said “everything’s” day by day.

“We’re ready for him if he does, ready for him if he doesn’t,” Shula said, “and we’ll have a plan for however many plays he feels like he can go and we’ll go from there.”

Donald said his ramp-up has gone better than he anticipated.

“Thought I’d be a lot more rusty,” he said, adding that things were “clicking.”

Donald said that during his first full practice, he settled in after a few plays. He is not where he wants to be, “but pretty pretty damn good, if you ask me, to not play football in two years to be moving how I’m moving.”

Donald came back, in part, to team with edge rusher Myles Garrett, a two-time NFL defensive player of the year. They have been in meetings and walkthroughs together, and now have practiced.

“It was good to be on the grass with him and do some stuff, and get a feel,” Donald said. “Because the chemistry of playing with each other, kind of learning how each other rush, how each other play, not just Myles just the whole front. … It’s exciting.”

Donald said he was ready for whatever role he fills, and that he was not going to worry about playing 60 or 70 snaps.

“There’s no pressure on me. I can just go out there play free, play ball, let the game come to me,” Donald said. “Play with the guys around me. Help them, they help me.”

Donald, an eight-time All-Pro, has 111 career sacks.

Star receiver Davante Adams is happy that he returned to join the Rams.

“Nobody knows exactly what he’s going to do statistically, if he’s going to be exactly what he was,” Adams said. “But … I know the type of person that he is and I know the way he’s going to work and I know the way he looks right now.

“It looks like it’s going to be a familiar picture for us all out there.”

Puka Nacua ready for opener

Star receiver Puka Nacua said he was happy to be participating in full-team drills after being sidelined for a few weeks because of a psoas injury sustained during a joint practice with the Dallas Cowboys a few days after the end of training camp.

The NFL has been investigating an incident that led to Nacua being the defendant in a civil lawsuit. If the league determines that Nacua violated the NFL’s personal conduct policy, he could be suspended.

But the league has not taken action, and McVay said he expected Nacua to play against the 49ers.

Did the possibility of a suspension before the season weigh heavily on Nacua?

“Definitely feeling emotion of some of the things that, just trying to handle that in the ways that I can and what’s in my control,” he said. “But also having a realistic understanding of the consequences of some of the things that I put myself in this offseason.

“But I feel like I’ve been able to feel grounded and feel present when I step out there on the football field. That’s been one of the positive things, of every time I step on that football field, never taking that moment for granted.”

LONDON: The stabbing of a Saudi visitor during an attempted robbery in one of London’s wealthiest districts this week has sparked new discussions about the safety of Gulf tourists in the British capital and the precautions travelers should take in major European cities.

The man, in his 40s, was stabbed in Berkeley Square, Mayfair, on Thursday. Metropolitan Police officers and London Ambulance Service crews attended the victim, who was treated and taken to hospital. His injuries are said to be not life-threatening.

A 58-year-old man was arrested at the scene on suspicion of grievous bodily harm, possession of an offensive weapon and attempted robbery.

“This appears to be an isolated incident and there is currently nothing to suggest an ongoing risk to the wider public,” a Met spokesman told Arab News. “We recognize that this will cause concern among the community. Tackling knife crime and serious violence remains a priority for the Metropolitan Police.”

The Saudi embassy in London said it was coordinating with British authorities, supporting the victim and monitoring his condition until he is discharged.

It called for the investigation to be completed swiftly and for those responsible to be held accountable, while urging Saudi citizens in Britain to exercise caution and avoid carrying valuable possessions openly in public.

Arab News understands the embassy is expected to release the victim’s name shortly.

Reports indicate the attempted robbery may have been motivated by a luxury watch inside the man’s backpack, although it was not visible and nothing was ultimately stolen.

The incident has nevertheless resonated among Gulf travelers for whom London has long been a home-away-from-home and one of their favorite European destinations.

Jocelyne Elia, travel editor at Asharq Al-Awsat, said high-profile incidents could influence how visitors perceive the city even when they are statistically rare.

“Incidents like the recent stabbing are understandably concerning and can affect how safe Gulf visitors feel when travelling to the UK,” she told Arab News. “The Gulf is an extremely important tourism market for Britain, so repeated incidents could damage confidence and influence people’s decisions about where they travel, stay and shop.

“It is important that UK authorities respond strongly to these crimes while making clear that they are isolated incidents and that the UK remains a welcoming destination for Gulf visitors.”

Saudi tourism alone is a significant market for Britain.

The UK received a record 344,000 visits from the Kingdom in 2024, during which Saudi travelers spent about £771 million — an average of more than £2,200 per visit according to VisitBritain, citing data from the Office for National Statistics’ International Passenger Survey.

Figures obtained from the Metropolitan Police provide a partial picture of the crimes experienced by Saudi and other Gulf nationals in London. Records show 35 Saudi nationals were recorded as crime victims in 2021, rising to 65 in 2022 and 85 in 2023 — a total of 185 over the three years. Of those cases, 97 involved theft, 41 violence against the person and 12 robbery.

Across the six Gulf Cooperation Council nations, 498 people were recorded as victims during the three-year period, including 219 involving theft and 137 violence against the person.

The Met says some 92 percent of total recorded victims do not have a first nationality recorded. The figures also do not distinguish tourists from residents, students or other people, and so cannot be used to calculate the risk of a Saudi or Gulf visitor becoming a crime victim.

The Mayfair attack also comes little more than a year after the death of a Saudi national in Britain in another stabbing attack, although the circumstances were very different.

Mohammed Yousef Algasim, 20, was attending a 10-week English-language course in Cambridge when he was stabbed in the neck in an unprovoked attack outside his accommodation on Aug. 1, 2025.

His killer, Chas Corrigan, was convicted of murder in March and sentenced in June to life imprisonment with a minimum term to be served of 22 years and six months.

CCTV showed Corrigan, who had been drinking and had taken drugs, approach Algasim before walking away, turning back and stabbing him with a kitchen knife.

Such cases have contributed to concerns over violent crime, while the much more common experiences of pickpocketing, phone snatching and theft has increasingly shaped tourists’ perceptions of some European capitals.

The picture, however, is more nuanced than individual incidents might suggest.

Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection’s 2026 ranking of the safest cities for travelers places four European cities among its top five; in order, they are Reykjavik, Copenhagen, Zurich, Amsterdam and Honolulu. London is ranked 13th safest overall and eighth specifically for safety from violent crime.

The company cautions that the survey measures conditions and traveler perceptions at a particular point in time rather than providing a guarantee that visitors will not encounter crime.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, a 2024 Forbes Advisor study of 60 international cities ranked Caracas as the riskiest destination for tourists, followed by Karachi, Yangon, Lagos and Manila.

Its assessment went beyond street crime to consider personal and health security, infrastructure, natural-disaster exposure, digital safety and government travel advisories.

However, a city can rank comparatively highly for overall safety while still experiencing particular forms of crime at levels noticeable to visitors. In London, mobile-phone theft is perhaps the most visible example.

