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40 dead in Israeli strikes on Gaza's safe zone, including women and children
GAZA CITY, Palestinian Territories: Gaza's civil defence agency said Thursday that a rash of Israeli air strikes killed at least 40 people, most of them in encampments for displaced civilians, as Israel pressed its offensive in the Palestinian territory. The Israeli military said it was looking into reports of the strikes, which came as Hamas officials said that internal deliberations on the latest Israeli truce offer were nearly complete.
Alcaraz finds best to reach Barcelona Open quarters
BARCELONA: Carlos Alcaraz overcame a second set wobble to defeat Laslo Djere 6-2, 6-4 on Thursday and reach the Barcelona Open quarter-finals. The world number two stepped up a gear from his first round win over Ethan Quinn to dispatch his 80th-ranked opponent on the Catalan clay as he prepares for his French Open title defence. Alcaraz, who triumphed at the Monte Carlo Masters last week, has had an inconsistent start to the year and in March fell at the first hurdle in the Miami Open.
Pope Francis visits Rome jail, says he's doing 'as best I can'
VATICAN CITY: A still-convalescing Pope Francis said Thursday he was doing "as best I can" as he visited inmates at Rome's central jail before Easter. The 88-year-old Argentine pontiff spent about a half hour at Regina Coeli, a dilapidated jail in the centre of the capital that is one of Italy's most overcrowded. Francis individually greeted about 70 detainees as well as prison management and staff, the Vatican said in a statement.
IMF: Global recession unlikely despite tariff turmoil
WASHINGTON: The global economy is likely to avoid a recession despite the hit to growth from US President Donald Trump's tariff rollout, the head of the International Monetary Fund said Thursday. The stop-start US tariff plans have fueled levels of market volatility unseen since the Covid-19 pandemic, and most economists expect the imposition of new import levies will stifle growth and push up inflation, at least in the short term.
After Malaysia, Xi seeks trade boost with Cambodia visit
PHNOM PENH: Chinese President Xi Jinping met the Cambodian premier in Phnom Penh on Thursday on the final leg of a Southeast Asia tour in which he sought to strengthen regional trade ties. Xi arrived in the Cambodian capital after visiting Vietnam and Malaysia as Beijing seeks to build ties and offset the impact of huge tariffs imposed by his US counterpart Donald Trump. The Chinese leader was greeted by King Norodom Sihamoni during a military welcome ceremony after he touched down in Phnom Penh.
Amputee Palestinian boy image wins World Press Photo award
AMSTERDAM: A haunting portrait of a nine-year-old Palestinian boy who lost both arms during an Israeli attack on Gaza City won the 2025 World Press Photo of the Year Award today. The picture, by Samar Abu Elouf for The New York Times, depicts Mahmoud Ajjour, evacuated to Doha after an explosion severed one arm and mutilated the other last year.
Israel didn't honour Gaza truce: Qatar
MOSCOW: Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani said Thursday that Israel had failed to respect January's ceasefire agreement in Gaza, as he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. "As you know, we reached an agreement months ago, but unfortunately Israel did not abide by this agreement," said the ruler of Qatar, a key mediator of the deal.
'Can't turn a blind eye': UK Jewish leaders slam Netanyahu over Gaza war
LONDON: Members of the largest organisation representing British Jews have said they can no longer "turn a blind eye" to the war in Gaza, adding "Israel's soul is being ripped out." In a major break with the Board of Deputies of British Jews' policy of supporting the Israeli leadership, 36 of its members criticised the actions of Benjamin Netanyahu's government in Gaza in an open letter published in the Financial Times.
Trump says Fed chair Powell's 'termination cannot come fast enough'
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump blasted Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell on Thursday for not lowering interest rates, calling him "always TOO LATE AND WRONG". "Powell's termination cannot come fast enough," Trump wrote on his TruthSocial platform.
Netflix's 'Con Mum' tells Singapore court she had nobody to bail her out
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Amorim asks McIlroy to bring Masters magic to Man Utd
MANCHESTER: Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has invited Masters champion Rory McIlroy to Old Trafford to help inspire the struggling Red Devils. United fan McIlroy completed golf's career Grand Slam at Augusta National in dramatic fashion on Sunday with his first major win in 11 years. The Northern Irishman said he would take his green jacket to Old Trafford "if it can inspire some better play" from United, who sit 14th in the Premier League after a miserable season.
Heat scorch Bulls to advance, Mavericks upset Kings
LOS ANGELES: Tyler Herro scored 38 points as the Miami Heat cruised past the Chicago Bulls 109-90 to keep their NBA playoff hopes alive on Wednesday. Miami point guard Herro led from the front in a wire-to-wire victory that eliminated Chicago from postseason contention and sends the Heat into a winner-take-all clash against the Atlanta Hawks on Friday.
