BELGRADE, Feb 13 (Reuters) – The European Union could withhold funds from a 1.6 billion euro allocation of loans and grants to Serbia, after Belgrade passed laws that are “eroding trust” in its commitment to the rule of law, the bloc’s enlargement commissioner said.
Reforms to centralise the judiciary that came into force this week brought criticism from judges and prosecutors who see them as bolstering President Aleksandar Vucic’s hold on power, weakening the fight against organised crime and undermining Serbia’s bid to join the EU.
“These amendments are eroding trust. It is becoming harder for those in Brussels who are willing to advance with Serbia to make their case,” EU enlargement commissioner Marta Kos said in emailed comments to Reuters late on Thursday.
Kos said the commission was reviewing funding for Serbia under the EU Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, aimed at aligning the region to EU rules and ultimately bringing countries such as Serbia into the bloc. Serbia was allocated 1.6 billion euros of loans and grants under the programme.
“These (funds) contain preconditions linked to the rule of law,” she said.
Serbia began official talks to join the EU in 2014 but widespread corruption and weak institutions have slowed progress.
The judicial reforms include limiting the mandate of chief public prosecutors and granting court presidents – responsible for court administration – greater powers over judges. Critics fear the reforms will erode judges’ independence and jeopardise high-level corruption cases overseen by the Public Prosecutor’s Office for Organised Crime.
The government did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Friday. The justice ministry has said that the new laws will make the judiciary more efficient by streamlining the decision-making process.
Since the backlash, Serbia has requested the opinion of the Venice Commission, a panel of constitutional law experts of the Council of Europe, a human rights body.
“Once that opinion is issued, we expect these laws to be revised accordingly and in an inclusive manner,” Kos said.
(Reporting by Edward McAllisterEditing by Peter Graff)
Seven fully preserved skeletons found in an ancient city in Croatia have been identified as Roman soldiers who would have lived 1,700 years ago, scientists said in a new paper.
The skeletal remains were found in 2011 during a dig at the Roman city of Mursa, located in modern-day Croatia, in a water well that had been repurposed as a mass grave, said the researchers, who are from a number of European archaeological institutions. The area was conquered by Romans during the first century B.C., and the city was an “important trade and craft center” that bordered an active military zone, according to the paper published this week.
All seven skeletons were identified as belonging to taller-than-average adult men. Four are younger adults, between 18 and 25, while the other three are middle-aged, between 36 and 50, the researchers found. All were “robust” but showed “indicators of early-life stress” such as wear on the teeth.
The skeletons were placed in different positions and at different depths, the researchers said, but all appear to have been buried at the same time. The remains seem to have been “thrown in” shortly after death, the researchers said. The men were likely soldiers who may have participated in a 260 C.E. battle for the city or died in a skirmish afterward, according to the researchers.
Skeletons found by archaelogists in Croatia, at the site of the former ancient city Mursa.
PLOS One
Several of the skeletons had injuries, including blunt-force injuries on the facial bones of one and puncture wounds on the torsos of two others that were likely caused by weapons such as arrows or spear tips, according to the paper. The wounds and their locations were determined by analysis of the skeletal remains.
The researchers were also able to use carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analyses to learn more about the soldiers’ day-to-day lives. They ate lots of grains, including wheat and millet, and vegetables, but little meat, the study found. Four of the skeletons underwent DNA analysis, which found that none appeared to be local to the area. One was likely from northern or Eastern Europe, while another was likely from the Byzantine Empire.
Remains of Mursa have been explored by researchers for decades. Archaeologists have found a number of water wells, small pits and other evidence of civilization.
Mursa was affected by a number of conflicts, the researchers said. Many occurred during the Crisis of the Third Century, an era during which Rome nearly collapsed due to civil wars, foreign invasions and economic issues, according to CBS News’ partner network BBC News. The city eventually “ceased to exist as an urban settlement” after attacks in 441 C.E., the researchers said.
By Marwa Rashad, Kate Abnett and Nerijus Adomaitis
(Reuters) -European nations, including France, are among the staunchest supporters of Ukraine in its fight against Russia. Several have also stepped up their imports of Russian energy which pump billions of euros into Moscow’s wartime economy.
Well into the fourth year of Russia’s war against Ukraine, the European Union remains in the precarious position of financing both sides in the conflict. Its large deliveries of military and humanitarian aid to Kyiv are countered by commercial payments to Moscow for oil and gas.
The bloc has reduced its reliance on once-dominant supplier Russia by roughly 90% since 2022. It nonetheless imported more than 11 billion euros of Russian energy in the first eight months of this year, according to a Reuters analysis of data from the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), an independent research organization based in Helsinki.
Seven of the EU’s 27 member countries increased the value of their imports versus a year earlier, including five countries that support Ukraine in the war. France, for example, saw purchases of Russian energy rise 40% to 2.2 billion euros while the Netherlands jumped 72% to 498 million euros, the analysis shows.
While LNG ports in countries like France and Spain serve as entry points for Russian supplies into Europe, the gas is often not consumed in those countries but instead sent onwards to buyers across the bloc.
Vaibhav Raghunandan, EU-Russia specialist at CREA, described increased flows as “a form of self-sabotage” by some countries, given energy sales are the biggest source of revenue for Russia as it wages war against an European-backed Ukraine.
“The Kremlin is quite literally getting funding to continue to deploy their armed forces in Ukraine,” he said.
TRUMP SLAMMED EUROPE’S LEADERS
EU energy payments to Moscow have come under renewed scrutiny after U.S. President Donald Trump dressed down European leaders in his speech to the U.N General Assembly last month, demanding they cease all such purchases immediately.
“Europe has to step it up,” Trump said. “They can’t be doing what they’re doing. They’re buying oil and gas from Russia while they’re fighting Russia. It’s embarrassing to them, and it was very embarrassing to them when I found out about it.”
The French energy ministry told Reuters that France’s value of Russian energy imports rose this year as it served customers in other countries, without naming countries or companies. Gas market data suggest part of France’s Russian imports are sent onwards to Germany, according to Kpler analysts.
The Dutch government said while it supported EU plans to phase out Russian energy, until these proposals are fixed into EU law, it was powerless to block existing contracts between European energy companies and Russian suppliers.
The EU, which has already barred most purchases of Russian crude oil and fuel, has announced plans to speed up a ban on Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) to 2027, from 2028. LNG now represents the biggest EU import of Russian energy, accounting for almost half the value of total purchases, the data shows.
The European Commission declined to comment on the 2025 imports data. The bloc’s energy chief said last month the phased retreat from Russian fossil fuels was designed to ensure member countries don’t face energy price spikes or supply shortages.
The proposals, which envisage a total ban on all Russian oil and gas from 2028, mean European cash could be supporting the Kremlin’s war effort for a year or more to come.
Trump says U.S. oil and gas could replace lost Russian supplies, and many analysts say such a switch is possible, though it would boost Europe’s dependency on U.S. energy in an era when Washington is using tariffs as a policy tool.
“The EU has agreed to buy more energy from the U.S to accommodate the very strong U.S. demands to stop Russian imports,” said Anne-Sophie Corbeau, a research scholar at Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy. “However, it is an illusion to think that U.S. LNG would replace Russian LNG on a one-to-one basis. U.S. LNG is in the hands of private companies, which do not obey orders from the White House and the European Commission, they optimize their portfolios.”
HUNGARY, BELGIUM AND OTHERS SEE BILLS RISE
The EU has come a long way since 2021.
In that year, before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the bloc imported more than 133 billion euros of Russian energy, according to CREA data.
