Together, the collective age of the bride and groom was nearly 200. But American World War II veteran Harold Terens and his sweetheart Jeanne Swerlin proved that love is eternal as they tied the knot near the D-Day beaches in Normandy, France.
Their respective ages – he is 100, she is a youngster of just 96 – made their nuptials on Saturday an almost double-century celebration.
Terens called it “the best day of my life”.
On her way into the nuptials, the bubbly bride-to-be said, “It’s not just for young people, love, you know? We get butterflies. And we get a little action, also”.
The location was the elegant stone-worked town hall of Carentan, a key initial D-Day objective that saw ferocious fighting after the June 6, 1944, Allied landings that helped defeat Adolf Hitler’s Nazi Germany.
Like other towns and villages across the Normandy coast where nearly 160,000 Allied troops came ashore under fire on five code-named beaches, it is an effervescent hub of remembrance and celebration on the 80th anniversary of that day, festooned with flags and bunting and with veterans feted like rockstars.
As the swing of Glenn Miller and other period tunes rang out on the streets, well-wishers – some in WWII-period clothes – were already lined up a good hour before the wedding, behind barriers outside the town hall, with a rousing pipe and drum band also on hand to serenade the happy couple.
After both declaring “oui” to vows read by Carentan’s mayor in English, the couple exchanged rings.
“With this ring, I thee wed,” Terens said.
She giggled and gasped, “Really?”
With champagne flutes in hand, they waved through an open window to the adoring crowds outside.
“To everybody’s good health. And to peace in the world and the preservation of democracy all over the world and the end of the war in Ukraine and Gaza,” Terens said as he and his bride then clinked glasses and drank.
The crowd yelled “la mariee!” – the bride! – to Swerlin, who wore a long flowing dress of vibrant pink. Terens looked dapper in a light blue suit and matching pink kerchief in his breast pocket.
Wedding party at the Elysee
And they enjoyed a very special wedding-night party: They were invited to the state dinner at the Elysee Palace on Saturday night with President Emmanuel Macron and United States President Joe Biden.
“Congratulations to the newlyweds,” Macron said, prompting cheers and a standing ovation from other guests during the toast praising French-American friendship. “[The town of] Carentan was happy to host your wedding, and us, your wedding dinner,” he told the couple.
The wedding was symbolic, not binding in law. Mayor Jean-Pierre Lhonneur’s office said he was not empowered to wed foreigners who are not residents of Carentan, and that the couple had not requested legally binding vows. However, they could always complete those formalities back in the US state of Florida if they wished.
Lhonneur likes to say that Normandy is practically the 51st state of the United States, given its reverence and gratitude for Allied soldiers and the sacrifices of tens of thousands who never made it home from the Battle of Normandy.
“Love is eternal, yes, maybe,” the mayor said, referring to the newlyweds, although his comments also fittingly describe the feelings of many Normans for veterans.
“I hope for them the best happiness together.”
Dressed in a 1940s dress that belonged to her mother, Louise, and a red beret, 73-year-old Jane Ollier was among the spectators who waited for a glimpse of the lovebirds. The couple, both widowed, grew up in New York City: she in Brooklyn, he in the Bronx.
“It’s so touching to get married at that age,” Ollier said. “If it can bring them happiness in the last years of their lives, that’s fantastic.”
D-Day memories
The World War II veteran first visited France as a 20-year-old US Army Air Forces corporal shortly after D-Day. Terens enlisted in 1942 and, after shipping to the United Kingdom, was attached to a four-pilot P-47 Thunderbolt fighter unit as their radio repair technician.
On D-Day, Terens helped repair planes returning from France so they could rejoin the battle. He said half his company’s pilots died that day. Terens himself went to France 12 days later, helping transport freshly captured Germans and just-freed American POWs to England. Following the Nazi surrender in May 1945, Terens again helped transport freed Allied prisoners to the United Kingdom before he shipped back to the US a month later.
Swerlin made it abundantly clear that her new centenarian husband does not lack charm.
“He’s the greatest kisser ever, you know?” she proudly declared before they embraced enthusiastically for TV cameras.
“All right ! That’s it for now !” Terens said as he came up for air.
To which she quickly quipped, “You mean there’s more later?”
Italy are the title defenders, having won the last edition by beating England in the final on penalties.
The 2024 edition marks the return of the tournament to its usual four-year cycle after the 2020 edition was postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Here’s everything you need to know about Euro 2024:
What are the key dates?
The monthlong championship will start on June 14 at the Munich Football Arena with hosts Germany playing Scotland.
The group stage will run until June 26 with the knockout stage beginning on June 29. The final will be played on July 14 at the Olympiastadion in Berlin.
This will be the first time Germany has hosted the tournament since its unification in 1990. The 1988 edition was staged in what was then West Germany.
Germany was chosen as the host nation at a UEFA Executive Committee meeting in Nyon, Switzerland, in 2018. Turkey was the only other nation that bid to host the tournament.
Where is the tournament being held?
Ten venues have been chosen for the tournament. Of those, nine were used when Germany hosted the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
Munich will stage matches for the second Euro in succession, having been one of 11 venues that held matches during Euro 2020.
Munich Football Arena will be one of the stadiums used during Euro 2024 [Alexandra Beier/AFP]
How many teams are taking part?
Twenty-four teams divided into six groups will participate in the tournament. There will be 51 matches in total.
⚽ Group A: Germany, Scotland, Hungary, Switzerland ⚽ Group B: Spain, Croatia, Italy, Albania ⚽ Group C: Slovenia, Denmark, Serbia, England ⚽ Group D: Poland, Netherlands, Austria, France ⚽ Group E: Belgium, Slovakia, Romania, Ukraine ⚽ Group F: Turkey, Georgia, Portugal, Czech Republic
Georgia are the only team making their European Championship finals debut while Ukraine and Poland qualified via the playoffs.
