Saudi’s Abdullah Abkar claims 200m silver at Asian Games

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Japan’s Koki Ueyama, right, wins the men’s 200m final at the 19th Asian Games ahead of Saudi Arabia’s Abdullah Abkar in Hangzhou, China, Monday, Oct. 2, 2023. (AP Photo)
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Saudi Arabia’s Abdullah Abkar, silver, Japan’s Koki Ueyama, gold, and Taiwan’s Yang Chun-Han, bronze, during the medal presentation for the men’s 200m, Hangzhou, China, Oct. 2, 2023. (AP Photo)
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Issa Ghazwani advanced to the final of the 800m after winning his semifinal in a time of 1:48.98. (Supplied)
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The Saudi 4x100m relay team, Sultan Al-Khaldi, Abdulaziz Atafi, Hamoud Alwani and Mahmoud Hafiz, exited the games after finishing fifth in their heat in a time of 40.34. (Supplied)
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The Saudi archery team of Abdulaziz Al-Rawdhan, Bilal Alawadhi and Majdi Al-Sobhi exited the games at the quarterfinal stage. (Supplied)
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Updated 03 October 2023
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Saudi’s Abdullah Abkar claims 200m silver at Asian Games

  • Abkar led from the gun but was pipped on the line by the fast-finishing Ueyama Koki of Japan who took gold in a time of 20.60
  • Saudi runner Issa Ghazwani advanced to the final of the 800m after winning his semifinal in a time of 1:48.98

HANGZHOU: Abdullah Abkar won the fourth Saudi medal of the 19th Asian Games when placing second in the men’s 200m at the Olympic stadium in Hangzhou.

Abkar led from the gun but was pipped on the line by the fast-finishing Ueyama Koki of Japan who took gold in a time of 20.60, Abkar had to settle for silver with a time of 20.63.

 

The Saudi basketball team has qualified for the quarterfinals, in Hangzhou, after defeating Hong Kong 95-72.

Saudi Arabia were without Marzouq Al-Muwallad, who had returned home following the death of his brother.

Saudi runner Issa Ghazwani advanced to the final of the 800m after winning his semifinal in a time of 1:48.98.

The Saudi 4x100m relay team, Sultan Al-Khaldi, Abdulaziz Atafi, Hamoud Alwani and Mahmoud Hafiz, exited the games after finishing fifth in their heat in a time of 40.34.

Sami Alyami set a new personal record in the 800m, finishing third in his semifinal with a time of 1:49.56, but failed to advance to the final.

The Saudi archery team of Abdulaziz Al-Rawdhan, Bilal Alawadhi and Majdi Al-Sobhi exited the games at the quarterfinal stage after losing to Iran.

The Saudi archers, along with Sara Bin Saloom and Shaden Al-Marshoud in the women’s, also exited the men’s individual competition.


US invests in counter-drone tech to protect FIFA World Cup venues

Updated 13 January 2026
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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.