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Real Madrid's French forward #10 Kylian Mbappe attends a training session on the eve of the UEFA Champions League quarter final first leg football match against FC Bayern Munich, at Real Madrid Sports City in
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As part of their ongoing co-operation and co-ordination to ensure the highest standards of integrity in competitions and guarantee transparency and fair play for teams and players, the Qatar Stars League (QSL) and International Centre for Sport Security (ICSS) have reaffirmed their commitment towards integrity in Doha Bank Stars League matches.Both entities collaborate to ensure integrity and transparency in competitions throughout the season, particularly in crucial rounds. The final round of the season has become crucial in determining the league champions and final positions – be they the top-four finish or relegation to Second Division.It may be noted that QSL and ICSS have a joint work programme in place based on promoting integrity and transparency. It included several workshops and training courses for those involved in professional football, with the participation of club company representatives, players and coaches.
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Bryson DeChambeau of the United States acknowledges a gallery of patrons while playing the third hole during a practice round prior to the 2026 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 07, 2026
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World number one Jannik Sinner said Tuesday his principal aim as he prepares for the Madrid Open is to be in the 'best possible shape' for Roland Garros next month as he seeks to complete a career Grand Slam.The 24-year-old won his first major title on clay earlier this month as he downed rival Carlos Alcaraz in straight sets in the Monte Carlo Masters final.Next he turns his attentions to the 1000-level event in Madrid as the clay-court season ramps up towards the only Grand Slam tournament Sinner has not yet won - Roland Garros, which will run from May 24 to June 7.'I never played very well here, so let's see how it goes this year,' Sinner, who has never got past the quarter-final stage in the Spanish capital, told reporters the day before the Madrid Open begins.'I'm trying to improve as a player and here might be one of the most challenging ones because of certain things (altitude and wind).'Despite being heavily favoured to pick up a fifth consecutive Masters title, Sinner revealed that for him 'the most important is Roland Garros'.'We try to maximise to be in the best possible shape there, but I'm here trying to do my best and then we'll see how it goes,' he added.Sinner lost an all-time classic Roland Garros final last year to Alcaraz, despite holding three championship points.But the Italian said he regretted the upcoming absences of the world number two, due to Alcaraz suffering a wrist injury, and 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic in Madrid.'It's a very big pity to not have (Alcaraz) here and also Novak, the two biggest stars in tennis,' Sinner said.'We have shared since last year a lot of tournaments, but again, in my mind I also know if I want to play against Carlos it's in the final and the way to the final is very long.'Top seed Sinner will start his Madrid Open campaign in the second round against a yet to be determined opponent.
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There is now a growing consensus across public panels and private discussions among policy makers and experts that the impact of the conflict in the Middle East on the global economy is likely to get significantly worse before it gets better — even if a lasting peace is negotiated soon. And a food crisis stemming from a fertiliser crunch won’t be far behind. The World Bank, International Monetary Fund and the UN World Food Programme warned last week that sharp increases in oil, natural gas and fertiliser prices triggered by the war will inevitably cause rising food prices and food insecurity. In a joint statement, the leaders of the global institutions said the burden would fall most heavily on the world’s most vulnerable populations, particularly in low-income, import-dependent economies. They said their institutions would continue to monitor developments closely and “coordinate the use of all available tools to support those impacted by the crisis.” IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva has said the Fund is engaging with the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organisation on food security. The WFP said in mid-March that millions of people will face acute hunger if the war continues into June. The conflict in the Middle East could push millions more towards hunger as its economic fallout reverberates further around the globe, according the World Bank’s chief economist. “You have about 300mn people who suffer from acute food insecurity already,” Indermit Gill said. “That’ll go up by about 20% very, very quickly,” as knock-on effects grow. The blocking of the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil supply route, has sent fertiliser prices soaring since they rely on oil-based inputs. Higher prices for fertilisers, which are used in agriculture, may entice countries to halt food exports and hoard more food for themselves, further driving up food prices. Low-income people across the world tend to spend a larger share of their earnings on basic needs like food and fuel. After downgrading its forecast and predicting the slowest growth the world has seen since the pandemic on Tuesday, the IMF’s chief economist, Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas, foreshadowed more downgrades to come. “Even if the war ends tomorrow, it would take quite some time for the recovery to kick in,” Georgieva told Bloomberg Television. “The impact is already baked in.” The price of fossil fuels and fertilisers are intimately linked, says the UN Conference Trade and Development: Oil and gas processes provide inputs to its manufacture. Natural gas is used in the Arabian Gulf region to create urea, used in the nitrogen fertiliser that is critical to boosting agricultural yields. Hormuz is a key choke point for exporting it. This latest crisis – after the Ukraine war energy shock and the global health emergency of Covid – is also hitting “at a time when many developing economies struggle to service their debt”. Rising global interest rates, in response to soaring inflation expectations, could exacerbate that struggle – making it hard for governments to take action to cushion the blow for vulnerable consumers. Import-dependent countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America are particularly exposed to fertiliser shortages and rising input costs, according to the FAO. While farmers in rich nations can count on support from their governments, concerns are mounting over some of the poorest economies. Higher food prices will complicate efforts by central banks to get a post-pandemic wave of inflation back under control. The situation also presents a challenge for politicians, especially in emerging-market economies where food eats up a greater proportion of household incomes than it does in more industrialised nations. As many as 45mn more people could face acute hunger if the conflict in Iran doesn’t ease by the middle of the year, taking the total number to a record high, the WFP has warned.