Who are the favourites?
France, Germany, England, Portugal and Spain are among the frontrunners.
Portugal were the only side who won all their games during the qualifying phase while France and England were unbeaten and Spain lost only one match.
Germany are also considered one of the favourites on account of being the hosts, even though they had a disappointing performance at the 2022 World Cup.
Which key teams failed to qualify?
Sweden and Norway are the two big names who failed to qualify for Euro 2024. The Swedes did not make the cut for the Euros for the first time since 1996 while Norway have not played since 2000.
Their failure to qualify means fans will miss out on watching high-profile Premier League players such as Erling Haaland, Martin Odegaard and Alexander Isak in Germany.
Manchester City superstar striker Erling Haaland will not take part in Euro 2024 after Norway failed to qualify [Marko Djurica/Reuters]
What is the tournament format?
The top two teams from each group along with the four best third-place finishers will progress to the round of 16. That will be followed by the quarterfinals, semifinals and the final.
The Euro 2024 winner will compete in the 2025 CONMEBOL-UEFA Cup of Champions against the 2024 Copa America winner.
What is the squad size?
UEFA, which governs European football, confirmed in May that the maximum squad size will increase from 23 to 26 players.
Teams were allowed 26-man squads at Euro 2020 due to the impact of the pandemic, but UEFA had initially planned to revert to the 23-man teams at Euro 2024.
Expanded squads were also permitted at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar because it was played in the middle of the domestic season.
Expanded squads are beneficial for managers as the busy schedule at the club level creates more risk of injuries to players.
When do teams have to submit their squads?
Participating countries had until June 7 to provide UEFA with a squad list containing a minimum of 23 players and a maximum of 26.
The trophy that 24 teams will be playing for at Euro 2024 [Alexandra Beier/AFP]
Ilkay Gundogan is the captain of hosts Germany and Portugal will be led by their veteran forward Cristiano Ronaldo.
Georgia will play at the Euros for the first time, while Ukraine and Poland qualified via playoffs.
All participant nations have named their final squads, consisting of a minimum of 23 players and a maximum of 26. All teams were required to name at least three goalkeepers.
Here’s how the 24 teams will line up for Euro 2024:
(Al Jazeera)
Albania
Captain: Berat Djimsiti
Goalkeepers: Etrit Barisha (Empoli), Thomas Strakosha (Brentford), Elhan Kastrati (Cittadella)
Defenders: Elseid Hysaj (Lazio), Berat Djimsiti (Atalanta), Adrian Ismajli (Empoli), Arlind Arjeti (CFR Cluj-Napoca), Marash Kumbulla (Sassuolo), Enea Mihaj (FC Famalicao), Naser Aliji (Voluntari), Ivan Balliu (Rayo Vallecano), Mario Mitaj (Lokomotiv Moscow).
Midfielders: Amir Abrashi (Grasshoppers), Ylber Ramadani (Lecce), Klaus Gjasula (SV Darmstadt 98), Qazim Laci (Sparta Prague), Nedim Bajrami (Sassuolo), Kristjan Asllani (Internazionale), Ernest Muci (Besiktas), Medon Berisha (Lecce)
Defenders: Stefan Posch (Bologna), Max Wober (Borussia Monchengladbach), Philipp Lienhart (Freiburg), Kevin Danso (Lens), Phillipp Mwene (Mainz), Flavius Daniliuc (Red Bull Salzburg), Gernot Trauner (Feyenoord), Leopold Querfeld (Rapid Vienna)
Midfielders: Marcel Sabitzer (Borussia Dortmund), Florian Grillitsch (Hoffenheim), Christoph Baumgartner (RB Leipzig), Konrad Laimer (Bayern Munich), Florian Kainz (Cologne), Nicolas Seiwald (RB Leipzig), Romano Schmid (Werder Bremen), Alexander Prass (Sturm Graz), Matthias Seidl (Rapid Vienna)
Forwards: Marko Arnautovic (Inter Milan), Michael Gregoritsch (Freiburg), Andreas Weimann (West Brom), Patrick Wimmer (Wolfsburg), Marco Grull (Rapid Vienna), Maximilian Entrup (TSV Hartberg).
Belgium
Captain: Kevin De Bruyne
Goalkeepers: Koen Casteels (Wolfsburg), Thomas Kaminski (Luton Town), Matz Sels (Nottingham Forest)
Defenders: Timothy Castagne (Fulham), Maxim De Cuyper (Club Brugge), Zeno Debast (Anderlecht), Wout Faes (Leicester City), Thomas Meunier (Trabzonspor), Jan Vertonghen (Anderlecht), Arthur Theate (Stade Rennais), Axel Witsel (Atletico Madrid)
Midfielders: Yannick Carrasco (Al Shabab), Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City), Orel Mangala (Lyon), Amadou Onana (Everton), Youri Tielemans (Aston Villa), Arthur Vermeeren (Atletico Madrid), Aster Vranckx (Wolfsburg)
Forwards: Johan Bakayoko (PSV Eindhoven), Charles De Ketelaere (Atalanta), Jeremy Doku (Manchester City), Romelu Lukaku (AS Roma), Dodi Lukebakio (Sevilla), Lois Openda (RB Leipzig), Leandro Trossard (Arsenal).
