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Saudi Arabia scored a major win in its campaign to attract major sports events to the kingdom when it was formally appointed as the 2034 World Cup host on Wednesday. Still, many questions remain about the tournament as well as the 2030 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by Spain, Portugal and Morocco, with three games in South America. Here are some of the key issues that need to be answered over the next decade: Saudi Arabia proposes 15 stadiums — eight still on paper — in five cities: Eight in the capital Riyadh, four in the Red Sea port city Jeddah, and one each in Abha, Al Khobar and Neom, the planned futuristic mega-project. Each would have at least 40,000 seats for World Cup games. The opening game and final are set for a 92,000-seat venue planned in Riyadh. Some designs are vivid. In Neom, the stadium is planned 350 meters above street level and one near Riyadh is designed to be atop a 200-meter cliff with a retractable wall of LED screens. Saudi Arabia aims to host all 104 games, though there has been speculation that some games could be played in neighboring or nearby countries. Surely not in the traditional World Cup period of June-July, when temperatures in Saudi Arabia routinely exceed 40 Celsius (104 degrees). FIFA moved the Qatar-hosted World Cup to November-December 2022, though those dates were not loved by most European clubs and leagues whose seasons were interrupted. Also, that slot is complicated in 2034 by the holy month of Ramadan through mid-December and Riyadh hosting the multi-sport Asian Games. January 2034 could be a possibility even though that would be just before the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. The International Olympic Committee has signaled it won’t be opposed to back-to-back major events. In an interview with The Associated Press on Wednesday, Saudi World Cup bid official Hammad Albalawi said the precise dates of the tournament are up the world soccer body. “That’s a decision by FIFA. We stand ready to be part of this conversation. But ultimately it’s a FIFA decision together with the confederations,” Albalawi said. Giving more rights and freedoms to women in a traditionally conservative society is fundamental to Saudi messaging around the modernization program known as Vision 2030. The kingdom decided in 2017 to let women attend sports events, initially in major cities and in family zones separate from men-only sections. By 2034, at the promised pace of social reforms, female fans should not be restricted. Saudi Arabia launched a women’s professional soccer league in 2022 with players joining from clubs in Europe. They face no restrictions playing in shorts and with hair uncovered. The Saudi prohibition of alcohol is clear and understood before FIFA signs any sponsor deals for 2034. But will there be any exceptions? The alcohol issue was problematic for the World Cup in Qatar because the expectation was created that beer sales would be allowed at stadiums even before Qatar won its bid in 2010. One year later, FIFA extended a long-time deal to have Budweiser as the official World Cup beer through 2022. Qatar then backtracked on that promise three days before the first game, causing confusion and the sense of a promise broken. In Qatar, alcohol was served only at luxury suites at the stadiums. Visitors could also have a drink in some hotel bars. But Saudi Arabia has even stricter rules on alcohol — and there is no indication that will change. Albalawi noted that Saudi Arabia has successfully hosted dozens of sports events where alcohol wasn't served. “We’re creating a safe and secure family environment for fans to bring their families into our stadiums,” he said. Saudi promises to reform and enforce labor laws, and fully respect migrant workers, have been accepted by FIFA but face broad skepticism from rights groups and trade unions. A formal complaint is being investigated by the U.N.-backed International Labor Organization. Protecting the migrant workers needed to build stadiums and other tournament projects — a decade after it was a defining issue for Qatar — looms as a signature challenge for Saudi Arabia. Saudi-Israeli relations had been improving when FIFA all but gave the 2034 World Cup to the kingdom on Oct. 4 last year. Three days later Hamas attacked Israel and diplomacy got more complicated. Any soccer federation bidding to host a FIFA tournament accepts a basic principle that whichever team qualifies is welcome. That did not stop Indonesia putting up barriers last year to Israel coming for the men’s Under-20 World Cup. Indonesia does not have formal diplomatic relations with Israel which had qualified through a European tournament nine months before the issue flared. FIFA moved the entire tournament to Argentina and the Israeli team reached the semifinals. Israel played at the 1970 World Cup but has never advanced through qualifying in Europe, where it has been a member of UEFA for 30 years. Europe should have 16 places in the 48-team World Cup in Saudi Arabia. Most of the attention at the FIFA Congress on Wednesday was on the Saudi decision, but the soccer body and its members also formally approved the hosts of the 2030 World Cup — the most spread out and longest ever. One game each in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay, the original host in 1930, will be played from June 8-9. The tournament resumes four days later for the other 101 games shared between Spain, Portugal and Morocco. Six countries, three continents, multiple languages and currencies. Fans traveling on planes, trains, automobiles and boats across about 14 kilometers (10 miles) of water between Spain and Morocco. The final is due on July 21, 2030 and a decision on where it will be played could cause some tension between the host countries. Morocco wants it in the world’s biggest soccer venue — the planned 115,000-seat King Hassan II Stadium in Casablanca. Spain, meanwhile, has proposed to host the final in either of the remodeled home stadiums of club giants Real Madrid or Barcelona. Associated Press writer Baraa Anwer in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, contributed to this report.
