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Britain said its Akrotiri airbase in Cyprus would not be involved in its defensive agreement with the United States to use UK bases, after a call on Saturday between Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides. The UK government gave authorisation on Friday for the US to use RAF Fairford in England and Diego Garcia, a joint US-UK base in the Indian Ocean, to carry out defensive strikes on Iranian missile sites attacking ships in the Strait of Hormuz. “RAF Akrotiri would not be involved in the UK’s continuation of its agreement with the US to use UK bases in collective self defence of the region,” a spokesperson for Starmer’s office said in a British readout of the call with Christodoulides. An Iranian-type Shahed drone caused slight damage on March 2 when it hit facilities at the Akrotiri airbase in southern Cyprus, with two others later intercepted. There have been no further known security incidents on the island, where Britain retained sovereignty over two bases when it granted its former colony independence in 1960. A Cypriot government spokesperson said in a statement that Starmer had reiterated “that the security of the Republic of Cyprus is fundamental to the United Kingdom and, to that end, a decision has been taken to enhance the means contributing to the preventive measures already in place”. “Finally, the Prime Minister reiterated that the British Bases in Cyprus will not be used for any offensive military operations,” the Cypriot government spokesperson added.Separately, a source at Britain’s defence ministry said an Iranian ballistic missile attack towards Diego Garcia had occurred before the UK gave the US its latest authorisation. British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper told British media on Saturday that the government’s policy on the US-Israeli-war on Iran remained defensive. “We will provide defensive support against these reckless Iranian threats, but we have not been and we continue not to be involved in offensive action and we want to see the swiftest possible resolution,” she said. “We will not be drawn into a wider conflict,” she added. Source link
Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane shoots at goal during the Bundesliga match against Union Berlin in Munich. (Reuters) Serge Gnabry scored twice and Harry Kane inched closer to the Bundesliga single-season goal record as Bayern Munich beat Union Berlin 4-0 at home.Kane’s second-half strike took him to 31 this campaign – the same number Union have scored all season – and 10 short of Robert Lewandowski’s mark from 2020-21, with seven games to play. Michael Olise struck for the brilliant Bavarians.”It’s still possible, I just have to keep doing what I’m doing,” Kane told reporters about the record. “All it takes is a hat-trick or a couple of braces in a row and then it’ll look a bit more likely.”Bayern have 97 goals this season, four short of the best mark set in 1971-72, when Franz Beckenbauer and Gerd Mueller helped the Bavarian giants tear through the Bundesliga. Coach Vincent Kompany made five changes from the side which thumped Atalanta on Wednesday to set up a Champions League quarter-final clash with Real Madrid, but kept Kane front and centre.Union, who had never beaten Bayern in 14 clashes, held out until the 41st minute, when Olise collected a punted Leon Goretzka pass and curled the ball into the top corner. Gnabry made it two just before the break, knocking in a rebound at the far post.Kane pirouetted and curled in Bayern’s third just after the break, boosting his tally to 48 in 40 games in all competitions this season. Gnabry was again in the right place to volley in with 67 minutes gone to add gloss to another big Bayern win.Ramy Bensebaini scored two second half penalties as Borussia Dortmund came from two goals down to win 3-2 at home against promoted Hamburg and all but lock up second spot. Philip Otele and Albert Sambi Lokonga scored to put Hamburg two goals up at half-time, after Dortmund’s Felix Nmecha missed a penalty just before the break.Bensebaini converted a penalty after 73 minutes to bring Dortmund back into the match and Serhou Guirassy hammered in a rebound while off balance five minutes later. With six minutes left, Jobe Bellingham tried a long-range effort which hit Miro Muheim’s hand, bringing Bensebaini to the spot again. The Algerian nervelessly converted to bring Dortmund in front and put the hosts on track for victory.Second-placed Dortmund are 11 points clear of RB Leipzig in third but remain nine points behind leaders Bayern. Bayer Leverkusen’s top-four hopes took a hit with a 3-3 draw at rock-bottom Heidenheim after leading 2-0 at half-time and 3-2 with five minutes remaining.The draw leaves Leverkusen sixth, four points behind Leipzig, Stuttgart and Hoffenheim, who are all level on 50 points. Stuttgart have a game in hand. “I’m speechless,” goalkeeper Mark Flekken said. “We talked at half-time about not getting complacent.”Hoping to bounce back from Tuesday’s Champions League exit at Arsenal, first-half goals to Malik Tillmann and Patrik Schick had Leverkusen on course for a routine win. Heidenheim fought back through a Hennes Behrens goal and a Marvin Pieringer penalty. Schick once again gave Leverkusen the lead with a header but Pieringer levelled again from a corner with 85 minutes gone.Justin Njinmah scored the only goal as Werder Bremen won 1-0 at Wolfsburg to push their hosts closer to a first ever Bundesliga relegation. Second-last with just one victory in the calendar year, 2009 German champions Wolfsburg could be six points from safety if St Pauli beat Freiburg today.Elsewhere, Rhine rivals Cologne and Borussia Moenchengladbach played out a 3-3 draw. Related Story Source link