Defenders: Josip Stanisic (Bayer Leverkusen), Marin Pongracic (Lecce), Josko Gvardiol (Manchester City), Martin Erlic (Sassuolo), Josip Sutalo (Ajax), Borna Sosa (Ajax), Domagoj Vida (AEK Athens), Josip Juranovic (Union Berlin)
Midfielders: Lovro Majer (Wolfsburg), Mateo Kovacic (Manchester City), Luka Modric (Real Madrid), Marcelo Brozovic (Al Nassr), Nikola Vlasic (Torino), Mario Pasalic (Atalanta), Luka Ivanusec (Feyenoord), Luka Sucic (Red Bull Salzburg), Martin Baturina (Dinamo Zagreb)
Forwards: Andrej Kramaric (Hoffenheim), Ivan Perisic (Hajduk Split), Ante Budimir (Osasuna), Bruno Petkovic (Dinamo Zagreb), Marko Pjaca (Rijeka), Marco Pasalic (Rijeka)
Defenders: Vladimir Coufal (West Ham United), David Doudera (Slavia Prague), Tomas Holes (Slavia Prague), Robin Hranac (Viktoria Plzen), David Jurasek (Hoffenheim), Ladislav Krejci (Sparta Prague), Martin Vitik (Sparta Prague), Tomas Vlcek (Slavia Prague), David Zima (Slavia Prague)
Midfielders: Antonin Barak (Fiorentina), Vaclav Cerny (Wolfsburg), Lukas Cerv (Viktoria Plzen), Matej Jurasek (Slavia Prague), Ondrej Lingr (Feyenoord), Lukas Provod (Slavia Prague), Michal Sadilek (FC Twente), Tomas Soucek (West Ham), Pavel Sulc (Viktoria Plzen)
Forwards: Adam Hlozek (Sparta Prague), Tomas Chory (Viktoria Plzen), Mojmir Chytil (Slavia Prague), Jan Kuchta (Sparta Prague), Patrik Schick (Sparta Prague)
Forwards: Jarrod Bowen (West Ham United), Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Ivan Toney (Brentford), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa)
France
Captain: Kylian Mbappe
Goalkeepers: Alphonse Areola (West Ham United), Mike Maignan (AC Milan), Brice Samba (Lens)
Defenders: Jonathan Clauss (Marseille), Ibrahima Konate (Liverpool), William Saliba (Arsenal), Jules Kounde (Barcelona), Theo Hernandez (AC Milan), Ferland Mendy (Real Madrid), Benjamin Pavard (Inter Milan), Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich)
Forwards: Giorgi Kvilitaia (Apoel Nicosia), Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Napoli), Budu Zivzivadze (Karlsruher SC), Georges Mikautadze (Metz)
Germany
Captain: Ilkay Gundogan
Goalkeepers: Oliver Baumann (TSG Hoffenheim), Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Marc-Andre ter Stegen (Barcelona)
Defenders: Waldemar Anton (VfB Stuttgart), Benjamin Henrichs (RB Leipzig), Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich), Robin Koch (Eintracht Frankfurt), Maximilian Mittelstadt (VfB Stuttgart), David Raum (RB Leipzig), Antonio Rudiger (Real Madrid), Nico Schlotterbeck (Borussia Dortmund), Jonathan Tah (Bayer Leverkusen)
Midfielders: Robert Andrich (Bayer Leverkusen), Chris Fuhrich (VfB Stuttgart), Pascal Gross (Brighton & Hove Albion), Ilkay Gundogan (Barcelona), Toni Kroos (Real Madrid), Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich), Aleksandar Pavlovic (Bayern Munich), Leroy Sane (Bayern Munich), Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen)
Forwards: Maximilian Beier (TSG Hoffenheim), Niclas Fullkrug (Borussia Dortmund), Kai Havertz (Arsenal), Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich), Deniz Undav (VfB Stuttgart)
Hungary
Captain: Dominik Szoboszlai
Goalkeepers: Denes Dibusz (Ferencvaros), Peter Gulacsi (RB Leipzig), Peter Szappanos (Paks)
Defenders: Botond Balogh (Parma), Endre Botka (Ferencvaros), Marton Dardai (Hertha Berlin), Attila Fiola (Fehervar), Adam Lang (Omonia Nicosia), Willi Orban (RB Leipzig), Attila Szalai (SC Freiburg)
Midfielders: Bendeguz Bolla (Servette), Mihaly Kata (MTK), Milos Kerkez (Bournemouth), Laszlo Kleinheisler (Hajduk Split), Adam Nagy (Spezia), Zsolt Nagy (Puskas Akademia), Loic Nego (Le Havre), Andras Schafer (Union Berlin), Callum Styles (Sunderland)
Forwards: Martin Adam (Ulsan Hyundai), Kevin Csoboth (Ujpesti), Daniel Gazdag (Philadelphia Union), Krisztofer Horvath (Kecskemet), Roland Sallai (SC Freiburg), Dominik Szoboszlai (Liverpool), Barnabas Varga (Ferencvaros).