In January-August this year, the EU’s bill amounted to 11.4 billion euros – a fraction of per-war levels and a decline of 21% from the same period of 2024, the figures show.
Hungary and Slovakia – which maintain close ties with the Kremlin and reject any notion of renouncing Russian gas – remain major importers, together accounting for 5 billion euros of that total. They wouldn’t be affected by the planned EU sanctions on LNG, which requires the unanimous backing of member states, as they could still receive Russian pipeline gas until 2028.
Hungary was among the seven countries to see the value of Russian energy imports rise this year, by 11%, according to the data. France and the Netherlands are joined by four other countries whose governments support Ukraine in the war: Belgium, which saw a 3% increase, Croatia (55%), Romania (57%) and Portugal (167%).
Belgium’s energy ministry said the country’s increase was down to separate EU sanctions that took effect in March and banned “transshipments”, or re-exporting, of Russian LNG to outside the bloc, meaning arriving LNG had to be unloaded in Belgium – a global hub – rather than being transferred from ship to ship to be transported onwards to a final destination.
Portugal’s energy ministry said the country only imported modest amounts of Russian gas and that flows over the course of the year would be lower than 2024. The Croatian and Romanian governments didn’t respond to requests for comment on the data.
The European Union’s total imports of Russian energy since 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine, have amounted to more than 213 billion euros, the CREA data shows.
That dwarfs the amount the EU has spent on aid to Ukraine in the same period, even though it has been the country’s biggest benefactor: the bloc has allocated 167 billion euros of financial, military and humanitarian assistance to Kyiv, according to the Kiel Institute, a German economic think-tank.
ENERGY FIRMS STICK TO LONG-TERM CONTRACTS
France’s TotalEnergies is among the biggest importers of Russian LNG into Europe, with other major players including Shell, Spain’s Naturgy, Germany’s SEFE, and trading house Gunvor. They all operate long-term contracts that last into the 2030s or 2040s.
TotalEnergies told Reuters it was continuing deliveries from Russia’s Yamal plant under contracts that could not be suspended without official EU sanctions in place. The company will maintain supplies as long as European governments deem Russian gas necessary for energy security, it added.
Shell, Naturgy and Gunvor declined to comment on Russian imports.
Ronald Pinto, gas research principal analyst at Kpler said companies were reluctant to risk incurring fines from breaching contractual commitments without the solid legal cover of an EU ban on Russian LNG.
“In the end, market players are buying this LNG, not countries, and for the most part, they are sticking to their long-term contracts,” he added.
Pinto said flow dynamics studies suggested French imports of Russian LNG often flowed via pipeline to Belgium to then reach Germany, where there’s strong demand from industrial users. He cautioned it was “impossible to track exactly the movement of gas molecules within the European gas grid”.
A spokesperson for SEFE, which operates 10% of Germany’s gas transmission network, confirmed that the company imports Russian gas via France and Belgium.
The German economy ministry told Reuters that it welcomed EU efforts to phase out imports of Russian fossil fuels, but that SEFE was bound by a long-standing contract to buy LNG from Russia’s Yamal plant with no option to terminate the agreement.
“Under the contract’s take-or-pay terms, SEFE would have to pay for the agreed quantities, even if no delivery was taken,” a ministry spokesperson said. “Non-acceptance would enable Yamal to resell these quantities, which would then provide double support to the Russian economy.”
(Reporting by Marwa Rashad in London, Kate Abnett in Brussels and Nerijus Adomaitis in Oslo; Additional reporting by America Hernandez in Paris, Francesca Landini in Milan, Christoph Steitz and Vera Eckert in Frankfurt, Shadia Nasralla in London, Pietro Lombardi in Madrid and Andrey Khalip in Lisbon; Editing by Dmitry Zhdannikov and Pravin Char)
SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina (AP) — A short drive from the Mediterranean coast, mid-altitude mountain resorts near Sarajevo — traditionally dependent on snow sports — are slowly but steadily pivoting to attract summertime tourists.
Despite Bosnia’s notoriously poor record-keeping, tourism officials in the mountainous Balkan country of 3.3 million say a clear trend is emerging.
“We used to rely on snow, but there is no escaping the fact that snow is now likely to fall and accumulate at altitudes above 2,500 meters (8,000 feet) and our mountains are simply not that high,” said Haris Fazlagic, the Sarajevo tourism board president.
Fazlagic believes that by expanding their summer offerings, mountain resorts can lure tourists away from the scorching heat and high costs of traditional seaside vacations along the Adriatic coast of Croatia and Montenegro. He said increasing the area’s year-round appeal is “the future of tourism,” but acknowledged it’s a long-term strategy.
In 2017, after several winters with little snow, the Jahorina and Bjelasnica mountains near Sarajevo began to expand their summer offerings. These mountains, which hosted the 1984 Winter Olympics, have elevations of 1,906 meters (6,253 feet) and 2,067 meters (6,781 feet), respectively.
They now operate ski lifts year-round for scenic views and are steadily adding new hiking, biking and ATV trails and tours.
“The weather here is fantastic — it’s not hot at all,” said Dusko Kurtovic, a visitor from the Bosnian town of Doboj, while on a walk during a short vacation in Jahorina last week.
Like other visitors exploring the forest trails and riding ski lifts around Sarajevo, Kurtovic was dressed for balmy summer weather. Temperatures here typically stay between 24 and 30 degrees Celsius (75-86 degrees Fahrenheit).
The weather is a welcome change for tourists, as coastal regions in Central and Eastern Europe have experienced increasingly frequent and prolonged heat waves, with daily temperatures often reaching 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in the past few years.
Vasilije Knezevic, who leads quad tours of Jahorina’s highest peaks, noted that while the ski season was “bleak” because of the snow shortage, they are “having a fabulous summer so far.”
Business might be growing in the mountains of Sarajevo, but it remains far less profitable than seaside destinations in neighboring Croatia, where tourism accounts for up to 20% of the country’s gross domestic product.
Just a five-hour drive from Sarajevo, the ancient city of Dubrovnik is grappling with an abundance of tourists. Unlike their Bosnian counterparts who are trying to increase visitors, Dubrovnik’s tourism authorities are focused on managing crowds, limiting the number of tourists from cruise ships in the city to 4,000 at any one time during the day and restricting traffic around the Old Town to local permit holders.
Despite these restrictions and extreme summer heat, Dubrovnik recorded nearly two million overnight stays in the first seven months of 2025, almost double that of the Sarajevo region.
While climate change is driving Bosnia and Croatia toward different tourism strategies, both countries share a common objective: to “extend the season” and become a “year-round tourist destination,” in the words of Aida Hodzic of the Dubrovnik tourism board.
___
Associated Press writer Sabina Niksic in Sarajevo contributed.
Over the last few years, HAUSER has become one of the world’s most popular classical performers. His shows are spectacles that thrill thousands of fans for up to three hours. With dozens of musicians on stage, the Croation cellist covers well known orchestral themes as well as new arrangements of modern hits.
Although his previous album focused on Latin pop songs like “Livin’ La Vida Loca,” his new album, out April 19, returns to traditional melodies. CLASSIC II is full of favorite compositions like Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No. 2 and Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 23.
Soon, HAUSER will embark on a summer North American tour with stops at iconic venues like Carnegie Hall, Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium and the Orpheum Theater in Los Angeles. Focusing on the classics, the concerts will give audiences across the country one of the most unique experiences in music.
Watch HAUSER talk to Jordan Edwards and Demi Ramos about his ascension as a solo artist, epic live performances, and favorite compositions.
