Saudi Arabia sink Egypt

Didier Deschamps proclaimed France’s second World Cup triumph was “just as beautiful” as their first after leading them to glory again 20 years on, but Croatia defender Dejan Lovren said that Deschamps' team "did not play football."

"I'm disappointed because we lost the game, we played much, much better football than them, but on the other hand I'm proud of this team and what we have achieved," Lovren said.

"We played beautiful football again. France were one of the favourites to win the World Cup and they did it. I think we were better. They did it another way. They didn't play football, they waited for their chances and they scored. They had their own tactic and you need to respect that. They played the tournament like that, every game, but when you look at all the countries behind us, we're second.” he added.

"There's nothing to talk about now. It's difficult to describe. Maybe after a week or two, a couple of months... right now, it's difficult. Some moments I feel sad, some moments I'm happy. Overall, I'm proud."

Ivan Perisic conceded the first-half penalty after referee Nestor Pitana penalised him for handball following a VAR review.

"I was sure he would not give the pen," said the Liverpool centre-back. "From my point of view, he [Perisic] could not react.

"It was a critical moment, we came back at 1-1, and then this penalty and then 3-1, 4-1, but even then we didn't stop playing football, we still believed, we gave everything, and this is why people are proud now in Croatia."

Didier Deschamps' side had claimed a 1-0 over Belgium in the semifinals with a defensive masterclass which left Belgium star Eden Hazard and Thibaut Courtois deeply unimpressed with what he felt were overly cagey tactics by France in the semi-final, and now Lovren also felt the frustration of coming up against Deschamps's style. Not always the most entertaining, however, in the end, French squad just had too much talent at its disposal to get the job done.

When we think of Saudi Arabia, we often imagine Makkah, Medina, and the annual pilgrimage. But beyond these, there are plenty of amazing spots that have been attracting travellers since the kingdom opened up to foreign visitors in 2019.

One such hidden gem is the charming town of Al-Ula.

I visited it in 2023 and was amazed by the hospitality I received there. One just has to walk around the streets of the ancient city to find how tourist-friendly the place is.

photo: Saim bin Mujib

Al-Ula is an ancient Arabic oasis city located in Medina Province. The market city on the historic incense route once linked India and the Persian Gulf to the Levant and Europe. The city's origin dates back to the Nabatean and Dedanite periods.

Its Old Town is a great example of preservation: the ancient ruins will give you a glimpse into the city's glorious past. The unique stone formations scattered across the landscape give it an alien-like feature. It looks like something which came out of an artist's imagination.

However, the highlight of Al Ula has to be Hegra, Saudi Arabia's first Unesco World Heritage Site. You might have heard of Petra in Jordan, which is famous for being one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Well, Hegra is similar. Located 22 km north of Al-Ula, it's another ancient city built by the Nabataeans, with hundreds of intricate tombs carved in desert rocks. The more than 2,000-year-old structures are simply breathtaking.

If you're planning a trip to Al Ula, make sure Hegra is at the top of your list. 

A Nabataean ritual site in Hegra.

When I arrived in Al-Ula late at night, around 11:30pm, finding transportation was a bit tricky as there were no taxis around. So, I ended up flagging down a car to take me to my hotel, which turned out to be farther from the bus stop and the city centre than I had anticipated. Although the hotel rate was reasonable at 80 riyals, I ended up spending 100 riyals on the ride. Nonetheless, the accommodations for the night were excellent.

The next morning, my first stop was Al Ula Old Town. While having breakfast, I came to know about a free car service available for travellers. I headed to the designated spot and found a van waiting. The driver offered to take me to the Old Town alone. Upon arrival, he assured me he'd wait for my return. Leaving my bulky backpack in the car, I set off on foot following the directions indicated on the signboard.

As I approached the gate of the old city, it felt like going back in time. The sight of rows of mud houses with palm-thatched roofs, balconies, and various pots and wares displayed inside gave me the impression of an ancient Arab market frozen in time.

Walking along the dusty path, the ancient settlement gradually came into view. Unfortunately, I couldn't explore the interiors of the houses as excavation and reconstruction works were underway.

The authorities there informed me that the place flourished as a town in the 12th century, serving as a crucial hub along ancient incense trading routes and the pilgrimage path from Damascus to Makkah. Standing tall within the area is a citadel, offering panoramic views of the entire Old Town.

However, I reluctantly decided to forgo the experience learning that climbing the fortress required a pricey ticket.