Japan fails to win immediate tariff relief in US talks
WASHINGTON: Japan failed Wednesday to secure any immediate relief from US tariffs, with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba saying after his envoy held talks in Washington that future negotiations "won't be easy". The talks between Ryosei Akazawa and President Donald Trump and other senior US officials were closely watched as a barometer for Washington's negotiations with other countries reeling from US tariffs.
Chinese investment sparks rise of Mandarin in Cambodia
CAMBODIA: Watching Chinese money flow into his home city of Sihanoukville, Cambodian linguist Um Keangseng opened a language school to meet the growing demand for Mandarin lessons. Sihanoukville has been the biggest recipient of Chinese investment into Cambodia, where President Xi Jinping will arrive Thursday. "Every province has Chinese investors," said Um Keangseng, who founded his school a decade ago to address the market for skilled communicators.
California sues US government over Trump tariffs
California is suing the federal government over Donald Trump's on-again-off-again tariffs, the governor and attorney general said Wednesday, claiming the American president does not have the right to impose them. The move marks the strongest pushback yet against a tariff roll-out that has sent global stock markets into meltdown, and left businesses across the US fretting about uncertainty. "It's the worst own-goal in the history of this country," California Governor Gavin Newsom said.
Concacaf chief rejects 64-team World Cup plan for 2030
MIAMI: The South American proposal for the 2030 World Cup to feature 64 teams has received a serious blow with CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani rejecting the idea. The opposition of Montagliani, who heads the confederation for the 41 member associations in North and Central America and the Caribbean, follows similar stances taken by UEFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
Starc stars as Delhi beat Rajasthan in Super Over
NEW DELHI: Delhi Capitals edged out Rajasthan Royals in the IPL's first Super Over of the season after pace bowler Mitchell Starc defended nine off the last over on Wednesday. Left-arm quick Starc restricted Rajasthan to 188-4 after Delhi made 188-5, and then returned to bowl another disciplined over at the Feroz Shah Kotla ground.
S. Korea worker found dead days after metro construction site collapse
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US stocks fall with dollar as Powell warns on tariffs
NEW YORK: Wall Street traders were back in sell-off mode Wednesday while the dollar fell further as downcast comments from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell added to weakness in semiconductor giant Nvidia. After a relatively peaceful couple of days on markets following tariff-related volatility last week, investors were once again on the defensive. Gold, a safe-haven asset in times of uncertainty, climbed above US$3,300 an ounce for the first time.
Ruud keeps Barcelona Open defence on course
BARCELONA: Barcelona Open holder Casper Ruud ousted Hamad Medjedovic 7-5, 7-5 to reach the quarter-finals yesterday (April 16). The Norwegian, ranked 10th in the world, conceded a break in the first game of the first set but pulled level at 4-4 with one of his own. Ruud survived four break points for a 6-5 lead and then converted his third set point to take the first set.
Zuckerberg denies Meta bought rivals to conquer them
WASHINGTON: Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg on Wednesday denied in court that his company bought rival services Instagram and WhatsApp to neutralise them, as his testimony in a landmark antitrust case came to a close. The case could see the Facebook owner forced to divest itself of the two apps, which have grown into global powerhouses since their buyouts.
US judge says 'probable cause' to hold Trump admin in contempt
WASHINGTON: A US judge said Wednesday he had found "probable cause" to hold President Donald Trump's administration in contempt in a deportation case, raising the stakes in the White House's confrontation with the justice system. The White House said it planned an "immediate" appeal to the decision by district judge James Boasberg, who had ordered the government to halt flights of more than 200 alleged gang Venezuelan members to El Salvador.
Inter dreaming of treble glory after reaching Champions League semis
MILAN, Italy: Inter Milan's treble dream is alive and kicking after reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League on Wednesday thanks to 2-2 draw with Bayern Munich, as the Serie A giants won a pulsating last-eight tie 4-3 on aggregate. Italian champions Inter will face Barcelona in the semis after goals in the space of three minutes from captain Lautaro Martinez and Benjamin Pavard cancelled out a Harry Kane strike for Bayern which levelled the tie in the 52nd minute.
Newcastle thrash Crystal Palace to go third in Premier League
NEWCASTLE, United Kingdom: Newcastle soared up to third in the Premier League with a 5-0 thrashing of Crystal Palace on Wednesday to close in on a return to the Champions League next season. Jacob Murphy, Harvey Barnes, Fabian Schar and Alexander Isak were on target for the Magpies, with Marc Guehi also scoring an own goal, as Newcastle made light of the absence of manager Eddie Howe due to pneumonia.
