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Pep Guardiola Eyes National Team Role After Manchester City Era

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Pep Guardiola Eyes National Team Role After Manchester City Era

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has revealed he won’t manage another club after his time at the Etihad Stadium ends, suggesting international management could be his next step in coaching.

“I’m not going to manage another team. I’m not talking about the long-term future, but what I’m not going to do is leave Man City, go to another country, and do the same thing as now,” Guardiola told celebrity chef Dani Garcia in a broadcast interview this week. “I wouldn’t have the energy. The thought of starting somewhere else, all the process of training and so on. No, no, no! Maybe a national team, but that’s different.”

The Catalan coach, who recently signed a contract extension through 2027, will have spent 11 years at Manchester City when his current deal expires. His tenure has produced an impressive haul of 15 major trophies, including six Premier League titles in seven years and the Champions League.

Guardiola’s illustrious coaching career spans successful spells at Barcelona and Bayern Munich, accumulating 32 major trophies including league titles in Spain and Germany, plus three Champions League victories. He is widely regarded as one of soccer’s greatest coaches.

While contemplating his future beyond City, Guardiola hasn’t ruled out leaving coaching entirely. “I want to leave it and go and play golf but I can’t. I think stopping would do me good,” he said, suggesting a period of rest might appeal after his City tenure ends.

Serbian Court Sentences Mass Shooting Suspect, Uros Blazic, to 20 Years Imprisonment

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Serbian Court Sentences Mass Shooting Suspect, Uros Blazic, to 20 Years Imprisonment

A Serbian court sentenced Uros Blazic to 20 years in prison Thursday for gunning down nine people and wounding 12 others in a shooting rampage outside Belgrade last May, delivering the maximum sentence allowed for offenders under 21 years old.

The 21-year-old defendant opened fire with an automatic rifle on May 4, 2023, randomly targeting young people at multiple locations in the villages of Dubona and Malo Orasje. The attack came just one day after Serbia’s first school shooting, where a teenager killed nine students and a guard at a Belgrade elementary school.

“I committed hideous acts and I deserve the toughest punishment,” Blazic told the court during closing arguments, saying he felt victimized but acknowledged no justification for his actions. The judges found he was “aware of his actions and their illegality, and with relentless violent behavior” killed and wounded his victims.

The court also convicted Blazic’s father, Radisa Blazic, sentencing him to 20 years for illegal possession of the weapons used in the shooting. Local media reported the younger Blazic had a police record and history of violent behavior before the massacre.

Victims’ families attended the verdict, many sobbing as they entered the courtroom wearing shirts bearing images of their lost loved ones. The shootings, unprecedented in modern Serbian history, sparked street protests and a government crackdown on illegal weapons.

The school shooter’s parents are currently on trial in Belgrade, while their son, who was below the age of criminal responsibility, remains in a specialized mental institution.

Saka Misses Arsenal Hat-Trick After Teammate’s Lucky Deflection

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Saka Misses Arsenal Hat-Trick After Teammate’s Lucky Deflection

Bukayo Saka was denied his first Arsenal hat-trick Wednesday night when teammate Kai Havertz’s shin deflected his goal-bound shot into the net, putting a bittersweet touch on an otherwise dominant Champions League performance.

“He got in the way of it,” Saka said with a laugh after the 3-0 victory over Monaco at the Emirates Stadium, “but don’t worry, it’s (a hat trick) coming. It’s on the way.” The 23-year-old winger had already scored twice before his 88th-minute effort was redirected by Havertz for Arsenal’s third goal.

Manager Mikel Arteta focused on Saka’s continued development toward elite status rather than the missed milestone. “You have to be able to do that consistently throughout many years to put yourself in that position,” Arteta noted. “We can compare what he’s done in his first six years of professional football, which is exceptional, and his aim is to improve.”

The match also marked a significant moment for Arsenal’s youth development as 18-year-old Myles Lewis-Skelly made his Champions League debut at left back, following Saka’s own path from academy prospect to first-team star. “Looking up to Bukayo, he has that mindset, he has everything,” Lewis-Skelly said. “I’ve learned a lot from him and I want to keep learning.”