HAUSER North American Tour Dates
Fri, May 31, 2024 – Hollywood, FL – Hard Rock Live
Sat, June 1, 2024 – Clearwater, FL – Ruth Eckerd Hall
Sun, June 2, 2024 – Orlando, FL – Walt Disney Theater
Tues, June 4, 2024 – Virginia Beach, VA – Sandler Center
Wed, June 5, 2024 – Washington, DC – Warner Theatre
Thurs, June 6, 2024 – New York, NY – Carnegie Hall
Sat, June 8, 2024 -Toronto, ON – Massey Hall
Sun, June 9, 2024 – Detroit, MI – Fisher Theatre
Tues, June 11, 2024 – Indianapolis, IN – Murat Theatre
Thurs, June 13, 2024 – Minneapolis, MN – State Theatre
Fri, June 14, 2024 – Chicago, IL – Ravinia Festival
Sat, June 15, 2024 – Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium
Mon, June 17, 2024 – Dallas, TX – AT&T Performing Arts Center
Tues, June 18, 2024 – Austin, TX – Bass Concert Hall
Thurs, June 20, 2024 – Denver, CO – Paramount Theatre
Fri, June 21, 2024 – Salt Lake City, UT – Eccles Theater
Sat, June 22, 2024 – Las Vegas, NV – Wynn Las Vegas – Encore Theater
Sun, June 23, 2024 – Costa Mesa, CA – Segerstrom Center for the Arts
Tues, June 25, 2024 – Phoenix, AZ – Mesa Arts Center
Thurs, June 27, 2024 – Los Angeles, CA – Orpheum Theatre
Fri, June 28, 2024 – Saratoga, CA – The Mountain Winery
Sat, June 29, 2024 – Oakland, CA – Fox Theater
Sun, June 30, 2024 – Temecula, CA – Pechanga Theater
A majority of voters across seven Western countries, including the United States, France and the United Kingdom, believe their democracy is in worse shape than it was five years ago, according to a poll whose results were seen by POLITICO.
Nearly seven in 10 American respondents said the state of democracy had declined in recent years, while 73 percent of poll takers shared the same opinion in France. In the United Kingdom, more than six out of 10 respondents said that democracy was working less well than five years ago, according to the poll which was carried out by Ipsos in September.
The results reveal widespread angst about the state of democracy ahead of major votes in the United States, the U.K, and the European Union in the year ahead — as well as mixed views of the 27-member union.
In all but one of the countries — which also included Croatia, Italy, Poland and Sweden — about half of voters reported being “dissatisfied” with the way democracy was working, while majorities agreed with the statement that the system is “rigged” in favor of the rich and powerful, and that “radical change” was needed.
Only in Sweden did a clear majority, 58 percent, say they were satisfied with how the system of government was working.
Among EU countries, the survey revealed deeply contrasting views on the state of the Union. A majority of respondents in the countries surveyed said they were in favor of the EU, but a plurality in all the countries said they were dissatisfied with the state of democracy at the EU level, while only tiny minorities reported feeling they had any influence over EU decisions.
Those views were offset by higher levels of satisfaction at the way democracy worked at the local level.
Only in Croatia was satisfaction with democracy at the EU level, at 26 percent, higher than it was for democracy at the national level, at 21 percent.
The results of the survey will give EU leaders food for thought as they gear up for European Parliament elections. While voters elect the Parliament directly, the choice of who gets the top jobs — such as president of the European Commission, the bloc’s executive branch, or the head of the EU Council, which gathers heads of state and government — is indirect. National leaders pick their nominees, which are then submitted to the Parliament for conformation.
In recent years, EU-level political parties have been trying to make the process more democratic by asking leaders to give top jobs to the lead candidates, or Spitzenkandidaten, from the party that wins the most votes in the election. But that system was ignored by leaders after the last election, when they rejected the lead candidate of the conservative European People’s Party, Manfred Weber, in favor of current Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
While all the major parties say they are committed to proposing lead candidates ahead of the next EP election, leaders haven’t publicly committed to follow the system.
“These findings suggest that a key challenge for the EU ahead of the 2024 European Parliament elections will be to leverage continuing support for the EU project to help restore positive perceptions of EU institutions, agencies and bodies,” Christine Tresignie, managing director of Ipsos European public affairs, said in a statement.
The poll was carried out September 21-30 via an online random probability survey. Respondents aged 16 and over were questioned in Croatia, France, Italy, Poland, Sweden and the United Kingdom, while in the United States adults aged 18 and over were polled.
MALIBU, California – The most amazing thing about the $2.1 million Rimac Nevera is how easy it is to just get in and drive.
The Nevera is an electric hypercar from Croatia. It sits low — very low — to the ground, and at first glance it looks like the simple act of getting into it could be complicated. But the doors, which lift up and out sort of like a Lamborghini’s, cut into the roof just enough to ensure that I don’t bump my head as I drop myself into the driver’s seat.
Getting underway does take a little bit of learning. Gears are shifted with a big knob to the left of the steering wheel, the power seat’s adjustments are hidden in a touchscreen, and switches for the turn signals and headlights are mounted directly on the steering wheel. But once you’ve got that down, it’s simple to operate.
The whole car is like that — simple to operate — its 1,914 horsepower notwithstanding.
One of the first things I noticed as we got underway is that it’s easy to see out of the Nevera. That’s not a given with cars like this. For example, in Ferraris and Lamborghinis and other low-slung highway rockets, it’s often a challenge to see what’s behind you. But while the Nevera is definitely low slung, there’s just enough of a rear window to make it easy to drive in highway traffic. Good side mirrors certainly help with that.
There’s also just enough mechanical noise to remind you that you’re in a hypercar. There may not be an engine, but there are four electric motors and they make mellifluous mechanical sounds as the car moves down the road. Not so loud that I couldn’t converse with my passenger, Rimac’s Ryan Lanteigne, in a reasonable talking voice. It is just loud enough to remind us that we’re driving in something special.
And the Nevera is very special indeed — as it should be for its just over $2 million asking price. You’ll see why in the video.
Rimac — pronounced REE-mahtz, roughly — is Croatia’s first and only automaker. Its 35-year-old founder, Mate (MAH-ta) Rimac, started tinkering with electric vehicles after he blew the engine in an old BMW he raced as a teenager. After rebuilding it with an electric drivetrain — and winning some races, besides — he founded Rimac Automobili in 2009, hoping to one day build an electric supercar in his home country.
Although Rimac the company’s first years were a struggle, Mate’s timing turned out to be excellent in retrospect, with automakers around the world moving to electrify their fleets.
Rimac’s early prototypes were impressive enough to attract significant investments from Hyundai and Porsche, and it raised another 500 million euros (or about $534 million) last year. Those served as the foundation of what is now a thriving business consulting to traditional automakers eager to build high-performance EVs. Aston Martin and Swedish supercar maker Koenigsegg are among Rimac’s clients, along with a number of others that the company says it can’t yet disclose.
The Nevera is named for the fierce summer storms that roll into Croatia from the Adriatic Sea. (Rimac employees like to say that neveras — the storms — are “extremely powerful and charged by lightning,” just like their car.)
The Nevera (the car) serves both as a rolling display of Rimac’s EV expertise and as the supercar that Mate Rimac has long dreamed of building. It’s a four-motor design — one for each wheel — with a 120 kilowatt-hour battery pack, enough for about 300 miles of range under normal driving conditions.
But there’s nothing normal about the Nevera’s power output. Those four motors give it a total of 1,914 horsepower, and 2,360 newton-meters of torque — enough for a top speed of 258 miles per hour. Zero to 60 miles per hour takes just 1.74 seconds, according to Rimac.