Courtois: Real Madrid lacked accuracy in attack
MADRID: Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois said his team's attacking stars failed to break down Arsenal as the Champions League holders were knocked out on Wednesday. Arsenal won 2-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu to complete a 5-1 aggregate victory and reach the semi-finals for the first time since 2009. Madrid, led by superstars Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior, largely failed to trouble Arsenal's defence until the latter struck in the 67th minute to level after Bukayo Saka's opener.
Trump tariffs provoke growing economic uncertainty
WASHINGTON: Concern over the economic fallout from US President Donald Trump's global tariffs mounted Wednesday, with Fed Chair Jerome Powell's warning of higher inflation sending stock markets tumbling. Trump remained upbeat, posting on social media that there'd been "Big Progress!" in talks with Japan on a trade deal.
Trade war turmoil: WTO warns of global crash
GENEVA: Global trade is expected to plummet this year in the wake of President Donald Trump's tariff offensive, fuelling uncertainty that threatens "severe negative consequences" for the world, the World Trade Organisation warned Wednesday. Since returning to office, Trump has imposed a 10 per cent tariff on imports of goods from around the world along with 25 per cent levies on steel, aluminium and cars.
Israel to block all humanitarian aid from entering Gaza
JERUSALEM: Israel said it would keep blocking humanitarian aid entering Gaza, where a relentless military offensive has turned the Palestinian territory into a "mass grave", a medical charity said. Israel resumed air and ground attacks across the Gaza Strip on March 18, ending a two-month ceasefire with Hamas that had largely halted hostilities in the territory, with rescuers on Wednesday saying at least 11 were killed in strikes across Gaza.
Shelton through to quarters of Munich ATP event
MUNICH: American world number 15 Ben Shelton advanced to the quarter-finals of the Munich ATP event on Wednesday with a 7-6 (7/1), 6-3 win over Botic van de Zandschulp. Shelton, seeded second, was broken in the opening set by Van de Zandschulp, in the tournament as a lucky loser. The American fought back with a break of his own before a dominant showing in the tie-break.
Australian PM toughens stance Against US tariffs ahead of elections
SYDNEY: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese promised on Wednesday to defend Australia's interests in its trade tangle with the United States, in a televised debate ahead of May 3 national elections. US President Donald Trump's 10 per cent tariffs on close ally Australia have loomed large in the duel between 62-year-old Albanese and his hard-nosed conservative challenger, former policeman Peter Dutton.
Ex-snooker champ Graeme Dott faces child sex abuse charges
LONDON: Former world snooker champion Graeme Dott appeared in court in Scotland on Wednesday over allegations of child sex abuse. Dott, 47, who has been released on bail, is accused of two charges relating to young children. The allegations span the period between 1993 and 1996 involving a girl, and 2006 to 2010 involving a boy, both in the Glasgow region. Dott appeared at the High Court in Glasgow on Wednesday, and had his bail continued. He is expected to appear again on June 11.
South Korean worker found dead after metro collapse
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Palestinian Islamic Jihad releases 7-minute video of Israeli hostage alive
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India's opposition slams US$322mil graft case against Gandhis
NEW DELHI: India's main opposition Congress party accused the government of a "vendetta" on Wednesday after a federal agency filed charges against its top leaders in a years-long corruption case. Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi and his mother Sonia Gandhi were charged as part of a probe initiated by a member of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). They have denied the allegations and have accused the BJP of using the state apparatus to target its rivals.
Gabon striker Boupendza dies after 11th floor fall in China
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Singapore 'cannot rule out' recession due to US tariffs
SINGAPORE: Singapore "cannot rule out" a recession this year because of the global uncertainty caused by US President Donald Trump's tariffs, its trade minister said Wednesday. The city-state's economy is a barometer for global trade because of its heavy dependence on world demand, but that order is now under threat after Trump imposed sweeping tariffs on dozens of countries.
Anthony, Black help Magic past Hawks
LOS ANGELES: Cole Anthony scored 26 points off the bench as the Orlando Magic booked their place in the first round of the NBA playoffs with a 120-95 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday. In the opening game of the Eastern Conference's play-in tournament, Orlando's superior production from the bench proved decisive as the Magic clinched the seventh seed.
China warns US: We're not afraid of trade war
BEIJING: China warned Wednesday it was "not afraid" to fight a trade war with the United States and reiterated calls for dialogue, after US President Donald Trump said it was up to Beijing to come to the negotiating table. "If the US really wants to resolve the issue through dialogue and negotiation, it should stop exerting extreme pressure, stop threatening and blackmailing, and talk to China on the basis of equality, respect and mutual benefit," foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said.