Despite missing out on his personal milestone, Saka’s performance helped lift Arsenal to third place in the 36-team standings. His three goal contributions continued his impressive form in European competition, even if the hat-trick remained just out of reach.

Biden Issues Largest Single-Day Clemency in Modern History

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Biden Issues Largest Single-Day Clemency in Modern History

President Joe Biden announced Thursday the commutation of roughly 1,500 sentences for people who served at least one year of home confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic, alongside pardons for 39 Americans convicted of nonviolent crimes, marking the largest single-day clemency action in modern U.S. history.

“America was built on the promise of possibility and second chances,” Biden said in a statement. “As president, I have the great privilege of extending mercy to people who have demonstrated remorse and rehabilitation, restoring opportunity for Americans to participate in daily life and contribute to their communities.”

The massive clemency action surpasses Barack Obama’s previous record of 330 acts of clemency before leaving office in 2017. Those pardoned Thursday include emergency response team leaders, church deacons working in addiction counseling, doctoral students, and decorated military veterans convicted of nonviolent offenses.

Biden faces mounting pressure from advocacy groups to issue additional pardons before Trump takes office in January, including for federal death row inmates. His attorney general, Merrick Garland, had paused federal executions, though they’re likely to resume under Trump, who oversaw an unprecedented number of executions during his first term.

The president is also weighing possible preemptive pardons for those who investigated Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election results. The unprecedented move has been under consideration for six months, though Biden has expressed concerns about the precedent it would set.

The clemency follows Biden’s controversial pardon of his son Hunter for gun and tax crimes, which garnered only 20% public approval in an AP-NORC poll. Criminal justice advocates have since pressed the administration to extend similar mercy to everyday Americans.

Prior to Thursday’s announcement, Biden had issued 122 commutations and 21 pardons, including broad pardons for marijuana possession on federal lands and former service members convicted under repealed military regulations on consensual gay sex.

Police Link Suspect to Healthcare CEO Murder Through Fingerprints

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Police Link Suspect to Healthcare CEO Murder Through Fingerprints

Police announced Wednesday that fingerprints found on a water bottle and protein bar near the murder scene of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson match those of Luigi Mangione, the 26-year-old suspect arrested Monday in Pennsylvania after a weeklong manhunt.

NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch revealed the forensic breakthrough alongside ballistics evidence linking Mangione’s seized firearm to shell casings from the December 4 shooting outside a Manhattan hotel. The evidence provides the first physical connection between Mangione and the targeted killing of the 50-year-old healthcare executive.

Mangione, arrested at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, faces multiple charges in both states as his lawyers fight extradition to New York. “He’s pleading not guilty to those offences,” defense attorney Thomas Dickey said. “I haven’t seen any evidence that he is the shooter.” Dickey later told ABC News that similar-looking guns shouldn’t lead to rushed judgments.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul pledged to expedite the extradition process. “I am co-ordinating with the District Attorney’s Office and will sign a request for a governor’s warrant to ensure this individual is tried and held accountable,” she said. Defense lawyers have two weeks to challenge the transfer.

Police discovered three handwritten pages in Mangione’s possession that appeared to claim responsibility for Thompson’s killing, expressing frustrations with the U.S. healthcare system. “He does make some indication that he’s frustrated with the healthcare system,” NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny told Good Morning America. “He was writing a lot about his disdain for corporate America and in particular the healthcare industry.”

Former friends told the BBC that Mangione, who holds degrees from the University of Pennsylvania, had suffered from a back injury requiring spinal surgery in 2023. His mother had reported him missing in San Francisco last month, having not heard from him since July.

“Our family is shocked and devastated by Luigi’s arrest,” Mangione’s family said in a statement posted by his cousin. “We offer our prayers to the family of Brian Thompson and we ask people to pray for all involved.”

Thompson’s widow, Paulette, had previously revealed he received threats related to medical coverage before his death, though prosecutors haven’t suggested a specific motive.