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Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique said Tuesday he was unsure if midfield metronome Vitinha would be fit to play against Bayern Munich in the Champions League semi-finals.The Portuguese central midfielder will miss PSG's Ligue 1 clash against Nantes on Wednesday due to a heel inflammation.'We'll take a calm and measured approach to see how the injured players can make a comeback. But I don't know,' he told reporters when asked if Vitinha would be back in time for next Tuesday's semi-final first leg at the Parc des Princes.'We need to manage Vitinha's minor injury; some players are a bit tired or have a few niggles,' the Spaniard also told PSGTV.Should the 26-year-old be unavailable, his place at the heart of the PSG midfield could be filled by the returning Fabian Ruiz.Alongside Vitinha and Joao Neves, Ruiz formed the midfield trio that anchored much of PSG's success last season as they won a maiden Champions League title and lifted the Ligue 1 trophy.The Spaniard returned for the final 18 minutes of PSG's 2-1 league loss at home to Lyon last weekend as he continues his comeback from a knee injury.Luis Enrique cooled expectations on the 30-year-old, however, as he said Ruiz would need 'time to regain fitness' after spending three months on the sidelines.'Fabian Ruiz needs more matches and minutes to recover,' Luis Enrique insisted, before adding he was nonetheless 'happy' with his return against Lyon.The former Barcelona and Spain coach warned that even as PSG close in on a repeat of their double-winning season this term, he still demands 'more' from all his charges.Exciting Senegalese 18-year-old Ibrahim Mbaye was not included in the squad for Sunday's defeat to Lyon, with Luis Enrique explaining: 'Every minute you get to play for PSG must be special.'I have no regrets about Mbaye, but you have to be ready. He was ready, but I expect much more from all the players.'Victory in the French capital against Nantes on Wednesday would send PSG three points clear of surprise Ligue 1 title challengers Lens with five matches remaining in the campaign.
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Police officers stand guard on a road leading to the Serena Hotel Tuesday as Pakistan prepared to host the US and Iran for the second phase of peace talks in Islamabad. (Reuters) US President Donald Trump Tuesday said he was extending a ceasefire with Iran to give more time for negotiations, but would maintain a US naval blockade of the country's ports. Trump posted on social media that he would "extend the Ceasefire" until Iran came up with a proposal to end the conflict. However, he "directed our Military to continue the Blockade." Trump's ceasefire extension came hours before it was believed to be set to expire. It also came as the White House said Vice President JD Vance would not be going to Pakistan for what had been expected to be a second round of peace talks. The US president cast the breakdown in more talks as resulting from Iranian infighting, adding that Pakistan's leaders had asked him to extend the truce. "Based on the fact that the Government of Iran is seriously fractured, not unexpectedly so and, upon the request of Field Marshal Asim Munir, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, of Pakistan, we have been asked to hold our Attack on the Country of Iran until such time as their leaders and representatives can come up with a unified proposal," Trump posted on his Truth Social site. But the blockade of ports on Iran's coast in the Strait of Hormuz will remain in place, Trump said, while the US military will "in all other respects, remain ready and able." The ceasefire, he said, will be extended "until such time as their proposal is submitted, and discussions are concluded, one way or the other." The turnaround was in stark contrast from what the American president in the morning had threatened a military attack if Iran did not agree to US demands. “I expect to be bombing,” Trump said on CNBC this morning. “The military is raring to go.” Iran said Tuesday it had still yet to decide whether to attend last-ditch peace talks, after US forces boarded a huge Iranian oil tanker at sea with just a day left before the ceasefire runs out in the war in the Gulf. President Donald Trump said he hoped to reach a "great deal" to end the war, but he did not want to extend the ceasefire, and said the US military was "raring to go" if negotiations were not successful. Vice President JD Vance, who was due to lead the US delegation, did not board a flight for Islamabad, where the centre of the city has been locked down and a luxury hotel has been cleared out to host the talks. A White House official said Vance would participate in additional meetings in Washington. By the evening Tuesday, the spokesperson for Iran's foreign ministry, Esmaeil Baghaei, told state television Iran had still yet to decide whether to attend. He described the boarding of the tanker, as well as the seizure of a separate cargo ship on Sunday, as "piracy at sea and state terrorism", which he said called into question Washington's seriousness in negotiating. "The aggression against Iranian ships and the continued pressure indicate the continuation of the opposing side's contradictory behaviour," Baghaei said. Pakistan's Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said in a post on X that Pakistan was still waiting for Iran's reply to its invitation: "Pakistan as the mediator is in constant touch with Iranians and pursuing the path of diplomacy and dialogue." Iranian government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani said: "We do not want to be attacked again, but if such attacks occur, we will definitely respond more firmly than before," according to the state news agency IRNA. Iranian officials have publicly cited a US blockade of their ships as a reason not to negotiate. On social media, Trump said Iran had carried out numerous violations of the ceasefire, without giving further details. He told CNBC that the blockade had been a success and the US was in a strong position to end up with a "great deal". The precise timing of the ceasefire's end had been a source of confusion. Trump initially announced it would last two weeks from the evening of Tuesday, April 7 in Washington. But he said this week that it runs until the evening of Wednesday, April 22, effectively giving it an extra 24 hours. A Pakistani source involved in the talks said it would have expired at 8pm Eastern Time on Wednesday, which is 3:30am Thursday in Iran. Still, a Pakistani source involved in the discussions told Reuters there was momentum for talks to resume. Wall Street stocks turned mostly lower Related Story