A Metropolitan Police data series recorded 117,211 mobile phones stolen in London in 2024, the highest annual figure in the series and equivalent to about 321 phones a day. That followed 115,261 recorded stolen phones in 2023 and 90,810 in 2022.

The Met said it moved to a new crime-recording system in February 2024, meaning care must be taken when making direct comparisons. A newer offence series recorded 81,365 mobile-phone theft offences in 2024 and 71,391 in 2025, a decline of 12.3 percent. The difference reflects different police datasets and recording methodologies.

Police have since mounted their largest crackdown on phone theft to date. Earlier this summer, the Met released footage showing officers pursuing suspected phone thieves on high-powered e-bikes, conducting raids, arresting alleged handlers and recovering stolen devices as part of Operation Reckoning.

One raid on a shop in northwest London recovered more than 1,000 suspected stolen phones.

An earlier four-week phase of the operation resulted in 248 arrests and the recovery of 770 devices, while another investigation dismantled what the Met described as the UK’s largest mobile-phone smuggling network, responsible for trafficking as many as 40,000 stolen devices to China during 2024 and 2025.

Police said the network was handling the equivalent of about 40 percent of phones stolen in London at the time.

The crackdown appears to be having an effect, something London Mayor Sadiq Khan has been quick to capitalize on.

Across London, the Met said theft-from-the-person and robbery offences involving stolen mobile phones fell by 18 percent in the 12 months to May, representing around 14,000 fewer offences. Those falling figures provide an important counterpoint to perceptions of London as a city experiencing an unchecked crime wave.

But Elia said the Mayfair stabbing demonstrated why travelers should still take practical precautions, particularly in areas associated with luxury shopping, restaurants and nightlife.

She rejected the suggestion that Arab visitors should change traditional clothing or conceal their nationality because of safety concerns.

“The advice should simply be to be discreet with expensive watches, jewelry and designer bags, and phones, particularly in crowded areas or late at night,” Elia said.

“Keep valuables covered where possible, stay aware of your surroundings and avoid openly displaying expensive items. This is sensible advice for all tourists, not just Arabs.”

She added: “Saudi-British relations are strong, but the British government must do more to tackle rising crime, especially phone theft and robberies.”

For Gulf travelers, the latest attack presents a dilemma familiar to visitors to many of Europe’s largest cities.

London remains highly ranked for overall tourist safety and police data suggest several forms of street crime are falling after intensive enforcement.

At the same time, the stabbing of a Saudi visitor in the heart of Mayfair — coupled with the prevalence of phone and luxury-item theft — is a reminder that relative safety does not eliminate individual risk.

For the hundreds of thousands of Saudi visitors who travel to Britain each year, the message from both the embassy and travel experts is therefore one of vigilance rather than avoidance: London remains open to them, but valuables, surroundings and personal security cannot be taken for granted.

Jim McGuinness is to remain Donegal senior football manager for the 2027 season.

It will be his fourth year at the helm during his second stint in charge of the Ulster county.

Meanwhile Mickey McCann will continue to manage the county’s senior hurlers for a further two years, having been in the role since 2018.

Donegal GAA confirmed the news on social media on Monday evening.

“Following a meeting of the County Committee, Donegal confirm the appointment of Michael McCann as Senior Hurling Manager for a two year term and Jim McGuinness as Senior Football manager for a one year term,” it read.

During his second term in charge, McGuinness has helped guide Donegal to back-to-back Ulster titles in 2024 and 2025 and an All-Ireland final appearance in 2025.

The 53-year-old led Donegal to a Football League Division One final success over Kerry in March this year but the county’s championship season was a disappointing one.

They were defeated by Down in the quarter-finals of the Ulster SFC and went down to Dublin after extra-time in Round 3 of the All-Ireland series.

McGuinness, who led Donegal to the All-Ireland in 2012 in his first spell as manager, initially returned on a three-year-deal with an option of a fourth.

Former Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone has denied being arrested at an airport in Portugal after arriving with a shotgun he intended to use in a clay pigeon shooting competition.

Ecclestone, 95, said he was stopped and questioned by four police officers and customs officials at the Tires Aerodrome in Cascais on Monday after arriving from Switzerland.

The British businessman told the Press Association he had to “surrender” the weapon he travelled with as he did not have the right documents to correctly import it.

Ecclestone, who was in charge of F1 for nearly 40 years until 2017, said the Portuguese police were “very helpful” and rejected reports he had been arrested.

“I was going to take part in a clay pigeon shooting competition in Portugal,” said Ecclestone.

“I went to see the police and said, ‘What can I do for you?’ And they said, ‘We would like some information on this gun you brought in’.”

Ecclestone added he had already taken his shotgun from England to Switzerland and said he anticipated no problems as the airport officials know him “very well”.

However, on arrival he was questioned by police for about an hour and was asked to hand over the weapon as he did not have the official documents to bring it into the country.

The incident marks the second time Ecclestone has encountered airport issues regarding firearms. In 2022, he was arrested in Brazil for illegally carrying a gun while boarding a private plane to Switzerland and was ordered to pay 6,000 Brazilian reals (£1,000) to the local authorities.

Cairo, Egypt – Four days after he disappeared from the Egyptian team camp at the 2026 Under-20 World Wrestling Championships in Slovakia last month, 19-year-old wrestler Ziad Hajjaj Abu Gabal posted a message on Facebook.

“I don’t want my mother and father to be upset with me,” he wrote on August 29. “I did this so I could see myself as a man. I won’t go back to Egypt, my beloved country, until I bring it honour.

“Everything I earn in a month is 700 Egyptian pounds [$13.7], and I’m an international [athlete] … After all this pressure, there was no way I could go back.”

On August 27, another Egyptian wrestler, Mohamed al-Shami, 23, had escaped while his team transited through Rome on their way home from the Mediterranean Games in Taranto, Italy.

In his Facebook post on August 29, Al-Shami said he had come to feel like a financial burden on his family and that he wanted to start earning money for them.

“At a certain point I felt my father was exhausted, that life had become too hard for him,” he wrote. “I’m the eldest of my siblings, so someone had to make a sacrifice and take responsibility.”

While the authorities in Egypt may now try to take legal action against the two athletes, their posts drew a wave of sympathy from Egyptians on Facebook, with many saying they understood the pressures that pushed the athletes to escape from a country mired in poverty.

Indeed, Hajjaj and al-Shami are far from the first Egyptian wrestlers to flee while abroad, and the hardships they describe are widely shared across the sport in Egypt.

Debt and despair

A 27-year-old wrestler, who won several gold medals for Egypt and asked not to be named, told Al Jazeera that fellow athletes under 20 years old earn 700 Egyptian pounds ($13.7) to 800 ($15.7) Egyptian pounds a month.

Older international players reportedly receive between 5,000 pounds ($98.2) and 12,000 pounds ($235.7) a month, depending on their achievements.

“Wrestlers often go into debt to cover supplements and living costs while waiting for prize money that may or may not arrive,” he said.