Syria Rebels Burn Assad Family Tomb as Nation Marks Regime’s Fall

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Syria Rebels Burn Assad Family Tomb as Nation Marks Regime’s Fall

Syrian rebel fighters destroyed the tomb of former president Hafez al-Assad Monday in the family’s ancestral hometown of Qardaha, marking another symbolic defeat of the Assad dynasty days after President Bashar al-Assad fled to Russia.

Video footage verified by the BBC showed armed men chanting around the burning mausoleum in northwestern Latakia region, as rebels continued dismantling symbols of the 54-year Assad rule. Across Syria, citizens have been pulling down statues and posters of both Hafez, who ruled from 1971 until his death in 2000, and his son Bashar.

The Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) rebel group moved quickly to establish order in Qardaha, meeting with local elders who signed a document emphasizing Syria’s religious and cultural diversity, Reuters reported. The gesture aimed to reassure the region’s Alawite population, who comprise about 10% of Syrians and were traditional Assad supporters.

HTS leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, formerly known as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, has pledged tolerance for different religious groups since breaking ties with al-Qaeda in 2016. The group has appointed Mohammed al-Bashir to lead a transitional government until March 2025, with Tuesday meetings already underway to transfer institutional control from former regime officials.

“We reopened without fear because the people we serve are now not intimidating at all,” said Joud Insani, a Damascus chocolate shop worker. “Before, everyone who came to buy from us was either there to represent a general or a minister loyal to the Assad regime. Now thank God, that is no longer the case.”

The dramatic changes follow Bashar al-Assad’s brutal suppression of peaceful pro-democracy protests in 2011, which sparked a devastating civil war killing over half a million people and displacing 12 million others. The U.S. Secretary of State has promised to support a future Syrian government if it emerges from an inclusive process respecting minorities.

In Damascus’s Joubar neighborhood, residents are returning to assess war damage. “This is the first time we dared to come back,” said Muhammad al Qahef, surveying his destroyed home with his wife Monawwar. “I feel as if it’s me that has been broken into pieces.”

The UN envoy for Syria has called on rebels to match their “good messages” with practical implementation, as merchants in Damascus markets celebrate newfound “oxygen in the air” and ongoing festivities mark the regime’s end.

FBI Director Wray Announces Departure Ahead of Trump Presidency

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FBI Director Wray Announces Departure Ahead of Trump Presidency

FBI Director Christopher Wray announced Wednesday he will resign before President-elect Donald Trump takes office next month, drawing a standing ovation and tears from staff at an internal meeting where he explained his decision to avoid “dragging the bureau deeper into the fray.”

The departure marks the end of Wray’s tenure before his 10-year term was set to expire in 2027. Trump, who previously nominated Wray in 2017 after firing James Comey, has already named Kash Patel as his choice to lead the agency.

“I’ve decided the right thing for the bureau is for me to serve until the end of the current administration in January and then step down,” Wray told FBI employees. “In my view, this is the best way to avoid dragging the bureau deeper into the fray, while reinforcing the values and principles that are so important to how we do our work.”

Trump celebrated the announcement as “a great day for America” that would “end the Weaponization of what has become known as the United States Department of Injustice.” The president-elect’s nominee, Patel, has called for dramatic reforms, writing in his memoir “Government Gangsters” about eradicating “government tyranny” within the FBI by firing “the top ranks.”

“Reform is badly needed at FBI,” Senator Chuck Grassley wrote on X, though critics question Patel’s qualifications. Attorney General Merrick Garland praised Wray’s “honorable” service “under presidents of both parties,” while Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin warned the FBI “will soon embark on a perilous new era.”

FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate will lead the bureau after Wray’s departure until Patel’s confirmation. Patel said Wednesday he was “looking forward to a smooth transition” and would be “ready to go on day one,” pending Senate approval.

The transition comes after years of tension between Wray and Republicans over FBI investigations into Trump. Wray has strongly denied allowing partisan bias, telling lawmakers last year, “The idea that I am biased against conservatives seems somewhat insane to me, given my own personal background.”

