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Security personnel detain India's Opposition Leader Rahul Gandhi (front second right) as he stages a sit-in protest calling for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's resignation outside the latter's residence in New Delhi yesterday, a day after
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Smoke rises from a Wildberries warehouse on fire after an attack in Krasnodar, Wednesday. Ukraine has attacked two more warehouses of Russian online retailer Wildberries, its boss said Wednesday, extending a series of drone strikes on a company at the heart of Russia's consumer economy.Tatyana Kim, the co-founder and head of Wildberries, said warehouses had been attacked in Krasnodar and Nevinnomyssk, both in southern Russia. Social media footage, verified by Reuters, showed a huge plume of smoke rising into the air in Krasnodar. The regional governor said a young woman had been killed and three other people were being treated in hospital. Wildberries, often described as Russia's Amazon, is one of the country's biggest employers. Its shares are not publicly traded, but those of its rival Ozon were down 2.3% Wednesday afternoon, recovering somewhat from earlier lows, on concerns it too could become a target. The attacks on Wildberries' massive warehouses mark a new stage in Ukraine's campaign of deep strikes inside Russia to undermine Moscow's war effort and bring the conflict home to ordinary Russians. Ukraine, whose own cities are under constant attack, says it is hitting companies and infrastructure that support the Russian military. President Volodymyr Zelensky Wednesday described the latest targets as logistics hubs involved in supplying Russian forces with drone components and other equipment.The Kremlin has denied Wildberries handles military supplies. Russia has repeatedly targeted Ukraine's logistics hubs as well as its energy system and power grid.E-COMMERCE LOBBY GROUP SEEKS TAX DEFERRALSA previous strike by Ukrainian drones on Saturday killed eight Wildberries workers, sparked fires and disrupted the company's operations."There are no words to describe all the feelings and emotions caused by the attacks on ordinary people, on our employees, on all of us who are simply doing our jobs," Kim, the company's boss, said in a post on Telegram after the latest attacks. The extent of the damage, and the impact for customers, was not immediately clear. In street interviews in Moscow, several people told Reuters they had not seen any disruption so far to deliveries from Wildberries. One woman said she had switched to ordering from Ozon after hearing of the attacks. One man, who gave his name as Mikhail, said he bought gadgets from Wildberries from time to time and his wife used it nearly every week. "It helps that they offer refunds and payment upon delivery, among other things. That makes things a little less stressful," he said. "It's still worrying, of course, but these are the times we live in. What else can you do? If the warehouses burn down and things happen, then we will just have to accept it." An e-commerce lobby group, AUREK, said it had asked the government to delay tax payments for half a year for businesses that sustained losses from the attacks.Wildberries started as an online shop reselling apparel from European catalogues. It has since expanded its product range and evolved into a marketplace that includes third-party vendors. Wildberries has not commented on the scale of the damage.Online sales across Russia rose 28% in 2025 to 11.5tn roubles ($147bn), according to the Association of Internet Trade Companies. Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said sales of goods and services on digital platforms equated to around 8.5% of GDP. Related Story
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Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton chasing record ninth Hungary win. (Reuters) Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton could go into Formula One's August break on a Hungarian high this weekend while championship leaders Mercedes seek urgent answers to George Russell's car woes.Russell's plight, with his car losing chunks of time on the straights, has dominated paddock chatter as his 19-year-old Italian teammate Kimi Antonelli goes from strength to strength with six wins in 10 rounds.The Briton, who started the season as title favourite and with the nickname 'Mr Consistency', is now 50 points adrift of Antonelli after spinning off into the gravel in Belgium last Sunday for his third no-score of the year.That blank let Hamilton back into second place overall, 45 points behind Antonelli, and the Hungaroring is a favourite for the seven-time world champion who won six of his titles with Mercedes before moving to Maranello. EIGHT TIMES WINNER AT THE HUNGARORINGHamilton has won eight times in Hungary over the years, an unparalleled feat at the Budapest track, and can equal his outright record Silverstone tally of nine wins at the same circuit.Hungary is also the scene of Hamilton's most recent pole position, back in 2023.Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur was wary of talking up the team's prospects, at a circuit where engine power and straight line speed matter far less, even if others were already doing so."Now each weekend we start from scratch. It's a lot about setup, tyre management. On this one Budapest will be probably much better than Spa, it will be a different game ... but it's not a given," said the Frenchman."I don't want to go to Budapest considering that it will be easy, because it won't be easy. On paper for sure the engine deficit will be less of an issue, but then we have to do the same thing."Charles Leclerc won at Silverstone and was second in Spa, and is the form Ferrari driver from the last two races, while Hamilton won in Barcelona and was third in Britain, fourth in Belgium. COULD BECOME A FOUR-TEAM BATTLE Antonelli said it could be a four-way battle, with Max Verstappen's Red Bull and champions McLaren in with a shout at a slower and twistier track where energy deployment is less of an issue."It’s going to be another track where it’s maybe a bit more like Monaco, where you just try to drive as fast as you can," said the Italian."It’s going to be interesting. I think it’s going to be very tight between all of us, and that’s why it’s going to be important to try to put things together."Four of the top seven drivers in the standings have won previously in Hungary, the Mercedes drivers and Leclerc being the exceptions, and Leclerc was on pole last year when Lando Norris won in a McLaren one-two with Oscar Piastri.McLaren will be bringing some big upgrades to Hungary, including a new floor and aerodynamic parts. They will also continue to test an experimental rear wing.Italian Leonardo Fornaroli, the team reserve and last year's F2 champion, will be taking part in Friday's first practice while Piastri sits out the session.Aston Martin are also bringing a long-awaited chassis upgrade but will have to wait until the Dutch Grand Prix at the end of August before they get the latest Honda engine. Related Story
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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his wife Jeanette Dousdebes Rubio arrive ahead of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Foreign Ministers' Meeting, at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila, Philippines, July 21,
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France’s parliament yesterday was set to approve a bill banning social media access for children under 15, making France the first European country to bar children from apps such as TikTok.President Emmanuel Macron has championed the ban as a flagship reform of his final term in office and pledged to enforce it by September.The bill was overwhelmingly approved by the Senate yesterday, with 243 votes in favour and two against. The draft law was expected to be adopted by the National Assembly yesterday evening, barring surprises. A growing number of countries are taking steps to restrict social media access amid multiplying warnings over its harmful effects on children.“France will become the first country in Europe to introduce a digital age limit to better protect our children online,” French Digital Minister Anne Le Henanff said on X. The ban would be rolled out in two stages, with under-15s blocked from creating new accounts from September 1. The ban would apply to existing accounts from January 2027, according to the text.Le Henanff said ahead of the vote that the timeline was realistic, “because age-verification tools already exist” with others still in the works, and the onus was on the platforms to impose the rule.“For four months, all of us in France will have to prove our age,” she told journalists.“If someone is under fifteen, the account will be closed.” The minister also gave assurances that users’ personal data would be protected.Enforcing the measure by September would also ensure that one provision of the bill — a ban on mobile phones in high schools — takes effect at the beginning of the French school year.France’s public health watchdog last year said platforms such as TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram were harmful to adolescents, particularly girls, though it was not the sole reason for their declining mental health.Lawmakers agreed on the need for regulation but the two chambers had disagreed on the approach.French senators had opted for a two-tier system distinguishing between blacklisted platforms flagged as harmful to a child’s development, and those that could still be accessed with parental consent. But the lower house’s blanket ban prevailed and was expected to pass, despite criticism from some on the left over the age verification process, the speed of its implementation and risks of circumvention as well as privacy concerns.Exceptions to the ban are provided for sites such as online encyclopaedias and educational platforms and the text does not provide for any penalties for children or parents.“The major platforms are, in my view, largely ready,” lawmaker Laure Miller told AFP.The blacklisting system would have taken more time, including fresh consultations with the European Commission on the criteria, and carried a “small risk” of non-compliance with European law, said centrist senator Catherine Morin-Desailly.The EU has been mulling a social media ban after a push by member states, including France, Greece and Spain, for limiting access.Last week, EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said children should have “phased and gradual access” to social media.The European Commission has also unveiled an age verification app that EU member states, including France, have begun testing in recent months.After Macron’s government suspended a flagship pensions reform last year, a social media ban could be his last major domestic change before he steps down next year.France will be closely watched by other European states — it is one of 20 countries worldwide to have proposed or introduced such measures.In December last year, Australia became the first country in the world to require TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat and other top sites to remove accounts held by under-16s, or to face heavy fines.