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In October, it emerged that an Irish politician had been recruited by Russian intelligence Stock image Russia’s shadow war in the West is being funded through underworld banking networks after a massive global money-laundering operation was exposed this week. Ransomware gangs, like those who hacked the HSE computer system, used the scheme to convert crypto currency – which they extorted from their victims – and convert it into cash. Money also found its way to Russian language media organisations after sanctions were announced against the firm which owned the Russia Today TV channel. It is estimated the Kremlin spends between €1.5bn to €2bn each year on disinformation and places huge value on any support it can get. In October, The Sunday Times broke the story that an Irish politician had been recruited by Russian intelligence. Russia’s alleged agent in Ireland — christened ‘Cobalt’ — was not identified, but several of his Oireachtas colleagues have called on the politician to show himself. It prompted Taoiseach Simon Harris to say: “It shouldn’t come as any surprise to any of us that Russia seeks to influence public opinion, distort facts, and is active in relation to that across the world — Ireland is not immune.” Sergey Prokopiev, a Russian spy, worked as a counsellor at his country’s embassy in Orwell Road, Dublin, from 2019 to 2022. He is reported to have headed up the intelligence operation that allegedly recruited the politician.‘The ground was vibrating’ says mum who hunted for iPhone after crafty fox buried it in her garden
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Zappos Has So Many Fab Winter Boots on Sale for up to 70% Off During Black Friday — Shop Our Top 5 Picks Under $100Calling all home cooks! Today's the day to thank your dull knives and scuffed-up pots and pans for their service and retire them once and for all. Why? Because the is teeming with savings of up to 75%, meaning you can spruce up your kitchen arsenal for a steal. We're seeing deals on sought-after brands like Le Creuset (a fave of Ina Garten), All-Clad, Staub and more, so go ahead and stock up on essentials like Dutch ovens, nonstick cookware and knives while you can save big. As shopping experts, we know how to spot the top-tier in a heap of mediocre (or downright bad) markdowns. By comparing price histories across retailers, we're able to point you in the direction of the sales that are actually worth checking out — so you can rest assured the ones on this list have been vetted and are editor-approved. Keep scrolling to see our Sur La Table Black Friday deal picks, and hey, if there's an aspiring chef on your list, you'll be able to get some gift shopping in before the holiday rush. With that, happy saving! (Psst: Be sure to check out our roundup of the best for more.) Every home kitchen needs a Dutch oven, and Staub's are revered as some of the most durable out there. This model can cook up a serious amount of deliciousness without taking up too much room in your cupboard ... though we wouldn't blame you if you just wanted to keep it on your stove for display. It's made of enameled cast iron for excellent heat retention, and the self-basting lid helps distribute juices to keep dishes from drying out. Grab it while it's nearly 75% off. "It's high quality, sturdy and makes one heck of a beef roast," raved a fan. "It heats evenly and retains heat for a long time. 10/10 would order again, but I don't have to because this pan will outlive me!" 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It's essentially a mini version of your full-size oven, so when you don't feel like waiting 20 minutes for things to preheat, it's this little appliance to the rescue. It comes with an air fryer basket, roasting pan, pizza pan, wire rack and broiling rack — and we're not seeing it for less anywhere else on the web. "Exceptional," swooned a fan. "I don't use my actual oven for anything besides larger food products. This oven lets me make healthy snacks, cuts my cooking time in half with the quick heating system and is efficient. Definitely a game changer!" Ready to trade your stained plastic tubs for this sturdy set of glass food holders? The tight-locking lids help prevent leaks while keeping leftovers fresh, and you can even write on them with dry-erase markers so you'll know just how old that pasta salad is. And oh yeah: Right now they're half-price! "These containers are more practical than plastic when intended for reheating food in the microwave," said a five-star reviewer. "I use them for foods I need to reheat later. They are also better than plastic when the food contains tomato sauce, which leaves a stain when stored in plastic." On sale for just $25 each (over 60% off), these Staub bakers can be used for everything from cakes and brownies to lasagnas and casseroles. They're lovely enough to go from oven to table during dinner parties, and their enamel glaze makes for easy cleaning, in addition to being scratch- and stain-resistant. "These are my absolute favorite baking dishes!" gushed a gleeful reviewer. "I use them for baking, casseroles and serving dishes. I love that their classic clean design can be used with any of my table settings and decor. I look forward to purchasing more companion pieces." See all of Shop the best expert-picked on Yahoo Life. Follow Engadget for . And find to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.