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West Ham United's Callum Wilson, Jarrod Bowen, Tomas Soucek and Kyle Walker-Peters applauds the fans following the Premier League match against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park in south London on April 20, 2026. (AFP) West Ham's 0-0 draw against Crystal Palace condemned Wolves to relegation from the Premier League and boosted their own survival bid to leave struggling Tottenham deeper in trouble.Bottom of the table Wolves have long been destined for the drop and their descent into the Championship was confirmed by the stalemate at Selhurst Park.Wolves are now 16 points behind fourth-bottom West Ham, with a maximum of 15 available from their last five matches.After eight seasons in the top-flight, Wolves succumbed tamely, winning just three of their 33 league matches to date this term.Despite notable recent wins against Aston Villa and Liverpool, Wolves have looked relegation certainties for months and their eight-year stay in the Premier League is coming to an end.Vitor Pereira, now in charge of Nottingham Forest, started the season in charge of the Molineux club but the Portuguese coach was sacked in early November after a terrible start to the campaign.Former Middlesbrough boss Edwards was brought in but he had an almost impossible task and has been unable to work a miracle.Second-bottom Burnley look certain to join Wolves in the second tier next season.They will be relegated if they lose against title-chasing Manchester City today.The Hammers' draw improved their own survival prospects, moving them two points clear of third-bottom Tottenham.Tottenham's 2-2 draw against Brighton on Saturday was a boost to West Ham, with the two London rivals having five games left in the fight to avoid relegation.Tottenham, winless in their first two games under boss Roberto De Zerbi, haven't played in the second tier since 1977-78.The north Londoners have going 15 league matches without a win stretching back to December.Last in the Championship in 2011-12, West Ham's biggest league win for three years, 4-0 over Wolves nine days ago, moved them out of the bottom three for only the second time in 2026.Nuno Espirito Santo's side built on that result with a gritty point against UEFA Conference League semi-finalists Palace."It will go all the way, for sure. Not only at the bottom of the table but at the top. This season has been very tight," Nuno said."We have a mission ahead and keep going. It's going to be a fight until the end."Palace's win at West Ham in September sparked Graham Potter's sacking and Nuno's eventual appointment as his replacement.Nuno has gradually revived West Ham since then and from January 17 onwards, only four Premier League teams have picked up more points than the Hammers.West Ham threatened first when Valentin Castellanos fired over from the edge of the area.Brennan Johnson should have put Palace in front from Tyrick Mitchell's cross, but the unmarked forward headed wastefully wide.Johnson tried to make amends, curling narrowly wide from 18 yards.But it was West Ham who finished the half stronger, with El Hadji Malick Diouf's cross reaching Konstantinos Mavropanos for a towering header that forced a fine save from Dean Henderson.Mavropanos had another header repelled by Henderson after the interval.Palace winger Ismaila Sarr was denied a late winner when he slammed home from close-range, only for the goal to be disallowed for handball by Jean-Philippe Mateta.
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His Excellency Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani, President of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), chaired the 109th meeting of the OCA Executive Board in Sanya, China, on the sidelines of the 6th Asian Beach Games Sanya 2026. The meeting reviewed reports from organising committees, particularly the report of the Organising Committee for the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. The committee presented an update on preparations, noting that the Games programme will include 43 sports, 70 disciplines, and 468 events, alongside positive indicators of strong public interest and high ticket sales. The Council announced that Doha, Qatar, will host the next General Assembly of the Olympic Council of Asia on January 27, 2027, during which the Council's President for the new term (2027-2035) will be elected. Related Story
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Qatar secured a 2-0 win over Pakistan in their opening match, before beating Oman 2-0 in Sanya, China. Qatar’s beach handball team began their campaign at the 6th Asian Beach Games – Sanya 2026 with two well-deserved victories over Pakistan and Oman in the opening matches of the men’s competition, which got underway Tuesday.President of the Olympic Council of Asia and President of the Qatar Olympic Committee His Excellency Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani attended the games along with Dr. Thani bin Abdulrahman al-Kuwari, Second Vice President of the QOC; Jassim bin Rashid al-Buenain, Secretary General of the QOC, and Ahmed al-Shaabi, President of the Qatar Handball Association. President of the Olympic Council of Asia and Qatar Olympic Committee His Excellency Sheikh Joaan bin