The FBIAA, representing bureau agents, praised Wray for leading them “through challenging times with a steady focus on doing the work that keeps our country safe.” The 10-year director term was originally designed to span presidential administrations and avoid political influence.

Taliban Minister Killed in Kabul Ministry Suicide Attack

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Taliban Minister Killed in Kabul Ministry Suicide Attack

A suicide bomber killed Taliban refugee minister Khalil Haqqani and six others Wednesday inside Kabul’s interior ministry, in the most significant attack on Taliban leadership since the movement returned to power in 2021.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility through its Amaq news agency, reporting that a militant waited outside the minister’s office and detonated explosives as Haqqani exited. Taliban officials confirmed IS’s role in the attack.

Haqqani, designated a global terrorist by the United States, belonged to the influential Haqqani network within the Taliban. His brother Jalaluddin, who founded the network, gained prominence fighting Soviet forces in Afghanistan during the 1980s. Haqqani’s nephew Sirajuddin currently serves as interior minister in the Taliban government.

The attack highlights ongoing security challenges in Afghanistan despite improved conditions since the Taliban’s return to power following U.S. troop withdrawal in 2021. Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), the regional IS affiliate and Taliban rival, continues to conduct dozens of bombings and suicide attacks annually across the country.

Super-Sub Torres Lifts Barcelona To Thrilling Win At Dortmund

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Super-Sub Torres Lifts Barcelona To Thrilling Win At Dortmund

Substitute Ferran Torres struck twice in the final 15 minutes Wednesday night, including an 85th-minute winner, to give Barcelona a thrilling 3-2 victory at Borussia Dortmund and strengthen their Champions League position.

Torres, introduced in the 71st minute, proved decisive in a pulsating second half that saw five goals. His first came in the 75th minute, capitalizing on a rebound after goalkeeper Gregor Kobel parried Frenkie de Jong’s volley. After Serhou Guirassy’s second equalizer for Dortmund, Torres secured victory by converting Lamine Yamal’s through ball.

Barcelona had taken the lead through Raphinha’s sixth goal of the competition in the 53rd minute, finishing off Dani Olmo’s pass after a swift attack. Guirassy twice leveled for Dortmund, first from the penalty spot on the hour mark after being fouled, then in the 78th minute catching Barcelona’s defense off guard.

The victory lifts Barcelona to 15 points and second place with two games remaining, while Dortmund drops to ninth on 12 points, just outside the automatic qualification spots for the round of 16. The Germans suffered a late blow when defender Nico Schlotterbeck injured his ankle in the match’s final action.

Barcelona dominated early possession, approaching 70% in the first half, though Dortmund showed increased threat after the break, with Guirassy having an early goal disallowed for offside.

Juventus Stun Manchester City To Extend Champions’ Struggles

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Juventus Stun Manchester City To Extend Champions’ Struggles

Juventus boosted their Champions League knockout round hopes Wednesday night with a commanding 2-0 victory over Manchester City, whose recent struggles deepened at the Allianz Stadium.

Dusan Vlahovic broke the deadlock eight minutes after halftime when his powerful header slipped through Ederson’s grasp, barely crossing the line before the goalkeeper’s attempted clearance. American substitute Weston McKennie sealed the victory with a spectacular 75th-minute scissor kick following Timothy Weah’s precise cross on a swift counterattack.

The victory lifts Juventus to 14th place with 11 points, just two points shy of the crucial top-eight positions. City’s worrying form continues as they fall to 22nd with eight points, precariously positioned above Paris Saint-Germain and Stuttgart who trail by just one point.

Manuel Locatelli orchestrated Juventus’s performance with four accurate long balls, two key attacking passes, and impressive defensive statistics including seven won duels and six tackles. Despite City dominating possession (69%), Juventus proved more clinical with five shots on target to City’s three.

“A lack of urgency, summarising Man City’s performances in recent weeks, enabled Juventus to comfortably keep a clean sheet,” noted match observers. The defeat extends City’s poor run to just one win in their last ten matches across all competitions, with a crucial Manchester derby looming Sunday.

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