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A THIEVING fox took a hairdresser’s lost mobile phone and buried it in a neighbour’s garden. The sly critter pounced after Helen Price unwittingly dropped her iPhone as she got out of her car. 2 A cheeky fox picked up a dropped phone and buried it in a neighbour's garden Credit: Alamy It carried the handset down the road and buried it ten inches down among the shrubbery. For two days, mum-of-one Helen, 59, was hunting high and low, even calling her hairdressing clients to see if they had it. Eventually, she used her Find My iPhone feature to trace it. She said: “The ground was vibrating whenever I called. READ MORE ON ANIMALS SURVIVAL INSTINCT Safari guide savaged by hippo feared he may die after beast chomped him FELINE SCARED? ‘Leopard’s LAIR’ inside pipe filled with rotting sheep carcasses found in UK "I could see the soil was fresh so I started digging with my hands. “The leather case was chewed and the attached lanyard ripped apart. It must have been stolen and buried by a fox.” When Helen wrote about it on social media, neighbours replied with their tales of the robber reynard — blaming it for running off with dog harnesses, toys and even shoes. Helen said: “It’s a right hoodlum.” Most read in The Sun RETAIL PAIN Scots retailer warns it's 'running out of cash' putting 1500 jobs at risk 'DISGUSTING' Festive fly-tippers slammed for dumping mountains of rubbish at Scots Asda KEEP CAM Celtic hero Cameron Carter-Vickers 'emerges as shock target for European giants' FOOTIE SHOCK Footage emerges of Hibs star in vow about 'Jambo b*******' before derby win Man gets close to a fox only to regret it when the animal steals his wallet 2 The lost phone was eventually recovered thanks to an online tracking app Credit:
‘The ground was vibrating’ says mum who hunted for iPhone after crafty fox buried it in her gardenNFL MVP rankings: Ravens' Lamar Jackson contends for top spot after Chargers winThe average rate on a 30-year mortgage in the U.S. edged closer to 7% this week, climbing to its highest level since July. The rate rose to 6.84% from 6.78% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. That’s still down from a year ago, when the rate averaged 7.29%. Borrowing costs on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, popular with homeowners seeking to refinance their home loan to a lower rate, also ticked up this week. The average rate rose to 6.02% from 5.99% last week. A year ago, it averaged 6.67%, Freddie Mac said. When mortgage rates increase they can add hundreds of dollars a month in costs for borrowers, reducing homebuyers’ purchasing power at a time when home prices remain near all-time highs, even though U.S. home sales for their worst year since 1995. The average rate on a 30-year mortgage fell to a two-year low of 6.08% in late September but it’s been mostly rising since then, echoing moves in the 10-year Treasury yield, which lenders use as a guide to pricing home loans. The yield, which has mostly hovered around 4.4% since last week and was below 3.70% in September, has been rising in recent weeks following mixed reports on inflation and the economy. It also surged after the presidential election, reflecting expectations among investors that President-elect Donald Trump’s may widen the federal deficit and crank up inflation. Mortgage rates slid to just above 6% in September following for the first time in more than four years. While the central bank doesn’t set mortgage rates, its actions and the trajectory of inflation influence the moves in the 10-year Treasury yield. The central bank’s is expected to eventually clear a path for mortgage rates to generally go lower. But that could change if the next administration’s policies send inflation into overdrive again. September’s pullback in mortgage rates helped drive a However, the recent climb in rates has put a damper on the housing market in the near term, said Hannah Jones, senior economic research analyst at Realtor.com. “Mortgage rates reached the high-6% range in late October, and have remained elevated since, much to the disappointment of buyers hoping to find some relief in the late-fall housing market,” she said. Forecasting the trajectory of mortgage rates is difficult, given that rates are influenced by many factors, from government spending and the economy, to geopolitical tensions and stock and bond market gyrations. Economists predict that mortgage rates will remain volatile this year, but generally forecast them to hover around 6% in 2025. Alex Veiga, The Associated Press
