Former Hamas chief calls for protests, neighbours to join war against Israel
DOHA Former Hamas chief Khaled Meshaal called for protests across the Muslim world on Friday in support of
2023-10-11 15:49
World Bank's Banga: Interest rates to stay higher for longer
MARRAKECH, Morocco World Bank President Ajay Banga said on Wednesday interest rates will likely stay higher for longer
2023-10-11 15:45
Ridley Scott blasts Blade Runner critics after re-watching 'special' movie
Sir Ridley Scott has taken aim at 'Blade Runner' critics who said the information in the movie was "silly" and blasted the pace of the 1982 film as "slow", after he re-watched the motion picture recently for the first time in two decades.
2023-10-11 15:25
'It's a no-brainer!' Bryan Adams returning to Royal Albert Hall for 3-date run
Bryan Adams is heading back to London's Royal Albert Hall for a three-date run in May next year, and the 'Summer of 69' star admitted it was a "no-brainer" to return to the iconic venue after he had such a good time there in 2022.
2023-10-11 15:24
Jonas Brothers perform with their dad in Nashville
The Jonas Brothers brought out their dad Kevin Jonas Sr. as a special guest to perform with them at their show in Nashville, Tennessee on Monday night (09.10.23)
2023-10-11 15:22
LVMH shares slump and hit fashion sector as luxury giant's sales growth moderates
PARIS (Reuters) -LVMH's shares slumped on Wednesday, knocking back other shares in the fashion sector, as the French luxury giant's
2023-10-11 15:19
Carey Mulligan insists Maestro isn't a Leonard Bernstein biopic
Maestro star Carey Mulligan has insisted the film isn't a Leonard Bernstein biopic - declaring it's actually more focused on the composer's marriage to Felicia Montealegre
2023-10-11 15:15
Stock market today: Asian shares rise after eased pressure on bonds pushes Wall Street higher
Shares are higher in Asia, tracking Wall Street gains following an easing of pressure from the bond market
2023-10-11 14:50
UN 'deeply concerned' over reports women and children killed in Myanmar bombing
The United Nations says it is "deeply concerned" by reports that civilians, including women and children, were killed and injured in a bombing at a camp for internally displaced people in Myanmar.
2023-10-11 14:48
Russia loses vote to rejoin UN’s top human rights body despite Putin’s charm offensive with stolen grain
Russia’s desperate bid to rejoin the UN’s top human rights body with a charm offensive involving stolen Ukrainian grain and arms was defeated by a significant majority in a General Assembly vote on Tuesday. Russia received 83 votes from the 193-member UN, significantly more than the 24 countries who supported Moscow when it was booted out of the Human Rights Council in another vote more than one year ago. Russia was competing against Albania and Bulgaria for two seats on the Geneva-based UNHRC, representing the East European regional group. Bulgaria secured 160 votes, Albania received 123, while the Vladimir Putin-led nation managed only 83. In the run up to the voting, Russia made efforts to lure African allies and other friendly nations with stolen Ukrainian grain and arms in exchange for their votes – a charm offensive that experts said could work on some nations in need of the bartered goods. Moscow had claimed it had support from a silent majority at the UN, something which Tuesday’s vote shows was not the case. But experts said even its ability to win over 83 countries shows it maintains a surprisingly high level of support on the international arena. “I think the Russians will be pleased that they persuaded a sizable minority of UN members to back them (which) suggests that Moscow is not a total pariah in the UN system, despite repeated Western criticism,” Richard Gowan, UN director of the International Crisis Group, said. That said, the US and Ukraine’s allies were still able to ensure that Albania and Bulgaria swept the contest for the two seats, he said. “So, Kyiv’s friends still have a solid majority in the assembly,” Mr Gowan said.Yousuf Syed Khan, senior lawyer at Global Rights Compliance, said that declining to accept Russia’s bid for HRC membership “means that vulnerable member states were not assuaged by Russia’s bid to provide arms and grain in exchange for votes”. “Today, Ukrainians and the world community alike can welcome this glaring diplomatic success,” he told The Independent. The US and its allies had discouraged many of the UN General Assembly’s members and asked them to vote against Russia, the diplomats aware of Moscow’s attempts to woo nations with grains said. US deputy ambassador Robert Wood told the Security Council that Russia’s re-election “while it openly continues to commit war crimes and other atrocities would be an ugly stain that would undermine the credibility of the institution and the United Nations”. Russian envoy to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia, accused the US of preventing Russia’s return to the council with its campaign. “The main phobia