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Smoke rises from the wildfire of La Mierla in Condemios de Arriba, Guadalajara, Wednesday. (Reuters) Firefighters battled wildfires in Spain and France Wednesday, with the risk of more blazes very high across much of Spain even as a major fire raging in its central Guadalajara province receded, allowing some residents to return home. In France, where two firefighters died on Tuesday as their truck was engulfed in flames in the southwest region of Gironde, authorities urged people to avoid using barbecues in areas hit by heatwaves, stressing that nine out of 10 wildfires start, accidentally or not, as a result of human activity.Meanwhile, in the Western Balkans, the danger has shifted from heatwaves to hailstorms, with several people injured in North Macedonia and eastern Kosovo. Europe is the world's fastest-warming continent and scientists say human-driven climate change is increasing the intensity of heatwaves, droughts and wildfires, while also creating conditions for sudden, destructive storms.The continent has endured three stifling, virtually back-to-back heatwaves so far this year. Intense heat has also been blamed for thousands of excess deaths in the May to June period. The Reuters Climate Monitor, an interactive tool providing real-time data, showed the average high temperature across Western Europe is forecast to be 26.6 degrees Celsius (79.8 degrees Fahrenheit), which is 3 degrees above the normal high for July 22 in the period from 1961 to 1990.SPANISH WILDFIRESpain's worst wildfire so far this year has burned an estimated 32,000 hectares (79,000 acres) in the Guadalajara region. It started to stabilise on Tuesday after forcing evacuations in 34 municipalities and confinement orders in 14 others.Castilla-La Mancha's INFOCAM fire service said residents of five villages had been authorised to return, although other restrictions remained in place. Visiting the region Wednesday, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said Spain had already suffered 22 major wildfires this year, with more than 100,000 hectares burned nationwide. "To put that into perspective, that is the annual average that Spain experienced over the past decade," he said, adding that more must be done to prevent fires. "We must raise public awareness, and we must not trivialise the effects of the climate emergency."Spain's weather agency AEMET said the danger of wildfires remained "very high or extreme" across most of mainland Spain and the Balearic Islands and was expected to increase further in the coming days.It urged people to "exercise extreme caution" as the ongoing heatwave combined with dry thunderstorms and Saharan dust.While temperatures will ease slightly in some areas on Thursday, a dry westerly wind is forecast to drive a fresh surge of heat in Mediterranean regions, where highs of 42 to 44C could be recorded in some areas.A marked cooldown is expected from Friday. However, the respite may be brief. Temperatures are forecast to rise again from Sunday, and intense heat could return across much of Spain early next week.FRANCE FIRESIn France, less severe temperatures and lighter winds aided efforts to fight a wildfire that has burned 2,500 hectares in the southeastern Var area, damaged dozens of homes and forced 400 people to flee their homes, local authorities said.At 7am (0500 GMT), helicopters resumed dropping water on the Var wildfire, which is still active."The situation has been very difficult. Some 1,100 firefighters fought all night," Commander William Vogl, a spokesperson for the Var firefighters, said on RMC radio. The fire was not yet contained but winds should be "more favourable" on Wednesday, he said.Prefect Simon Babre said barbecues were banned, and he also asked municipalities to cancel any plans for traditional summer fireworks.Officials said another fire was raging in the Hautes-Alpes, also in southeastern France.HEAT AND STORMSIn Greece, with temperatures forecast to top 41 degrees Celsius (106 degrees Fahrenheit), authorities have banned outdoor work at peak midday sun. In Cyprus, which is also used to high summer temperatures, working outdoors was banned during afternoon hours on Wednesday.In Skopje, capital of North Macedonia, 11 people were admitted to hospital, three of them with serious injuries, after a storm on Tuesday night felled trees, damaged roofs and caused power outages across the Balkan country, local media reported.Roads were blocked and some towns left without electricity and water.In Kosovo, the Hydrometeorological Institute said more storms were expected Wednesday and warned of possible lightning strikes, damage to the electricity network, power outages, flooding and property damage.Local media showed roofs being blown away, torrential rain and residents covering their cars with blankets on Tuesday to protect them from hail. Related Story
