Category World News

Iran’s state-run media is again causing internet disruptions as Iranians continue to protest in the country as state-run organizations stage demonstrations and warn against foreign sabotage.

Since Thursday, internet users have reported sporadic downtime to home and mobile connections, with data from the US-based Cloudflare, a cybersecurity company based in the US, showing an average 35 percent lower traffic volume in Iran than in previous days.

Previous demonstrations by Iranian authorities have resulted in the restriction of Iranians to their local intranet. During the height of the conflict with Israel and the United States, internet access abruptly stopped for several days in mid-June.

Minister of Information and Communications Technology Sattar Hashemi told reporters that Iran had defended one of the largest cyberattacks in recent memory on Sunday, which might have caused a limited internet bandwidth. The government has not specifically commented on the recent slowdown in the context of the protests.

The protests that started in Tehran’s central business district last Sunday have since spread to cities all over the country. During the demonstrations, at least ten people have died.

A young businessman was killed in Hamedan, western Iran, in the wake of intense protests and the deployment of security forces, among others.

The man’s death was “suspicious” and was carried out by “enemies,” according to Hamzeh Amraei, the regional governor’s political and security deputy, who spoke to state media on Saturday.

A 17-year-old boy was shot dead on Saturday, according to Morteza Heydari, the top security official in the city of Qom, south of Tehran. Without going into further detail, he claimed that the incident was the result of “hostile elements.” A grenade detonated in one of the people, according to the official, who was “linked to terrorist movements.”

A “veteran member” of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was killed by armed and masked men in Malekshahi, in the central Ilam province, according to state media reports on Saturday. At least three people were killed in the city, according to the semi-official Fars news agency.

In the western region of Lorestan province, several protests have been confirmed by state authorities and local media over the past few days. “Three major leaders of the recent riots” in the city of Khorramabad were detained, according to the provincial branch of the IRGC, without naming the individuals, in a statement released on Saturday.

Iranian men who claimed to have been armed or in contact with foreign agents, who have been alleged to have confessed to state television, have also been shown to have blindfolded or blurred faces.

In a speech on Saturday, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei blasted international influence and said “rioters must be put in their place.”

Iranian and US officials exchanged barbs after US President Donald Trump declared that he would “come to the rescue” of Iranian protesters if they were killed.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian made the remarks in a speech on Saturday afternoon in reference to US support for Israel’s genocidal war against Gaza, where the US has established a tenuous ceasefire. “They are unashamedly dropping the bombs on women and children and committing genocide, but they tell us we must not hurt anyone,” Pezeshkian said.

On Saturday evening, Iranian authorities held a large gathering in Tehran’s central district, where thousands of people reportedly gathered. Those present displayed religious images to honor Ali ibn Abi Talib, the country’s first Shia imam.

Authorities also installed numerous banners and posters in city centers across the nation that displayed images of former Iranian leader Qassem Soleimani, who was killed by the US on January 3, 2020, during an airstrike in Iraq. Authorities are organizing demonstrations in numerous cities to mark the anniversary of the commander’s murder. He was also the founder of Iran’s so-called “axis of resistance.”

Since Wednesday, the government announced a day off, citing cold weather and plans to manage the supply of electricity, many businesses, schools, universities, and government buildings have been shut down. In Iran, Saturday was a religious holiday, and Thursday and Friday were weekend days.

On Sunday, it was not known whether or not businesses would reopen. As a show of unity and concern, a number of online store owners and social media users have announced they will stop conducting their regular business while the protests are raging.

Numerous videos and reports from student organizations indicating that several students were detained have also been occurring in universities, particularly in Tehran’s top schools.

Due to Trump’s “maximum pressure” sanctions in 2018 over Iran’s nuclear program, the economic conditions have been deteriorating for years. The world’s inflation rate is currently at about 50%, which is among the highest levels ever observed.

The government fired Mohammad Reza Farzin, the central bank chief, in apparent response to the protests last week. While serving as economy minister, his replacement, Abdolnaser Hemmati, was impeached in March. During his time as head of the central bank, which ran from 2018 to 2021, Hemmati also oversaw a steep decline in the national currency.

Who: Cameroon vs. South Africa
What: CAF 2025 Africa Cup of Nations
Where: Al Barid Stadium, Rabat, Morocco
When: Sunday, January 4, 8pm (19:00 GMT)
How to follow: We will have all the buildup on Al Jazeera Sport from 16:00 GMT in advance of our text commentary stream.

In the tie of the round between South Africa and Cameroon for the 2025 CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), a crucial match is on the cards.

A Bafana Bafana side building up to the World Cup and a Cameroon team that entered the AFCON in disarray are set to face off in the showdown at Rabat’s compact Al Medina Stadium.

