Madrid, Spain | AFP | Real Madrid’s lack of striking options is set to come under the spotlight with Karim Benzema expected to be sidelined for at least a month due to a hamstring injury. The Frenchman hobbled off midway through the first-half as Real were held to a shock 1-1 …

Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | South Africa football bosses will meet Monday to discuss a “devastating” FIFA order that a 2018 World Cup qualifier against Senegal must be replayed after the referee manipulated the result. National association president Danny Jordaan said Saturday in a statement that issues for debate could …

Berlin, Germany | AFP | Striker Mark Uth netted twice as defending champions Bayern Munich slumped to a shock 2-0 defeat at Hoffenheim in the German Bundesliga on Saturday. Bayern coach Carlo Ancelotti paid the price for rotating his squad, having started with both Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery on the …

Londres, United Kingdom | AFP | Manchester City capitalised on Sadio Mane’s controversial red card to thrash title rivals Liverpool 5-0, while Manchester United lost their 100 percent record after a 2-2 draw at Stoke on Saturday. City goalkeeper Ederson was stretchered off in a neck brace after being caught in …

Beijing, China | AFP | China’s factory price inflation, a key barometer of the industrial sector, accelerated sharply in August, reflecting strong demand and a reduction in excess capacity which has plagued China’s economy. The producer price index (PPI), which measures costs for goods at the factory gate, rose 6.3 percent …

Madrid, Spain | AFP | The European football transfer window may now be closed but there was talk of little else this week as the likes of top coaches Zinedine Zidane, Carlo Ancelotti and even German Chancellor Angela Merkel made calls for sweeping changes. The subject is at the centre of …

New York, United States | AFP | Former world number one and 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams made her first public comments since giving birth to a daughter one week ago, tweeting praise Friday to the US Open women’s finalists. Williams was pregnant when she won the Australian Open …

New Delhi, India | AFP | A team of six naval officers are starting a historic and gruelling around-the-world mission on Sunday — the first circumnavigation of the globe by an Indian all-female crew. Lieutenant Commander Vartika Joshi, who is leading the voyage which will begin in the western state of …

Besançon, France | AFP | Tourists visiting a church in the picturesque French town of Chateau-Chalon were surprised to discover that local pranksters had replaced the fonts’ holy water with alcohol, the local tourism office said Friday. A dozen tourists sniffed out the telltale signs of eau-de-vie, a clear fruit brandy, …

Caracas, Venezuela | AFP | Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro announced Friday his government will sell oil and other commodities in currencies other than the dollar, in a bid to weather US-imposed sanctions on the embattled country. “I have decided to start selling oil, gas, gold and all other products that Venezuela …