Italy
Captain: Gianluigi Donnarumma
Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris St Germain), Alex Meret (Napoli), Guglielmo Vicario (Tottenham Hotspur)
Defenders: Alessandro Bastoni (Inter Milan), Raoul Bellanova (Torino), Alessandro Buongiorno (Torino), Riccardo Calafiori (Bologna), Andrea Cambiaso (Juventus), Matteo Darmian (Inter), Giovanni Di Lorenzo (Napoli), Federico Dimarco (Inter Milan), Federico Gatti (Juventus), Gianluca Mancini (Roma)
Defenders: Nathan Ake (Manchester City), Daley Blind (Girona), Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool), Denzel Dumfries (Inter Milan), Jeremie Frimpong (Bayer Leverkusen), Lutsharel Geertruida (Feyenoord), Matthijs de Ligt (Bayern Munich), Micky van de Ven (Tottenham Hotspur), Stefan de Vrij (Inter Milan)
Goalkeepers: Wojciech Szczesny (Juventus), Lukasz Skorupski (Bologna), Marcin Bulka (Nice)
Defenders: Jan Bednarek (Southampton), Bartosz Bereszynski (Empoli), Jakub Kiwior (Arsenal), Tymoteusz Puchacz (Kaiserlsuatern), Bartosz Salamon (Lech Poznan), Pawel Dawidowicz (Verona), Sebastian Walukiewicz (Empoli)
Midfielders: Kamil Grosicki (Pogon Szczecin), Piotr Zielenski (Napoli), Przemyslaw Frankowski (Lens), Sebastian Szymanski (Fenerbahce), Jakub Moder (Brighton), Damian Szymanski (AEK Athens), Nicola Zalewksi (Roma), Bartosz Slisz (Atlanta United), Michal Skoras (Club Brugge), Jakub Piotrowksi (Ludogorets Razgrad), Taras Romanczuk (Jagiellonia Bialystok), Kacper Urbanski (Bologna)
Forwards: Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona), Karol Swiderksi (Verona), Krzysztof Piatek (Istanbul Basaksehir), Adam Buksa (Antalyaspor)
Portugal
Captain: Cristiano Ronaldo
Goalkeepers: Diogo Costa (Porto), Jose Sa (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Rui Patricio (AS Roma)
Defenders: Antonio Silva (Benfica), Danilo Pereira (Paris St Germain), Diogo Dalot (Manchester United), Goncalo Inacio (Sporting Lisbon), Joao Cancelo (Barcelona), Nelson Semedo (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Nuno Mendes (Paris Saint-Germain), Pepe (Porto), Ruben Dias (Manchester City)
Midfielders: Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United), Joao Neves (Benfica), Joao Palhinha (Fulham), Otavio Monteiro (Al Nassr), Ruben Neves (Al-Hilal), Vitinha (Paris Saint-Germain)
Forwards: Bernardo Silva (Manchester City), Cristiano Ronaldo (Al Nassr), Diogo Jota (Liverpool), Francisco Conceicao (Porto), Goncalo Ramos (Paris Saint-Germain), Joao Felix (Barcelona), Pedro Neto (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Rafael Leao (AC Milan).
Defenders: Nicusor Bancu (Universitatea Craiova), Andrei Burca (Al Okhdood), Ionut Nedelcearu (Palermo), Adrian Rus (Pafos FC), Andrei Ratiu (Rayo Vallecano), Radu Dragusin (Tottenham Hotspur), Vasile Mogos (CFR Cluj-Napoca), Bogdan Racovitan (Rakow Czestochowa)
Midfielders: Nicolae Stanciu (Damac), Razvan Marin (Empoli), Alexandru Cicaldau (Konyaspor), Ianis Hagi (Alaves), Dennis Man (Parma), Valentin Mihaila (Parma), Marius Marin (Pisa), Darius Olaru (FCSB), Deian Sorescu (Gaziantep), Florinel Coman (FCSB), Adrian Sut (FCSB)
Forwards: George Puscas (Bari), Denis Alibec (Muaither SC), Denis Dragus (Gaziantep), Daniel Birligea (CFR Cluj-Napoca)
Scotland
Captain: Andy Robertson
Goalkeepers: Zander Clark (Hearts), Angus Gunn (Norwich City), Liam Kelly (Motherwell)
Defenders: Liam Cooper (Leeds United), Grant Hanley (Norwich City), Jack Hendry (Al-Ettifaq), Ross McCrorie (Bristol City), Scott McKenna (Copenhagen), Ryan Porteous (Watford), Anthony Ralston (Celtic), Andy Robertson (Liverpool), Greg Taylor (Celtic), Kieran Tierney (Real Sociedad)
Midfielders: Stuart Armstrong (Southampton), Ryan Christie (Bournemouth), Billy Gilmour (Brighton), Ryan Jack (free agent), Kenny McLean (Norwich City), John McGinn (Aston Villa), Callum McGregor (Celtic), Scott McTominay (Manchester United)
Forwards: Che Adams (Southampton), Tommy Conway (Bristol City), James Forrest (Celtic), Lewis Morgan (New York Red Bulls), Lawrence Shankland (Hearts)
Midfielders: Sasa Luki (Fulham), Nemanja Gudelj (Sevilla) Nemanja Maksimovic (Getafe), Ivan Ilic (Torino), Srdan Mijailovic (Red Star Belgrade), Sergej Milinkovic-Savic (Al Hilal), Dusan Tadic (Fenerbahce), Lazar Samardzic (Udinese), Veljko Birmancevic (Sparta Prague), Filip Kostic (Juventus), Andrija Zivkovic (PAOK), Filip Mladenovic (Panathinaikos), Mijat Gacinovic (AEK Athens)
Forwards: Aleksandar Mitrovic (Al Hilal), Dusan Vlahovic (Juventus), Luka Jovic (AC Milan), Petar Ratkov (FC Salzburg)
Slovakia
Captain: Milan Skriniar
Goalkeepers: Martin Dubravka (Newcastle United), Marek Rodak (Fulham), Henrich Ravas (New England Revolution)
Defenders: Peter Pekarik (Hertha Berlin), Norbert Gyomber (Salernitana), Denis Vavro (FC Copenhagen), Milan Skriniar (Paris Saint-Germain), Adam Obert (Cagliari), David Hancko (Feyenoord), Vernon De Marco (Hatta Club), Sebastian Kosa (Spartak Trnava)
Midfielders: Matus Bero (Bochum), Juraj Kucka (Slovan Bratislava), Tomas Rigo (Banik Ostrava), Patrik Hrosovsky (Genk), Stanislav Lobotka (Napoli), Ondrej Duda (Hellas Verona), Laszlo Benes (Hamburg)
Forwards: David Duris (Ascoli), Tomas Suslov (Hellas Verona), Ivan Schranz (Slavia Prague), Robert Bozeník (Boavista), David Strelec (Slovan Bratislava), Lubomir Tupta (Slovan Liberec), Leo Sauer (Feyenoord), Lukas Haraslín (Sparta Prague)
Slovenia
Captain: Jan Oblak
Goalkeepers: Jan Oblak (Atletico Madrid), Vid Belec (Apoel Nicosia), Igor Vekic (Vejle BK), Matevz Vidovsek (Olimpija Ljubljana)
Defenders: Petar Stojanovic (Sampdoria), Jaka Bijol (Udinese), Miha Blazic (Lech Poznan), Jure Balkovec (Alanyaspor), Zan Karnicnik (NK Celje), David Brekalo (Orlando City SC), Erik Janza (Gornik Zabrze), Vanja Drkusic (Sochi), Zan Zaletel (Viborg FF)