Just before the start of the competition, Cameroonian football federation president and Indomitable Lions legend Samuel Eto’o replaced national team coach Marc Brys with David Pagou and replaced him with the legendary David Pagou.

Hugo Broos, Cameroon’s opposite number, won the 2017 AFCON title, which he led on Sunday.

The mouth-watering match-up is examined by Al Jazeera Sport.

South Africa’s final 16th AFCON appearance: how did it happen?

South Africa’s 2-1 victory over close-by Angola marked their first AFCON victory in 21 years.

After Oswin Appollis had taken the lead, Show had Angola equalized by the break before Lyle Foster had fired home the winning kick.

In the second group stage match, Mohamed Salah led Egypt’s 10-man team to a 1-0 victory over South Africa, cementing their place in the next round.

The Liverpool player won a penalty after 45 minutes when Yasser Ibrahim appeared to handle the ball inside the box late in the second half, but South Africa were denied a spot kick.

In the final ten minutes, Appollis scored a penalty to give South Africa a 3-2 victory over Zimbabwe, which was the neighbouring nation of Bafana Bafana.

South Africa came in second place in the group, one point behind Egypt, who had won. ⁠

How did Cameroon finish last in the AFCON in 2025?

Karl Etta Eyong scored the winning goal in the sixth minute to put Cameroon ahead of Gabon. Bryan Mbeumo assisted him in scoring the winning goal.

Amad Diallo gave the Ivorians the lead in the 51st minute, but Ghislain Konan put his own net five minutes later because Konan had just assisted Diallo in the assist only moments earlier.

In their final group match against Mozambique, Cameroon once more had to come from behind, winning 2-1 with a thunderbolt from Christian Kofane.

Both Cameroon and Ivory Coast had plus-two goal differences, finishing tied on seven points. The Ivorians won the game thanks to five goals from Cameroon, which they had already scored.

In the AFCON 2025 quarterfinals, South Africa or Sudan will face off.

On January 9, Morocco and Tanzania will host the winner of the game in Rabat.

Who are the key figures in South Africa?

Foster has already scored a crucial goal in Bafana Bafana’s opening game against Angola with his late winner.

Sipho Mbule has a greater-than-expected responsibility at the tournament, starting alongside Foster in an attack-minded setup.

Ronwen Williams, who plays a key role in South Africa’s goal, continues to be a pillar of strength at the other end of the pitch.

Who are the main players in Cameroon?

Bryan Mbeumo became Manchester United’s standout performer in an otherwise uneventable and chaotic season for the Red Devils, scoring seven goals across all competitions.

Mbeumo missed the previous AFCON because of an injury, but the 26-year-old now has a chance to win his first trophy with Cameroon.

Carlos Baleba, 21, has already put forth performances that underline his age, but he didn’t have any prior major-tournament experience when he first competed at AFCON.

Has South Africa ever captured an AFCON title?

South Africa, who hosted the event in 1996, has only ever won the tournament once. The bronze medalists at the most recent AFCON included Bafana Bafana, who were also finalists in 1998.

Has Cameroon ever captured an AFCON?

Between 1982 and 1986, Cameroon won two of the three AFCONs, defeating Nigeria in the final two. Egypt was the winner of the 1984 title, and the Indomitable Lions were the eventual winners.

In the 2000 and 2002 final, Cameroon won their fifth and final title, beating Egypt, by a further margin, while back-to-back victories were achieved in the 2000 and 2002 titles.

When did the last encounter between South Africa and Cameroon occur?

In a qualifying match for the 2016 ACFON, the teams’ final encounter ended with a goalless draw.

The reverse qualifier in Cameroon ended with a 2-2 draw, while the match was played in South Africa.

In their final three encounters, the two sides have drawn.

Have South Africa and Cameroon ever participated in an AFCON final?

The 1996 AFCON event, which South Africa hosted and won, was the only event where the teams met.

In the group stage match, which was Bafana Bafana’s first tournament game, they defeated them 3-1 to claim the title.

When did Cameroon first meet South Africa?

Particular significance was given that this was South Africa’s first match since apartheid ended.

The game, which took place in Durban on July 7, 1992, was won by Bafana Bafana with a 1-0 lead.

The first of a three-game series between the two teams saw South Africa claim two victories over Cameroon’s one.

Head-to-head

The draw, which accounts for five of the results between the African giants, was the overall winner in this tenth meeting.

Bafana Bafana have won three games while only managing to defeat Cameroon.

news from the South Africa team

Broos confirmed that Sphephelo Sithole’s absence from the game against Zimbabwe was a tactical choice rather than an accident.

Relebohile Mofokeng and Bathusi Aubaas are competing for spots.

South Africa had a starting lineup in mind.

Williams, Mudau, Modiba, Ngezana, Mokoena, Aubaas, Mbule, Mofokeng, Appollis, Foster, and Mbokazi are just a few examples.