I didn’t verify that time with any great accuracy, but I can attest that such a power thrust is plausible. As friendly as it is to drive in traffic, the Nevera is almost unbelievably quick when fully uncorked. But it never feels uncontrollable, and that’s a significant engineering achievement.
Even more impressive, albeit more subtle, is the way those four motors work together. The car’s systems adjust each motor’s power output 100 times a second to ensure optimum handling moment to moment. Or, put another way, the Nevera blasts through and out of tight corners without hesitation. That’s a trick that other supercars can only emulate with braking.
It’s an even more impressive trick given the car’s weight, around 5,100 pounds. But as hard as it might be to believe, that weight is so well packaged, with the batteries mounted low and close to the Nevera’s center, that it’s hardly noticeable. (Of course, the tremendous power on tap helps.)
It’s a good-looking car, too, low and radical but not over the top. Civilized. It’s well-made, with flawless carbon fiber on the outside and comfortable leather throughout the interior. Croatia doesn’t have a tradition of car making, but the Nevera does reflect some national pride: In addition to the car’s name, the intakes on its sides are styled to resemble a cravat, the ancestor of the modern necktie — a Croatian invention dating to the 16th century.
The Nevera starts at 2 million euros, or just over $2.1 million. If that’s in your price range, speak up soon. Rimac says it plans to build just 150 of them.
Sprinkle the sequins and pump up the volume: The annual Eurovision Song Contest reaches its climax on Saturday with a grand final broadcast live from the United Kingdom’s city of Liverpool.
There will be catchy choruses, a kaleidoscope of costumes and tributes to the spirit of Ukraine in a competition that since 1956 has captured the changing zeitgeist of a continent.
Last year, 161 million people watched the competition, according to the organiser, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), making it one of the world’s most-watched events.
Here’s what to expect as acts from across Europe – and beyond – vie for the continent’s pop crown.
Who’s competing?
This year, 37 countries sent an act to Eurovision, selected through national competitions or internal selections by broadcasters. The winner of the previous year’s event usually hosts the contest but, as Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine continues, the UK is doing the honours this year on behalf of 2022’s winner, Ukraine.
Alyosha is competing for Ukraine this year. The country has won three times since it began taking part in 2003 [Martin Meissner/AP Photo]
Six countries automatically qualify for the final: last year’s winner and the five countries that contribute the most funding to the contest – France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK.
The others must perform in the semi-finals with 20 acts chosen by public vote on Tuesday and Thursday.
The qualifiers are: Albania, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Israel, Lithuania, Moldova, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Slovenia, Sweden and Switzerland.
The final takes place on Saturday at the Liverpool Arena.
Australia?
Eurovision is not just geography. Eurovision is hugely popular in Australia and the country was allowed to join the competition in 2015. Other entrants from outside Europe’s borders include Israel and Azerbaijan.
Who are the favourites?
It is hard to predict the winners in a contest whose past winners have ranged from ABBA to Finnish metal band Lordi, but bookmakers say Swedish diva Loreen, who won in 2012, is the favourite with her power ballad Tattoo.
Finland’s Käärijä was a crowd-pleaser in the semifinals with his pop-metal party tune Cha Cha Cha and Canadian singer La Zarra, competing for France, is also highly ranked for her Edith Piaf-style song Évidemment.
Mae Muller of the United Kingdom is hoping to turn in a strong performance on Saturday night [Martin Meissner/AP Photo]
And never underestimate left-field entries like Croatia’s Let 3, whose song Mama ŠČ! is pure Eurovision camp: an anti-war rock opera that plays like Monty Python meets Dr Strangelove.
What happens in the final?
About 6,000 people will attend the final, hosted by longtime BBC Eurovision presenter Graham Norton, Ted Lasso and West End star Hannah Waddingham, British singer Alesha Dixon and Ukrainian rock star Julia Sanina.
Each competing act must sing live and stick to a three-minute limit but is otherwise free to create its own staging – the flashier the pyrotechnics and more elaborate the choreography, the better.
Russia’s war in Ukraine will lend a solemn note to a contest famed for celebrating cheesy pop.
The show will open with a performance by last year’s winner, folk-rap band Kalush Orchestra, and singer Jamala, who won the contest in 2016, will perform a tribute to her Crimean Tatar culture. Ukraine has won the competition three times since the country started taking part in 2003.
One person who will not be appearing is Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He asked to address the final by video but the EBU said that such a talk would breach “the nonpolitical nature of the event”.
How is the winner decided?
After all the acts have performed, viewers in participating nations can vote by phone, text message or app but are not allowed to vote for their own country.
This year for the first time, viewers watching from non-participating countries can also vote online, with the combined “rest of the world” votes being given the weight of one individual country.
Croatia’s Let 3 are singing an anti-war rock opera [Martin Meissner/AP Photo]
National juries of music industry professionals also allocate between one and 12 points to their favourite songs, with an announcer from each country popping up to declare which has been granted the coveted “douze points” (12 points).
Public and jury votes are combined to give each country a single score. Ending up with “nul points” (zero points) is considered a national embarrassment. The UK has suffered that fate several times – most recently in 2021. It bounced back last year, however, when Sam Ryder came second and is hoping this year’s contestant, Mae Muller, will also turn in a strong performance.
Where can I watch?
Eurovision is being shown by national broadcasters that belong to the EBU, including the BBC in the UK, and on the Eurovision YouTube channel. In the United States, it is being shown on NBC’s Peacock streaming service.
Rally driver Craig Breen was killed in an accident Thursday during a test event ahead of a world championship race in Croatia, his team said.
The full circumstances of the 33-year-old Irish driver’s death were not immediately clear.
Craig Breen poses during a group photo prior to the start of the 86th Monte Carlo Rally, in Monaco, on Jan. 25, 2018.
AP Photo/Christian Alminana
“Hyundai Motorsport is deeply saddened to confirm that driver Craig Breen today lost his life following an accident during the pre-event test for Croatia Rally,” the team said in a statement. “Co-driver James Fulton was unharmed in the incident that occurred just after midday local time. Hyundai Motorsport sends its sincerest condolences to Craig’s family, friends and his many fans. Hyundai Motorsport will make no further comment at this time.”
Breen had competed in World Rally Championship events since 2009 for various teams. The event in Croatia was scheduled to start next week.
“On behalf of the FIA, I wish to extend our sincere condolences to the family and friends of Craig Breen following his passing during a private testing accident in Croatia,” said Mohammed Ben Sulayem, the president of governing body FIA. “Our thoughts and prayers are with his loved ones and the entire Rally community at this difficult time.”
Breen was the son of a former Irish national rally champion and began his career in karting. He won several rally titles at various levels of national and international competitions, and was a regular podium finisher in the World Rally Championship. In 2012, he was involved in an accident at a rally in Italy in which his co-driver, Gareth Roberts, was killed.
“The Irish motorsport community is numbed by this tragic news,” Motorsport Ireland president Aidan Harper said in a statement. “Craig was a world class driver and a world class person.”
Harper said that just last Tuesday, Breen attended an event in Ireland where “18 young drivers got to meet and learn from their hero.”
The incident comes just days after Sprint car driver Justin Owen died from injuries he suffered when his car crashed during a race in southeastern Indiana.
The U.S. Auto Club confirmed the 26-year-old, from Harrison, Ohio, died after his car struck the outside wall and flipped several times along the third turn in a qualifying race for the AMSOIL Sprint Car National Championship at Lawrenceburg Speedway.
