Since the start of Operation Iron Swords, police officers have played a crucial role in protecting the home front, responding to thousands of rocket impacts across the north. Wherever munitions fell, the police's Northern District officers and bomb disposal experts worked alongside security forces to save lives. After each incident, the bomb disposal teams collected rocket remnants and consolidated all items at the Galilee Bomb Disposal Unit.

As Hanukkah – the Festival of Lights – approached, district bomb disposal experts initiated a project aimed at representing northern residents' transition from darkness to light. As part of the project, they took missile fragments that had brought loss of life and great darkness to many people and transformed them into an impressive menorah that will spread the light of hope.

Among the components making up the menorah are parts of the rocket that killed 12 children while they were playing soccer in Majdal Shams, fragments of the missile that directly struck Shfaram resulting in the death of an educator, and pieces of the rocket that caused the deaths of a couple from Kiryat Shmona while they were walking their dogs in the city. During Hanukkah, the menorah will travel to significant locations from the war where it will be lit by Northern District police officers, bereaved families, and northern residents.

The menorah lighting locations will include northern Golan Heights with community representatives and families of children killed in the Majdal Shams tragedy, Kiryat Shmona with security forces who served during the war, a hotel in Rosh Pina housing evacuees from the north, Shfaram with the family of the teacher who was killed, and on the final day, the menorah will be lit on Mount Meron during the "Zot Hanukkah" event that attracts thousands of visitors annually.

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A soccer stadium in southern Guinea became the site of a devastating tragedy on Sunday when 56 people, including several children, were killed in a stampede following clashes between fans, the Associated Press reports.

The incident occurred during the final match of a local tournament between teams from Labe and Nzerekore at the Stade de Nzérékoré. The tournament was being held in honor of the country's military leader, Mamadi Doumbouya.

Prime Minister Amadou Oury Bah confirmed the incident on X, stating that regional authorities were working to restore calm in the area. Communications Minister Fana Soumah announced in a statement broadcast on national television that authorities have launched an investigation to identify those responsible for the stampede.

Local news website Media Guinea reported that the violence erupted after a disputed penalty decision, which angered supporters who began throwing stones. Security forces responded by deploying tear gas, contributing to the chaos that followed.

Video footage from the scene showed fans protesting the referee's decision before clashes broke out, with people pouring onto the field. Many attempted to escape by jumping over the stadium's high fence. Additional footage revealed numerous injured people being treated at a local hospital, where some victims remain in critical condition.

Guinea: About 100 people were killed in a football match in the city of Nzérékoré, near the border with Liberia.

According to reports following the match, severe fights broke out between the fans of the two teams, and many were injured during a mass stampede. pic.twitter.com/wf2qPjcjcI

— Breaking News (@TheNewsTrending) December 2, 2024

 The National Alliance for Alternation and Democracy, an opposition coalition, has called for an investigation into the incident. The coalition criticized the tournament's organization, suggesting it was intended to build support for what they termed the "illegal and inappropriate" political ambitions of the military leadership.

Guinea has been under military rule since 2021, when soldiers led by Doumbouya removed President Alpha Conde from power. The country joins several other West African nations, including Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, where military leaders have assumed control and delayed transitions to civilian governance.

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Conor Gallagher, a 24-year-old Chelsea academy graduate, has completed a £33 million transfer from Chelsea to Atlético Madrid, signing a five-year contract.

The deal was finalized after Atlético Madrid sold Joao Félix to Chelsea, in a deal estimated to be worth £45 million

The deal reflects Chelsea's strategy of selling homegrown players to fund new signings and rebuild their squad with young, potentially exciting players.

Gallagher joined Chelsea's academy at the age of eight and made his senior debut for the club in August 2022 after loan spells at several clubs, including Charlton Athletic, Swansea City, West Bromwich Albion, and Crystal Palace, where he was named the best player of the 2021/22 season.

He played 95 games for Chelsea in the last two seasons, scoring ten goals and providing ten assists, and was a key player for the club in his second season with 50 appearances and seven goals. He has 18 international appearances for England, including at the Euro 2020 and World Cup 2022.

Chelsea's unique transfer strategy, influenced by the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules, involves a high turnover of players and a lack of sentimentality, as seen in the departures of Gallagher, Raheem Sterling, Trevoh Chalobah, and Carney Chukwuemeka.

The club's transfer activity has been frenzied, with over $250 million spent on ten new players in this window, and significant sums spent in previous transfer periods. Under the Boehly-Clearlake ownership the club sees players coming out of its academy as pure profit due to signing for free as youngsters.

Atlético de Madrid has made several new signings, including Robin Le Normand, Alexander Sorloth, and Julián Álvarez, and will host Girona after a disappointing start to the LaLiga season.

Sources: BBC, NYTimes, The Guardian, The Sun, CNN Brasil, The Irish Times, The Scottish Sun, News-Gazette, Eastern Mirror Nagaland, Newsroom Odisha, ESPN, CCMA, Haber7

This article was written in collaboration with Generative AI news company Alchemiq.

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Tottenham Hotspur suspended midfielder Yves Bissouma for their Premier League opener against Leicester City after a video showing him inhaling nitrous oxide (laughing gas) surfaced.

Bissouma shared on Snapchat a video where he is seen consuming nitrous oxide in a limousing party with alcoholic drinks after a preseason match against Bayern Munich.

The Spurs star acknowledged his poor judgment and the serious risks associated with the drug.

Despite apologizing, Bissouma's actions were deemed dangerous and illegal in the UK, leading to an investigation by the club into potential legal consequences.

Postecoglou stated that Bissouma needs to rebuild trust with him and the team.

Archie Gray, signed from Leeds for £40 million, could step in as a replacement during Bissouma's absence. Summer recruits Gray and Rodrigo Bentancur could potentially start in midfield for Tottenham against Leicester. Postecoglou praised Gray's versatility, strong mindset, and adaptability.

Tottenham have no new injury updates ahead of their Premier League campaign opener against Leicester City. Richarlison and Fraser Forster have returned to training, although Richarlison's minutes will be managed during the initial weeks of the season to ensure his full recovery and fitness.

Postecoglou, the new Tottenham manager, will assess the effectiveness of his pre-season preparations and new signings, including Gray, Lucas Bergvall, and the returning Timo Werner.

Tottenham is interested in signing Chelsea's Conor Gallagher as a potential transfer target, with his move to Atlético Madrid stalled. Gallagher outperformed Bissouma in offensive and defensive metrics last season according to footballfancast.com.

Sources: NY Times, Proceso, Zocalo, Yahoo, Standard, Firstsportz, Nigerian Observer, Kenyan Post, The Sports Bank, Football FanCast, OneFootball, Graphic, Football London, Irish News, Mediotiempo, AfricaIn, VOI.

This article was written in collaboration with Generative AI news company Alchemiq.

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The Premier League is introducing a semi-automatic offside technology (SAOT) called for the 2024-25 season, developed by Genius Sports and Second Spectrum.

The system utilizes networks of cameras and computer vision to create 3D digital twins of players and the ball, enabling precise offside decisions while still allowing human referees to make the final call.

The technology aims to improve accuracy, consistency, and speed of offside calls, reducing errors and minimizing breaks in the game.

The system has undergone validation by FIFA and testing by the Premier League.

The Premier League also plans to increase transparency by showing replays and explanations on in-stadium screens, holding education sessions, and introducing a TV show featuring referee discussions.

The Premier League aims to reduce overall added time calculations and introduce a 30-second celebration period after goals that will not be added to game time.

SAOT has been used in various competitions, including the UEFA Champions League, FIFA World Cup, and Serie A. LaLiga announced it will introduce SAOT for the 2024-25 season.

Sources: Telegraph, Free Press Journal, Sigorta Haber, Daily Mail, Wired, Guardian, 9to5Mac, Apple Insider, Business Wire, Sportcal, Mirror, GizChina, Sport Industry, Football365, EPL Index.

This article was written in collaboration with Generative AI news company Alchemiq.

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Chelsea have signed 22-year-old Danish goalkeeper Filip Jörgensen from Villarreal on a long-term contract until 2031 for around £20-21 million, strengthening their squad for the new season.

Jörgensen, born in Sweden, played for Sweden at youth levels before switching to represent Denmark Under-21s. He made his senior debut for Villarreal in October 2020 and secured the number-one spot in January 2023.

Jörgensen's performance metrics reveal strengths in shot-stopping (72% save percentage) and decision-making but areas for improvement in dealing with crosses, long-range shots, and goals conceded. He aims to establish himself among the Premier League's elite at Chelsea and will compete with Robert Sanchez for the number-one spot.

Jörgensen said joining Chelsea was a dream come true, adding that he is looking forward to getting acquainted with his new teammates and starting to play for the club. He chose Chelsea over Marseille and will make the move once his medical is done.

Chelsea's new head coach Enzo Maresca prioritizes a goalkeeper who can confidently play out from the back. Maresca's possession-based style requires a goalkeeper with a strong passing range. Jörgensen's arrival has cast doubt on the futures of Chelsea's other goalkeepers, including Robert Sanchez, as Maresca reportedly prefers Jörgensen as his first-choice keeper.

Jörgensen's tactical fit at Chelsea is analyzed using data models, which rate him as a decent Premier League goalkeeper with potential for growth, contributing to the team's performance.

Villarreal must now look for a new goalkeeper after Jörgensen's departure, following the earlier signing of Diego Conde.

Chelsea also signed 19-year-old defender Aaron Anselmino from Boca Juniors, who will immediately be loaned back to the Argentine club.

Sources: NYTimes, Independent, BBC, Telegraaf, Times of India, UNIIndia, ASTamfordBridgeTooFar, KMAUpdates, Proceso, Haberturk, Hurriyet, FCInterNews, Fotomac.

This article was written in collaboration with Generative AI news company Alchemiq.

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The streets of Berlin are awash with orange as jubilant Dutch soccer fans celebrate their national team's advancement to the Euro 2024 semi-finals. Following a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Turkey, the Netherlands now faces England in a highly anticipated match. Amid the festivities, supporters remain confident of their chances against the Three Lions and beyond, while also expressing warm sentiments towards Israel.

The Euro 2024 quarter-finals concluded Saturday, with an exciting match between the Netherlands and Turkey in Berlin, where the Orange won 2-1 and advanced to the semi-finals. In the next stage, on Wednesday in Dortmund, England awaits them, having earlier eliminated the Swiss.

The great excitement among the orange-clad crowd after the game was because they returned to the final four for the first time in 20 years, but also because the last time they met the Three Lions in a major tournament was in the group stage of Euro 1996. Then they suffered from doubles by Teddy Sheringham and Alan Shearer, with Patrick Kluivert only reducing the score to 4-1 in the tournament hosted by the British. Now the Dutch believe they can make amends.

Berlin is Oranje. 𝐀𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧! #NothingLikeOranje #CreateHistory #NEDTUR pic.twitter.com/QqENlmXkDX

— OnsOranje (@OnsOranje) July 6, 2024

 Yesterday's game brought together two of the three best fan bases in the tournament, with the Scottish crowd also providing impressive scenes in the group stage. The Dutch love Israel, at least based on those I met. In the square where the fans of the beloved team gathered, I met Joop, a 22-year-old who works for ESPN Netherlands. He told me he's currently less known, working behind the scenes as a social media person, and hopes to be more recognized one day. When I told him I was from Israel, he gave me a wide smile and said he hopes Israel will one day qualify for a major tournament.

When I returned to the hotel hungry, I sat at the bar and ordered a cheese platter. It was the only thing left at 1 a.m. Next to me sat three Dutch guys, all from Eindhoven. Patrick, who sat beside me, showed me a video of the Dutch crowd dancing to the famous song that went viral throughout the competition days, where everyone moved from right to left. I responded with a video I filmed from the press box at the end of the game, where Ronald Koeman's group celebrated with the crowd. He asked me to send him these magical moments.

When his friend Alexander heard I was from Israel, he looked at me and said "Kill them all," making it clear which side he had chosen since October 7. I asked if he had been to Tel Aviv, "at least 20 times," he replied and said he has friends in Israel, how he remembers Eran Zahavi who played for PSV for two years, and that he does business in the Holy Land.

Alexander had been to all of the Netherlands' games so far, except for the loss to Austria, and he has a ticket for Wednesday at Signal Iduna Park. I told him a tough game awaits in four days and he replied: "England is not our problem, we will beat them." It might be the beers, maybe mind-altering substances, but the Dutch have optimism in abundance right now.

At the Dutch press conference, both coach Koeman and outstanding player Stefan de Vrij gave a lot of respect to England, but said they believe they can return once again to Berlin next Sunday, for the final.

Quite ironically, the question that drew the most attention was from an English reporter who asked the defender, who scored a goal, if he and his teammates were also addicted to the fans' big hit. De Vrij answered affirmatively: "We constantly see videos of our fans celebrating in Germany, it's a big hit in our country right now, it's great to see what soccer does to people, hopefully, we'll make them celebrate with it later on as well."

And what about the Turks? Usually, when politicians come to a soccer game they don't really do good for the team they came to support, and so it turned out that in the game attended by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, his team said goodbye to the tournament. They did take the lead, and looked good for quite a few minutes, and one can, in a non-political view, applaud them for the performances they provided in the last three weeks, but in the second half, Turkey failed to withstand the pressure from the Dutch and ended the evening in tears.

Next to me sat a young journalist from the Turkish media. She saw on my computer that I was from Israel and asked to verify. The guy wore a Turkey shirt with four signatures, including that of the current captain Hakan Calhanoglu. In the end, he gave me a Turkey scarf as a gift, but didn't agree to be photographed with me. Still, quite a few Turks live in fear despite their opinions being less conservative, especially when the all-powerful leader is in the stadium in Berlin.

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In a groundbreaking move for Israeli soccer, Boaz Toshav has been appointed as the financial manager for the soccer division of the Marinakis Group, marking a significant milestone in Israeli sports management on the international stage.

Toshav, who previously served as the owners' representative at Hapoel Tel Aviv before the club's transfer to David Mintzberg and his investment group, took on this new role several months ago. His appointment places him at the helm of financial operations for a portfolio of prestigious European clubs.

The Marinakis Group, led by Greek shipping and media tycoon Evangelos Marinakis, owns an impressive array of soccer clubs. These include Olympiacos, the Greek powerhouse and recent UEFA Conference League champions; Nottingham Forest, competing in the English Premier League; and Rio Ave, a Portuguese club whose acquisition was finalized in May.

The Marinakis Group, led by Greek shipping and media tycoon Evangelos Marinakis, owns an impressive array of soccer clubs. These include Olympiacos, the Greek powerhouse and recent UEFA Conference League champions; Nottingham Forest, competing in the English Premier League; and Rio Ave, a Portuguese club whose acquisition was finalized last month.

As part of the structural changes following the transition from a non-profit to a company, Toshav has also assumed the roles of president and chairman. This multifaceted position underscores the trust placed in Toshav's leadership and financial acumen.

Over the past few months, Toshav has been deeply involved with the Marinakis Group's operations. His work has spanned across significant events, including Olympiacos' matches against Maccabi Tel Aviv and their triumph in the Conference League. His responsibilities now require him to navigate between England, Greece, and Portugal, reflecting the global nature of modern management.

This appointment elevates Toshav to one of the highest-ranking Israelis in Premier League circles. At Rio Ave, where he serves as chairman of the board, the club has already made waves in the transfer market, signing Karem Zoabi from Hapoel Jerusalem for 900,000 euros.

Nottingham Forest, one of the clubs under the Marinakis Group umbrella, boasts a storied history, having won the European Cup twice (in 1979 and 1980). Despite recent challenges, it remains a prestigious club and one of only six English teams to have clinched Europe's most coveted title.

