Man United stunned as Hull makes dream return to Premier League

KINGSTON, England 

Hull City made a dream return to the Premier League after a nine-year absence, beating Manchester United 2-0 on Saturday to puncture any preseason optimism surrounding the 20-time champions.

First-half goals from Semi Ajayi and Nobel Mendy at set-pieces consigned United to a tepid loss away to a team that was promoted via the second-tier Championship playoffs at the end of last season and is widely expected to be among the relegation candidates.

United finished third last season to secure a return to the Champions League, rewarding interim manager Michael Carrick with a permanent contract as well as a new midfield in Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos. 

Marcus Rashford has come back from a loan spell at Barcelona and entered as a halftime substitute.

They struggled to impress along with many other players in a lackluster team display that showed United — last a Premier League champion in 2013 under Alex Ferguson — still has far to go to recapture its former glories and is unlikely to challenge for the title, at least on this evidence anyway.

“We have a bit to improve on — it was never going to be perfect,” Carrick said.

“One game doesn’t change the direction of everything,” he added. “It doesn’t change the direction of the football club.”

Iran condemns US plans to announce new sanctions

CAIRO, Egypt 

Iran on Saturday denounced US plans for new sanctions that could put further strain ​on the Islamic Republic’s economy and have an impact on its most important trading partners including China.

After nearly six months of war since the US and Israel launched airstrikes against Iran on February 28, the sides are not firing at each other but also showing no sign of pursuing peace talks.

Oil shipments are at a virtual standstill in the Strait of Hormuz, with Tehran threatening to strike any unauthorized oil tankers that try to transit the vital waterway, and Iran’s economy is already under immense pressure from sanctions.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is due to hold a press conference on Monday after threatening “the toughest sanctions in history” on Iran.

Bessent has also urged cooperation with Washington by China, which buys more than 80 percent of Iran’s shipped oil, according to 2025 data from ‌analytics firm Kpler. ‌Beijing has urged diplomacy.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Esmaeil Baghaei, said on Saturday the imminent US announcement ​of ‌new ⁠economic sanctions was ​an “assertion ⁠of extraterritorial sovereignty over every independent member state of the United Nations.”

“Such secondary sanctions find no foundation in international law,” he said in a post on X.

The chief of staff of Iran’s armed forces, Major General Ali Abdollahi, promised on Friday that Iran would respond to enemy threats militarily with “crushing, punishing and devastating responses.”

US President Donald Trump, who has warned of economic consequences against any country that provides “any type of lifeline to Iran,” said on Friday that Washington was observing “what happens” in the conflict.

“They would love to make a deal, but they’re not ready to make the right deal, in my opinion,” Trump said of Iran.

While the US has effectively blockaded Iranian vessels in their ports, the Strait of ⁠Hormuz remained bottled up with thousands of seafarers stranded on hundreds of vessels.

Only four commodity ships ‌sailed along the strait on Thursday, none of them large crude carriers or liquefied ‌natural gas tankers, ship-tracking data showed.

However, Iran has granted permission for a number of ​Iraqi oil tankers to pass through the Strait following repeated requests from ‌Baghdad, Iran’s state news agency IRNA reported on Saturday.

IRNA said obtaining special permission for Iraqi tankers was one of Baghdad’s main requests ‌during a visit to Iraq by Parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf.

US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the US military helped move a seven-day average of 8 million barrels a day of oil through the strait.

That’s down from more than 20 million per day before the war or about one of every five barrels consumed worldwide.

US attacks have severely diminished Iran’s economy and devastated its navy and air force, but Tehran maintains enough missile and drone capability ‌to impede oil tanker traffic and attack regional rivals.

Abdollahi, the armed forces chief of staff, sought to underline Iran’s missile capabilities during a visit to an underground plant manufacturing ballistic missiles that was reported ⁠by state television on Saturday.

“This ⁠plant has been able, much better than in the past, to produce equipment superior both in capacities and quality and in quantity,” he said.

