MALAWI’S World Cup qualifier with Equatorial Guinea was postponed after the visitors allegedly refused to travel amid a dispute with their national federation.

The two sides had been due to meet tonight at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe.

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The two sides had been due to meet at Bingu National Stadium[/caption]

Just hours before the game was scheduled to go ahead, the Football Association of Malawi announced that it had been called off due to “unforeseen travel complications” for their visitors.

Their statement read: “The Football Association of Malawi (FAM) wishes to inform the general public that the Fifa World Cup Qualifier between Malawi and Equatorial Guinea, which was scheduled for today at 18:00hrs at Bingu National Stadium, will not place due to unforeseen travel complications affecting the visiting team.

“FIFA has officially cancelled the match.

“FAM will provide further updates on the status of tickets that were purchased in advance in due cause.

“We sincerely regret any inconvenience this development may cause.”

African football reporter Micky Jnr claims that there was tension between Equatorial Guinea players and their national federation over their travel schedule.

He adds that players were told last night that they’d be flying to Malawi this morning, only to learn today that their journey had been pushed back to the afternoon.

This would have led to players having to get ready on the plane before heading straight to Bingu Stadium to play the match.

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Following a meeting, it is alleged that players decided to refuse to travel.

It has not yet been decided what the outcome of the cancelled match will be.

Both Malawi and Equatorial Guinea are scheduled to be in action again during this international break.

The former will travel to Sao Tome and Principe for the final match of their qualifying campaign on Monday.

While Equatorial Guinea are scheduled to host Liberia on the same day.

Last month, the Central African nation failed in their appeal against a six-point deduction for fielding an ineligible player during wins over Namibia and Liberia in November 2023.

Fifa ruled that Emilio Nsue, formerly of Middlesbrough and Birmingham, was never actually given formal clearance to switch his nationality from Spanish to Equatoguinean.

The 46-cap star has since been cleared, but his nation were not given their points back.

AFP

Emilio Nsue has been an Equatorial Guinea regular for several years[/caption]

DONALD Trump declared that Israeli hostages held in Gaza will be freed “Monday or Tuesday”.

The move is part of a landmark peace deal he insists could usher in “an everlasting peace” and the slow rebuilding of the devastated enclave.

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President Donald Trump speaks during a cabinet meeting at the White House on Thursday[/caption]

EPA

Einav Zangauker, the mother of hostage Matan Zangauker, as people celebrate after a peace deal is announced at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv[/caption]

The US president, who announced the historic breakthrough on Wednesday, said he hopes to attend a signing ceremony in Egypt marking the first phase of his sweeping 20-point Gaza peace plan.

“We are getting the hostages back on Tuesday, Monday or Tuesday, and that’ll be a day of joy,” Trump said at a White House Cabinet meeting.

It comes as Hamas officials hailed the breakthrough as a decisive end to the conflict.

The group’s Gaza chief declared: “We declare an end to the war today and the start of a permanent ceasefire,” saying the agreement also includes opening the Rafah crossing “in both directions” for people and goods.

Hamas added that it had received firm “guarantees from mediators and the US administration, all confirming that the war has completely ended” — the most definitive signal yet from the group that it accepts the new ceasefire terms.

The deal, struck after days of marathon talks in Egypt’s Sharm el-Sheikh involving US, Israeli, Egyptian, Qatari, and Turkish mediators, aims to end two years of war that has killed tens of thousands and reduced Gaza to rubble.

Israel’s security cabinet meets today to approve the agreement, with a ceasefire expected within 24 hours.

The Israel Defense Forces will then pull back from current frontlines, triggering a 72-hour countdown for Hamas to release the hostages — 20 of whom are believed to be still alive.

Hamas is expected to begin freeing captives as early as Sunday.

In return, Israel will release around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, including 250 serving life sentences.

Up to 600 aid trucks a day are poised to surge into Gaza, where hundreds of thousands have been sheltering in tents after cities were flattened.

Trump said Gaza would be “slowly redone,” declaring: “You cannot live right now in Gaza. We will create something where people can live.”

Scenes of joy & tears

News of the peace deal sparked jubilant scenes across Israel and Gaza.

Hostage Square in Tel Aviv erupted in dancing and chants of “Bring Them Home” as US flags waved alongside Israeli banners and “I love Trump” signs.

Rebecca Bohbot, wife of hostage Elkana, 36, beamed: “For two years I have been fighting for the life of my man.

“This is the moment that a little boy will return to hug his father, a moment when my family comes back to life.”

