The Irish Press - News from Dublin, Kilkenny, Waterford, Drogheda, Galyway, Ireland and the world

Portugal players Pepe and Bruno Fernandes lashed out at the Argentine referee in charge of their 1-0 World Cup quarter-final defeat by Morocco on Saturday, claiming his nationality impacted the game.

Morocco coach Walid Regragui said his side are "the Rocky Balboa of this World Cup" after the Atlas Lions became the first African team ever to reach the semi-finals with a stunning victory over Portugal on Saturday.

As their national team made history, crowds gathered in Casablanca on Saturday evening and chanted "Qualified! Qualified!"

Morocco became the first African team ever to reach the semi-finals of a World Cup when they beat Portugal 1-0 on Saturday, before reigning champions France take on England in a mouth-watering clash.

Having launched a new bid for the White House, Donald Trump has not been met with the energy he had been hoping for.

Nearly 100,000 supporters of Bangladesh's main opposition party descended on Dhaka Saturday to protest against the government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and demand new elections.

Cristiano Ronaldo left the World Cup in tears on Saturday, walking off down the tunnel with his dreams of winning the trophy in tatters.

The head of Peru's legislature called Saturday on the country's new leader Dina Boluarte to appoint a new cabinet urgently amid continuing street protests following the removal of Pedro Castillo as president.

The arrest of a European Parliament vice-president and four others linked to a corruption probe implicating World Cup hosts Qatar sparked calls Saturday for the bloc's MPs to be held to higher standards.

Morocco coach Walid Regragui lauded the battling spirit of his injury-hit side after they beat Portugal 1-0 on Saturday to become the first African country ever to reach the World Cup semi-finals.

Morocco became the first African nation to reach the World Cup semi-finals as Youssef En-Nesyri's first-half goal sealed a tense 1-0 victory over Portugal on Saturday at Al Thumama Stadium.

Stoners might have a reputation for moving at a glacial pace, but it was full steam ahead at the inaugural Cannabis Cup Thailand competition on Saturday.

In a Kenyan reserve near Africa's highest mountain, Maasai youths on Saturday swapped traditional lion hunts for a series of sporting events to test and display their prowess and strength.

World champion Shoma Uno added to his figure skating laurels on Saturday winning the Grand Prix Final to add to Japan's victory in the pairs on Friday.

Viktor Bout, a notorious arms dealer dubbed the "Merchant of Death", praised Russian President Vladimir Putin and backed Moscow's assault on Ukraine.

Former track and field star P.T. Usha was named the first woman president of the Indian Olympic Association on Saturday, ushering in a more inclusive era for sports administration in the country.

Four-time European champions Leinster began their Champions Cup campaign with a bang, running in six tries in a 42-10 hammering of French side Racing 92 in Le Havre on Saturday.

The arrest of a European Parliament vice-president and four others linked to a corruption probe implicating World Cup hosts Qatar sparked calls Saturday for the bloc's MPs to be held to higher standards.

Opener Ishan Kishan hit the fastest-ever double century in one-day internationals in just 126 balls to set up a 227-run consolation win for India in the third match against Bangladesh on Saturday.

Italian Marta Bassino claimed her first World Cup victory of the season when she won the giant slalom on her home piste at Sestriere on Saturday.

A trio from the three nations at the centre of the war in Ukraine accepted their Nobel Peace Prize on Saturday, calling for the fight to continue unabated against Russian leader Vladimir Putin's "insane and criminal" invasion.

A visibly nervous Viktor Axelsen was pushed to the brink Saturday but the world number one prevailed in a marathon semi-final against Japanese young gun Kodai Naraoka at the season-ending badminton World Tour Finals in Bangkok.

Pele urged Neymar to "keep inspiring us" on Saturday after the Brazil forward dropped a retirement hint following his team's shock World Cup defeat to Croatia.

Opener Ishan Kishan hit the fastest-ever double century in one-day internationals in just 126 balls to set up a 227-run consolation win for India in the third match against Bangladesh on Saturday.

Switzerland's world number one Marco Odermatt produced a masterclass of skiing to win the men's World Cup giant slalom at Val D'Isere on Saturday.

Thailand celebrated the arrival of its 10 millionth international visitor of 2022 on Saturday, according to the tourism authority, as the kingdom consolidated the recovery of its Covid-battered travel sector.

Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic was rightly hailed after his team's stunning World Cup quarter-final win over Brazil, but their midfield trio were also crucial.

The UK charity at the centre of a royal racism controversy says it has suspended work supporting black survivors of domestic abuse, after a torrent of toxic hate.

Bayern Munich suffered a major blow on Saturday with their iconic goalkeeper Manuel Neuer announcing he will be out for the rest of the season after breaking his leg skiing.

The football junkies started arriving an hour before the World Cup ticket centre opened on Saturday even though loud speaker announcements proclaimed there is nothing to sell.

Scott Boland grabbed three wickets in his opening over to leave a rattled West Indies on 38-4 and facing a heavy defeat in the second Test Saturday as the world's top-ranked team zeroed in on another victory to seal the series.

Standing on his street in Gaza, Alaa Habboub looked on in horror as flames engulfed his neighbours' home and screams rang out from the inferno that would claim 21 lives.

The plight of a city in Kazakhstan left without heating for over a week in temperatures that dropped to minus 30 degrees Celsius (minus 22 degrees Fahrenheit) has sparked anger and highlighted the deplorable state of the country's Soviet-era infrastructure.

The United States is open to amending lucrative green subsidies that have drawn transatlantic anger for allegedly encouraging job losses in Europe, US climate envoy John Kerry said.

World champion Akane Yamaguchi on Saturday booked a ticket to the last stage of the season-ending badminton World Tour Finals in Bangkok, crushing Olympic gold medallist Chen Yufei.

World champion Akane Yamaguchi on Saturday booked a ticket to the last stage of the season-ending badminton World Tour Finals in Bangkok, crushing Olympic gold medallist Chen Yufei.

In a displacement camp in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Eric, Samuel, Tuyisenge and Florence recounted walking for miles to flee a horrific rebel attack on their village.

Skipper Steve Smith helped steer Australia to an ominous 433-run lead over an outclassed West Indies on Saturday as the world's top-ranked team zeroed in on another commanding Test victory.

Japan's Naoya Inoue said Saturday that he intends to prove that he rules the bantamweight world when he faces England's Paul Butler for the undisputed title in Tokyo next week.