Soccer fans storm field in Libya and a Portuguese referee is injured during a suspended match
TRIPOLI, Libya (AP) — A highly-anticipated derby in Libya's top soccer league was suspended after fans stormed the pitch and officials said Thursday the Portuguese referee and some fans were injured.
The match Wednesday between Al-Ahly Tripoli and Al-Ittihad was suspended in the 39th minute when Al-Ahli substitutes and fans stormed the pitch in protest of Al-Ittihad players' celebration of their opening goal. Al-Ittihad's bus was set on fire, the club said in a statement.
Players and soccer officials fled the stadium amid a fan disturbance outside the facility. Footage circuited online showed clashes between fans and security forces in and around the stadium.
Al-Ahly blamed what it called a 'provocative act' by one of Al-Ittihad players for the disturbance.
It said in a statement that security forces used 'excessive force and live fire' against fans at the club's headquarters.
Local media reported that Portuguese referee Fábio José Costa was injured.
___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Winnipeg Free Press
31 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Kenyan police officers arraigned over shooting a civilian during protests
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — A court in Kenya on Thursday gave detectives 15 days to complete investigations of two police officers suspected of shooting and wounding a hawker during the latest street protests over the death of a blogger in custody. The officers were arraigned in court two days after the Tuesday shooting on a busy street and under the full glare of cameras. It triggered anger and fury over persistent complaints against police brutality. Tuesday's protests in the capital followed tensions over the death of the blogger, Albert Ojwang, who was found dead while in custody at the Central Police Station. Ojwang was arrested on June 6 in western Kenya for what police called publishing 'false information' about a top police official on social media. Police attributed his death to him 'hitting his head against the cell wall,' but activists have questioned the cause of death. Protesters on Tuesday demanded the arrest of the police deputy inspector general, Eliud Langat, who had filed a defamation complaint against Ojwang. Langat said Monday he had stepped aside and would cooperate with investigators. The two officers at the Central Police Station were arrested last week. The officers will remain in custody until July 3. During their court appearance, they concealed their faces with masks, sparking complaints from activists. Kenya has a history of police brutality, and President William Ruto previously vowed to end it, along with extrajudicial killings. Last year, several activists and protesters were abducted and killed by Kenyan police during protests against tax hikes. The demonstrations led to calls for Ruto's removal.
Toronto Star
34 minutes ago
- Toronto Star
A wild bear enters Lithuania's capital. Hunters refuse a government request to shoot the animal
WARSAW, Poland (AP) — A young female bear caused a stir after wandering out of the forest and into the leafy suburbs of the Lithuanian capital. For two days, the brown bear ambled through the neighborhoods of Vilnius, trotted across highways and explored backyards — all while being chased by onlookers with smartphones and, eventually, drones. The government then issued a permit for the bear to be shot and killed. That did not go down well with Lithuania's hunters who refused, aware that there is only a tiny number of the protected species in the entire country. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW The Lithuanian Association of Hunters and Fishermen said it was shocked by the government order. The association's administrator, Ramutė Juknytė, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that the bear was a beautiful young female who was about 2 years old and did not deserve to be shot. 'She was scared but not aggressive. She just didn't know how to escape the city but she didn't do anything bad,' he said. The organization tracks the movements of bears. It believes there is only five to 10 bears in the Baltic nation, but does not have a precise number. The drama began on Saturday when the bear entered the capital. It was the first time in many years that a bear had entered the city and it became a national story. The animal came within about 4-5 kilometers (about 2-3 miles) of the city center. Since causing a stir with their permit to kill the bear, Lithuanian authorities have been on the defensive. Deputy Environment Minister Ramūnas Krugelis said that a kill permit was issued purely as a precaution in case the bear posed a threat, according to a report by the Lithuanian broadcaster LRT. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW The hunters proposed a more humane approach: sedation, tracking and relocation. As the debate over the bear's fate unfolded, she took matters into her own paws and wandered out of the city. Juknytė said that the bear was recorded by a camera on Wednesday, peacefully wandering through a forest some 60 kilometers (40 miles) from Vilnius while munching on corn. Brown bears are native to the region and were once common. They were wiped out in Lithuania in the 19th century due to hunting and habitat loss. In recent years they have started reappearing in small numbers, typically wandering in from neighboring countries like Latvia and Belarus, where small bear populations still exist. Bears are protected under Lithuanian and EU law as they are considered a rare and vulnerable species in the region.
Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Stokes gives strong backing to Pope as England's No. 3 batter for India series
LEEDS, England (AP) — Who to pick at No. 3 out of Ollie Pope and Jacob Bethell was widely regarded as England's biggest selection poser heading into the highly anticipated, five-match test series against India. Turns out, it wasn't much of a headache for Ben Stokes. 'It would be remarkable to choose someone else if their last knock was 170,' the England captain said Thursday of the decision to keep faith with Pope after his big hundred in the one-off test against Zimbabwe last month. The 21-year-old Bethell is the next big thing in English cricket, a rising star in all formats who made a strong start to his test career — in the No. 3 position — by scoring a half-century in each test of the three-match series against New Zealand over the winter. However, Bethell didn't play against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge because he was finishing off a stint in the Indian Premier League. Pope did play and, batting at No. 3, made 171 for his third biggest test knock. Pope is the team's vice captain and remains a trusted ally of Stokes, despite continued speculation over his place in the team. 'Having him at No. 3 and, since I've been captain over three years, averaging over 40. It speaks for itself, I think,' Stokes said. 'In this day and age, it's very tough to not see all the speculation and stuff around it, just because of how easily accessible things are. You don't even have to go hunt for it to see it these days. But I think scoring 170 in his last test match shows how well he's handled the extra scrutiny. It comes with the territory when you are an international player.' ___ AP cricket:
