Author: AFP
US President Joe Biden warned Friday of an era of political change as he held his last meeting with key allies at an Asia-Pacific summit overshadowed by Donald Trump’s looming return to power. “We’ve now reached a moment of significant political change,” Biden said as he met the leaders of Japan and South Korea in Lima, adding however that their three-way alliance was “built to last.”
A senior Hamas official said Friday that the group is “ready for a ceasefire” in Gaza and urged US President-elect Donald Trump to pressure Israel to end the war. “Hamas is ready to reach a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip if a ceasefire proposal is presented and on the condition that it is respected” by Israel, Hamas political bureau member Bassem Naim told AFP. “We call on the US administration and Trump to pressure the Israeli government to end the aggression. “Hamas informed the mediators that it is in favour of any proposal submitted to it that would lead to…
UEFA has appointed an ethics and disciplinary inspector to investigate Premier League referee David Coote after a video emerged of him allegedly snorting a white powder during Euro 2024. It comes after English referees body PGMOL (Professional Game Match Officials Limited) said it was taking fresh allegations about Coote “very seriously”. The 42-year-old was suspended by the PGMOL on Monday after different video footage was posted on social media appearing to show him making disparaging remarks about former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp. Coote’s comments about the German are also being investigated by the Football Association. On Wednesday another video appeared…
Manchester City slumped to a fourth consecutive defeat on Saturday after blowing the lead to lose 2-1 at Brighton. Substitutes Joao Pedro and Matt O’Riley struck for the Seagulls to leave City still two points adrift of Premier League leaders Liverpool, who have a game in hand.
Galatasaray’s Argentinian striker Mauro Icardi faces knee surgery after being stretchered off late in their 3-2 Europa League win over Tottenham, the Turkish club announced on Friday. “A rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament and damage to the meniscus were detected in his right knee,” Galatasaray said in a statement. The Istanbul club did not specify how long Icardi would be out of action. The local press intimated he could be out for the rest of the season although the 31-year-old former Inter Milan and Paris Saint-Germain forward was more optimistic. “I will be out for a few months, with…
The Bank of England on Thursday said it was cutting its key interest further after UK inflation hit a three-year low and signalled more reductions. As widely expected, the BoE trimmed borrowing costs by 25 basis points to 4.75 percent at a regular policy meeting, its second reduction since August. The US Federal Reserve is set to reduce rates later in the day. “We have been able to cut interest rates again” after UK annual inflation fell below the BoE’s target, the central bank’s governor Andrew Bailey said in a statement. The Consumer Prices Index in Britain stands at 1.7…
Ruben Amorim is expected to be confirmed as Manchester United’s new manager on Thursday after the club reached an agreement with Sporting Lisbon, reports said. The Athletic said the 39-year-old would stay with the Portuguese league leaders for their next three games, including next week’s Champions League match against Manchester City. He is expected to take charge at Old Trafford during the November international break, with his first game set to be United’s away trip to Ipswich on November 24. Sky Sports said it was understood the Premier League club had paid Sporting an extra one million euros over and…
The United States announced on Wednesday that it is sanctioning hundreds of so-called “third party enablers” that facilitate the evasion of sanctions placed on Russia for its launching of an all out war with Ukraine in February 2022. A total of 400 entities and individuals, including 120 sanctioned by the State Department, 270 by Treasury and 40 from the Commerce Department, were listed. The sanctions’ targets include entities and individuals in China, India, Malaysia, Thailand, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates, the statement said. The US Treasury Department said its list spanned 17 jurisdictions and included China, Switzerland, Thailand and…
Finance ministers of the G7 nations vowed Saturday to step up efforts to prevent Russia from evading sanctions imposed after its invasion of Ukraine. “We remain committed to taking further initiatives in response to oil price cap violations,” the group said in a statement following a meeting in Washington. Those further steps were not spelled out in detail. In December 2022, the G7 together with the European Union and Australia agreed to pressure purchasers of Russian oil to not go above a certain price ceiling. The agreement was intended to limit Russian petroleum sales and revenues without curbing exports so…
A severe outbreak of E. Coli linked to McDonald’s Quarter Pounder burgers has expanded to 75 reported cases, mainly in the western United States, authorities said Friday. The number of hospitalizations has risen to 22, though no additional deaths have been reported beyond that of an elderly patient in Colorado, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). One child and one adult developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a serious condition that damages blood vessels in the kidneys. Investigators have yet to confirm a specific ingredient as the contamination source, though they…