Ahmed Baghdouda left for France in 2023 immediately after winning silver at the African Wrestling Championships, reportedly over low pay. Tarek Abdel Salam defected to Bulgaria in 2017 amid alleged medical neglect and later won European gold under Bulgaria’s flag. That year, Ibrahim Ghanem also chose to stay in France, subsequently winning a World Championship title for the country.

In October 2025, Mohamed Ibrahim el-Sayed – popular as Kishu and a six-time African wrestling champion, two-time U23 world champion, and bronze medallist in the 67kg category at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics – announced he had taken “the first step” towards switching his sporting allegiance to represent the United States, posting training photos from a facility with the US flag behind him.

Asked by Al Jazeera through a messaging app why wrestlers keep fleeing Egypt, Kishu blamed the wrestling federation.

“It’s the only body that can provide a suitable environment, but the opposite keeps happening,” he said from the US. “The problem isn’t just about money – it goes much deeper than that. When I retire, what am I supposed to do? God forbid I get injured – what happens to me then?”

“I would take the same decision again and again and I advise Egypt’s international players to focus on their training and acquire their rights because it’s their lives that are being wasted.”

Al Jazeera reached out to the president and the vice president of the Egyptian Wrestling Federation (EWF), as well as the president of the Egyptian National Olympic Committee (ENOC), for their comments, but none of them responded.

However, the EWF’s team psychologist Hossam Mohamed said the disappearance of players abroad is not simply down to poor financial compensation or neglect, insisting the state provides good support to wrestlers – whether through financial bonuses, training camps abroad, or accommodation and meals. He said medal bonuses can reach 5 million Egyptian pounds ($98,135) for an Olympic gold.

“The wrestling federation, compared to major sports federations, has limited resources in light of the absence of broadcasting rights and the commercial and audience revenues enjoyed by football,” he noted.

“[But the] core problem for [athletes] isn’t only what they receive during their playing years, but what awaits them after retirement or injury.”

On Hajjaj and al-Shami, he said they competed in international championships, but “receiving bonuses is tied to achieving results – a player who doesn’t finish in a top position doesn’t receive a tournament bonus”, and neither was able to achieve podium finishes in recent competitions.

Gamal el-Badrawy, a former head of Egypt’s kickboxing federation, called on the Ministry of Youth and Sports to impose tighter oversight of national sporting federations and to review bonuses, allowances and health insurance.

“[Athletes] cannot be entirely absolved of responsibility, but the weak financial and administrative system is the main driver,” he told Al Jazeera.

Prosecutors investigate

Meanwhile, Egypt’s Ministry of Youth and Sports has referred Hajjaj and al-Shami to the public prosecutor, accusing them of breaking the rules governing national delegations.

The ENOC separately referred Brigadier General Ibrahim Adel – EWF secretary-general and head of the wrestling delegation at the tournament in Taranto – to its ethics committee for investigation and suspended him from his duties for allowing al-Shami to escape.

Adel refused to comment on the criticisms against the EWF, but told Al Jazeera he believed the moves against him were unfair, pointing to precautionary measures already in place before the trip: notarised undertakings signed by both the players’ guardians and the players themselves committing them to return to Egypt.

Meanwhile, fleeing athletes often leave behind distressed families.

Hajjaj’s father, Hajjaj Abu Gabal, told Al Jazeera over the phone that he was deeply worried for his son after he left the national team in Slovakia, noting that he had switched off his phone for a long time and did not respond to calls.

“I signed the notarised parental consent required for my underage son to travel,” he said, as 21 is the age of full legal adulthood in Egypt. “But no one from the wrestling federation had contacted me since the escape.”

Hajjaj, according to his father, said wrestling required expenses for food, drink, clothing and other needs, including costs related to the training period and participation in championships, and these expenses were a burden on him and the family.

“Whatever happens, he’s still my son,” the father said.

“I keep praying for him to be safe and secure, and may God compensate him for the difficult times he went through.”

This article was published in collaboration with Egab, a platform that empowers journalists from across the Global South to publish stories in international media outlets.

“Pravac Potocari” or “Direction Potocari” were the words used by former Bosnian Serb general Ratko Mladic as he entered Srebrenica on July 11, 1995.

Mladic was referring to the nearby village of Potocari, which hosted a United Nations peacekeeping base and was the initial gathering point for Bosniak refugees during the war in Bosnia. Under Mladic’s command, Bosnian Serb forces committed a genocide against thousands of Bosniak men and boys in the days that followed.

“Pravac Potocari” was also the slogan the fans of the Serbian football team Red Star chose on Sunday to honour the so-called “butcher of Bosnia”, who died in The Hague, the Netherlands, on August 27, while ⁠serving a life sentence for ‌genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. During a match against city rivals Partizan in the Serbian capital, the supporters also unveiled a giant image of Mladic and observed a minute of silence in his memory.

The tribute came days after European football governing body UEFA fined Red Star a total of 98,250 euros, or $114,100, over a banner -“General, eternal glory and thanks” – dedicated to Mladic that was unveiled by the club’s ultras during a Europa League playoff away leg in Plzen, in the Czech Republic.

The penalty included a ban on Red Star supporters travelling to the club’s next two European away fixtures, in Lugano, Switzerland on October 15 and Ghent, Belgium on November 26.

It was not the first time Red Star supporters had expressed support for Mladic during a European match. Nine years earlier, fans displayed similar messages during a Europa League tie against Belarusian club BATE Borisov.

‘Most shameful event this stadium has seen’

For Slobodan Georgiev, a news director at TV Nova S in Serbia, the minute of silence at Belgrade’s Marakana stadium marked a qualitative shift rather than a repeat performance.

“Glorifying a convicted war criminal is nothing new, but officially paying tribute to him with a minute of silence is new – and it’s the most shameful event this stadium has witnessed,” Georgiev said. “Displaying the shameful slogan ‘Pravac Potocari’ cannot be justified, though in the coming days we’ll surely see attempts to do so.”

He placed the display in a much longer lineage. “Since the breakup of Yugoslavia, the terraces have served as a recruitment centre for paramilitary formations, and in various forms that haven’t changed to this day,” he said. “The worst messages have always travelled through the terraces – everything the authorities didn’t dare say themselves, they most often said through the stands, as they did … at the Red Star–Partizan match.”

But what made Sunday’s so-called “eternal derby” notable was not only the Red Star display.

Partizan’s own hardcore supporters, the Grobari, had raised their own banner in tribute to Mladic – reading “General, thank you” – just a week earlier, on August 31, during a Serbian Super Liga match against OFK Beograd, with Mladic’s flag flying over the north stand for the full 90 minutes.

For Georgiev, the fan groups are not an autonomous phenomenon, but an instrument. “The state, through its secret services and through criminal groups, has always managed these groups and used them for the worst tasks: Mobilisation in war, crime in peacetime, and delivering the ugliest political messages,” he said. “A stand that boasts it was founded by Zeljko Raznatovic Arkan, and that sings in praise of Ratko Mladic without facing any legal consequence for it, speaks for itself.”