Here I met Lars Paprotta, a fellow traveller from Germany. Like me, Lars is a solo adventurer and hitchhiker. Learning that Lars planned to visit Elephant Rock, an iconic rock formation resembling an elephant, I retrieved my backpack from the van and joined him on the journey. We hitchhiked to the natural wonder in the desert. Adjacent to the rock is an outdoor restaurant with ample seating areas, perfect for soaking in the breathtaking scenery. However, we weren't content with merely admiring the view; we ventured to climb a nearby hill for an even more spectacular vantage point. Despite the challenging ascent, the stunning vista made it all worthwhile.

As evening descended, we started looking for a lift to return to the city. An Arab businessman gave us that and also invited us to Iftar. With empty stomachs, we accepted right away. The warmth and hospitality of our host left a lasting impression on us as we indulged in a delightful array of traditional Arab dishes. After a satisfying meal and engaging conversation, our host dropped us off at Lars's hotel. I stayed there for 120 Saudi Riyals (SR) for a night. 

The following morning, we set out for Hegra. To reach Hegra, we had to go to the Winter Park area in the city. For 95 SR per person, we secured a package that included a guided round-trip to Hegra. Alternatively, one could hire a seven-seater SUV for 1,000 SR.

Reaching Hegra in a bus, we switched to a mini-bus bound for the tombs. Hegra, also known as Mada'in Salih and Al-Hijr, boasts a remarkable collection of 111 tombs. Led by our guide, we marvelled at the intricate stone carvings that showcased the architectural prowess of the Nabataean civilisation over 2,000 years ago. Our guide explained that these tombs were reserved for the Nabataean elite, reflecting their social and financial status. I smiled, some things never change!

The iconic Elephant Rock in Al-Ula.

Exploring one of the tombs, I observed the empty interior adorned with carved shelves, once used to house the deceased along with their valuables. Sadly, our guide informed us that many of these tombs had been looted over time.

The highlight of Hegra was undoubtedly the Tomb of Lihyan Son of Kuza, also known as Qasr al-Farid, or the "Lonely Castle". Standing at 72 feet, it stood apart from the other tombs, exuding grandeur despite being unfinished.

Our journey also led us to a unique structure, not a tomb but a gathering place of sorts. Its spacious interior hinted at its significance, with our guide explaining that it was once used for various religious rituals.

While heading back to Al-Ula, I kept reflecting on the ancient Nabataean civilisation.

And just like that it was time for me to leave Al-Ula. I couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness. In just two days, the city had carved a special place in my heart. Yet, thoughts of the adventures that lay ahead, including our plan to hitchhike through the Arabian Desert with Lars, lifted my spirits once more.

As we stood at the edge of the city, a massive truck halted in response to our waving. With excitement, Lars and I scrambled into the truck, embarking on a thrilling 16-hour journey through the Arabian Desert to Umluj city along the Red Sea.

Now that's a different story to tell which I named "16-hour hitchhiking through the Arabian Desert".

The agriculture ministry today gave go-ahead to onion import from nine countries apart from India.

The approval has been given for bringing in 21,580 tonnes of the bulb from China, Egypt, Pakistan, Qatar, Turkey, Myanmar, Thailand, the Netherlands and the UAE.

The highest amount of the vegetable will be imported from Pakistan, the ministry said in a statement.

The move comes couple of days after onion prices soared in the domestic market after India imposed 40 percent export tax on the shipment of the popular bulb to tame price spiral in its local market.

Today, retail prices of imported onions hovered between Tk 70 to Tk 75 a kilogramme, up from Tk 55-60 a week ago, according to the market prices data of the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh.

Locally grown onion also became dearer.

Today, retail prices of the locally produced variety were Tk 80-Tk 85 a kg from Tk 65-Tk 80 a week ago.

The agriculture ministry started giving permission for onion import from the first week of June this year to cool off the increase in its prices amid a fall in supply of the vegetable grown locally.

Until today, it okayed bids to import 13.7 lakh tonnes of onions, of which businesses so far brought in 3.79 lakh tonnes.

Three Vietnamese tourists and an Egyptian guide were killed and at least 10 others injured when a roadside bomb blast hit their tour bus on Friday less than 4 kilometres (2.5 miles) from Egypt's world-famous Giza pyramids, authorities said.

The bombing is the first deadly attack against foreign tourists in Egypt for over a year and comes as the tourism sector, a vital source of foreign currency revenue, recovers from a sharp drop in visitor numbers since the country's 2011 uprising.

No immediate claim of responsibility was reported.

Islamist extremists, including militants linked to Islamic State, are active in Egypt and have targeted foreign visitors in the past.