AP

Relatives and supporters of Israeli hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip celebrate after the announcement[/caption]

EPA

People celebrate after a peace deal is announced at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, Israel[/caption]

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Palestinians gathered in the city of Khan Yunis are celebrating after the announcement of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza[/caption]

Silvia Cunio, mother of hostage David, 34, sobbed: “I dream of the hugs, the kisses. I thank everyone for the warm embrace these past two years — it gave me the strength to keep going.”

Danny Miran, whose son Omri, 48, is held in Gaza, said: “My two eldest granddaughters came over, and we danced together in the hallway. I’ve been waiting more than two years for this moment.”

But the joy was bittersweet for families bracing to receive the remains of 28 hostages.

Rotem Cooper, whose father Amiram died in captivity, said: “Receiving my father’s body will give us some kind of closure.

“But if this deal had been done sooner he might still be alive today.”

Hurdles remain

Despite the euphoria, major obstacles remain at the destroyed enclave.

The deal still requires Hamas to agree to full disarmament, deradicalisation and exclusion from future governance — demands that could yet derail the process.

Israel has made clear it will not end its campaign until Hamas’s military capability, including its tunnel network, is dismantled.

Hamas is also demanding the return of the bodies of Yahya and Mohammad Sinwar, the brothers who led the group during the war before being assassinated by Israeli forces. But Israel has refused.

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People on Rashid Street in Deir al-Balah, Gaza, amid smoke from an attack and surrounding destroyed buildings[/caption]

Reuters

A Palestinian woman builds a fire as a girl child looks towards it while beside a tent[/caption]

Under Trump’s plan, Gaza will ultimately be governed by a transitional authority overseen by an international body — potentially led by former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair — before being handed back to a new Palestinian administration.

Trump, who is widely seen as a frontrunner for the Nobel Peace Prize to be announced this week, said he would travel to the Middle East “very soon” and may even visit Gaza.

“All Parties will be treated fairly!” he posted on Truth Social.

“This is a great day for the Arab and Muslim World, Israel, all surrounding Nations, and the United States of America. Blessed are the peacemakers.”

Rogério Correia (PT-MG) afirma que projeto que reduz incentivos fiscais será votado na próxima quarta-feira

Texto do acordo foi acertado na véspera durante negociações no Egito e inclui a retirada das Forças Armadas israelenses do enclave

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ICONIC venues that have hosted top acts such as Lady Gaga and The Rolling Stones are at risk of closing causing huge job losses from a tax shake-up.  

Bosses of London’s O2 and Manchester Co-op Live arenas have written to the Treasury saying they don’t have the ability to absorb extra business rate costs.

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From next year, the government will bring in higher levies for retail, hospitality and leisure properties with rateable values of £500,000 and above.

Angry venue bosses say the policy fails to distinguish between “Amazon-style warehouses” it is intended for and live music venues.

Affected smaller venues will also have a knock-on impact on the High Street as people stay in hotels and enjoy pubs and restaurants nearby.

Lady Gaga has just completed a UK tour playing dates at both the 02 in London and the Manchester Co-op Live.

The Rolling Stones played a string of dates at the venue in the capital in 2007 and 2012.

It comes as Rachel Reeves has admitted facing hard choices at the Budget where she could have to find £30 billion to fill the financial black hole.

But Treasury Minister Dan Tomlinson has been urged to make an exemption on the rules from next April which could also see the closure of grassroots venues.

In the letter, venue chiefs tell him:  “Arenas are already operating on very tight margins and many simply do not have the ability to absorb additional tax pressures.

“This tax rise could lead to arenas closing, resulting in significant job losses and lost economic activity in towns and cities across the UK.”

Figures show 27 million people attended arena shows last year with an average of 10,000 people attending each event.

Each event brings in between £1 million to £2.3 million which would be an insufferable blow to jobs.

Twenty-three arenas say they are at risk and venues such as Camden Underworld in Sir Keir Starmer’s constituency could be financially damaged.

The venue bosses add:  “Without an exemption for arenas and live music venues,  this tax rise will unfairly penalise the 23 arenas all over the UK, force closures of grassroots venues already on the edge – iconic spaces like Camden’s Underworld.

They added that the move “will deter further investment in arenas at a time when government wants to be encouraging new infrastructure development to drive growth, not hold it back”.

A string of business bosses have called on the Chancellor not to punish them with more taxes following last year’s £25 billion national insurance tax raid.

A Treasury spokesperson insisted the new system would “level the playing field” to protect the High Street and help investment.

They said:  “We are creating a fairer business rates system to protect the high street, support investment, and level the playing field by introducing permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure properties from April that will be sustainably funded by a new, higher rate on less than 1% of the most valuable business properties.

“Unlike the current relief for these properties, there will be no cash cap on the new lower tax rates, and we have set out our long-term plans to address ‘cliff edges’ in the system to support small businesses to expand.”