Georgiev was referring to Arkan, the Serbian paramilitary leader whose unit committed atrocities during the Yugoslav wars and who, before his assassination in Belgrade in 2000, was closely associated with Red Star’s hardcore fan base, the Delije – a group he is widely reported to have helped organise.

‘Clearest indication issue deeply ingrained’

Sasa Djordevic, a senior analyst at the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC), sees the same continuity Georgiev described, tracing it back further still. “The connection between football hooliganism, nationalism and politics in Serbia dates to the late 1980s and became particularly evident during and after the breakup of former Yugoslavia,” he said. “Certain elements of the hooligan scene have since been exploited as a political ‘rent-a-mob,’ and some group leaders have reaped benefits from political protection or business opportunities.”

What worries him most now is not the display itself, but how unremarkable it risks becoming. “Incidents like those that occurred at Marakana last night risk being perceived as routine rather than serious manifestations of hate speech,” he said. “Public debate has nearly vanished, and society seems increasingly desensitised to violence and hate speech in stadiums. When such behaviour starts to feel normal, it may be the clearest indication that the issue has become deeply ingrained.”

Ivana Jeremic, an editor at the Balkan Insight publication, pointed to why sports venues serve that function so well. “Stadiums have long ceased to be merely sporting arenas – they are fertile ground for sending messages that can’t be spoken publicly, or that come wrapped in a softer form,” she said. “Matches involving Partizan, Red Star, and the national team stand out in particular for this.”

The political ties, she argued, are an open secret. “The political connections between the fans leading the stands and those in power are something of a public secret, with a number of documented examples of direct influence. What we hear or see on the terraces could hardly happen without some form of ‘permission’ from the authorities,” Jeremic said. “When it comes to Mladic, we’ve seen a rise in such messages in recent days. Red Star’s fans, as well as the club itself, are currently perceived as a mouthpiece of the government.”

On Thursday, a Serbian government plane carried Mladic’s body from The Hague to Belgrade for burial, where it was received with military honours.

From the terraces to paramilitary structures

Djordevic traced the mechanism behind this convergence to the same period cited by Georgiev. “During the breakup of Yugoslavia, football stadiums became spaces for nationalist mobilisation, and for some young men the step from organised football violence to paramilitary structures was short,” he said. “Hooligan groups since then cultivate loyalty, hierarchy, readiness to use violence and rapid mobilisation to achieve their extremist views that go beyond strictly football supporter beliefs.”

That structure is not unique to Serbia, but it is particularly acute there. GI-TOC’s regional research examined 122 fan groups, identifying 78 as ultras – and found 21 groups combining violent hooliganism with links to extreme politics. “The most problematic situation was in Serbia, followed by Bosnia and Herzegovina,” Djordevic said, while cautioning against overreach. “The term ‘terrorism’ should be used cautiously: The evidence points to particular groups or individuals linked to violent extremism and paramilitary structures, not supporter groups as a whole.”

UEFA’s disciplinary decision detailed the layers of the punishment: A  50,000-euro ($58,000) fine for transmitting a message unfit for a sporting event, an 8,250-euro ($9,580) fine for team misconduct, and the activation of a suspended sanction originally imposed in April 2025 over racist conduct by Red Star fans – a suspended stadium ban now converted into a one-match travelling ban, conditionally extended for a further two years.

But fines on paper, Djordevic said, rarely reach the people who are actually liable. “The problem is that fines imposed on clubs do not necessarily affect those responsible for the incidents,” he said. “If hooligans remain untouched, financial penalties can become simply another cost of doing business rather than a tool for changing behaviour. That does not mean clubs do not care. They respond when sanctions are certain, substantial, and consistently enforced, as seen more clearly in basketball games than in football.”

The gap, he argued, is not a lack of rules. “Serbia already has a solid legal framework,” he said. “The real issue is enforcement. Sanctions need to be applied quickly, consistently and without exceptions, both to clubs and to individuals responsible for violence and hate speech.”

Pakistan have begun an inquiry into “discipline and conduct” in the latest twist on a turbulent tour of England.

Already 2-0 down in the three-match Test series, Pakistan last week sent seven players home, called up seven more and replaced head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed with New Zealander Mike Hesson.

During the second Test at Lord’s, the tourists also threatened to cancel the remainder of the match and the tour over an interview broadcast by Sky with the imprisoned former Pakistan prime minister and captain Imran Khan.

In a statement released on Monday morning, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said: “The Pakistan Cricket Board has initiated an internal disciplinary inquiry following media reports concerning discipline and conduct, which are currently being reviewed internally.

“The PCB handles such matters in accordance with its standard procedures. The process is being conducted under PCB regulations, ensuring that all concerned individuals are given due consideration.”

The statement refers to “speculative reports” from “hostile external sources”.

Last week, Hesson responded to reports Salman Ali Agha – one of the seven dropped players – refused to attend a meeting with King Charles at Clarence House.

Hesson also refuted suggestions that Mohammad Imran and Mohammad Imran Jr were both called up as replacements because the PCB was confused by their names.

The statement continued: “At this stage, any speculative reports or unverified claims circulating on certain platforms, particularly those originating from hostile external sources, should not be regarded as credible.

“The PCB will not comment further at this time. The Board advises stakeholders and the public to rely on official PCB communications.”

Hi, and welcome to another edition of Prep Rally. I’m Eric Sondheimer. The high school football season is rolling along with some very good games this week. Let’s take a look.

Big games

Week three in high school football has so many intriguing games that fans will have lots of choices this week. Let’s look.

Thursday

Corona del Mar (3-0) at Newport Harbor (2-1). The annual Battle of the Bay brings out the fans and pumps up the players so much you never can trust who’s the favorite. Corona del Mar has the favorite’s role after knocking off Edison last week. Corona del Mar has three standout athletes in tight end Jake Haley, receiver Tucker Murray and linebacker Nolan Scott. The pick: Corona del Mar.

Laguna Beach (1-2) at Westlake (3-0). The Breakers wanted tougher nonleague opponents, which has led to a slow start in the win column, but beware if quarterback Jack Hurst can get the passing game going. Westlake had a scare in its opening, beating Newbury Park in three overtimes, then routed two outmanned opponents. This opponent has some very good athletes to challenge the Warriors. The pick: Westlake.

Friday

Corona Centennial (1-1) vs. Mater Dei (3-0) at Santa Ana College. The Monarchs were not happy Centennial beat them twice last season. They’re coming in very motivated. Mater Dei has a strong defense and an offense that continues to use three quarterbacks — senior Cameron Pooley, junior Russell Sekona and freshman Paytyn Guess. It’s clear that running the ball successfully will be the key to victory to both teams. Centennial has had blocking issues because of injuries, but the dynamic duo of quarterback Jaden Jefferson and receiver Quentin Hale will give fans a reason to watch. The pick: Corona Centennial.

San Pedro (3-0) at Bell (3-0). This is an important game for City Section playoff seeding purposes and also provides more evidence which of these teams will compete for a league title. San Pedro has relied on the passing of Seth Solorio, who set a school record last week with seven touchdown passes against Westchester. Bell has been running the ball with Jordan Medrano and Christopher Luna. The pick: San Pedro.