Archaeologists have found 28 graves of people who were enslaved by Andrew Jackson at his Hermitage plantation in Tennessee. At the time of his presidency, from 1829 to 1837, Jackson enslaved 95 people, and for nearly a century, more than 300 people were enslaved by the Jackson family. "It is historically significant, after decades of searching, that we are highly confident we have found the cemetery for people who were enslaved at The Hermitage," Jason Zajac, president and CEO of the Andrew Jackson Foundation, said in a statement . During the late 18th and early 19th century, Jackson trafficked people between his home in Nashville and other parts of the U.S. South, and slavery was a primary source of his wealth . When he became the seventh president of the U.S., he brought people he enslaved to the White House . In 1804, Jackson purchased 425 acres (172 hectares) of land in Nashville and named the property The Hermitage. By the time of Jackson's death in 1845, the plantation had grown to encompass more than 1,000 acres (405 hectares). Although the land has changed hands over the years, "nothing has ever been built on the [cemetery] site and crops have never been grown there," Tony Guzzi, chief of preservation and site operations at The Hermitage, said in the statement, "keeping it as undisturbed as possible over the last 180 years." Related: Coins worth over $1 million recovered from 1715 Spanish treasure shipwrecks in Florida While previous attempts to locate the long-lost graves of the people enslaved by Jackson were unsuccessful, technological advances and new funding led to the cemetery's discovery earlier this year. Sign up for the Live Science daily newsletter now Get the world’s most fascinating discoveries delivered straight to your inbox. Archaeologists discovered the cemetery in January about 1,000 feet (305 meters) from the main plantation house, on a slight hill at the edge of a creek, after experts used maps, surveys and aerial images to identify graves that were referenced in a 1935 report. The team cleared invasive plants from a 5-acre (2 hectares) search area, which allowed them to see rows of depressions that strongly suggested the presence of a cemetery. To avoid disturbing the graves, the archaeologists used ground-penetrating radar, which "is a crucial first step for characterizing unmarked burial sites such as this one," Steven Wernke , an archaeologist at the Vanderbilt Institute for Spatial Research, said in the statement, "as it identifies probable locations of the final resting places of the individuals buried at the Hermitage." — Long-lost homestead of King Pompey, enslaved African who gained freedom, found in colonial New England — Plantation slavery was invented on this tiny African island, according to archaeologists — Enslaved people were kidnapped from all across Africa, rare look at DNA from colonial cemetery reveals "Locating the physical remains of these individuals is a strong reminder of what this landscape was and what it represented — historically, an elite white space, a plantation and a place of enslavement sustained by arduous labor and sacrifice of Black bodies," Carlina de la Cova , a bioarchaeologist at the University of South Carolina who was not involved in the project, told Live Science in an email. Although the radar study identified 28 possible graves, "not all of them may turn out to actually be graves," according to Zajac, and additional graves may be found in the future. "Our work here is just beginning," he said. Pam Koban, the board chair at the Andrew Jackson Foundation, said in the statement that the cemetery "will become an educational staple that is central to the story of The Hermitage." The Foundation is working to assemble an advisory committee of historians and descendants of people who were enslaved on the property to help make decisions about how to preserve and present the site, Koban said.
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