TSA desks sit empty as travellers stand in long lines at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport Sunday in Atlanta, Georgia. (AFP) As government funding for the US Department of Homeland Security remains frozen in Congress, airports are running food drives and accepting donations for security screeners enduring their second stretch without pay in the last six months. Transportation Security Administration officers scrimped and pinched pennies during last year’s 43-day government shutdown, and many of those 50,000 workers are still paying off debts as the current funding lapse for the TSA’s parent agency, the Department of Homeland Security, has stretched to five weeks. Those workers are six days away from missing a second full paycheck, but are being pressured to show up as screening times at some airports stretch on for hours. “The 43-day shutdown in the fall, a lot of TSA officers didn’t get paid for 50 days. So they’re not recovered from that and that was only two or three months ago,” said Kimberly Kraynak-Lambert, trustee of Pittsburgh’s local chapter of the American Federation of Government Employees union, which represents government workers. Airports and officials are scrambling to help TSA staffers make ends meet to forestall a sharp rise in absences from screeners, who earn an average of $61,000 annually, according to federal data. Rebecca Wolf, president of AFGE Local 1127, who represents TSA officers at 47 airports across several western US states, said struggling workers are taking on side gigs like making Amazon deliveries or driving for Lyft and Uber. “Many have gone and applied for food stamps within their states,” she said. “I have a couple of officers in one of my states that they’re actually sleeping in their car and one has been evicted already.” DHS acknowledged the screeners’ hardships, with a spokesperson saying that “Democrats must reopen DHS now.” The union is alerting members nationwide to food drives and free pantries for groceries. Airports like Minneapolis-St. Paul and Phoenix are accepting donations such as gasoline gift cards, food, or essentials like baby goods. Seattle-Tacoma’s airport has opened a food pantry, while at Dallas Fort Worth International, supervisors are bringing food to checkpoints twice a week. Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Airport is giving out vouchers for one free meal per shift as TSA officers “continue to show up every day to protect millions of travellers, even as they face uncertainty at home,” said Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, in a statement. Screeners are also getting free parking and public transport passes. It is unclear when funding will be restored. Democrats in Congress in February agreed to fund most of the government in exchange for withholding funds from DHS following the high-profile killings of two US residents in Minnesota by immigration authorities. Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters on Friday that a bipartisan group of senators have narrowed the remaining issues in the DHS funding talks, but it is not clear when they will reach a deal. “A Transportation Security Officer selling plasma to keep the lights on is unconscionable. Tens of thousands of families turning to food banks because Congress refuses to do its job is a national disgrace,” said Everett Kelley, national president of the AFGE. Officials have noted that small US airports may have to shut due to a shortage of security screeners. So far, 366 TSA officers have quit their jobs since the shutdown began, according to DHS. Workers presenting letters from DHS to creditors asking for late fees to be waived or for payments to be deferred are finding less leniency this time around, said Kraynak-Lambert of Pittsburgh’s AFGE 332. Union officials say workers who call in sick must show proof with a note from a doctor. Related Story Source link
Britain’s Josh Kerr celebrates winning the men’s 3000m final during the World Athletics Indoor Championships Kujawy Pomorze 2026 in Torun, Poland on March 21, 2026. (AFP)…
A deluge of weight-loss drugs is set to transform the global fight against obesity as India prepares to unleash low-cost generic versions of injections like Ozempic after a key patent expired Friday. The move will dramatically widen access to treatments that have long been considered a luxury, especially in middle-income countries, where soaring demand has collided with steep prices. At clinics across Mumbai, doctors say they are already preparing for an influx in new patients. More than 50 people walk into endocrinologist Nadeem Rais’s office every week seeking weight-loss injections. “We have around 70 to 80 patients on active treatment right now,” he told AFP. “When generics come out and prices drop, that could go up to 200 easily.” His colleague Sunera Ghai agrees saying that demand is “very high” but many “probably aren’t taking it just because it is truly a luxury item at this point”. The breakthrough comes as patents on semaglutide — the active ingredient in drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy — expired Friday in India, the world’s largest supplier of generic medicines. By the end of 2026, core patents on semaglutide will have expired in 10 countries that represent 48% of the global obesity burden, according to a study published earlier this month by researchers. These include Brazil, China, South Africa, Turkiye and Canada, the study said. For India’s drug giants, this marks the start of an aggressive new race. At least four major firms have already prepared generic semaglutide injections, regulatory filings and compliance documents viewed by AFP show. Some, including Zydus Lifesciences, have announced “Day 1” launches, suggesting generic versions may become available as soon as this weekend in India. Research firm Pharmarack estimates the Indian market will soon be flooded with options. “What we understand is, there will be more than 50 brands that will be launched in the market and there are more than 40 players who will be launching these drugs,” Pharmarack’s vice-president Sheetal Sapale said. The timing aligns with India’s shifting health landscape. While the country still accounts for