Owen was the reigning track champion at Lawrenceburg Speedway with two feature wins and the title in 2022, USAC said. It was Owen’s first crown at the 3/8-mile dirt oval where he competed in the sprint car division for the past several seasons.
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Europe has special forces on the ground in Ukraine. Poland and Slovenia are providing nearly half of the tanks heading to Kyiv. And Hungary may be letting arms through its airspace.
Those are just a few of the eye-catching details about Europe’s participation in the war buried in a 53-page dossier POLITICO reviewed from a leak of unverified U.S. military intelligence documents.
The disclosure has generated a tempest of head-spinning revelations that has the U.S. playing clean-up with allies. The documents detail American doubts about Ukraine’s spring offensive, suggest it was spying on South Korea and display intelligence accusing Egypt of plotting to prop up Russia’s quixotic war.
Yet Europe, for the most part, has been spared these relationship-damaging divulgences.
That doesn’t mean there isn’t knowledge to be gleaned about Europe’s war effort from the documents, however. The leaked files contain insights on everything from a U.K.-dominated special forces group in Ukraine to how — and when — France and Spain are getting a key missile system to the battlefield. The documents also contain allegations that Turkey is a potential source of arms for Russian mercenaries.
POLITICO has not independently verified the documents, and there have been indications that some of the leaked pages were doctored. But the U.S. has acknowledged the intelligence breach and arrested a suspect late on Thursday.
Here are a few of POLITICO’s findings after poring over the file.
Europe has boots on the ground
There is a Europe-heavy special forces group operating in Ukraine — at least as of March 23 — according to the documents.
The United Kingdom dominates the 97-person strong “US/NATO” contingent with 50 special forces members. The group also includes 17 people from Latvia, 15 from France and one from the Netherlands. Fourteen U.S. personnel round out the team.
The leaked information does not specify which activities the forces are carrying out or their location in Ukraine. The documents also show the U.S. has about 100 personnel in total in the country.
Predictably, governments have remained mostly mum on the subject. The Brits have refused to comment, while the White House has conceded there is a “small U.S. military presence” at the U.S. embassy in Ukraine, stressing that the troops “are not fighting on the battlefield.” France previously denied that its forces were “engaged in operations in Ukraine.”
The rest of the countries did not reply to a request for comment.
Europe is providing the bulk of the tanks
A Ukrainian tank drives down a street in the heavily damaged town of Siversk | Spencer Platt/Getty Images
Tanks are one area where Europe — collectively — is outpacing America.
Within the file, one page gives an overview of the 200 tanks that U.S. allies have committed to sending Ukraine — 53 short of what the document says Ukraine needs for its spring offensive.
Poland and Slovenia appear to be the largest contributors, committing nearly half of the total, according to an assessment dated February 23. France and the U.K. are also key players, pitching in 14 tanks each.
Then there’s the Leopard 2 crew, which is donating versions of the modern German battle tanks that Ukraine spent months convincing allies it needed. That lineup includes Germany, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Greece and Finland.
The document indicates Germany had committed just four Leopard 2s — the most high-end model — but Berlin said in late March that it had delivered 18 Leopards to Ukraine. It also shows Sweden pledging 10 tanks of an “unknown type,” which media reports suggest may be Leopards.
Separately, the U.S. has said it will send Ukraine 31 of its modern tanks, though those aren’t expected to arrive until at least the fall.
Europe’s deliveries are lagging, too
The idea behind Europe taking the lead on tanks was partly that it could get the tanks to Ukraine and ready for battle swiftly — ideally in time for the spring offensive.
But the document shows that as of February 23, only 31 percent of the 200 tanks pledged had gotten to the battlefield. It did note, however, that the remaining 120 tanks were on track to be transferred.
Separately, another leaked page recounts that France told Italy on February 22 that a joint missile system would not be ready for Ukraine until June. That’s the very end of a timeline the Italian defense ministry laid out in February, when officials said the anti-aircraft defense system would be delivered to Ukraine “in the spring of 2023.”
Hungary sees America as the enemy — but might be letting allies use its airspace
Hungary pops up a couple of times in the pile of creased pages, offering more insights into a country that regularly perplexes its own allies.
The most eye-popping nugget is buried in a “top secret” CIA update from March 2, which says Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán branded the U.S. “one of his party’s top three adversaries during a political strategy session” on February 22.
The remarks, it notes, constitute “an escalation of the level of anti-American rhetoric” from Orbán.
Indeed, Orbán’s government has charted its own course during the war, promoting Russia-friendly narratives, essentially calling on Ukraine to quit and caustically dismissing allied efforts to isolate Russia’s economy.
However, the leaked U.S. documents also indicate Hungary — which shares a small border with Ukraine — may be secretly letting allies use its airspace to move arms toward the battlefield, despite pledges to bar such transfers.
Intelligence leaks suspect Jack Teixeira reflected in an image of the Pentagon in Washington, DC | Stefani Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images
One of the leaked documents details a plan for Ukrainian pilots to fly donated helicopters from Croatia to Ukraine “through Hungarian air space.” If true, the information would not only show Hungary is letting arms pass through its skies, but also contradict press reports indicating the helicopters would be transferred on the ground or through flights into Poland.
Hungarian and Croatian officials didn’t reply to requests for comment.
Did the Brits downplay a confrontation with Russia?
Publicly, the U.K. has told a consistent story: A Russian fighter jet “released” a missile “in the vicinity” of a U.K. surveillance plane over the Black Sea last September. A close call, to be sure, but not a major incident.
The leaked U.S. dossier, however, hints at something more serious. It describes the incident as a “near shoot-down” of the British aircraft. The language appears to go beyond what U.K. Defense Secretary Ben Wallace told lawmakers last October. This week, The New York Times reported that the Russian pilot had locked on the British aircraft before the missile failed to fire properly.
The document also details several other close encounters in recent months between Russian fighter jets and U.S., U.K. and French surveillance aircraft — a subject that jumped into the news last month when a Russian fighter jet collided with a U.S. drone, sending it crashing into the Black Sea.
Wallace has not commented on the leaked description, and a ministry spokesperson on Thursday pointed to a prior statement saying there was a “serious level of inaccuracy” in the divulged dossier.
Turkey is the war’s middleman in Europe
Turkey has portrayed itself as a conciliator between Ukraine and Russia, helping negotiate a deal to keep grain shipments flowing through the Black Sea and maintaining diplomatic ties with Russia while also providing Ukraine with drones.
The leaked pile of clandestine U.S. intelligence reports, however, shows a darker side to Turkey’s position as a middleman that distinctly favors Russia.
One page describes how Turkey helped both Russia and its ally Belarus evade strict Western sanctions — a concern U.S. officials have expressed publicly.
For Belarus, the document says, “Turkish companies purchased sanctioned goods” and then “sold them in European markets.” In the opposite direction, it adds, these companies “resold goods from Europe to Russia.”
More alarming is another leaked document that describes a meeting in February between “Turkish contacts” and the Wagner Group, the private militia firm fighting for the Kremlin. It says Wagner was seeking “to purchase weapons and equipment from Turkey” for the group’s “efforts in Mali and Ukraine.”
The information, which the document says came from “signals intelligence” — a euphemism for digital surveillance — does not explain whether the purchases have occurred.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
The EU was quick to hit Russia with sanctions after Vladimir Putin launched the invasion of Ukraine — but it took time and an escalation of measures before Moscow started to feel any real damage.
Since the war started in late February last year, November was the first month when the value of EU imports from Russia was lower than in the same month of 2021. Until then, the bloc had been sending more cash than before the conflict — every month, for nine months. More recent data is not yet available.