of our American colleagues today is electing Russia to the Human Rights Council,” he told a Security Council meeting called by Ukraine on last week’s strike by a Russian missile on a Ukrainian soldier’s wake in a small village that killed 52 people. Experts have called it a near-unprecedented event where the UN body has acted consistently for 18 months to suspend a member nation. “It is close to unprecedented that the UN Human Rights Council acted as it did 18 months ago, it being only the second time in the Council’s history that a member has been suspended for committing ‘gross and systematic violations of human rights’,” Catriona Murdoch, partner at NGO Global Rights Compliance said. She added that the impact of this war on civilians and “the apocalyptic devastation it is leaving meant the stakes were higher with this vote”. The other closely watched race was in the Asia group where four countries – China, Japan, Kuwait and Indonesia – were candidates for four seats. While all were expected to reach the majority of votes needed and therefore gain a seat each, some rights groups campaigned hard against Beijing and the size of the vote was closely watched. Indonesia topped the ballot with 186 votes followed by Kuwait with 183 votes and Japan with 175. China was last with 154 votes. Additional reporting by agencies Read More UN set to decide on Russia’s Human Rights Council membership as Putin ‘uses Ukrainian grain to buy votes’ Putin’s shameless UN charm offensive - with stolen grain from Ukraine Russia tries to rejoin UN Human Rights Council Ukraine-Russia war – live: Moscow fails in bid to return to UN’s top human rights body
2023-10-11 14:46
Howard Webb disappointed by VAR failure to correct ‘clear error’ on offside goal
Referees’ chief Howard Webb expressed his disappointment that VAR was unable to “rectify a clear error” following Luis Diaz’s disallowed goal for Liverpool against Tottenham. Miscommunication between video assistant referee Darren England and referee Simon Hooper led to the winger’s goal being wrongly ruled out for offside in a 2-1 Premier League defeat for the Reds on September 30. Audio of the incident was released in the aftermath and, speaking on an episode of ‘Match Officials Mic’d Up’ on Sky Sports on Tuesday, Professional Game Match Officials Limited technical director Webb admitted the situation was frustrating. Of course we’re all disappointed the VAR system didn’t step in and rectify a clear error PGMOL technical director Howard Webb “We took the unusual step of releasing the audio from this situation not long after it happened,” he said. “We wanted to show everybody what was very quickly pretty apparent to us, a human error and loss of concentration. “Of course we’re all disappointed the VAR system didn’t step in and rectify a clear error that we’d seen on the field with the disallowing of the goal. “Nobody’s more disappointed than the officials themselves, they take pride in their work and want to be a positive influence on the game, but of course in this situation it wasn’t the case.” Referees’ body PGMOL confirmed that new VAR communication guidelines would be applied. “One of the things we have to do is put things in place so that, should we have human error, it doesn’t have the damage or the impact that we saw on this occasion,” Webb added when asked about the language officials use. “One of the things that this has brought into sharp focus is the need to reiterate some of those communication protocols that are really valuable in VAR to prevent this kind of thing happening.” One of the talking points from the latest round of fixtures at the weekend was the decision not to send off Manchester City’s Mateo Kovacic for a challenge on Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard. The City midfielder was shown a yellow card before avoiding another shortly afterwards and Webb admitted Kovacic was “fortunate” to stay on the pitch. “I do (think he was),” he said. “I mean obviously the VAR can’t get involved, second yellows are something that the VAR is not able to get involved in, but I think he was an extremely fortunate player to stay on the field of play. “The referee – one of our best referees, one of the best referees in the world – Michael Oliver, will no doubt review that.” Read More David Beckham’s support ‘meant everything’ to Harry Maguire in testing times Harry Maguire cannot wait for Euro 2028 and is ‘hopeful’ to be in the squad On this day in 2019: England lose long unbeaten qualifying record in Prague LIV Golf fails in bid to be eligible for world ranking points Harry Kane dreaming of leading England to Euro 2028 glory on home soil I am a Tottenham fan – Harry Kane wants Spurs to win Premier League
2023-10-11 14:30
Golden Knights raise Stanley Cup banner, beat Kraken 4-1 in opener
Jonathan Marchessault scored, Adin Hill made 23 saves and the Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights beat the Seattle Kraken 4-1 on Tuesday night after a banner-raising ceremony
2023-10-11 14:28