University (2-1) at Crenshaw (3-0). Brothers Bryan and Jason Robinson grew up playing youth football for Crenshaw. Now they’re the head coach and defensive coordinator at University, and their father, former Locke coach EC Robinson, is a consultant. EC gave former Crenshaw coach Robert Garrett his first job. The brothers always get pumped up for this game. It’s a great matchup between two of the City Section’s best linebackers, De’Andre Kirkpatrick of Crenshaw and D’Elliott Jones of University. It’s the battle of the apostrophes. The pick: Crenshaw.

Orange Lutheran (2-1) at Gardena Serra (2-1). This is Orange Lutheran’s final tuneup before an epic game next week against unbeaten Sierra Canyon. The Lancers have the kind of balance on offense that gives Serra trouble. But Serra has running back AJ McBean, who can help his team chew up time on the clock. The pick: Orange Lutheran.

Rancho Cucamonga (2-1) at Chaparral (1-2). Chaparral has been without its standout quarterback, Dane Weber, because a thumb injury, so it has been a big adjustment for a team loaded with outstanding receivers. Rancho Cucamonga was upset by Oak Hills last week. Expect lots of points in this one. The pick: Chaparral.

La Cañada at South Pasadena (2-1). For those who like neighborhood teams, this is a good matchup. The Spartans have been relying on quarterback Joe Bell and his best friends from the baseball team. Evan Hyun has scored five touchdowns for South Pasadena. The pick: La Cañada.

The battle of the South Bay between Carson and Palos Verdes was played before a standing-room only crowd at Carson. Fans were treated to a game that lived up to expectations when it came to the play at quarterback.

Palos Verdes won 35-20. Here’s the report.

Orange Lutheran has one of the toughest nonleague schedules and knocked off nationally ranked Basha from Chandler, Ariz. Here’s the report.

Corona del Mar is 3-0 going into its rivalry game against Newport Harbor this week and proved this could be a special season with a big win over Edison. Here’s the report.

Northern California received a boost with Folsom defeating Mission Viejo 35-21. Corona Centennial travels to play De La Salle at Memorial Stadium later this month.

Mater Dei is 3-0 using three quarterbacks after a 38-22 win over Valor Christian from Colorado. The Monarchs are still strong along the offensive line and have a defense performing well under new co-defensive coordinator Ivan Stephenson, who came over from Gardena Serra.

The best individual performance of the week might have been the school-record rushing total of 306 yards from junior Rocky Martinez of Redondo Union in a win Culver City. Culver City quarterback Nick Hoang passed for 436 yards and four touchdowns.

Despite a loss to Moorpark, Birmingham made major improvement in its second game. Freshman quarterback Exavier Johnson passed for 171 yards and two touchdowns. As he gains experience, the Patriots’ chances in the City Section will grow stronger.

Crenshaw came away with a 34-13 win over Hamilton. The Cougars are looking like the No. 2 team in the City Section behind Carson.

First-year Narbonne coach Patrick Goodpaster picked up his first victory with a 28-18 win over Fairfax. Here’s the report on his efforts to start from scratch after sanctions sent the program reeling.

Here’s a look at top individual performances from last week.

Here’s this week’s top 25 rankings by The Times.

Here’s this week’s schedule.

Playing multiple sports

Quarterback Joe Bell (left) and his sophomore brother, Jake, a linebacker, are two of seven baseball players on La Canada football team.

(Yary Photography)

There’s seven high school baseball players playing on the La Cañada football team this season, and the happiest of all is quarterback Joe Bell and star left-handed pitcher.

He loves to tell people how playing multiple sports has helped him in his main sport, baseball.

Here’s a look at the special story unfolding at La Cañada.

Bell High’s football team is also relying on baseball players. The Eagles are 3-0. Here’s the report.

Powerful offensive line

Mission Viejo linemen work on blocking during football practice.

(Ronaldo Bolaños/Los Angeles Times)

Mission Viejo has one of its best offensive lines, with all five starters headed to colleges.

It has helped sophomore quarterback Brett Burnor transition more smoothly to varsity football.

Here’s a look at the offensive line.

Moorpark’s Davis Benson is a multisport athlete, competing in football as well as multiple track and field events.

(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)

Davis Benson is a terrific receiver at Moorpark. He’s also a decathlete who won Southern Section championships last spring in the long jump and 110 hurdles while finishing second in the high jump.

Not since the days of NFL receiver Drake London has Moorpark had such a talented athlete.

Here’s a profile on what makes Benson one of the best athletes in California.

Girls volleyball

Sierra Canyon might be No. 1 in California, but Mater Dei is not far behind. The Monarchs won the Dave Mohs tournament, defeating Marymount in the final 25-11, 25-21.

Mater Dei also defeated Mira Costa earlier in the week. Mater Dei is unbeaten has has matches against San Diego powers Cathedral Catholic and Torrey Pines this week.

Sierra Canyon is 13-0 and opens Mission League play Tuesday at Marymount.

Sherman Oaks Notre Dame is hosting Harvard-Westlake on Saturday night at 7 in a unique outdoor volleyball match on the school’s baseball diamond, helped by Nike, which is flying in a custom-made volleyball court. There will be food trucks, a DJ and a party atmosphere celebrating volleyball and women’s sports.

MaxPreps is sponsoring a tournament Friday and Saturday in Chula Vista. No. 1 JSerra is among the schools participating.

St. Joseph in Lakewood continues to quietly keep winning at 9-0.

In the City Section, it still looks like the Open Division champion will come from the Northern League. Wilson is 4-0, Eagle Rock 3-1 and Franklin 9-2.

Cross country

The unofficial start of cross-country season happens with the first big invitational of the year, and that will be held Friday and Saturday with the Woodbridge Classic at the Great Park in Irvine. Saturday’s top competition will happen at night, always a fun and interesting experience.

Redondo Union’s boys team won the Saddleback Cup over Trabuco Hills. Mario Montoya of Redondo won the two-mile race in 8:59.5. Santa Margarita took the girls competition.

Water polo

JSerra and Oaks Christian had an intense early season match, with the Lions prevailing 8-7. The Lions face 3-0 Mira Costa on Tuesday.

Loyola has started off 3-0 in the Mission League and lost to Cathedral Catholic in a nonleague match. Harvard-Westlake is 4-0 and has matches coming up against Mira Costa and Corona del Mar.

Newport Harbor suffered a rare 12-10 defeat to Cathedral Catholic.

Santa Margarita is 2-0 and faces Mater Dei on Sept. 23 in a Trinity League showdown.

Notes . . .

Brad Wright, the 6-foot-11 former UCLA basketball player, announced his resignation from El Camino Real’s Board of Directors on Sunday.

(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

Brad Wright announced Sunday that he is resigning from El Camino Real’s board of directors after weeks of growing pressure after the placement of three coaches on administrative live. Here’s the report….

Junior shortstop Lennex Minor of St. Bernard has committed to UCLA baseball….