The main reason behind this? Energy dependency on Russia and skyrocketing energy prices. But that’s not the whole story: Some EU countries were much quicker than others to reduce trade flows with Moscow — and some were still increasing them at the end of last year.
Here is a full breakdown of how the war has changed EU trade with Russia, in figures and charts:
SYDNEY — Frances Tiafoe beat Britain’s Daniel Evans 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 on Wednesday to move the United States into the United Cup mixed teams tournament semifinals.
Tiafoe’s victory gave the Americans an unbeatable 3-1 lead in the best-of-five Sydney City Final.
It means the U.S. will be among four teams in the semifinal portion of the tournament that begins Friday at Sydney’s Ken Rosewall Arena.
Earlier, world No. 3 Jessica Pegula gave the United States a 2-1 lead by beating Britain’s Harriet Dart 6-2, 6-0.
In the afternoon session, Madison Keys moved the U.S. ahead after rallying from a set down to defeat Katie Swan 2-6, 6-3, 6-4. But world No. 14 Cameron Norrie came back to post a 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 win against No. 9 Taylor Fritz to level the match.
Pegula and Fritz then won the final mixed doubles match to wrap up the 4-1 U.S. win.
“I think Madi really set the tone with her match,” Pegula said. “I think I did everything really well today. I could feel it. Some days you come out firing and you feel really good. I was honestly trying to settle myself down because I was seeing the ball really well today.”
Poland and Greece won deciding mixed doubles matches to advance 3-2.
Iga Swiatek and Hubert Hurkacz defeated Camilla Rosatello and Lorenzo Musetti 6-2, 6-1 to lead Poland past Italy in the Brisbane City Final.
It was Swiatek’s second win on the day after the World No. 1 beat Martina Trevisan 6-2, 6-4 to pull Poland even at 1-1 following Musetti’s win over Daniel Michalski in the opening match.
Matteo Berrettini then beat Hurkacz 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 to give Italy a 2-1 before Poland’s Magda Linette forced the decider by beating Lucia Bronzetti 6-1, 6-2.
”(It feels) amazing, honestly. I don’t know. I think it’s better winning in a team than individually. I’m so happy that we did it together and team effort for sure paid off,” Swiatek said. “Today’s match was pretty stressful because we (don’t) play mixed doubles usually.
“But I’m so happy that I was able to play a solid game and Hubi was pushing our opponents and really making it easy for me. So I’m really happy that we played such a nice game.”
Greece moved on from the Perth City Final as Maria Sakkari and Stefanos Tsitsipas beat Croatia’s Borna Gojo and Petra Martic 7-6 (6), 6-4.
Donna Vekic beat Despina Papamichail 6-2, 6-0 to put Croatia ahead before Tsitsipas beat Borna Coric 6-0, 6-7 (4), 7-5 on his sixth match point.
Sakkari then gave Greece a 2-1 lead by beating Martic 6-3, 6-3, before Gojo’s 6-4, 6-2 win over Stefanos Sakellaridis set up the mixed double decider.
Despite its loss, Italy still qualified as the next best-ranked team and will join the U.S., Poland and Greece in Sydney.
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More AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports
SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina — A group of ethnic Chechens fleeing Russia arrived in Bosnia this week, hoping to use the Balkan country as a launchpad to reach the European Union and avoid getting sent to fight in Ukraine.
The group of some 50 people, predominantly from Russia’s Chechnya region, congregated near Bosnia’s northwestern border with EU-member Croatia, the Bosnian Security Ministry said Wednesday.
“They want to reach the European Union because, in their own words, they are fleeing military draft” in Russia, the ministry said in a statement.
Russians can enter Bosnia without a visa and are permitted to stay in the country for a maximum of 90 days within a 180-day period. But to enter Croatia, which is set to join Europe’s visa-free travel zone, the Schengen Area, on Jan. 1, they must hold a valid visa.
The ethnic Chechens gathered near the Maljevac border crossing, in the northwest Bosnia’s Krajina region include families with children. Many of the people waiting said they hoped to be allowed into Croatia. However, Croatian border guards mostly appeared to be turning them back.
According to Bosnian media, the Chechens arrived in Bosnia from Serbia, one of the only countries in Europe with direct flights from Russia during the war.
The Security Ministry said it would “continue to monitor the situation on the ground and gather detailed information from law enforcement agencies … to propose appropriate measures to maintain a secure situation.”
Bosnia became a bottleneck for Europe-bound migrants from the Middle East, Central Asia and North Africa in 2015, when other nations in the Balkans and central Europe closed off previously established migration paths in the region.
The Krajina region, which lies partly along a highly porous segment of Bosnia’s border with Croatia, has struggled for years to accommodate transient migrants and refugees, at times leaving thousands of people to sleep outside without access to food, heat or medical care.
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Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine: https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
The boom gates at Croatian border posts swung up at midnight Sunday as the country joined Europe’s zone of free movement as the country also adopted the euro as its currency.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen hailed “two immense achievements,” speaking alongside Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and Slovenian President Nataša Pirc Musar at a border post in the town of Bregana.
“There is no place in Europe where it is more true today that it is a season of new beginnings and new chapters than here at the border between Croatia and Slovenia,” von der Leyen said.
“Nothing is the same after this,” said Plenković, noting the convenience that free movement and currency union will bring to Croatians.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the former Yugoslavian republic joining the EU. Von der Leyen praised the hard work of the Croatian people and singled out Plenković for pushing through the reforms needed to make the rapid ascension into the EU’s currency club.
She said the euro “brings macroeconomic stability and credibility” at home and abroad.
“Our citizens and the economy will be better protected from crises,” said Plenković.
But more than that, von der Leyen said, the euro coin imprinted with the pine marten — which gave its name to Croatia’s former currency, the kuna — is “a symbol of the successful union between your national identity and your European destiny.”
The adoption of the euro comes on the back of a long campaign to demonstrate that Croatia can adhere to the currency zone’s requirements for economic management. Croatian Finance Minister Marko Primorac told POLITICO last week that he expected the country’s debt-to-GDP ratio to fall steeply in the coming years as the recovery from the pandemic continues.
Shortly after midnight, Primorac withdrew the first euros from a Croatian ATM.
The entry into the Schengen zone means the removal of land and sea border checks with Croatia’s European neighbors. Airport checks from the 26 other countries that participate in the scheme will end in March.
The fall of these barriers to movement is “the final affirmation of our European identity, for which generations of Croats fought and fought,” said Interior Minister Davor Božinović, who opened the barrier at Bregana at midnight on New Year’s Day alongside his Slovenian counterpart, Sanja Ajanović Hovnik.
Parties were organized by citizens at the border. Von der Leyen said those living close to Slovenia and Hungary would see “tangible results” as they were able to travel freely across the frontier for employment and shopping. “Communities will grow closer together,” she said.
The Commission president also noted the responsibility that joining Schengen confers on Croatia, at a time when migration pressures are a matter of growing political tension between the bloc’s members.
“We will need to work very closely together to protect Schengen and preserve its benefits,” said von der Leyen. “In Schengen, we rely on each other and we know that we can trust you and that we can rely on Croatia.”
In a statement, Slovenia’s Hovnik congratulated Croatia on a “historic” step, which her country took just a year before, and tried to settle Slovenian anxiety about security along the newly open border.
“It is an event for which we have been preparing for a long time on both sides of the border,” she said.
Doha, Qatar – It is the first of the three Ms in action on the penultimate day of World Cup 2022, the one that the world, football fans and those plotting the moves up there least expected to still be among the call-outs.