Barcelona 'justified' semi-final spot despite Dortmund loss, says Flick
DORTMUND: Barcelona coach Hansi Flick said his side deserved to reach the Champions League semi-finals despite a 3-1 loss in the second leg at Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday. Barcelona's 4-0 win at home in the first leg left Dortmund needing a miracle to reach the last four for the second straight season.
Onana faces date with destiny as Man Utd chase Lyon win
LONDON: Andre Onana faces a potentially make-or-break match for his Manchester United career against Lyon in the Europa League on Thursday as the English giants battle to keep their season alive. The Cameroon international goalkeeper made himself the main talking point ahead of the first leg of the quarter-final in France, which ended in a 2-2 draw, boldly claiming United were "way better" than their opponents.
Emery targets 'next step' for Aston Villa after Champions League heroics
BIRMINGHAM: Unai Emery believes there is more to come from Aston Villa as they exited the Champions League with pride after a thrilling 3-2 victory over Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday. The French champions prevailed 5-4 on aggregate to reach the semi-finals thanks to their 3-1 first leg lead, but lost at Villa Park for just the second time in 19 matches. Emery's men nearly produced one of the most memorable Champions League fightbacks in history.
'We thought the tie was over': Dembele admits PSG switched off against Villa
BIRMINGHAM: Paris Saint-Germain's Ousmane Dembele said his side needed to learn not to switch off in big games after almost collapsing against Aston Villa in their Champions League quarter-final on Tuesday, and called on his teammates to avoid making the same mistake in the last four. "You have to be demanding especially in matches like these.
What they said after Champions League quarter-final second legs
PARIS: Key quotes after Paris Saint-Germain withstood an Aston Villa fightback and Barcelona held off Borussia Dortmund in the second legs of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final ties on Tuesday: "I'm proud of what we were able to do. Barcelona are a strong team but we fought until the death. We showed what we can do." – Dortmund's hat-trick hero Serhou Guirassy told Amazon Prime after his side just came up short of a remarkable comeback "I believed the whole time.
'Gap too big' for Dortmund after first leg, says Guirassy
Borussia Dortmund striker Serhou Guirassy said his side had sealed their fate with a poor first leg performance in Barcelona last week, despite a much improved display in a 3-1 home win on Tuesday. Trailing 4-0 from the first leg, Guirassy gave Dortmund a glimmer of hope with an early penalty and then a second goal just after half-time. But an own goal effectively killed off the tie in Barcelona's favour despite Guirassy completing his hat-trick with 14 minutes left.
UK's top court to rule on how to define a 'woman'
LONDON: Britain's highest court will hand down a landmark ruling Wednesday on the definition of a "woman", weighing in on a long-running, divisive debate about biological sex versus gender identity. The Supreme Court ruling could have widespread implications for sex-based rights across the UK — including access to single-sex spaces for transgender women.
China says economy grew 5.4pct in first quarter, beating forecasts | New Straits Times
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Trump orders critical minerals probe that may bring new tariffs
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump ordered a probe Tuesday that may result in tariffs on critical minerals, rare-earth metals and associated products such as smartphones, in an escalation of his dispute with global trade partners. Trump has upended markets in recent weeks with his sweeping on-off levies, and this investigation could see him impose further tariffs if it shows that imports of critical minerals and their derivatives endanger US national security.
Landmark agreement reached at WHO over tackling future pandemics
GENEVA: Years of negotiations culminated in the wee small hours of Wednesday with countries agreeing the text of a landmark accord on how to tackle future pandemics, aimed at avoiding a repeat of the mistakes made during the Covid-19 crisis. After more than three years of talks and a final marathon session, weary delegates at the World Health Organisation's headquarters could finally pop the champagne corks at around 2am (0000 GMT) Wednesday.
Facebook added 'value' to Instagram, Zuckerberg tells antitrust trial
WASHINGTON: Social media titan Mark Zuckerberg testified for a second day Tuesday in a landmark US antitrust trial, defending his conglomerate Meta against accusations it took over Instagram and WhatsApp to devour budding competitors. The federal court trial in Washington has dashed Zuckerberg's hopes that the return of President Donald Trump to the White House would see the government let up on the enforcement of antitrust law against Big Tech.
Hamas raises fears for hostage at centre of latest Gaza truce offer
Gaza City, Palestinian Territories, April 15, 2025 (AFP) - GAZA CITY: Hamas said Tuesday that after an Israeli strike it had "lost contact" with the captors of an Israeli-American hostage in Gaza, whose release reportedly takes centre stage in Israel's latest proposal for a renewed ceasefire. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited northern Gaza Tuesday, his office announced, as the military kept up the offensive it resumed on March 18, effectively ending a two-month ceasefire.
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