Verbatim sentences from the source article.
Citizen Digital
… But he will settle for the two assists, and he has already emulated his legendary predecessor by winning the trophy four years ago in Qatar. …
Messi not done yet after inspiring Argentina to World Cup finalCitizen Digital
… The teams were due to meet in Qatar in March in the Finalissima, the fixture recently introduced to pit the European champions against the winners of the Copa America. …
Argentina World Cup semi-final hero Martinez 'dreamt' of scoring winnerThe Standard
… Messi had waited until the age of 39 to get the chance to play against England, and now he will face Spain for the first time in a competitive game.His career appeared to be complete when he dragged Argentina to glory in 2022 in Qatar, but he is clearly not done yet. …
Messi's Argentina stun England in comeback to reach World Cup finalThe Standard
… France's head coach Didier Deschamps and France's assistant coach Guy Stephan arrive at Boston Stadium in Foxborough on July 9, 2026. [AFP]The 57-year-old's departure ends a successful 14-year spell in charge that included a World Cup triumph in 2018, defeat in the final in Qatar …
France, England prepare for gloomy World Cup send-offCitizen Digital
… = window._taboola || []; _taboola.push({ mode: 'thumbnails-m', container: 'taboola-mid-article-thumbnails', placement: 'Mid Article Thumbnails', target_type: 'mix' }); The 39-year-old, joint top of the Golden Boot standings with eight goals, inspired his team to victory in Qatar …
Argentina and England collide with World Cup final spot at stakeThe Standard
… Messi, joint top of the Golden Boot standings with eight goals, inspired his team to victory in Qatar in 2022 in what was expected to be his final hurrah on football's biggest stage. …
Argentina and England set for World Cup semi-final showdownCitizen Digital
… France have reached the past two World Cup finals, winning in 2018 in Russia and losing on penalties to Lionel Messi's Argentina four years ago in Qatar in an epic final despite a hat-trick from Mbappe. …
France and Spain clash in World Cup semi-finalThe Standard
… Baqaei said Iran would ignore its obligations under the deal if the Washington did the same, but added that Tehran was continuing talks with mediators from Qatar, Pakistan and Oman to prevent further escalation. …
US strikes Iran for third day, will reimpose blockadeCapital News
… It said it had hit a US base in Jordan, while the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain all said they had responded to missiles and drones from Iran. …
US insists Strait of Hormuz is open as it exchanges strikes with IranThe Standard
… "We will continue to act in this manner." He nonetheless added that Tehran was continuing talks with mediators from Qatar, Pakistan and Oman in an effort to prevent any further escalation. …
Middle East rocked by heaviest attacks since Iran-US ceasefireThe International Olympic Committee confirmed India as one of seven countries interested in hosting the 2036 Summer Olympics, with the Indian Olympic Association calling it a "generational opportunity" for the nation. India has stated its intention to host an Olympics for the first time, centred on Ahmedabad in Gujarat, which will host the 2030 Commonwealth Games.
7 October 2026 · Citizen Digital →
The International Olympic Committee confirmed India as one of seven countries interested in hosting the 2036 Summer Olympics, with the Indian Olympic Association calling it a "generational opportunity" for the nation. India has stated its intention to host an Olympics for the first time, centred on Ahmedabad in Gujarat, which will host the 2030 Commonwealth Games.
7 October 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Lionel Messi will play his last match for Argentina on Tuesday in a friendly against Benin at Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires, ending his 21-year international career. The 39-year-old announced his retirement on Instagram in August 2026.
6 October 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Zion Suzuki, 23, has joined Premier League side Aston Villa from Parma for up to 35 million euros following an impressive World Cup, and says he is confident Japan can win next year's Asian Cup after his mistakes contributed to their quarter-final exit at the 2024 tournament in Qatar.
6 October 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Paramount on Tuesday completed its takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery, combining two major Hollywood studios under David Ellison's control into a company renamed Skydance with nearly $70 billion in annual revenue. The merged entity brings together Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros. Pictures, CNN and CBS News, and HBO and CBS television brands, with plans to merge Paramount+ and HBO Max streaming services over time.
6 October 2026 · The Standard →
Goalkeeper Zion Suzuki, who joined Aston Villa in summer, said his "very bad" performances contributed to Japan's quarter-final exit at the 2024 Asian Cup in Qatar but believes he is now a better keeper and backs Japan to win the continental title when the tournament starts in January in Saudi Arabia.
5 October 2026 · Citizen Digital →
The government has committed Ksh. 6.4 billion to expand National Youth Service training infrastructure, aiming to recruit up to 100,000 young people by 2028. The investment will fund new facilities to increase NYS capacity to accommodate about 50,000 trainees at any given time.
3 October 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Iran's government said Wednesday it received an official US response to its proposal to end the Middle East war, following indirect talks that resumed last week at the UN General Assembly. Iran has put forward seven conditions for ending hostilities, including a ceasefire across the Middle East, unfreezing of Iranian assets, lifting of sanctions on its oil sector, and an end to the US naval blockade.
30 September 2026 · The Standard →
Iran reaffirmed its conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday after US President Donald Trump rejected the proposal, keeping the Middle East conflict at a stalemate. Iran's plan requires a halt to all hostilities across the region, including Lebanon, and restoration of a ceasefire agreement that previously called for releasing frozen Iranian assets, lifting sanctions on Iranian oil, and ending the US naval blockade.
27 September 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Iran stood firm on its conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz after US President Donald Trump rejected the proposal. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the plan requires cessation of all hostilities in the Middle East, release of frozen Iranian assets, lifting of sanctions on Iranian oil, and an end to the US naval blockade, stating "We will not back down from them."