Midfielders: Timi Max Elsnik (Olimpija Ljubljana), Jasmin Kurtic (Sudtirol), Benjamin Verbic (Panathinaikos), Miha Zajc (Fenerbahce), Sandi Lovric (Udinese), Adam Gnezda-Cerin (Panathinaikos), Jon Gorenc Stankovic (Sturm Graz), Timi Max Elsnik (Olimpija Ljubljana), Tomi Horvat (SK Sturm Graz), Adrian Zeljkovic (FC Spartak Trnava), Nino Zugelj (Bodo/Glimt)
Forwards: Josip Ilicic (NK Maribor), Andraz Sporar (Panathinaikos), Benjamin Sesko (RB Leipzig), Luka Zahovic (Pognon Szczecin), Zan Celar (FC Lugano), Jan Mlakar (Pisa), Zan Viptonik (Bordeaux)
Spain
Captain: Alvaro Morata
Goalkeepers: Alex Remiro (Real Sociedad), David Raya (Arsenal), Unai Simon (Athletic Bilbao)
Defenders: Dani Carvajal (Real Madrid), Jesus Navas (Sevilla), Aymeric Laporte (Al-Nassr), Nacho Fernandez (Real Madrid), Robin Le Normand (Real Sociedad), Dani Vivian (Athletic Bilbao), Alex Grimaldo (Bayer Leverkusen), Marc Cucurella (Chelsea)
Midfielders: Rodrigo (Manchester City), Martin Zubimendi (Real Sociedad), Fabian Ruiz (Paris St Germain), Mikel Merino (Real Sociedad), Pedri (Barcelona), Alex Baena (Villarreal), Fermin Lopez (Barcelona)
After rain played spoilsport in their opening T20 World Cup match, defending champions England will be under pressure to seek a win against rivals Australia when they meet for their all-important Group B match at the Kensington Oval in Barbados.
England and Scotland shared a point each after their match at the same venue was washed out on Tuesday. Jos Buttler’s side, aiming to become the first team to retain the trophy, looked below their best, allowing the Scots to race to 90-0 in 10 overs.
England are fourth in Group B with one point, while Australia are second with two points after beating Oman in their opener. The group is led by Scotland, who have three points from two games, while Namibia are third with two points from two games and Oman sit at the bottom after losing two games.
A defeat to ODI world champions Australia on Saturday could leave England’s Super Eight qualification in jeopardy, but batter Jonny Bairstow does not want the permutations to affect him.
“It doesn’t derail us either way,” Bairstow told reporters on Friday. “We know we’ve got to win more games than we lose in tournament cricket, that’s just part and parcel of it.
“A win puts you in a position in the group, but at the end of the day, the other two games [against Oman and Nambia] are must-win games anyway.
“It will be good for momentum and confidence [to beat Australia],” he added.
Bairstow described the contest between the Ashes rivals as “a great spectacle”.
“The guys have played against each other for a long time now, which in many ways is really exciting because you know each other’s games,” he said. “Hopefully it will be a fantastic atmosphere like it always is in Barbados.”
Australia ‘pumped’ for England face-off
Australia had a shaky start in their match against Oman before all-rounder Marcus Stoinis shone with the bat and ball as they recorded a comfortable 39-run win.
Captain Mitchell Marsh said his side felt a bit nervous in that game, but were happy with the win and looking forward to Saturday’s clash with familiar foes England.
Marsh expects England fans to outnumber the Australians for the match at Barbados, jokingly adding that the atmosphere would be the same as Headingley in Leeds.
“I dare say this will be full and it’ll be mostly English fans so it’ll be like playing at Headingly all over or anywhere in England where you get sprayed,” Marsh said. “But just the atmosphere, the vibe of the game, there’s always a lot riding on it. And I think as a team we always want to challenge ourselves against the best.
“England have been exceptional in this format for a long period of time now, so there’s certainly going to be a lot on the game and we’re pumped.”
(Al Jazeera)
Head-to-head
Australia and England have played 23 T20 internationals, with England winning 11 games, Australia 10 and two contests ending in no result.
Form guide
Australia started their campaign with a win over Oman. Before the tournament, they played two series in February, celebrating a 3-0 series whitewash over trans-Tasman neighbours New Zealand and a 2-1 series win over the West Indies.
England’s first World Cup match with Scotland ended in no result after rain wrecked the contest. Before the tournament, England won 2-0 in a rain-affected four-match series against Pakistan.
Australia: W W W W L
England: W W L W W
Pitch and weather conditions
Kensington Oval has hosted four matches, all producing varied results. The first contest was a low-scoring match, the second was washed out, while the third and fourth fixtures saw targets in the region of 155-165.
Saturday’s match, which starts in the afternoon, will played on a new surface. Rain is forecast in the morning and around the match time.
Australia team news
Pat Cummins will return for this match after being rested against Oman. Mitchell Starc, who left the field in the last game with cramp, is expected to be fit.
Both players had a long stint in the Indian Premier League and played the final on May 26.
Squad: David Warner, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh (captain), Glenn Maxwell, Tim David, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis, Ashton Agar, Cameron Green, Nathan Ellis.
England team news
England do not have any injury concerns.
Squad: Jos Buttler, Moeen Ali, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Harry Brook, Sam Curran, Ben Duckett, Tom Hartley, Will Jacks, Chris Jordan, Liam Livingstone, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Reece Topley, Mark Wood.
People in multiple European countries are casting ballots on third day of polls before last and biggest stage of voting on Sunday.
Voters in Slovakia, Italy and other countries in the European Union are heading to polling stations on Saturday to elect their representatives in the European Parliament.
On the third day of the elections, Slovakia is casting its votes under the shadow of an assassination attempt on populist Prime Minister Robert Fico on May 15.
The nation of 5.4 million is choosing between representatives of Fico’s Smer party – the top party in the incumbent governing coalition – and the main opposition Progressive Slovakia, a pro-Western liberal party.
Fico released his first public statement since the attack in the form of a pre-recorded video just hours before the start of the pre-election silence period on Wednesday, arguing that he was attacked due to his divergent views from the European mainstream.
He opposes support for Ukraine against the Russian invasion and ended Slovakia’s military support after being sworn in on October 25. He also opposes EU sanctions on Russia and wants to block Ukraine from joining NATO.
Also on Saturday, voters in Italy will begin casting their ballots over two days to fill a considerable 76 European parliamentary seats which could help shape its future direction.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and her far-right Brothers of Italy are expected to be the big winners, gaining over coalition partners such as the anti-migrant League and the centre-right Forza Italia.
Her backing could affect whether Ursula von der Leyen earns a second term at the helm of the European Commission, with a potential alliance looming. Meloni has also been courted by French far-right leader Marine Le Pen in the hopes of creating a far-right alliance.
Leila Simona Talani, director of the Centre for Italian Politics at King’s College London, told Al Jazeera that anti-immigration policies are a considerable driver of the far-right in the elections, but not the only one.
“One of the reasons is the war in Ukraine and there is a lot of polarisation among parties on whether or not we should continue this effort to support Ukraine,” she said.
“My impression is not that the whole European Parliament is moving to the right. I don’t even think the majority will move to the right, but they are getting more votes.”
Voters in Latvia, Malta and the Czech Republic are also casting ballots on Saturday. Final results for the 720-seat European Parliament are not expected until Sunday night when every country has voted.
The fourth and final day of voting on Sunday will also be the biggest, with citizens in 20 of the 27-member bloc, including voters in Germany, France and Poland, heading to the polls.
Seats are allocated based on population, ranging from six in Malta or Luxembourg to 96 in Germany. Almost 370 million Europeans are eligible to vote to send representatives to the only directly elected EU institution which has the power to block legislation.
Some of the most thrilling encounters in sport have been between nations or athletes with historic rivalries that add an extra layer of anticipation and drama.
In cricket, these rivalries range from sour relations stemming from decades-old conflicts to colonial history and some newly-formed bitterness.
The ICC T20 World Cup will highlight some of these top rivalries as in the tournament’s group stage and, perhaps, the Super Eights.
Here is a look at some of the most thrilling match-ups in the history of the game:
India vs Pakistan
The clash that has been the biggest, quickest-selling and most anticipated match of every multilateral cricket tournament.
The rivalry originated in 1947 when India was partitioned into two countries following British colonial rule. Pakistan and India have since fought three wars, and diplomatic ties between both countries have mostly remained bitter.
On the cricket field, the head-to-head record favours Pakistan in Test matches (12-9) and one-day internationals (73-56) while India have the upper hand in T20 matches (8-3).
When it comes to World Cup history, the scale is heavily tilted in India’s favour. Pakistan have never beaten India in the ICC ODI World Cup in their eight meetings and have only won once in their seven encounters in the T20 World Cup.
India’s Virat Kohli shakes hands with Pakistan’s Shadab Khan following the T20 World Cup cricket match between India and Pakistan in Melbourne, Australia on October 23, 2022 [File: Asanka Brendon Ratnayake/AP Photo]
Australia vs England
The oldest rivalry in the game – dating back to the 1800s – originated when a British newspaper famously wrote a condescending and racist article on Australia’s cricket team.
It was set in stone when, in 1882, British tabloid The Sporting Times published a mock obituary of English cricket following their Test team’s defeat to their trans-continental rivals, saying “the body [of English cricket] will be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia”.
The bitterness originated from Test cricket and comes to the fore during the Ashes Test series, but has carried on to all sporting encounters between both countries.
In Cricket World Cup history, both teams have met on nine occasions. Australia have won six of those matches and England three.
England’s first T20 World Cup title also came at Australia’s expense, when they won the 2010 final in the West Indies. Their second one was won in Australia, when they beat Pakistan to lift the title.
England’s captain Eoin Morgan, left, celebrates with teammate Joe Root after winning the Cricket World Cup semifinal match against Australia on July 11, 2019 [File: Rui Vieira/AP Photo]
Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka
It started with a dance, specifically the “nagin dance”, in 2018.
Bangladesh bowler Nazmul Islam had been doing the nagin (cobra in Hindi) dance to celebrate his wickets for some time, so when his side beat Sri Lanka in the T20 series in January 2018, he pulled it out again for all four of his wickets.
Sri Lanka’s Danushka Gunathilaka did not take kindly to the serpentine celebration and did his own version to mock Islam when he dismissed two of Bangladesh’s batters.
A few months later, the celebration gained traction during the triangular Nidahas trophy, which also included India. When Bangladesh recorded their second win against hosts Sri Lanka, their entire team broke out into an overzealous “nagin dance” celebration on the pitch.
2018 – Nagin Celebration by Bangladesh after knocking out Sri Lanka from Nidahas Trophy.
2022 – Nagin Celebration by Chamika Karunaratne after knocking Bangladesh out of Asia Cup. pic.twitter.com/Po7yhyeAb5
The night ended with shattered glass in the visiting team’s dressing room and nothing has changed since.
Every time both teams meet, there is no shortage of provocative placards in the stands and venomous celebrations on the field.