Pitcher Sam Principe from Orange Lutheran has committed to Cal State Northridge….

The court case filed against the CIF challenging transfer and NIL rules has been “terminated,” according to court documents. It was Calhoun vs. CIF. Now the CIF can move forward with discussions on policy changes, though the plaintiff can still appeal to a higher court….

Former UCLA basketball player Bobby Webb, who was a successful boys and girls basketball coach at Montclair Prep, has died, his good friend and former Montclair Prep player KJ Johnson announced….

Standout junior softball player Destinee Herrera from Oxnard announced she has committed to UCLA.

From the archives: Jeff Cirillo

Jeff Cirillo in 2013 at Providence High School.

(DAN WATSON/Dan Watson / The Burbank Leader)

One of the best hitters produced from the San Fernando Valley came from tiny Providence High in Burbank. Jeff Cirillo made it the major leagues and played for 14 years, the longest with the Milwaukee Brewers from 1994-1999. He also played baseball at USC and has been a pro baseball scout.

Here’s a story from 2014 on Cirillo.

Here’s a story from 2000 when he was having one of his best MLB seasons.

Recommendations

From ABC7news.com, a story on former Newbury Park and Stanford soccer player Katie Meyer.

From the Riverside Press Enterprise, a story on a 462-yards passing night.

Tweets you might have missed

Until next time….

Have a question, comment or something you’d like to see in a future Prep Rally newsletter? Email me at eric.sondheimer@latimes.com, and follow me on Twitter at @latsondheimer.

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A Wigan boy, Farrell came from a strong rugby league background, cousin of former Wigan Warriors captain Andy, now head coach of Ireland’s rugby union team.

Coming through the Warriors’ academy system, Farrell was handed his debut as a teenager in April 2010 and by the end of that year, he was appearing in Wigan’s Grand Final success over St Helens at Old Trafford, having also played a few games on loan at Widnes Vikings.

But since then, the forward has only ever played for the Cherry and Whites – a pillar of consistency in the pack.

As well as the team honours, Farrell has been included in the Super League Dream Team on six occasions, while he was also the Harry Sunderland Trophy winner as player of the match in the 2016 Grand Final win over Warrington Wolves.

He was the natural replacement to succeed Thomas Leulaui as Wigan skipper and his quiet steel and authority have been at the forefront of a new glorious era for the club under head coach Matt Peet.

Farrell has won seven of the 11 trophies up for grabs during his time as captain, the most recent being the Challenge Cup at Wembley in May, and he may add two more before he retires as Wigan chase the League Leaders’ Shield and the Grand Final next month.

“You have to make the right call at the right time, and I think I have done that,” he said. “Speaking to people close to me, professionals and the advice I have been given, it’s the right time.

“Playing one game for Wigan was always the goal for me. If I had have done that and never played again I’d have been immensely proud, my family would have been proud and we’d have gone back to being Wigan fans. So to have been able to play over 400 games in this jersey has been nothing short of incredible.”

LOS ANGELES: Just days before two teenagers carried out a mass shooting at a San Diego mosque, federal law enforcement officials warned the parents of one of the shooters that their son was making concerning comments about school shootings on the dark web, according to new details included in a recently filed lawsuit.

The mother of Caleb Vazquez alleges in her lawsuit that Park Mental Health Treatment of San Diego failed to intervene despite signs that her 18-year-old son posed an imminent threat to himself and others. Vazquez was living there and receiving treatment for a range of mental health conditions, including depression and psychotic episodes, the lawsuit says. The court filings follow a number of high-profile convictions of guardians who provided teenagers with weapons that were later used in mass shootings.

The FBI called Vazquez’s mother on the evening of May 14, and she said she immediately left a message with the treatment facility to notify its staff, according to the lawsuit, filed in a San Diego court on Aug. 31. Vazquez’s mother again shared the FBI’s warnings with her son’s therapist on May 15 and with a program director later that night.

On May 18, the morning of the shooting, employees at the facility contacted Vazquez’s mother to tell her that he was missing. Video surveillance footage subsequently showed Vazquez leaving the property at 8 p.m. the night before.

Vazquez’s parents were driving around looking for him on the morning of the shooting. Vazquez and another teenager killed three people at the San Diego mosque that day before taking their own lives.

It is unclear whether Vazquez was allowed to leave the previous evening or whether he broke facility rules by doing so. Park Mental Health offers a range of treatment options, some of which advertise 24-hour surveillance, while others provide more limited counseling.

The center did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment Saturday afternoon. In a previous statement to radio station KPBS, Park Mental Health disputed the assertions in the lawsuit.

“While it is understandable that his parents might seek to blame someone in their time of loss, this lawsuit is misguided in that neither Park nor its employees are responsible for Mr. Vazquez’s actions,” the statement to KPBS read. “Only he and his coconspirator bear responsibility for their conduct and, ultimately, his death.”

An FBI spokesperson declined to comment Saturday, citing agency policy.

The FBI’s alleged contact with Vazquez’s parents was not the first sign of his mental deterioration.

Vazquez had been hospitalized for roughly three days in January 2026 after telling a classmate that he wanted to carry out a school shooting.

Almost exactly a year earlier, Vazquez was flagged to law enforcement for exhibiting alarming behavior and idolizing Nazis, prompting police to confiscate 26 guns from his father under a 2014 California law allowing firearms to be taken from people considered dangerous.

Authorities have said Vazquez met the other shooter, Cain Clark, 17, online and that both were radicalized there. Police have not shared more details about how they knew each other or specified whose weapons were used in the shooting.

The lawsuit was filed on the same day that North Carolina authorities announced the indictment of a 17-year-old in connection with the shooting.

TEHRAN: Iran said Sunday that its forces attacked a US naval drone trying to enter the Strait of Hormuz, hours after targeting ships in retaliation for American strikes on three oil tankers.

The latest round of clashes, which began with US raids last week, comes amid a deadlock in their six-month war.

Iran has maintained its stranglehold on the strategic Strait of Hormuz while Washington continues a counter-blockade of Iranian ports.

Washington is also seeking to choke Iran’s economy, rolling out sanctions on entities with financial links to the Islamic republic in a bid to force it into submission.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the ideological arm of Iran’s military, said Sunday it “attacked an American military unmanned surface vessel” attempting to enter the strait, according to a statement carried by state television.

Hours earlier, the IRGC said its naval forces “targeted three oil tankers on the unauthorised route of the Strait of Hormuz and three vessels affiliated with the child-killing America in other areas”.

Iran’s top negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf threatened on Sunday to launch swifter and more forceful responses to US attacks.

“The Americans must have understood that the era of proportionate responses has come to an end,” said Ghalibaf in a speech carried by state media, adding that “any aggression against Iran’s interests and security will receive a faster, more intense and more painful response”.

It warned ships not to attempt to transit by unapproved routes.

On Saturday, US Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees American military operations in the region, said it struck tankers linked to the Iranian Guards, accusing the most powerful arm of the Iranian military of unsuccessfully firing at American warships.