27 September 2026 · The Standard →
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has proposed a deal to the US to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within a week if necessary conditions in a memorandum of understanding signed in June are met. According to the Wall Street Journal, US President Donald Trump has privately rejected the deal, though the US has not yet officially responded.
26 September 2026 · Capital News →
Lewis Hamilton expressed hope that the Formula One season will conclude with scheduled races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi despite the Israel-US conflict with Iran, saying "things seem to be okay out there" and trusting Formula One's leadership on safety decisions.
24 September 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Iranian airlines cancelled some international flights after the US tightened sanctions on Iran's aviation sector. Georgia and Azerbaijan suspended flights, and routes to Baghdad, Muscat and Qatar were halted, though some carriers continued operating to other destinations including China.
24 September 2026 · Citizen Digital →
US Treasury tightened sanctions on Iran's aviation industry on Wednesday, prompting Iranian airlines to cancel flights to Baghdad, Muscat, Qatar, Georgia and Azerbaijan, though routes to China, Istanbul and other destinations remained available. The US Treasury Secretary announced the measures as part of efforts to pressure Iran following their nearly seven-month war.
23 September 2026 · The Standard →
Iran's top negotiator said Tehran has communicated its conditions to Washington through mediators for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, which it has blockaded during the Middle East war. The country says it will not lift the blockade unless its conditions are met and US commitments are honoured.
20 September 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Paris Saint-Germain's president Nasser al-Khelaifi is under investigation in France on conflict-of-interest suspicions linked to his dual roles leading the Champions League title holders and beIN Media Group, involving a July 2024 meeting on broadcasting rights with football league representatives.
20 September 2026 · Citizen Digital →
The International Automobile Federation announced that the final round of the World Rally Championship in Saudi Arabia in November has been cancelled due to regional developments, though the Middle East Regional Rally Championship will proceed as planned.
17 September 2026 · Citizen Digital →
The 2027 Formula One calendar will include 24 Grands Prix across 22 countries and 10 sprint events, including Monaco. The season begins with pre-season testing in Bahrain from February 24–27 and the first race on March 12–14, followed by Saudi Arabia, with the season concluding in Abu Dhabi.
17 September 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Saudi Arabia accused Yemen's Houthis of launching a "cowardly" attack targeting Mecca, the Islamic holy city, which the Houthis rejected as a lie. The accusation follows escalating tensions as the Iran-backed Houthis have seized Yemen's Red Sea coast and declared a maritime blockade on Saudi ships.
17 September 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has urged Kenyans seeking employment abroad to verify every job offer through official government channels, warning that unverified offers can expose jobseekers to trafficking, exploitation and armed conflicts. Kenya has entered labour arrangements with the UK, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Germany, Austria and Italy.
16 September 2026 · The Standard →
Former England footballer Raheem Sterling pleaded guilty to dangerous driving after crashing his Lamborghini on a motorway in May, and also admitted possession of six nitrous oxide canisters for wrongful inhalation and failing to provide a specimen for analysis.
15 September 2026 · Citizen Digital →
More than half a dozen Arab and Muslim countries, including Saudi Arabia and Turkey, welcomed UK-led sanctions targeting Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, urging other countries to take similar steps. This followed Britain, France and Canada joining nine other European countries in restricting trade with Israeli settlements.
9 September 2026 · The Standard →
Croatia's 40-year-old midfielder and captain Luka Modric will remain with the national squad for forthcoming Nations League matches, the Croatian football federation confirmed on Saturday. Modric will be included in the squad coach Slaven Bilic announces on Monday.
6 September 2026 · Citizen Digital →
David Beckham said Lionel Messi's "legacy will live forever" after the Argentina legend announced his retirement from international football on August 31, 2026, following 207 caps and 125 goals for his country.
1 September 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Iran's Revolutionary Guards attacked US military targets in the Middle East on Monday, striking two air bases in Jordan with ballistic missiles and targeting US personnel at a base in the United Arab Emirates, in retaliation for US strikes on Iranian territory.
31 August 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Russia's Vladimir Putin, China's Xi Jinping and more than a dozen other leaders are gathering in Kyrgyzstan for a two-day summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, a regional bloc that brings together Russia, China, India, Pakistan, Iran, four Central Asian countries and Belarus. The summit marks the group's 25-year anniversary and is expected to include bilateral talks between Putin and both Xi and Iran's president.
31 August 2026 · The Standard →
The Agricultural Society of Kenya is repositioning the Nairobi International Trade Fair as a marketplace for investment, exports and partnerships, moving beyond its traditional role as an agricultural exhibition. The fair, scheduled for September 28 to October 4, is expected to draw exhibitors from more than 25 countries.
29 August 2026 · The Standard →
Six months into a war with the United States, Iran says putting diplomacy back on track is possible if Washington abandons its pressure campaign. A ceasefire was agreed in April and a memorandum toward a peace deal was signed in June, but no final agreement has been reached, and the US has since declared "economic warfare" against Tehran.
28 August 2026 · The Standard →
Saudi Arabia's Football Federation expressed support for FIFA President Gianni Infantino and welcomed his joint statement with Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom acknowledging mistakes and abandoning a plan to bring private financing into the World Cup, which had triggered global opposition.
27 August 2026 · Citizen Digital →
The Agricultural Society of Kenya is hosting the Nairobi International Trade Fair from September 28 to October 4, expecting participation from over 25 countries including Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, Nigeria, France, Belgium, India, Israel, Indonesia, Turkey, the Netherlands, China, Japan, Qatar, Ethiopia and Egypt, aiming to position the event as a marketplace for investment, exports, partnerships and innovation.
27 August 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Dangote Petroleum Refinery has completed a $1 billion underwriting programme for a global initial public offering covering both its Nigerian plant and a proposed facility in Lamu, Kenya, boosting President William Ruto's plan for a second Dangote refinery in the country.
21 August 2026 · The Standard →