In ODI cricket, Sri Lanka have won 42 of their 53 ODI meetings between both countries, while Bangladesh have won nine. They also hold the upper hand in the ODI World Cup, four wins in five matches.
Sri Lanka have beaten Bangladesh twice in their T20 World Cup meetings, but the Bengal Tigers tamed the Lankan Lions with a two-wicket win in a thrilling match at the 2024 edition in Dallas.
Bangladesh’s team members perform the ‘nagin dance’ as they celebrate their team’s victory over Sri Lanka in the Nidahas triangular series on March 16, 2018 [File: Eranga Jayawardena/AP Photo]
Afghanistan vs Pakistan
Afghanistan and Pakistan have been involved in a complicated geopolitical and cultural relationship for several decades and share a porous border that is often subject to violence and abrupt closures.
The political tensions have translated into a fierce on-field rivalry, especially over the past few years as Afghanistan have swiftly built a reputation as world beaters.
Several members of the early Afghan cricket team, including former captains Gulbadin Naib and Mohammed Nabi, picked up the sport while living in Pakistan as refugees during the decades of war and turmoil in their home country.
Pakistan’s National Cricket Academy in Lahore hosted the players for training sessions. Some of the earliest coaches of the Afghan team also came from Pakistan.
However, the historical tension between the countries has often come to the fore when the teams have met in recent years. Although Pakistan hold a 7-1 lead over their neighbours in ODI cricket and a 4-2 lead in T20 internationals, some recent matches have seen last-ball finishes that have gone Pakistan’s way.
Fast bowler Naseem Shah has been a consistent thorn in the Afghan side by twice taking Pakistan home when a loss seemed certain.
This mix of history and last-ball finishes has ended up igniting a fire in both sets of fans. Things got particularly ugly when Afghan fans vandalised the stadium and threw chairs at their Pakistani counterparts after losing a thrilling match in the 2022 Asia Cup. This came after tempers flared on the pitch when Pakistani batter Asif Ali angrily waved his bat at Afghan bowler Fareed Ahmad.
Both sides could meet in the Super Eight stage of the T20 World Cup, should they manage to qualify.
Afghanistan’s Fareed Ahmad, left, and Pakistan’s Asif Ali, right, react after Ali was dismissed by Ahmad during an Asia Cup match in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, on September 7, 2022 [File: Anjum Naveed/AP Photo]
Australia vs India
While these two of the sport’s “big three” have been playing against each other since the 1940s, the contest picked up traction in the 1980s and became a full-on rivalry in the 2000s.
Most of the heated exchanges and thrilling encounters have taken place in Test cricket’s Border-Gavaskar Trophy, especially since the famous Eden Gardens Test match in 2001 that saw India come back from a follow-on to win the match by two wickets.
A heated exchange between Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh and Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds led to the famous “monkeygate” scandal, which saw Singh get banned and then unbanned during the series.
India’s Yuvraj Singh celebrates as Australia’s Brett Lee walks by after India won their Cricket World Cup 2011 quarterfinal match in Ahmedabad on March 24, 2011 [File: Reuters]
In the Cricket World Cup, both teams have met in the knock-out stages of the tournament in recent years.
In 2011, India famously beat Australia by five wickets in a closely-contested quarterfinal to win the World Cup at home.
Australia returned the favour four years later when they eased to a 95-run win in Sydney and went on to lift their World Cup fifth title.Both teams opened their 2023 campaign against each other in a thrilling tie on Sunday in Chennai, which India won by six wickets after a rocky start to their run chase.
The overall ODI record of 150 matches still favours Australia, with 83 wins compared with India’s 50. The five-time champions have also won in eight of their 13 meetings in the Cricket World Cup and India have won five.
In T20Is, India have won 19 of their 31 meetings and Australia have won 11.
The two sides could meet in the Super Eights of the T20 World Cup 2024, should they qualify.
European countries accused of complicity in deaths due to migration policies after charity vessel retrieves 11 corpses in Mediterranean, rescues more than 160.
The aid group Doctors Without Borders has reported recovering 11 bodies and rescuing dozens of people off the coast of Libya as it criticised the migration policies of the North African country and European countries.
In a statement on Friday, the group, known by its French initials MSF, said its Geo Barents rescue vessel managed to recover the bodies following a search operation lasting more than nine hours after being alerted by German nongovernmental organisation Sea-Watch, which also rescues refugees and migrants.
“As we cannot determine the reason behind this tragedy, we know that people will continue to take dangerous routes in a desperate attempt to reach safety, and Europe must find safe and legal pathways for them,” MSF said in a post on X. “This catastrophe must end!”
🔴TRIGGER WARNING
After conducting two rescues early this morning, @MSF teams witnessed yet again the result of the devastating and bloody #European policies on #migration and non-assistance for people taking the #Mediterranean.
Sea-Watch said it is unclear whether the bodies were victims of a previously unknown shipwreck, adding that they tried to contact Libya’s coastguard to go and retrieve the dead, but received no reply.
“The so-called Libyan coastguard – financed by the EU – ignored our call demanding that the bodies be recovered,” the group said.
Thousands of people trying to head from Africa to Europe use Libya as a departing point, with the Italian island of Lampedusa the nearest European destination as they undertake the dangerous journey across the Mediterranean to escape war, poverty and persecution.
Italy, which wants to put a stop to the migration stream, has said Libya and neighbouring Tunisia must do more to stop people from going to sea.
It has also clamped down on the operation of the rescue ships, arguing that they encourage people to head to Europe, a charge that is denied by the charities.
Emphasising its policy on the rescue ships, Italy said on Friday that it forced the MSF rescue vessel to take the 165 people that it had saved from boats in the Mediterranean operation to the northern port of Genoa.
The port was more than 650 nautical miles (1,200km) from their position and much farther than the more convenient ports in nearby Sicily, significantly delaying assistance to the rescued.
The route in the central Mediterranean is the most dangerous migrant crossing in the world, with the United Nations registering more than 20,000 deaths and disappearances in the area since 2014.
More than 3,000 refugees and migrants went missing in 2023 while attempting to use the route, according to the International Organization for Migration.
According to Italy’s interior ministry, the number of arrivals in the country has dropped in 2024 to fewer than 21,800 people since the beginning of the year, compared with close to 53,300 in the same period last year.
Police arrest one man and open investigation into incident in Kultorvet square that left prime minister ‘shocked’.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen was “hit” by a man in central Copenhagen, her office has said.
The 46-year-old was “shocked by the incident” on Friday evening in the capital’s Kultorvet square, the office said in a statement, without providing further details.
“Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen was hit by a man Friday evening on Kultorvet in Copenhagen. The man was subsequently arrested,” the statement added, according to AFP news agency.
Copenhagen police also said on X that one person had been arrested and they were investigating the incident, but did not give details on the suspect’s identity or a potential motive.
It was unclear in what context the assault happened, but it came two days before Danes head to the polls to vote in European Union parliamentary elections, which conclude across the bloc on Sunday. Frederiksen has been campaigning with the Social Democrats’ EU lead candidate, Christel Schaldemose. Media reports said the attack was not linked to a campaign event.
‘Strong push’
Two witnesses, Marie Adrian and Anna Ravn, told newspaper BT that they had seen Frederiksen arrive at the square while they were sitting by a nearby fountain just before 6pm (16:00 GMT).
“A man came by in the opposite direction and gave her a hard shove on the shoulder, causing her to fall to the side,” the newspaper quoted the women as saying.
They added that while it was a “strong push”, Frederiksen did not hit the ground.
According to the witnesses, the prime minister then sat down at a nearby cafe. They described the man as tall and slim, and said he had tried to hurry away but had not gotten far before being grabbed and pushed to the ground by men in suits.
Another witness, Kasper Jorgensen, told newspaper Ekstra Bladet that he had seen the man after he was tackled to the ground, saying that one of what he presumed to be part of the security service had put a knee on the man’s back.
“They had pacified him, and as he lay there, he looked confused and a little dazed,” Jorgensen told the newspaper.
A resident told Reuters news agency Frederiksen was escorted away by security following the assault.
“She seemed a little stressed,” Soren Kjergaard, who works as a barista on the square, said.
‘Despicable act’
News of the assault was received with shock and condemnation by politicians across the political spectrum inside Denmark and abroad.
European Council President Charles Michel said he was “outraged by the assault” while European Parliament President Roberta Metsola urged Frederiksen to “keep strong” while adding in a post on X that “violence has no place in politics”.
EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen also condemned what she called a “despicable act which goes against everything we believe and fight for in Europe”, in a statement to social media.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said that “an attack on a democratically elected leader is also an attack on our democracy”.
In 2019, Frederiksen became Denmark’s youngest prime minister and kept the post after emerging victorious in the 2022 general election.
“I must say that it shakes all of us who are close to her,” Danish Environment Minister Magnus Heunicke said on social media. “Something like this must not happen in our beautiful, safe and free country.”
Violence against politicians has become a theme in the run-up to the EU elections. In May, a candidate from Germany’s Social Democrats was beaten and seriously injured while campaigning for a seat in the European Parliament.
In Slovakia, the election campaign was overshadowed by an attempt to assassinate Prime Minister Robert Fico on May 15, sending shockwaves through the country and Europe.
Attacks target Hodeidah’s airport and region north of Sanaa, Al Masirah TV says, as Houthis continue Red Sea attacks.
The United States and United Kingdom have carried out six air strikes against targets in Yemen, a Houthi-run television station reports, as the Yemeni group targets shipping lanes in the Red Sea.
Four attacks targeted on the airport of Hodeidah, a main port city on the Red Sea, and the seaport of Salif north of it, Al Masirah TV said. Two air raids also hit the Al-Thawra region north of the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, according to the news outlet.
There were no immediate reports of casualties, and the US and UK militaries have not confirmed the attacks. Friday’s strikes follow US and UK attacks on Hodeidah province that the Houthis said killed 16 people last week.
The Houthis, who control Sanaa and present themselves as the official Yemeni armed forces, have been attacking shipping lanes in the Red Sea and firing missiles and drones at Israeli targets for months in a show of support for Palestinians in Gaza.
Later on Friday, the Houthis said they attacked two ships headed to Israel in the Red Sea with drones and missiles.
The Yemeni group’s operations have angered the US and other Western nations. The US and its allies have been bombing Houthi targets in Yemen since January, but the military campaign has not deterred Houthi attacks.
The US military regularly announces interceptions of Houthi attacks. On Thursday, it said it destroyed eight Houthi drones launched over the Red Sea.
That same day, the Yemeni group said it launched two joint military operations with the Islamic Resistance in Iraq against ships at the Israeli port of Haifa in response to the “massacres of the Israeli enemy in Rafah” in the southern Gaza Strip.
More than 36,700 people have been killed in Israel’s war on Gaza since October 7.
Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi said the group’s operations against Israel with the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a coalition of Iran-backed Iraqi armed groups, would intensify.
The Houthi, US and UK attacks have raised fears of an expansion of the conflict in Gaza as well as concerns over efforts to end Yemen’s own civil war. Since 2014, the Houthis have been battling forces loyal to the internationally recognised government, backed by Saudi Arabia.
A fragile truce has been in place since 2022.
According to a Bloomberg News report published on Thursday, Washington is looking to block major parts of a United Nations peace plan that the warring parties in Yemen adopted in December unless the Houthis cease their attacks on international shipping.
US President Joe Biden offered an apology and a promise of an additional $225 million in aid to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a meeting in Paris. The two leaders were in France for D-Day commemorations.
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