News from the Cameroon team

During the game against Mozambique, Captain Nouhou Tolo was forced to leave with a hamstring injury. In the event that Tolo cannot recover, Christopher Wooh took his place in defense and will be on standby once more.

To avoid bookings that would have resulted in suspensions for the match, Mbeumo and Baleba were both forced to leave at half-time.

Cameroon’s starting lineup was anticipated

With a come-from-behind 3-2 victory over Bournemouth, Declan Rice overcame a knee injury to increase Arsenal’s lead at the top of the Premier League to six points.

Evanilson scored the Cherries’ opening goal on Saturday thanks to a improbable Gabriel Magalhaes error, but the Brazilian quickly recovered.

With the opening goal, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said, “We made it harder for ourselves.” However, I adore Gabi’s character and the team’s character, which have evolved over the years.

Due to knee swelling, Rice was doubtful after missing Tuesday’s 4-1 defeat to Aston Villa.

The England international made two composed starts before the hour mark, helping him double his season total.

Bournemouth hoped thanks to Eli Kroupi’s excellent strike, but Arsenal comfortably escaped defeat at Manchester City, who host managerless Chelsea in their match on Sunday.

When Arsenal conceded after just 10 minutes, Pep Guardiola’s men had a glimmer of hope.

Jurrien Timber and Gabriel mishit their cross-field passes to Gabriel, who then slotted past Evanilson for his season opener.

In midweek’s match against Villa, the towering centre-back from Arsenal scored again with a strong effort and scored just six minutes in the equalizer.

Noni Madueke’s deflected cross was saved by Gabriel, who scored his 20th Premier League goal since joining the Gunners in 2020, seven more than any other defender.

Since being promoted to a more advanced role this year, Rice has also become a valuable source of important goals.

Martin Odegaard had a perfect pick-up, and he slotted in from the edge of the box to give the visitors a 56-minute lead.

As Rice drew his cut-back, Bukayo Saka created Arsenal’s third as he came off the bench.

We knew it wasn’t going to be simple, Rice said in response to the attacking threat they posed.

“To get three points from us after not getting the best of our first half means a big win,” he said.

The key is to maintain momentum with three points.

Bournemouth is still without a victory after 11 games ended on October 26.

Only five teams have this season scored more Premier League goals than Andoni Iraola’s men, though.

A nervy conclusion was created by Kropi’s stunning long-range strike.

But Mikel Arteta’s men persevered to make yet another significant breakthrough in the pursuit of a Premier League title after 22 years.

West Ham was “embarked” at Wolves while Villa defeated Forest.

Aston Villa moved into second place in the Premier League after beating struggling Nottingham Forest 3-1 at their home fortress to lessen the pain caused by Arsenal’s midweek mauling.

Unai Emery’s side took a deserved lead with Ollie Watkins’ strike just before half-time, and John McGinn scored twice for the visitors on either side of a Morgan Gibbs-White goal.

With a 4-1 defeat at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday, Villa’s 11-game winning streak came to an abrupt halt, giving doubts about their ability to keep the title in check.

However, they still have a strong track record at Villa Park, winning 11 of their previous games with a 3-0 defeat to Crystal Palace in August.

After their humiliating defeat at Arsenal, Villa boss Emery revealed to Sky Sports that his players and coaching staff had met.

He said, “I’m so happy,” “I’m so happy.” Our confidence and energy had to be regained. The energy we produce here at Villa Park was extremely important.

Forests compete with one another. We discussed our current situation with the players and staff after the Arsenal game, including how we are faring this season, how we are feeling, how we must maintain consistency, and how to work together and be strong.

On a bitingly cold day in Birmingham, Villa made a positive start, but the team struggled to make their dominance felt.

However, in the final moments of a half, when they had nearly 80% of the lead, the in-form Watkins broke the deadlock.

Morgan Rogers’ kick was fired in the England international’s fourth goal in three games when he received the ball outside the area.

In the 49th minute, McGinn side-footed home from a Matty Cash cross to double Villa’s lead.

Villa appeared to be moving in the opposite direction, but in the 61st minute, Forest were back in the lead thanks to a superb finish from Gibbs-White, who skidded past Emi Martinez before the diving Villa.

Even though there were defenders nearby, Forest goalkeeper John Victor inexplicably vacated his goalmouth in the 73rd minute to try to get a long ball from Youri Tielemans in the area.

Scotland midfielder McGinn stepped over Victor and strode the ball into the empty net from far outside the area while remaining calm.

Villa improved to 42 points, one point ahead of Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, who host Chelsea without a manager on Sunday.

Forest, who have now lost to League One for the fourth consecutive season, are one place above West Ham, who lost 3-0 to bottom-of-the-table Wolves.

Nuno Espirito Santo, the manager of the struggling Hammers, said: “This is not what we want to show. The first half was embarrassing.