Qalibaf, Iran’s parliamentary speaker, said Tehran had received “numerous messages” from neighboring countries about establishing new regional security arrangements and economic cooperation.

Qalibaf, who did not say which countries he was referring to, accused the US of endangering the security of its allies in the region for the sake of Israel, adding that an independent, “homegrown” regional order would deliver peace and security.

Arsenal rout Coventry in 'perfect start' to Premier League title defense

LONDON, England 

Arsenal made light work of Premier League new arrivals Coventry City as the Gunners began their title defense with a statement 3-0 win at the Emirates Stadium on Friday.

Mikel Arteta's side backed up their billing as preseason title favorites with a victory that was never in doubt after Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka scored inside 23 minutes.

Captain Martin Ødegaard added a third goal four minutes into the second half.

"The perfect start," Ødegaard said.

The result gave Arteta his 150th win in 249 games in charge in the Premier League, with only Pep Guardiola, José Mourinho, Jürgen Klopp and Sir Alex Ferguson having achieved the feat in fewer games.

After winning their first league title in 22 years last season, Arsenal have their sights on becoming back-to-back English champions for the first time since they won three in a row between 1932 and 1935.

It was an inauspicious start to Coventry's first game back in the Premier League in 25 years.

Former Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard led Coventry back to the top flight after winning England's second-tier championship last season. But despite spending in excess of £120 million ($163 million) on seven new signings this summer, 

Coventry struggled to seriously threaten the champions and didn't have an effort on goal until the 86th minute.

"It is a big learning curve for the players but the lads kept going right to the end," Lampard said. "The important thing for me is to remain positive because Arsenal away will not define our season, it really won't. Now we have to look to see how we can improve."

Arsenal presented their latest signing, England defender Ezri Konsa, before kickoff, but Arteta named the impressive Christos Tzolis as the one newcomer in his starting lineup. Their biggest signing of the summer, midfielder Bruno Guimarães, missed out after suffering a knock in last week's Community Shield win over Manchester City.

With Guimarães out, Myles Lewis-Skelly, the subject of much speculation over a move away this summer, was named alongside Declan Rice in midfield.

But it was Tzolis who caught the eye as the left winger showed he could give this attack an added dimension by helping to set up both opening goals.

"I love that a player that has been with us just for a few weeks gets this kind of energy every time he's on the ball," Arteta said of Tzolis. "I think he's earned it. I think the way he has performed in the last few games has been phenomenal.

"What he transmits as a player is so direct, so incisive, constantly. He wants to make things happen and he has an incredible variety of actions in the last 30 meters. I think it's up to him to make the right decisions. Even the spaces are sometimes really, really small. I'm very happy with him."

First the Greece international stole possession to feed defender Riccardo Calafiori, who squared the ball for Havertz to slot home in the 15th minute.

Havertz scored only twice in the league last season after he was sidelined for almost five months with a knee injury sustained on the opening weekend. But after he started, and scored, in Arsenal's crushing 3-0 win over Man City five days ago, the Germany international was retained in the lineup -- in favor of former Coventry striker Viktor Gyökeres -- and back on the scoresheet.

Havertz has now scored seven goals in his past eight matches with club and country dating back to last season's Champions League final.

Tzolis then sent a cross in from the left that goalkeeper Carl Rushworth managed to push into the path of Saka, who scored into an empty net in the 23rd.

"Amazing, he played a brilliant game," Ødegaard added of the new signing. "He has been brilliant all preseason. He's so lively, it's hard to defend him. He's a really intelligent player, he always looks up and finds the right pass."

There were question marks over the fitness of Rice and Saka during England's run to the semifinals of the World Cup. And both were, perhaps tellingly, withdrawn after the hour mark here.

Ødegaard added the third shortly after the break after his scuffed shot looped in out of reach of Rushworth. The Norway international gave an apologetic shrug as a celebration.

"It was not the best finish, but I was there," Ødegaard said.

At the other end, the only time Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya was troubled was when a speculative overhead kick from Loum Tchaouna from outside the box sailed just high of the bar in the 42nd. 

The visitors' only effort on target came late on, when Jack Rudoni managed only a weak header straight at Raya.

EAST AFRICA NEWSPAPERS 22/8/2026

 

Tanzanian opposition leader to face trial on treason charges

By Our Correspondent, DAR ES SALAAM Tanzania 

Tanzania’s opposition leader, Tundu Lissu, is to face trial on treason charges after a court on Friday ruled that he has a case to answer.

The head of the opposition Chadema party has been detained since April last year for allegedly inciting the public to boycott the November elections.

Ahead of the polls Lissu's party had conducted an election reform campaign dubbed "No Reforms, No Elections", which led to his arrest.

Tanzania’s faced international criticism for its violent repression of protests around the elections with opposition and rights groups saying thousands were killed by security forces.

Security was tight on Friday as his supporters packed the high court for the ruling which was also attended by foreign diplomats.

Lissu, a long-time campaigner who returned from exile in 2023, has faced multiple arrests over the years and survived an assassination attempt in 2017.

The ruling by a three-judge bench came days after prosecutors presented evidence and 17 witnesses testified against him.

Lissu, who represented himself, said the judges needed to ensure he could meet his lawyers who have not been allowed to visit him in jail.

He also asked them to “summon” several high-ranking government officials - including President Samia Hassan - he intends calling as defence witnesses.

Other witnesses he intends to summon are the former Vice-president, Isdor Mpango, former Prime Minister, Kassim Majaliwa and leading security officers; the Inspector General of police, Chief of armed forces and the Director of intelligence unit. 

If found guilty, he could face the death penalty.

Lissu's party accuses Hassan, who won the last election with 98 per cent of the vote, of a return to the repressive tactics of her predecessor, John Magufuli.

The government says more than 500 people were killed during the election unrest, without saying who was responsible.

EAST AFRICA NEWSPAPERS 21/8/2026

 

UK, France, Germany, Italy and Canada condemn Israel's West Bank settlement project

LONDON, England 

Israel's plans to open up tenders for the construction of some 1,200 settlement homes in a strategically important part of the occupied West Bank have sparked fresh condemnation by major Western powers.

In a joint statement, the UK, France, Germany, Italy and Canada called the decision "unacceptable" and urged Israel to "retract the plans immediately".

All settlements are illegal under international law and, under international pressure, Israel held off for decades on plans to build in E1 to the east of Jerusalem.

Many of its allies and Palestinians argued this development would deal a major blow to hopes of a two-state solution, effectively cutting the West Bank in two and isolating east Jerusalem.

"At a time of grave instability in the West Bank with unprecedented levels of violence by settlers against civilians, and serious restrictions on the Palestinian economy, this decision is even more concerning", the statement from the European allies and Canada published on Thursday said.

"Not only will they [the plans] take us further from peace, but they further undermine Israel's international standing," the statement added.

In a separate statement, the UN secretary general also said the E1 plan posed an "existential threat" to a contiguous Palestinian state - and so did Belgium's foreign minister.

UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband's condemnation earlier on Thursday had drawn "ouright" rejection by the Israeli foreign minister.

Despite an Israeli court challenge to the plans by Bedouin Palestinians living in the area and Israeli peace groups, on Wednesday the Israeli housing ministry issued a tender for 1,234 of the 3,401 housing units approved by the Israeli government last August.

It covers about 12 sq km (4.6 sq miles) between East Jerusalem and the settlement of Maale Adumim.

At the time of their unveiling, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich - an ultranationalist and settler - said the idea of a Palestinian state was "being erased".

The deadline for bids is 19 October, just days before Israel's general election on 27 October, making it much harder for any future government to overturn any tenders issued.

Israel has built about 160 settlements housing 700,000 Jews since it occupied the West Bank and East Jerusalem - land Palestinians want, along with Gaza, for a hoped-for future state - during the 1967 Middle East war. An estimated 3.3 million Palestinians live alongside them.

Despite the fierce international opposition, successive Israeli governments have allowed settlements to grow.

US says sanctions will 'squash' Iran's economy and 'collapse' its regime

WASHINGTON, United States 

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urged US allies to support Washington's efforts to "squash" the Iranian economy.

Bessent believes international sanctions will 'minimise the need' to return to war with Iran

"We are going to collapse this regime. It is time for our allies and the rest of the world to make a decision," Bessent told broadcaster CNBC.

"You are either with us or against us," he said.

Bessent's remarks come after US President Donald Trump said that countries providing "any type of lifeline" to the Islamic Republic's regime will face "tremendous economic consequences".

Bessent did not offer any insight on the measures Trump's team was looking to implement, but said the planned pressure campaign on the Iranian economy would minimise the need of a "large-scale kinetic restart" of the conflict.

The US and Israel started a war with Iran in February, arguing the strikes were to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons, which Tehran has consistently denied.

Iran, however, responded by attacking Israel, US bases across the Middle East as well as targeting Gulf Arab allies of the US.

Since then, Iran has largely closed the Strait of Hormuz - the waterway through which some 20% of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas used to transit - causing wild fluctuations in prices on world markets.

The US and Iran agreed a ceasefire in April - and then another one in June, both aimed at facilitating negotiations to end the conflict.

However, the truce has been consistently broken and talks appear to have stalled but, instead of returning to war, Trump is gearing up to unleash the "most crushing economic operation ever taken against any country".

Bessent said the new economic penalties will be part of "the greatest co-ordinated economic isolation in the history of the world".

"If you insist on doing business with them, either transferring money, buying their oil... then the US Treasury and the US government will put [their] full might and force towards enforcing against you," the treasure secretary said referring to the US's international trading partners.

Bessent confirmed further details about the plan will be made public at a press conference on 24 August.

The Iranian economy has long been struggling under the weight of decades of international sanctions, which left it in tatters.

Earlier this year, Iran experienced weeks of protests due to the spiralling cost of living and inflation – with everyday Iranians blaming the regime for their difficulties.

Official figures show that in the 12 months to February 2026, the price of basic necessities increased by an average 60%, while food prices doubled in the same period.

At the time, Trump told demonstrators "help is on the way" as he urged them to "keep protesting".

The attacks on Iran ensued - and later led to the US to imposed a blockade of Iranian ports, threatening further sanctions.

In April, the US launched a wave of sanctions on foreign banks and firms doing business with Tehran after it became apparent military operations had not led to the overthrow of Iran's regime nor its surrender, as Trump had initially hoped.

Operation Economic Fury, announced by the US Treasury Department and the Pentagon, aimed at degrading Tehran's warfighting capability by cutting off its revenue streams, and also included a naval blockade aimed at stopping Iranian exports.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by Iran and the US in June included a clause stating that the US would "terminate all types of sanctions" against Iran in an agreed-upon schedule. 

Former Zambian minister killed in post-election security raid

LUSAKA, Zambia 

A former Zambian cabinet minister was shot dead during a security operation at the home of opposition leader Brian Mundubile, police said Wednesday, days after President Hakainde Hichilema won a second term amid opposition claims of irregularities and intimidation.

Police said Mutotwe Kafwaya, 49, was killed during a joint security operation at Mundubile’s residence, a day after the August 13 presidential election.

According to police, security forces encountered gunfire and resistance from unidentified individuals during the raid and returned fire. An unidentified man was fatally wounded and a firearm was recovered.

Authorities later confirmed the dead man was Kafwaya, a former cabinet minister and opposition parliamentarian.

The operation came after the election, which gave President Hakainde Hichilema about 60 percent of the vote, according to the electoral commission.

The government said the raid was aimed at dismantling a suspected militia that posed "a serious threat to State security". Eleven people were arrested during the operation, including three former commandos described by police as having extensive military experience.

Mundubile, who finished second with around 38 percent, said the operation took place at his home. He said Kafwaya had been struck by gunfire and that he was initially unable to establish what had happened to him.

Mundubile has rejected allegations that his alliance was involved in insurgency or militia activity.

He said those detained included members of his security team and opposition figures. After the raid, the opposition leader went into hiding.

The death of Kafwaya followed growing demands from his family for authorities to provide information about his whereabouts and condition.

Mundubile said his campaign had identified "serious irregularities" during the election and intends to challenge the results in court.

International observers have also raised concerns about the conduct of the vote, citing opposition allegations of intimidation, arrests, abductions and violence.

Kafwaya served as a minister under the Patriotic Front government between 2016 and 2021 before becoming an opposition lawmaker during Hichilema’s first term.

The raid and subsequent death have drawn renewed scrutiny of the government's handling of opposition activity following the election.

UN human rights chief Volker Turk called on the authorities to stop arbitrary arrests and fully respect the due process rights of detainees.

The incident adds to tensions in the aftermath of the vote, with questions remaining over the circumstances of Kafwaya’s death, the people arrested during the operation and the opposition’s planned legal challenge to the election result.

Russia launches missile strikes on Kyiv and surrounding region, killing at least eight

By Harry Sekulich, KYIV Ukraine 

A wave of overnight Russian missile strikes has killed at least eight people in the capital Kyiv and the surrounding region, Ukrainian authorities say.

Apartment blocks and warehouses were hit in the "massive attack" on Thursday, according to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine (DSNS), while a children's hospital and school were damaged. At least 33 people were injured.

Authorities are working to rescue people trapped underneath the rubble of demolished buildings, with crews already pulling two survivors from debris.

Meanwhile, Romania said one drone crossed into its territory at the northern border with Ukraine triggering an air alert siren.

In the early hours of Thursday, "a drone entered Romanian national airspace, approximately 13 kilometres east of the city of Galați," the Romanian defence ministry wrote in a statement.

The drone crashed into "an uninhabited area", causing a small fire that was extinguished.

"No casualties or material damage were reported", the ministry added, noting that the initial alert had been lifted.

The Polish military also said it had begun "defensive air operations" to protect its airspace, with the country sharing part of its south-eastern border with Ukraine.

Kyiv Mayor Vitaly Klitschko said a children's hospital had been damaged in the overnight strikes, where windows were broken and cars set ablaze nearby. There was also damage at an educational institution, he said.

An industrial centre in the Solomyanskyi district, south-west Kyiv, was also hit by missiles, according to the mayor.

An attack in Brovary district of the broader Kyiv region killed one man and wounded another, Kyiv regional governor Tymur Tkachenko said.

The regional administration issued an alert earlier in the night warning residents to take shelter. It continued: "Air defense operations are possible in the area".

More missile alerts were issued from regional authorities throughout the night, citing warnings from the Ukrainian air force that missiles were flying towards the capital.

The Russian airstrikes cut power to thousands of properties overnight, plunging parts of the Kyiv region into darkness, with technicians racing to repair the damaged energy grids.

The Russian defence ministry claims to have targeted a drone component production facility and a munition depot in Kyiv, according to state-run media, although the claims have not been independently verified by our correspondent.

Kyiv has been battered in near nightly-attacks in recent weeks, with some strikes resulting in dozens of deaths and serious injuries.

More than a dozen regions have been targeted across Ukraine over the past week, President Volodymyr Zelensky said, with Russia launching more than 1,550 attack drones, 1,560 guide aerial bombs and 62 missiles Ukraine.

Ukraine has stepped up its attacks deep inside Russia during the past few weeks, with a recent flurry of 600 drones targeting Moscow.

Two separate attacks on Russia this week has killed at least 16 people, including one child.