Zelensky wants plan with US to ‘stop Putin’ before talks with Russia

BEIRUT: Supporters of Iran-backed Hezbollah group blocked the Beirut airport road and burned tires on Thursday to protest a decision barring two Iranian planes from landing in the Lebanese capital, state media and an airport official said.
“Young men set tires on fire in front of the airport entrance, raising banners supporting Hezbollah’s former Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah,” Lebanon’s National News Agency said.
Some of the young men raised Hezbollah’s yellow flag and held pictures of Nasrallah, killed in an Israeli strike in September, as well as Iran’s slain Revolutionary Guards commander Qasem Soleimani, AFP footage showed.
The Lebanese army had been deployed there, the NNA said, with videos online showing scuffles between angry protesters and soldiers.
An official at Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport told AFP that the Public Works and Transport ministry had asked the facility to inform Mahan Air that Lebanon could not welcome two of its Beirut-bound flights.
One flight was scheduled for Thursday and another for Friday, said the official who requested anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.
“The two flights were rescheduled to next week,” he added, without saying why.
Earlier in the day, video footage circulated online showing a Lebanese man stranded at a Tehran airport calling on his peers to block the Beirut airport road.
“We have been waiting here since this morning. We are Lebanese... no one can control us,” the man said, calling on Hezbollah-allied parliament speaker Nabih Berri to secure the return of Lebanese travelers.
A November 27 ceasefire agreement ended more than a year of Israel-Hezbollah hostilities including about two months of all-out war, but both sides regularly accuse the other violations.
Saeed Chalandri, CEO of Tehran’s Imam Khomeini Airport, said “today’s flight to Beirut was scheduled... but the destination (country) did not issue the necessary permission,” in an interview with Mehr news agency.
A day earlier, Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee said Iran’s Quds Force and Hezbollah “have been exploiting... over the past few weeks the Beirut International Airport through civilian flights, to smuggle funds dedicated to arming” the group.
He added that the Israeli army was sending information to the committee tasked with ensuring ceasefire violations are identified and dealt with in order “to thwart” such attempts, though some had been successful.
Israel has repeatedly accused Hezbollah of using Lebanon’s only airport to transfer weapons from Iran.
Hezbollah and Lebanese officials have denied the claims, with authorities reinforcing surveillance and inspections at the facility.
In January, an Iranian plane carrying a diplomatic delegation was subjected to inspection, sparking outrage from Hezbollah and its supporters and praise by its detractors.

Al-Nassr won 3-2 at Al-Ahli on Thursday to keep their the Saudi Pro League title hopes alive. Two goals from new signing Jhon Duran made the difference in Jeddah as the Riyadh side came away with an impressive victory despite playing with 10 men for almost the entire second half.

It means Al-Nassr remain in third place, just three points behind Al-Hilal and five behind league leaders Al-Ittihad, who play tomorrow and Saturday respectively.

The home fans were on their feet in the sixth minute when Riyad Mahrez fired home after running on to a long ball out of defense, but the former Manchester City star was offside.

Duran made no such mistake just after the half-hour mark. Ayman Yahya slipped a pass to the Colombian, who controlled the ball on the edge of the area and spun around in one swift movement before unleashing a shot that ended up in the bottom corner.

Just after the restart, Al-Ahli had a goal ruled out by the video assistant referee, but a red card handed to Al-Nassr defender Mohammed Simakan, for an elbow on Ivan Toney, stood.

Toney got his revenge in the 78th minute, when he climbed majestically at the far post to head home a Gabri Veiga cross from the left, finally defeating an impressive Bento in goal.

The home fans might have expected Al-Ahli to continue to push forward in search of a win but it was to be the visitors who would score next, twice.

Yahya was up first, hitting the net on the second attempt after his first-time shot from the corner of the six-yard box was parried by Edouard Mendy.

Then, just before the end of the regulation 90 minutes, Duran produced a goal to remember. Running from the halfway line, he beat two defenders as if they were not there and then stroked a low shot home from just inside the area, sending the away fans wild with delight. It was a goal worthy of winning any game.

Sumaihan Al-Nabit pulled one back in the eighth minute of added time but it was too little too late for fifth-place Al-Ahli, who have otherwise been in great form in the league.

Earlier, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang saw red but his Al-Qadsiah teammates showed their mettle by coming from a goal behind and a man down to win 3-2 at Al-Shabab.

The Gabonese goal-getter was sent off with 11 minutes remaining, and his team 2-1 behind, but late goals from Ali Hazazi and Julian Quinones delivered a famous victory. Al-Qadsiah remain in fourth place in the league, trailing Al-Nassr only on goal difference.