The significance of Toshav's appointment extends beyond the realm of sports. At a time when Israel faces challenges in European sports arenas, the elevation of an Israeli to such a pivotal position has the potential to reshape perceptions of Israel across Europe.

This development not only represents a personal achievement for Toshav but also stands as a testament to the growing influence of Israeli sports management expertise on the global stage. It opens new avenues for collaboration and understanding in the international soccer community.

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In an interview with TNT Sports, Jose Mourinho, also known as 'The Special One,' answered a question constantly on soccer fans' minds. Asked which player he would have liked to sign, Mourinho picked "the little guy [Lionel Messi]". "In our generation, he was the best," he said.

Mourinho also described the Argentinian national as "uncoachable."

Mourinho coached Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid from 2010 to 2013. Despite their strained relationship due to tactical disagreements, Mourinho later praised Ronaldo in 2018, calling him one of the best players of all time.

As a soccer coach, Mourinho won three Premier League titles, an FA Cup, and three League Cups at Chelsea, a La Liga title and Copa del Rey with Real Madrid, a continental treble with Inter Milan, and a Champions League title with Porto. He achieved success at Manchester United, winning the League Cup, Europa League, and three trophies during his tenure. He managed 1135 games and secured 703 wins throughout his career.

Mourinho praised Roma fans for being the most loyal in his career, mentioning Old Trafford, Bernabeu, and San Siro as iconic stadiums but highlighting Roma fans for their loyalty despite not always winning. He also considers San Siro the greatest stadium in the world.

He managed and worked with several super famous players, including Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Eden Hazard. He struggled to choose the best player he worked with but named Cristiano Ronaldo, whom he managed at Real Madrid, as one of his favorites, along with Terry, Lampard, Drogba, and Xabi Alonso.

Mourinho admitted that losing at Liverpool in the semi-finals of the 2004/05 Champions League with Chelsea still bothers him, specifically mentioning the controversial goal scored by Luis Garcia in that tie as a moment that still plays on his mind.

Fans had mixed reactions to Mourinho's admission about Messi, with some mocking Ronaldo and feeling that Mourinho has lost his credibility, while others acknowledged that Mourinho has praised both Messi and Ronaldo in the past.

Messi confirmed Inter Miami will be his last club but is not ready to retire yet.

Sources: dailypost.ng, globeecho.com, pulsesports.ng, sportskeeda.com, givemesport.com, sportsbrief.com, elfutbolero.us, dailymail.co.uk, mundoalbiceleste.com, forbes.com, sports.yahoo.com, elanhub.net, theclevelandamerican.com, naijanews.com, com.pk, talksport.com, clutchpoints.com, akhbarkora.com, firstsportz.com, unitedinfocus.com, worldsoccertalk.com, romapress.net, football-addict.com, and rousingthekop.com.

This article was written in collaboration with Generative AI news company Alchemiq.

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Bayern Munich signed Israeli goalkeeper Daniel Peretz from Maccabi Tel Aviv on Friday. The Bavarian powerhouse said in a statement that the 23-year-old Peretz has signed a five-year deal through June 2028 and will wear the No. 18 shirt.

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"Daniel is a goalkeeper with great potential. In his young years he's already proven his ability not just at domestic level but also in international competitions," Bayern chief executive Jan-Christian Dreesen said.

Video: Daniel Peretz trains in Germany / Credit: Moshe Ben Simhon

Peretz joined Maccabi as a 6-year-old and worked his way through its youth teams to make his debut with the senior team in August 2021. He previously spent a season on loan at Beitar Tel Aviv Bat Yam in Israel's second division.

Peretz made his debut for Israel last November after representing the country's youth teams since 2016. He impressed at the Under-21 Championship in Georgia and Romania this summer and caught Bayern's eye with a string of saves to help hold Germany to a 1-1 draw.

"That was the final moment when we decided that this could be a very good addition to our goalkeeper group and to our club," Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel said before the transfer was confirmed Friday. "And yeah, his talent, his personality is a very good mix that fits us very well."

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