Messi and Mbappe can wait. Morocco will be taking centre stage on Saturday, hoping to finish the fairytale run in Qatar with achievements unprecedented.
Morocco will take on Croatia at Khalifa International Stadium in the third-place playoff at Qatar 2022.
Croatia failed to match, or better, their 2018 outing where they lost in the final to France.
Morocco, meanwhile, have reached unprecedented heights, won millions of hearts and gained followers more rapidly than a new pop sensation on Instagram in the historical run to the last four.
For a team that was not used to winning much, especially at a World Cup, the sight of downing Belgium, Canada, Spain and Portugal gave its followers hope.
Moroccan players were dejected after their loss to France in the semifinal [Sorin Furcoi/Al Jazeera]
Since beating Belgium, Morocco hoped for a last-16 slot. Expectations grew when they beat Spain. Fantasy gave way to belief after beating Portugal. For a team that, at first, annoyed their opposition, then alarmed them, had finally left them aghast, gaining as much momentum as rolling down a hill as they eyed the final.
Until they faced France. At Al Bayt Stadium on Wednesday, the dream did not materialise in the way Morocco wanted, perhaps due to the introduction of a new football, the occasion or just the gulf in skills between the two sets of players.
Despite the heartbreak, Morocco fans are hoping for a winning end to their World Cup, one that has already been an extension of a dream of a lifetime.
“Whatever happens now, it’ won’t take away from what they’ve done, they made history,” Omer, visiting Doha from Casablanca for the World Cup, told Al Jazeera.
“It [the World Cup campaign] started with Croatia, it will end with Croatia. I hope we beat them this time [the group stage match ended 0-0]. I hope we finish well. But whatever happens, we’re super proud of the team; we’re fully behind them and we’re supporting them.”
Morocco fans have enjoyed every minute of their team’s show at Qatar 2022 [Sorin Furcoi/Al Jazeera]
A French masterclass on the pitch ensured the Atlas Lions will not finish higher than third in the World Cup. But they can take third, a final position that was unthinkable by most at the start of the tournament for the 22nd-ranked side.
“Winning matters. The team didn’t make it to the final but it won’t give up,” Amine, also visiting Qatar from Morocco, said. “The team’s performance has changed mindsets everywhere. There’s a winning mentality now and it’s refreshing to see that. A win on Saturday will make a massive difference back home.”
For Imane, a Moroccan living in Paris, a win on Saturday “holds a lot of meaning”.
“It might not seem like much, but getting third place is actually important for us and it holds a lot of meaning because it shows that Morocco’s journey at the World Cup, as historical as it was, was not just luck but the result of the players’ effort and the supporters’ faith,” she said.
“It does matter to me,” Ilham, a Moroccan citizen residing in Qatar, said. “I want to see them win third place. They deserve it. They’ve made us so happy and I want them to be happy.”
For some, the loss against France failed to take the gloss off Morocco’s run to the last four where they became the first team from Africa to reach the semifinals of the World Cup.
“This is football, that’s how it works,” Fatima, a Moroccan supporter, said after the 2-0 loss on Wednesday. “But we’re really proud of the team. Moroccan football has totally changed now. This is not a loss, no way. We are the champions.”
Morocco fans celebrating in the stands [Sorin Furcoi/Al Jazeera]
Yasmina, a Qatar resident from Morocco, thinks winning third place would be “amazing and honourable”.
“We’ve already won a lot during this World Cup: pride, unity, solidarity and momentum,” she said.
“But I think the pressure is less and the stress is way smaller on Saturday. I’d love Morocco to beat Croatia but no matter what happens they are my champions.”
With the amount of football, competitions and other happenings in life, most tend to forget the losing finalists of a World Cup let alone the team that finishes third. Losing a semifinal is shattering enough but to park away the memories and prepare for one more match, which will not allow you to relive your dreams, can be demanding for the mind and the body.
For Moroccan fans though, a win on Saturday will be the year-end bonus that nobody had asked their bosses for.
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — The chances of the winning the World Cup might have gone for Croatia and Morocco, but “immortality” is at stake when the two teams meet in Saturday’s third-place playoff.
Croatia forward Andrej Kramarić dispelled the notion it would be a meaningless contest at Khalifa International Stadium.
“I think if you ask this question to Moroccan players, I don’t think they will look that way,” he said at a news conference Thursday. “They’re fighting for their lives because if you win a medal at a World Cup you become an immortal hero in your country. That’s the same thing we are going to do.”
Morocco defied the odds to become the first African team to reach the World Cup semifinals. But the Atlas Lions’ run came to an end with a 2-0 loss to defending champions France on Wednesday.
“Eight of us from (the tournament in) Russia understand that feeling of winning a medal at the World Cup and we have a lot of players who haven’t experienced that and would love to do that because it’s something that will stay with you for the rest of their life,” Kramaric said.
The fever of FIFA World Cup 2022 has not died down yet. With just a few days to go before the final match, several Bollywood celebrities have been spotted visiting Qatar to catch live glimpses of the World Cup. A few days ago, actors Nora Fatehi, Manushi Chhillar, and more were seen having a gala time enjoying watching the football matches live in the stadiums. And now, to add to the bandwagon, Ananya Panday has marked her attendance in this list.
Ananya Panday watches Argentina vs Croatia match in Qatar
A few hours ago, Ananya Panday posted a story on her Instagram handle wherein she can be seen flying to Qatar to watch the match. Upon reaching her destination, she can be seen flashing her sweet smile while watching Argentina vs Croatia match live in front of her eyes. Soon, she got a glimpse of popular footballer David Beckham from a distance and we can say that Ananya felt elated from within to watch his glimpse.
In the glimpses, we can also figure out that Ananya was supporting Argentina and was dressed accordingly.
Notably, Lionel Messi and Julián Álvarez helped Argentina lead to a 3-0 win over Croatia on Tuesday that set up a meeting with either France or Morocco in Sunday’s title match.
LUSAIL, Qatar — With surging runs and a striker’s instinct, Julián Álvarez carried Argentina into another World Cup final.
Lionel Messi and the 22-year-old Álvarez were a pair of 5-feet-6 (1.70-meter) predators in a partnership that put to rest any hopes Croatia had of reaching back-to-back finals.
The younger of the pair rose to the challenge on soccer’s biggest stage with a huge performance on Tuesday, earning a penalty kick converted by the 35-year-old Messi before scoring twice to maybe even outshine his teammate — one of the greatest players the game has ever seen — in a 3-0 victory at Lusail Stadium.
Álvarez became the youngest player to score twice in a World Cup semifinal match since a 17-year-old Pele scored a hat trick for Brazil in 1958.
No wonder Messi held Álvarez in a playful headlock after his first goal and hugged him hard after the second.
“The match from Julian was excellent, not only because he scored two goals, but because he helped our midfielders,” Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said. ”He showcased an excellent game for his age.”
A tight-fought first half-hour was entirely turned upside down by Álvarez’s runs, barreling at speed into and through challenges in a devastating five-minute spell. When it was over, Croatia’s players had been left strewn behind him on the turf, trailing by two goals, with their hopes of another World Cup final in ruins.
Instead, Argentina gave Messi a second chance to play for a World Cup title. He and his teammates lost to Germany in the 2014 final.
Until Álvarez changed the game, Croatia controlled much of the play with its usual neat passing in and around midfield, leaving Argentina’s attack little to work with.
Álvarez was suddenly alert to creating danger when Croatia midfielder Luka Modrić got in a tangle and the ball came loose for Enzo Fernández to loop a high pass over the defense.