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Pakistan has asked the United States for a $10bn exchange stabilisation facility, according to a source briefed on the matter, which, if approved, could provide a lifeline for the cash-strapped South Asian economy. The request, which is being reported for the first time, follows Pakistan’s role in brokering talks over the Iran war, which raised its diplomatic profile and stirred hopes that it could seek economic gains from Washington and other partners. In the request to US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Islamabad is seeking a Bilateral Exchange Stabilisation Support Facility between the US and the Pakistani government worth $10bn with maturity of up to five years.The facility, if agreed to, would bolster Pakistan’s reserves, ease pressure on the rupee and reduce its reliance on multilateral financing, even as Islamabad undertakes tighter fiscal and monetary policies in line with its International Monetary Fund programme.Pakistan remains under $7bn IMF discipline that has required politically unpopular tax increases, spending restraint and reforms. Pakistan’s finance ministry did not immediately respond to Reuters request for comment outside of Asia business hours.The US Treasury declined to comment. Exchange stabilisation facilities are rare US Treasury backstops, usually routed via the Exchange Stabilisation Fund, that provide dollars, swaps or guarantees to support reserves and steady currencies. These facilities are different from the permanent standing dollar swap lines that the US Federal Reserve has with some major central banks and acts as an international supply line of US dollars to underpin financial stability. A 2025 Argentina package was the first new foreign-government exchange stabilisation facility operation since Uruguay in 2002, aside from Mexico’s long-standing swap line, dating to the 1940s and now sized at $9bn.Pakistan narrowly avoided default in 2023 with a $3bn IMF standby deal and later secured a $7bn Extended Fund Facility, along with a separate $1.3bn loan to build up its resilience to climate change and natural disasters. But its reserves still depend on official financing, rollovers anddeposits from countries such as China and Saudi Arabia, which are largely considered its strategic allies .That leaves Islamabad exposed to shifts in bilateral support and IMF disbursement delays, and that vulnerability got exposed in April when Pakistan repaid about $3.5bn, one-fifth of its reserves, to the United Arab Emirates with Saudi Arabia providing $3bn in fresh support.Pakistan’s central bank said in January that reserves could return to near their 2021 record, reaching $20bn by the end of 2026. A US exchange stabilisation facility would carry weight as both a liquidity backstop and political signal, easing pressure on reserves and the Pakistani rupee, while considerably reducing the South Asian country’s dependence on IMF tranches and ad hoc rescues. IMF-backed reforms have stabilised the economy at a political cost, including higher taxes, spending restraint and limited room for development or welfare spending. Global ratings agency Fitch said in April that Pakistan’s adherence to its IMF programme has supported the country’s funding capacity, while rebuilt foreign exchange buffers provide a cushion against economic shocks from the Middle East conflict. But deeper constraints remain. Fitch cautioned that rising energy costs and potential supply disruptions could sharply erode the country’s foreign exchange reserves.Foreign investment in Pakistan has remained thin, deterred by recurring external crises, policy uncertainty, security risks, past profit-repatriation curbs and a narrow export base, while the country’s credit rating remains deep in speculative-grade territory, keeping borrowing costs high and market access limited. Pakistan has sought to use its ties to the Trump administration to address some of these issues, with economic co-operation that has so far spanned crypto, real estate and mining.Pakistan has signed a stablecoin agreement for cross-border payments with an affiliate of World Liberty Financial, the main crypto business of President Donald Trump’s family.The country has also pursued a memorandum of understanding to redevelop the closed PIA-owned Roosevelt Hotel in New York with the US government, in addition to courting US mining investment, including in Reko Diq town in Chagai District of Balochistan, where the US Export-Import Bank has announced $1.2bn in financing.