“Following Iran’s failed attacks, CENTCOM permanently disabled the IRGC crude oil carriers M/T Downy off the coast of Kharg Island and M/T Stark 1 near Jask,” it said.

“American forces also completely destroyed the unladen crude oil carrier M/T Kylo… in the Gulf of Oman, striking the vessel in multiple critical locations to render it inoperable after the crew was directed to abandon ship.”

Video posted by CENTCOM showed large fireballs and billowing flames after projectiles slammed into the ships.

The three vessels were “part of a multibillion-dollar shadow network that funds the IRGC and its regional proxies”, it said.

‘Higher economic cost’

The Guards meanwhile claimed the two American warships they targeted had been “forced to retreat” after “suffering damage”, but CENTCOM said those ships successfully evaded Iranian attacks.

CENTCOM commander Admiral Brad Cooper said after the operation: “If you shoot at two of our ships, we will impose an even higher economic cost — taking out three of yours.”

The Iranian foreign ministry hit out at Washington over the strikes on oil tankers, calling them “illegal and aggressive actions”.

A correspondent for Iranian state TV in Jask in the southern province of Hormozgan said one of the tankers was empty and the second was carrying oil. The crews were transported to shore on lifeboats, they said.

Another state TV correspondent on Kharg Island said the attack there caused no casualties.

Iran’s Khatam-al Anbiya central military command warned that if the US continued its attacks, then Tehran’s retaliation against US warships would be “more severe than before, and there is a possibility of their expansion”.

The administration of US President Donald Trump has tried to downplay the significance of the six-month conflict, which has proven increasingly unpopular at home as midterm elections near.

US Vice President JD Vance went so far as to say that he “wouldn’t call it a war”.

Trump reiterated that view on Friday, calling the war “small potatoes” for Washington.

Iran’s Security Chief Mohsen Rezaei warned this week that the Islamic republic had adopted a “new strategy” against Washington that “will shatter your foundations”.

The US has been trying to step up pressure on Tehran in a bid to wrestle control of the Hormuz strait, through which one-fifth of world oil supplies previously flowed.

A fragile ceasefire between the two sides collapsed in July after attacks on commercial ships in the strategic waterway.

Trump has in recent weeks repeatedly threatened to claim sovereignty over the strait, even posting a map showing it as “new US territory”.

Vance has insisted the US will not reopen talks with Iran until it ends attacks on commercial shipping in Hormuz.

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia marked the International Day of Charity on Saturday by highlighting a global humanitarian, development and charitable footprint spanning 9,030 projects worth more than $145 billion across 175 countries, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The Kingdom ranked second globally and first among Arab nations in providing humanitarian and relief assistance in 2025, according to the United Nations Financial Tracking Service, SPA said.

A central role in those efforts has been played by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center, or KSrelief, which was established in May 2015 under royal directives as Saudi Arabia’s dedicated international aid arm.

Since its inception, KSrelief has implemented 4,457 relief projects in 113 countries, with funding exceeding $8 billion, according to SPA.

The center has also overseen specialized humanitarian programs, including the Saudi Program for Conjoined Twins, which has reviewed 158 cases and successfully carried out 72 separation operations involving twins from 28 countries across five continents.

Saudi Arabia’s initiative also led the United Nations to officially designate Nov. 24 as World Conjoined Twins Day in 2024.

Through the Saudi Portal for External Volunteering, 84,388 volunteers have taken part in 1,446 medical and training missions in 59 countries, benefiting more than 2.85 million people and carrying out 273,350 surgical procedures, SPA said.

Meanwhile, the electronic donation platform Sahem has raised more than SR1.701 billion from over 9.82 million donors to support humanitarian operations.

Aid operations continue across crisis-hit regions

The figures highlighted on International Day of Charity come as KSrelief continues relief operations across several countries facing conflict, displacement and food insecurity.

In Yemen, the agency has distributed thousands of food baskets in recent days, including 3,000 baskets in Shabwah Governorate, 1,440 in Al-Jawf and 1,160 in Abyan. It also launched the second phase of a project to distribute 12,000 cartons of dates across several districts of Taiz.

In the Gaza Strip, KSrelief’s central kitchen distributed 24,850 hot meals to vulnerable people in central and southern areas on Wednesday, following the provision of 24,000 meals a day earlier.

The agency also pumped 500,000 liters of safe drinking water across several Gaza governorates as part of its emergency humanitarian response.

Elsewhere, KSrelief distributed 1,050 food baskets to displaced people and returnees in Sudan’s North Kordofan State, benefiting 7,110 people, while 506 food baskets were provided to vulnerable families in Syria’s Rif Dimashq.

SPA said the initiatives reflected Saudi Arabia’s continuing efforts to support vulnerable and crisis-affected populations worldwide through KSrelief, in line with the Kingdom’s broader humanitarian commitments under Vision 2030.

ARAB SALIM: Lebanese President Joseph Aoun urged Washington and the international community to help stop Israeli attacks, which killed at least seven people on Sunday despite a truce and a framework deal aimed at halting the violence.

Israel said it had targeted Hezbollah operatives and sites in response to a drone attack a day earlier by the Iran-backed group on its troops in the vicinity of a strategic south Lebanon ridge.

It reported no casualties but accused Hezbollah of a “blatant violation.”

Israel this week said it had captured the Nabatieh-area Ali Al-Taher ridge, which it considers part of its self-declared “security zone” in south Lebanon.

Hezbollah, which has not claimed any attacks for weeks, has not commented on Israel’s declaration of control over the site.

Aoun said Sunday’s strikes, which damaged government premises and destroyed an out-of-service hospital, were “a dangerous escalation… reaching Lebanese state institutions” and health facilities.

He called on the international community — particularly the United States, which has sponsored direct Israel-Lebanon talks and a framework agreement between the sides in June — “to urgently act to stop these violations.”

Lebanon’s health ministry said two people were killed in strikes on south Lebanon’s Nabatieh Al-Fawqa, with two women also killed in nearby Arab Salim.

It said 20 other people including several women and three children were wounded there, as well as in the city of Nabatieh and town of Kfar Rumman.

The ministry later reported that a strike on a parking lot near Nabatieh killed three more people.

Hospital hit

The ministry said one of the strikes in Nabatieh Al-Fawqa “totally destroyed” the out-of-service Ghandour hospital, decrying “another grave violation of international humanitarian law.”

Israel’s army said it targeted Hezbollah operatives and infrastructure, including “weapons storage facilities and terrorist structures,” as well as “a Hezbollah command center that had been established inside a building previously used as a hospital.”

It had earlier issued its first evacuation notice in Lebanon in a month, warning residents near a building it called a Hezbollah facility in Arab Salim to leave ahead of an attack on the site.

It did not issue warnings for other areas where strikes were reported.

Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency (NNA) said that after the Israeli warning for Arab Salim, “enemy warplanes launched a strike on another house, destroying it” and killing the two women.

It said the Israeli military subsequently carried out a strike on the building threatened in the evacuation warning.

