SPORTS

Paris, France | AFP | Rafael Nadal will be crowned as the year-end world number one if he wins his first match at this week’s Paris Masters, after Roger Federer withdrew from the tournament. The two old rivals have both had stunning seasons, returning to form and fitness with two Grand …

Girona, Spain | AFP |  Real Madrid suffered a backlash on the field rather than from an expected hostile atmosphere amid political turmoil in Catalonia as they slumped to a shock 2-1 defeat at Girona on Sunday. Goals from Cristhian Stuani and Portu in four second-half minutes cancelled out Isco’s …

Mexico City, Mexico | AFP |  Lewis Hamilton clinched his fourth drivers’ world championship in unexpected but dramatic fashion on Sunday when, after a first lap collision with title rival Sebastian Vettel, he finished ninth in the Mexican Grand Prix. The 32-year-old Briton, who needed to finish in the top …

Kigali, Rwanda | AFP |  Rwanda’s first cricket stadium was inaugurated Saturday by President Paul Kagame as a permanent home for developing the sport in the country. Gahanga Cricket Stadium in the capital Kigali is built on a 4.5 hectare (11 acre) ground and cost $1.3 million (1.1 million euros), …

Paris, France | AFP |  Olivier Giroud scored a fantastic late winner as Arsenal edged to their third straight Europa League win by beating 10-man Red Star Belgrade 1-0 in Serbia on Thursday. Arsene Wenger’s men rode their luck at times in an uninspiring performance, before Giroud struck in the …

Brussels, Belgium | AFP |  Paris Saint-Germain’s front three of Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Edinson Cavani all scored as the French side romped to a third straight Champions League win by thrashing Anderlecht 4-0 in Brussels on Wednesday. Mbappe put PSG ahead inside three minutes and Cavani grabbed his fourth …

Paris, France | AFP |  Chelsea were grateful to Eden Hazard for grabbing a 3-3 draw in a Champions League thriller against Roma on Wednesday, while Manchester United, Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich and Juventus all won. Hazard headed in his second goal of the night from a Pedro Rodriguez …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Uganda has started the hunt for a foreign coach to handle the national soccer team Cranes. Edgar Watson, the CEO of soccer governing body FUFA, confirmed on Wednesday that the search is on and they have sought the assistance of Zambian soccer legend Kalusha Bwalya to vet the …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Godfrey Nuwagaba, the treasurer of the Uganda Olympic Committee (UOC) is dead.  The long time Uganda Athletics Federation (UAF) official collapsed on an Emirates flight that was headed for Dubai Monday evening and later died. UAF president Dominic Otuchet confirmed the news, describing it as …

Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | Egypt will compete at the 2018 African Nations Championship (CHAN) in Morocco, despite being eliminated in the qualifying competition two months ago. The Egyptians lost 4-2 on aggregate to Morocco, who are now automatic competitors in the 16-team event having replaced Kenya as hosts. This …