Álvarez was quickly clear and bearing down on goalkeeper Dominik Livaković, an imposing figure at any time and yet more so rushing from his goal. Although a deft shot past Livaković did not reach the goal, Álvarez drew a foul from the hard contact to earn the penalty which Messi converted.
Minutes later, Álvarez sparked to life when Argentina cleared a Croatia corner, took the ball in his stride just before halfway and ran directly at the defense. The surging run seemed to surprise Croatia’s fullbacks as first Josip Juranović and then Borna Sosa fell backwards while taking wild swipes at the ball as Álvarez ran through them and once more at Livaković.
This time, the Croatia keeper stayed back and Álvarez lashed his shot into the net from close range with a momentum that took him over Livaković’s body.
“It was a nice goal,” Álvarez said. “I don’t usually run with the ball a lot but the situation presented itself.”
Álvarez ran toward the corner to celebrate and Messi chased him down, grabbing him a headlock like a playful big brother.
The pair teamed up again in the 69th minute, needing only each other to pass five defenders, mostly because of Messi’s intricate dribble to the endline for a pass into Álvarez’s path for a simple finish.
Messi joined Kylian Mbappé with a tournament-leading five goals. Mbappé will get a chance for more on Wednesday when France plays Morocco in the other semifinal match.
Álvarez now has four goals — not bad for a player who didn’t even make the starting lineup until Argentina’s third game in the group stage.
He will surely be by Messi’s side again on Sunday when they return to Lusail Stadium for the final.
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AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports
Lionel Messi is back in the World Cup final with Argentina on his mission to win soccer’s biggest prize for the first time.
And, at 35, he could hardly be playing any better.
Messi converted a penalty and had a hand in the other two goals by Julián Álvarez, leading Argentina to a 3-0 win over Croatia on Tuesday that set up a meeting with either France or Morocco in Sunday’s title match.
It will be Messi’s second World Cup final — Argentina lost the other one to Germany in 2014 — in what might be his last appearance at the tournament.
Lionel Messi of Argentina cheers after Julian Alvarez scored the third goal during the World Cup semifinal match between Argentina and Croatia at Lusail Stadium on Dec. 13, 2022, in Lusail City, Qatar.
Manuel Reino Berengui/Defodi Images via Getty Images
It could yet be the perfect way to go out for a player widely regarded as one of the game’s best players, if not the best.
Messi is thrilling his legion of fans along the way, with his swivel and driving run to set up the third goal for Álvarez in the 69th minute epitomizing his confidence and swagger. He is embracing the responsibility of leading Argentina to its third World Cup title, scoring in five of his six games in Qatar.
He even had a penalty saved in the game in which he didn’t score.
Croatia failed in its bid to reach a second straight World Cup final after conceding two goals in a five-minute span from the 34th, just when the team was looking comfortable at Lusail Stadium.
There was a moment midway through the first half that must have struck fear into all Argentines, when Messi appeared clutch his left hamstring and rub it.
Was Argentina’s superstar going to have to come off? No such luck for Croatia.
Messi was soon toying with his opponents in a way only he can and put Argentina ahead by lifting his penalty into the top corner after Álvarez was taken out by Dominik Livakovic after clipping the ball past Croatia’s goalkeeper.
Álvarez poked home his first goal at the end of a surging run from halfway, starting with Messi’s short pass. He put in the third following more outrageous skill from his teammate near the right corner that left Josko Gvardiol — one of the best defenders at the World Cup — grasping at thin air.
It was one game too far for Croatia, which had beaten Japan and Brazil on penalties in the knockout stage, and star midfielder Luka Modric, who — at 37 — has likely played his final World Cup match.
Summing up a frustrating game for the little midfield magician, he was substituted in the 81st minute and had a bright red nose after the ball slammed in his face moments earlier.
Argentina maintained its record of never having lost in the World Cup semifinals and has reached the final for the sixth time.
Those dark days after losing to Saudi Arabia in its opening group match seem so long ago now for Argentina, which will be hard to stop in the final with Messi playing this well.
DOHA, Qatar — Tears are flowing from soccer’s biggest superstars as they make emotional exits from what might be their last World Cup.
First it was Neymar. Then it was Cristiano Ronaldo. Could Lionel Messi be next?
Momentum is building behind Messi’s push to cap his career with the biggest prize in the game. The 35-year-old Argentina playmaker has carried his team to the semifinals, almost in the same way Diego Maradona — the man with whom Messi is so often compared — led the South American nation to its second and most recent World Cup title in 1986.
Now in Argentina’s way is Croatia, a country with a population of 4 million which is establishing a reputation as the most stubborn and durable of opponents while also boasting one of soccer’s most graceful players in Luka Modric.
The teams go head to head at Lusail Stadium — also the venue for Sunday’s final — in a meeting between the last two runners-up at the tournament: Argentina in 2014 and Croatia in 2018.
Argentina might have been expected to be in this position. The team arrived at the World Cup as the Copa America champion, on a 36-match unbeaten run and with Messi back in sublime form for Paris Saint-Germain.
Messi has continued that form in Qatar, scoring four goals.
“For us, he is our leader — he drives us, motivates us,” Argentina defender Nicolas Tagliafico said Monday. “We have that little bit extra when we go on the field. We are delighted that he is our captain.”
There was much less noise around the Croatians, yet they keep on surprising just like four years ago when their run to the final included a 3-0 victory over Argentina in the group stage. They also reached the World Cup semifinals in 1998.
Croatia coach Zlatko Dalić said his team’s World Cup performances are proving to be an inspiration to other underdogs, such as fellow semifinalist Morocco.
“Everyone in life has a right to make dreams,” Dalić said. “The Croatia national team made that dream a reality for all small countries four years ago. We gave other countries the right to have those dreams.
“They are encouraged by our example, by our fight, our qualities. All other national teams are living their dreams and Morocco is no exception … But let us share the same dream.”
Both teams have come through uncomfortable moments. Argentina’s darkest time was right at the start of the tournament, after a 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia in what will go down as one of the World Cup’s biggest upsets.
Inspired by Messi and one of the most fervent fan followings in Qatar, Argentina won its final two group games, ended up squeezing past Australia 2-1 in the round of 16 and then required penalties to get past the Netherlands in a wild quarterfinal match.
Messi is one goal behind top scorer Kylian Mbappé. They are probably the two standout players at a World Cup that has seen many other top players live up to their lofty reputations.
Modric is a case in point.
He might not have scored a goal. He hasn’t even had an assist. But don’t underestimate the importance to Croatia of the little magician who keeps things ticking in midfield and manages to assert some control for a team which fights until the last minute.
In 2018, each of Croatia’s knockout games went into extra time before the team lost to France in the final. The same thing is happening in Qatar, with victories in penalty shootouts over Japan in the last 16 and Brazil in the quarterfinals.
Croatia looked more comfortable against Brazil than against Japan, which shows the team might be happier to invite pressure and choose its moments to break forward rather than control games and be more susceptible to the counterattack.
Containing Messi will be key and much of the responsibility there lies with holding midfielder Marcelo Brozovic, who protected Croatia’s defense so well against Brazil.
Argentina will be without two players because of suspension: left back Marcos Acuña and right back Gonzalo Montiel. Acuña is the bigger miss, having impressed since coming into the team after the loss to Saudi Arabia, and he is likely to be replaced by Tagliafico.
Dalic said Croatia was free from injuries.
“If we manage to win tomorrow,” he said, “that would make it the greatest game for Croatia of all time.”
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Follow Steve Douglas on Twitter at https://twitter.com/sdouglas80
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AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports
