BANGKOK: Omar Khribin became the first player from Syria to be named Asian Player of the Year yesterday after he won the top prize at the Asian Football Confederation’s Annual Awards in Bangkok.
The striker, 23, pipped UAE’s Omar Abdulrahman, the reigning Asian Player of the Year, and China’s Wu Lei to win the award, becoming the first player from a Saudi Arabian team to win it since Nasser Al-Shamrani lifted the title in 2014.
Khribin’s success was rich reward for a stellar year for both club and country. He only joined Al-Hilal in January, initially on loan, from the UAE’s Al-Dhafra but he wasted no time in helping the Riyadh giants to the Saudi Pro League title and to King’s Cup success.
After making that move permanent in the summer, he translated his form to the Asian Champions League where his 10 goals, including five in the two-legged semifinal with Persepolis, fired Al-Hilal to the brink of continental glory.
Khribin was also a big hit on the international scene, spearheading Syria’ unlikely run to the playoffs for next summer’s World Cup. Last month, his side lost to Asian champions Australia 3-2 on aggregate having taken the tie to extra time and captured the hearts of the sporting world.
(Withn AFP)
Hilal's Khribin wins top Asian award
Hilal's Khribin wins top Asian award
US invests in counter-drone tech to protect FIFA World Cup venues
The US will invest $115 million in counter-drone measures to bolster security around the FIFA World Cup and America’s 250th Anniversary celebrations, the Department of Homeland Security said on Monday, the latest sign of governments stepping up drone defenses.
The FIFA World Cup will be a major test of President Donald Trump’s pledge to keep the US secure, with over a million travelers expected to visit for the tournament and billions more watching matches from overseas.
The threat of drone attacks has become a growing concern since the war in Ukraine has demonstrated their lethal capabilities. And recent drone incidents have worried both European and US airports.
“We are entering a new era to defend our air superiority to protect our borders and the interior of the United States,” DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement. Defense companies are developing a range of technologies aimed at countering drones, including tracking software, lasers, microwaves and autonomous machine guns.
The DHS did not specify which technologies it would deploy to World Cup venues. The announcement comes weeks after the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which sits under DHS, said it granted $250 million to 11 states hosting World Cup matches to buy counter-drone technologies.
Last summer, New York Governor Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, called on Trump, a Republican, to bolster federal support for defending against drone attacks.