At least nine Vietnamese tourists were injured, as well as the Egyptian driver, according to official statements.

The tourists were heading to a sound and light show at the pyramids, which they had visited earlier in the day, said Lan Le, 41, who was also aboard the bus but unhurt.

"We were going to the sound and light show and then suddenly we heard a bomb. It was terrible, people screaming," she told Reuters, speaking at Al Haram hospital, where the injured were taken. "I don't remember anything after."

Egypt's interior ministry said the bus was hit by an explosion from an improvised device hidden near a wall at around 1815 local time (1615 GMT).

About two hours later the vehicle could be seen behind a police cordon with one of its sides badly damaged and the windows blown out, a Reuters reporter said.

Dozens of police, military and firefighters were at the site, on a narrow sidestreet close to the ring road, where traffic was moving normally.

Shortly afterward, workers brought a pick-up truck to tow the bus away.

An investigator at the scene said the device had likely been planted near the wall.

The interior ministry confirmed the death of two of the tourists, and the state prosecutor's office later said a third had died. In total, 14 Vietnamese tourists had been travelling on the bus, it said.

Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly told local TV from Al Haram hospital that the guide had died from his injuries.

"The bus deviated from the route secured by the security forces," Madbouly told Extra News channel, an assertion also made by the owner of the company that organised the bus tour.

"We have been in contact with the embassy of Vietnam to contain the impact of the incident, and what is important now is to take care of the injured," the prime minister said.

The bus driver later told local media he had not deviated from the route.

Egypt's army and police launched a major campaign against militant groups in February, targeting the Sinai Peninsula as well as southern areas and the border with Libya.

The government says fighting Islamist militants is a priority as it works to restore stability after the years of turmoil that followed the "Arab Spring" protests of 2011.

Those events and the bombing of a Russian airliner shortly after it took off from Sharm el Sheikh in 2015 caused tourist numbers to plunge.

The last deadly attack on foreign tourists in Egypt was in July 2017, when two Germans were stabbed to death in the Red Sea resort of Hurghada.

Egypt came from behind to beat Guinea 2-1 on Wednesday and secure a record-extending 26th appearance at the Africa Cup of Nations finals as they made sure of top spot in their qualifying group with one match to play in the preliminary competition.

Egypt are the eighth country to qualify for the 24-team finals, to be hosted in the Ivory Coast next year.

Captain Mohamed Salah missed two gilt-edged chances, but Mahmoud Trezeguet and Mostafa Mohamed scored to ensure Egypt would finish top of Group D and return for another tilt at the African crown, which they have won a record seven times.

Guinea, who needed only one point to qualify, took the lead through Serhou Guirassy after 27 minutes but saw Salah then miss twice from close range before Trezeguet equalised.

Mohamed fired home the winner 11 minutes from the end in Marrakech, Morocco, where Guinea were forced to move from their home stadium, which was ruled unfit for the competition by Confederation of African Football inspectors.

Defeat for Guinea, on nine points, opens the door for one of the other two teams in the group – Ethiopia and Malawi – who each have three and play on Tuesday. The winner of that match then has chance to catch up but a draw would see Guinea qualify.

Gambia, who were the surprise package of the last Cup of Nations finals as they reached the quarter-finals in their debut appearance, strengthened their chances of returning after a dramatic last-gasp goal earned them a 3-2 win over South Sudan.

Substitute Hamza Barry netted the winner seven minutes into stoppage time as Gambia moved to nine points in Group G. They share top spot with Mali, who are away against Congo in Brazzaville on Sunday.

The match was played in Ismailia, Egypt because South Sudan do not have an adequate stadium and Gambia went ahead after four minutes through an own goal.

South Sudan twice came back after that only to see the points slip away and defeat ended their hopes of reaching the finals.

Guinea Bissau's 1-0 win over Sao Tome e Principe earlier on Wednesday in the Lusophone derby strengthened their chances of qualifying from Group A, where they have advanced to 10 points after five games with a one-point lead over Nigeria.

The 55th-minute winner from former Belgium youth international Zinho Gano will qualify Guinea Bissau for a fourth successive finals appearance if Sierra Leone fail to beat Nigeria in the other group game on Sunday.

Sao Tome ceded home advantage to Guinea Bissau because their own stadium has been deemed unfit for use in international competition. The tiny island nation have now conceded 20 goals in the group from their five matches.

Saturday will see a further seven qualifiers played in the penultimate round of matches.

The top two teams in each group will play at the finals in January.