At the scene of the second strike, an AFP correspondent saw the ruins of a devastated villa, with large decorative columns laying on their side next to stairs littered with rubble.

Haidar Haidar, the brother of the building’s owner, told AFP that nobody had been living inside.

At the other site in Arab Salim where the two women were killed, a mattress, furniture and other items including a Hezbollah flag were strewn among the rubble, while neighboring buildings were also damaged.

‘Take action’

The NNA also reported a strike on a motorcycle in the Nabatieh area, and said that another in the city itself targeted a historical building and damaged offices belonging to finance and agriculture authorities.

An AFP correspondent there saw rubble and extensive damage to adjacent buildings, shops and vehicles, as heavy machinery cleared the road. Dust and debris covered chairs and desks in the regional ministry offices.

Nabatieh Mayor Abbas Fakhreddine said “the Lebanese government must take action… and at the least defend its institutions,” adding that it was the second time the official buildings had been damaged by strikes.

Lebanon was drawn into the wider Middle East war in March after Hezbollah attacked Israel in support of its backer Iran.

Israel responded with airstrikes and a ground invasion of Lebanon that Beirut says have killed more than 4,300 people.

Violence has decreased since a US-Iran memorandum of understanding on the broader regional conflict in June and the Israel-Lebanon framework agreement later that month.

Israeli forces are operating inside a self-declared “security zone” around 10 kilometers (six miles) deep inside Lebanon along the border.

Alcaraz said after his third-round win that he was happy with the level of fitness he had shown in the early rounds following his lengthy absence, while he demonstrated against Paul that the quality of his shot-making is as good as ever.

One sensational cross-court forehand winner early in the second set, which landed in from an almost impossible angle, was measured at 103mph.

That came shortly after Alcaraz had broken Paul’s serve in the 10th game of a tight, high-quality opening set to take it 6-4.

Paul, who was attempting to reach the quarter-finals of his home Grand Slam for the first time, battled hard throughout but Alcaraz proved to be too strong.

Paul had two break points when Alcaraz served for the match at 5-4 in the third set, but the two-time US Open champion put together a run of four straight points to seal victory.

Former British number one Tim Henman told Sky Sports: “When you haven’t played tennis for four weeks, it seems a lot and you can be a bit rusty. This is four and a half months.

“If you would have given Alcaraz a blank piece of paper at the beginning of the tournament and asked how he’d want the first four matches to go, he would have scripted it exactly like that.

“He’s had a few slightly challenging moments but, in the important moments, he’s just come up with incredible tennis. That’s got to give him so much confidence moving forward.”

Later on Sunday, home hope Frances Tiafoe delighted American fans with a entertaining victory over 2021 champion Daniil Medvedev.

Tiafoe saved a set point in the third-set tie-break before wrapping up a 7-6 (7-1) 6-4 7-6 (8-6) win moments later to maintain his perfect record on Louis Armstrong Stadium.

The 11th seed has won all 10 of his matches on the US Open’s secondary show court, while it is just his second win in eight appearances against Russian Medvedev.

Tiafoe, a two-time semi-finalist in New York, will face fellow American Alex Michelsen in the last eight after the 22-year-old beat Argentina’s Tomas Martin Etcheverry 7-6 (8-6) 6-4 6-4 to reach his first Grand Slam quarter-final.

TEHRAN: A fuel tanker exploded in western Iran, killing 11 people and injuring seven others, state media said.

IRNA reported late Saturday that the tanker hit other cars before bursting into flames near a traffic police station close to the Kurdish city of Sanandaj, some 400 kilometers (248 miles) west of the capital, Tehran. The report cited a faulty brake system.

The injured were transferred to hospitals.

In 2018, a similar road accident between a fuel tanker and an intercity passenger bus near Sanandaj killed 15 people and injured four.

Road and traffic accidents annually leave more than 17,000 dead in Iran. Experts blame the high fatality rate on unsafe vehicles, disregard for traffic rules, and inadequate emergency services.

Tehran: Iranian authorities have arrested a number of people accused of appearing in a rare video waving the flag of an outlawed opposition group, state television said Sunday.

Videos circulating online in recent days showed individuals riding motorbikes on empty streets in Iran while waving the white-and-red banner of the banned People’s Mujahedin Organisation of Iran (MEK).

On Sunday, state television said authorities had identified and arrested “all the individuals who appeared in this clip” and that they were “associated” with MEK, without specifying how many.

It said the motorcade had been travelling near the city of Karaj, west of Tehran, but it was not clear when the footage was recorded.

Founded in the 1960s in opposition to Iran’s then Western-backed shah, the MEK was outlawed after the 1979 Islamic revolution and later fought alongside Saddam Hussein’s forces during the Iran-Iraq war.

The group has for decades advocated regime change in Iran from abroad, while Tehran has accused its members of cooperating with its arch-enemy, Israel.

Iran has been at war with the United States since February 28, when US-Israeli strikes killed the Islamic republic’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei along with senior military officials.

Iran retaliated with attacks across the region as the conflict spread.

Alcaraz hasn’t dropped a single set in four matches at the US Open after a win over Tommy Paul in the last 16.

Carlos Alcaraz beat American 20th seed Tommy Paul 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 in a high-voltage tennis hit-fest on Sunday to reach the US Open quarterfinals and remain firmly on track for back-to-back titles at Flushing Meadows.

The seven-time Grand Slam champion hit top form in New York after nearly five months out with a right wrist injury, and extended his major match-winning streak to 18 with a stunning display of shotmaking against a fellow big-hitter.

“I think I just played my game,” Alcaraz said. “I tried to play to my style. Tommy’s such a talented player, and his shots are pretty dangerous, and it’s difficult to control the ball when it comes to you. I was ready for a battle.

“I was trying to be aggressive all the time … I did well to put pressure on his return, which helped me stay calm and to think clearly. I was really happy with the performance.”

Alcaraz’s serve came under pressure in the third game when Paul fired an exquisite 161km/hour (100 mph) forehand winner around the net that brought Arthur Ashe Stadium to its feet. Still, the Spaniard stood firm before striking late to snatch the opening set.

The 23-year-old left a vapour trail with a crosscourt winner to carve out an early opening in the second set and swiftly took a 2-0 lead, before trading breaks with Paul and breezing through the remaining games for a commanding lead.

Even with much of the show-court crowd yearning for a home winner, second seed Alcaraz continued to steal the show with his audacious play, moving to the brink of improving his win-loss record against American players at the Grand Slams to 13-0.

After shifting down to cruise mode, Alcaraz briefly flinched at the finish line, but he regrouped to deliver the knockout blow and set up a meeting with American Ben Shelton or Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas in the next round.

Alcaraz hit a rocket of a forehand to bring up match point, another sign that he was reaching the peak of his powers at a venue where he has thrived ever since his maiden Grand Slam triumph four years ago.

“I think so,” Alcaraz said when asked about being back to his best in New York, where he has reached the quarterfinals in five of his six appearances now.

“It shows how special this place is to me; I’m just enjoying myself on court here. It doesn’t matter that I was out for over four months. Every time I come here, I play well.”