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Manchester City's midfielder Phil Foden celebrates scoring his team's third goal during the English Premier League match against Leeds United at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on November 29, 2025. (AFP) Manchester City forward Phil Foden gave a boost to new boss Enzo Maresca by signing a four-year contract extension on Wednesday.Foden's deal provides the England international with much-needed stability after a turbulent period.The 26-year-old had struggled for form during an injury-plagued period that included being left out of England's squad for the recent World Cup.He would have been out of contract at the end of the coming season, but his new deal, which contains an option for a further one-year extension, resolves his long-term future."Committing my future to City means everything to me. Playing for this club is all I've ever wanted to do and it's always an honour to wear the shirt," Foden said."It's not lost on me that I've been lucky enough to be part of a historic period with so many titles won, but we're always looking to the future and trying to win more."I can only thank the club, staff, team-mates and fans who continue to put their faith in me and trust that I give everything I can for City and I hope I'll be able to repay you for years to come."Foden has won six Premier League titles, the Champions League, two FA Cups and five League Cups with City since graduating from the club's youth academy.He is the most decorated player in City's history alongside Bernardo Silva and John Stones, who both left in the close-season.But a year ago, after struggling to replicate his form of previous campaigns, Foden opened up on his battles off the pitch with his mental health.Foden, who has 110 goals in 369 career appearances for City, started only seven of their last 26 games before boss Pep Guardiola resigned at the end of the season, with former Chelsea manager Maresca taking charge in June.Foden said he was looking forward to working with Maresca, who was part of Guardiola's coaching staff during the treble-winning campaign in 2022-23."So excited. Obviously, I've had Enzo before. When we had him in the treble season, he was brilliant," Foden said."His attention to detail, the small things that make a big difference, and even training with him at the moment, you can tell how good of a coach he is."The way he likes to play out from the back and play a lot of possession-based, it suits my game really well."
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Qatari talent continues to strengthen its presence at the world’s biggest sporting events, reinforcing the country’s standing not only as a successful host and organiser of major tournaments but also as a valuable contributor to the global sports landscape through highly qualified professionals in leadership positions.At the FIFA World Cup 2026, this reputation was further enhanced by the appointment of several Qatari officials to key roles within the tournament’s organisational structure, reflecting Qatar’s growing influence and the international recognition of its sporting expertise.Among the most prominent figures was Hani Taleb Ballan, who serves as Vice Chairman of the FIFA Referees Committee, Chairman of the AFC Referees Committee, Chairman of the Arabian Gulf Cup Football Federation Referees Committee, and Chairman of the Qatar Football Association’s Referees Committee.During the FIFA World Cup 2026, Ballan played a pivotal role in overseeing the tournament’s refereeing operations alongside FIFA Referees Committee Chairman Pierluigi Collina and FIFA Director of Refereeing Massimo Busacca. His involvement highlighted the confidence placed in Qatari expertise and its contribution to the successful management of the world’s premier football tournament.In this interview, Ballan discusses his responsibilities in overseeing the World Cup refereeing programme, the mechanisms used to prepare match officials, the participation of Qatari, Asian and Arab referees at the tournament, the continued development of refereeing in Qatar, and his vision for the future role of Qatari talent in major international sporting events.Excerpts:Q. How do you view your participation at the FIFA World Cup 2026?A. I am certainly very happy and proud to be part of the team responsible for overseeing the referees at the World Cup and to represent my country at this global event. This was my third participation at World Cup tournaments, after the 2018 Russia and 2022 Qatar World Cups, an assignment that reflects the high level of trust placed in Qatari talent within FIFA. Working at the World Cup is a great responsibility, especially when the goal is to ensure the highest levels of refereeing fairness in the most important football tournament in the world. Being alongside Pierluigi Collina, Massimo Busacca, and the rest of the referees committee has been a great opportunity to exchange experiences and work within a fully integrated professional system, with the aim of delivering the best possible level of refereeing throughout the tournament. Qatari personnel continued their presence at international tournaments... Your view of this development?What we are witnessing today confirms that Qatar’s role is no longer confined to hosting tournaments; it has become a key partner in their management and organization. This is the product of years of investment in human capital. The State of Qatar believed early on that human development is fundamental, and therefore we now see Qatari personnel in various organisational, technical, and refereeing committees within the International and Asian Federations.This presence is not a matter of favoritism, but rather a result of competence, experience, and the ability to achieve, which makes us feel proud and, at the same time, increases our responsibility to maintain this position. Tell us about the final preparations for the tournament referees.Since the referees’ arrival, we began the final preparation program, which lasted nine days. The referees were divided into two groups: one for the on-field referees and the other for the Video Assistant Referees (VARs). The work was carried out in two sessions daily. In the morning, the programs included theoretical lectures and practical applications using the latest technologies, in addition to aspects related to nutrition and live review of refereeing decisions on the field. We also focused heavily on the use of VAR simulators. As for the evening sessions, they were dedicated to holding an official preparatory tournament called the ‘Referees’ Tournament,’ which lasted for 11 days. The refereeing teams officiated a full half of each match, with specialized instructors present to evaluate performance and provide technical feedback immediately after the matches. We also made sure to train the referees on the use of the latest technologies, such as semi-automated offside technology, goal-line technology, and other support tools, to ensure Their complete readiness before the start of the tournament. How were the referees monitored during the tournament and what were the most prominent activities during the matches?Preparation programs continue throughout the tournament but the primary focus is on preparing the teams assigned to officiate upcoming matches. Referees receive practical training through intensive application exercises, alongside tactical preparation through analysis sessions with specialized coaches who explain the playing styles of different teams. This helps referees maintain good positioning, movement, anticipation, and make appropriate decisions during matches. We have been conducting daily analysis sessions for all referees, whether at our headquarters in Miami or via video conference for referees in other cities. Technical instructors and performance analysts, in collaboration with the technology team, have prepared key refereeing clips to analyze referee performance, focusing on positive aspects and opportunities for improvement, which will contribute to raising the level of performance in subsequent matches. How do you view the Qatari refereeing team’s participation at the World Cup?The Qatari team that participated in the tournament, consisting of Abdulrahman al-Jassim, Saud Ahmed, Talib Salem, and Khamis al-Marri, has proven over the past years that it is among the best refereeing teams and deserves to be present in the biggest international tournaments. Being at the World Cup is no longer new for Qatari referees; it has become a natural achievement resulting from the great work done by the referees themselves, the Referees Committee, and the Qatar Football Association.I am proud of what the Qatari referees presented. They performed admirably, managed their matches with high efficiency, and lived up to their responsibilities. This is a continuation of their performance in previous World Cups, the Asian Cup, and other international tournaments. Khamis al-Marri was in the officiating team for the final. How do you see that?Khamis al-Marri’s presence on the officiating team for the final match is a culmination of the entire Qatari refereeing system, and he deserves this selection after the outstanding level he demonstrated throughout the tournament. How would you describe the development of the Qatari refereeing system in recent years?The Qatari refereeing has witnessed a qualitative leap at all levels. We have continuous training programs, internal and external training camps, technical lectures, the use of the latest technologies, and the assistance of international experts, in addition to a precise evaluation system after each match. Ultimately, the success achieved is the fruit of integrated teamwork, in which each individual performs their role to the fullest, which has contributed to building a generation of referees capable of competing locally, regionally, and globally. What is the secret to continued success of Qatari referees?Success doesn’t come by chance; it’s the result of daily work, discipline, and a belief in the importance of learning and never resting on any achievement. Qatari referees operate according to the highest professional standards, and this is what has brought them to the position they deserve today. Related Story
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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said yesterday the Iran war has cost the United States $37.5bn so far, up from a previous estimate of nearly $29bn in mid-May. “The estimate we have as of today is $37.5bn,” Hegseth testified during a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing at which he defended a request for some $67bn in supplemental funding for the Pentagon.