a third of the world’s undernutrition according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), rising incomes and urban lifestyles have pushed obesity rates sharply upward. Government data released March last year shows 24% of women and 23% of men are overweight or obese in India. “Once a person starts earning money, he becomes more sedentary here,” says bariatric surgeon Sanjay Borude. “While in first-world countries, the more the money, they become more active and devote time for their health, this is reversed in India.” These flipped economics have worked well for big pharma players like Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk who have been cashing in on the market. India’s weight-loss drug sales have grown tenfold in five years to $153mn as of 2026, and are projected to soar to over half a bn by 2030. But using such drugs can cause side effects including nausea and gastrointestinal issues. Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro became the country’s top-selling drug by value last year, surpassing even common antibiotics. Still, high prices — often 15,000 to 22,000 rupees ($161-$236) a month — limit access, says Swati Pradhan, who runs a weight-loss clinic in Mumbai. She expects patient numbers to rise once generics push treatment costs closer to 5,000 rupees ($60) a month. The global impact may prove even more profound. India supplies more than half of Africa’s generic medicines, and cheaper semaglutide could become a lifeline for countries where obesity is rising rapidly but treatment remains unaffordable. “Lower-cost semaglutide could significantly expand access to effective treatment particularly in middle-income countries where price has been a major barrier,” Simon Barquera, president of the World Obesity Federation, told AFP. “But medication alone will not reverse the global rise in obesity. Obesity is a complex, chronic disease,” he said, noting the importance of prevention efforts and healthier environments.Indian firms will be a key driving force, with Dr Reddy’s Laboratories aiming to launch its version of semaglutide in Canada by May 2026. For patients like 46-year-old Sukant Mangal, who lost nearly 30 pounds in eight months, wider access could not come soon enough. Many he knows simply abandoned treatment mid-way when they realised they would have to spend 20,000 rupees ($214) a month for seven to eight months.“Had it been cheaper, (it) would’ve been much easier to have it.” Related Story Source link
Bryson DeChambeau acknowledges fans during the third round of the LIV Golf event in South Africa Saturday. (Reuters) Bryson DeChambeau carded two eagles Saturday to maintain a two-shot lead at the inaugural LIV Golf event in South Africa.Southern Guards, the home favorites, lead the team event entering the final round at Steyn City in Johannesburg.DeChambeau posted a 7-under-par 64 in the third round to move to 21 under, two shots ahead of South Africa’s Branden Grace. He eagled the par-4 fifth hole and the par-5 10th and added birdies at Nos. 1, 4 and 18 in a bogey-free round at the Jack Nicklaus-designed course.DeChambeau, 32, remains red hot after winning the LIV Golf Singapore event last week for his fourth career individual title on the circuit.”Tomorrow is going to be a great day,” DeChambeau said. “Gracey is playing some incredible golf, and it’s fun to be alongside him playing some good golf, as well. He’s got a huge hometown support, and it’s cool to feed off of that energy, so hopefully there’s a little bit more energy, and I can kind of feed off of that. I like it.”Grace also turned in a 64 thanks to an eagle on the par-5 fourth hole plus six birdies and one bogey. The Southern Guards member birdied the last two holes to open a one-stroke lead over Mexico’s Abraham Ancer (64 on Saturday) and Spain’s Jon Rahm (64), who sit at 18-under.Belgium’s Thomas Detry (63), South Africa’s Dean Burmester (65) and Spain’s David Puig (66) are tied for fifth place at 17 under. Tied for eighth at 16 under are Mexico’s Carlos Ortiz (65) and Charles Howell III (66).Grace’s and Burmester’s Southern Guards teammates Louis Oosthuizen (64) and Charl Schwartzel (65) are part of a six-way tie for 18th at 12 under.”What a day. All four boys had a good day,” Burmester said. “It looks like all four of us scored well. I don’t know what the total is, but Gracey just birdied 17. For me, honestly, I’m so proud of all the guys, and for us to be in the hunt for the team thing is incredible.”Oosthuizen said the “rowdy boys” in the gallery have added to the excitement of chasing the team title on home soil.”We’re feeding off the energy at the moment,” he said. “I mean, we’re playing — me and Charl were playing so-so, and today we really felt the energy, and obviously Dean and Branden are playing well, so I think we can just go tomorrow and pull this thing through.”Fireballs GC and Torque GC are tied for second in the team competition at 58 under, two behind Southern Guards.The first LIV Golf event held on the African continent has sold out and is expected to draw more than 100,000 fans over the course of the four-day tournament.Phil Mickelson, playing in his first LIV event of the season due to a family health matter, finished the third round at 7-under 64. He played the first two rounds at even par, recording a 75 and a 67.”I really missed it. I’m glad I’m here,” Mickelson said. “I wish I played better the first day, but I’m really having fun. It’s just fun to be back playing.” Related Story Source link
Beneath the powder snow at internationally popular Japanese ski resort Niseko, anxiety is mounting among residents over soaring prices and a massive influx of overseas workers. At a time when Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is talking tough on immigration, upscale Niseko has never been more popular with seasonal workers, investors and skiers from across the globe. The snow “is the best in the world”, said Gideon Masters, a 29-year-old Australian tourist. “It’s just soft, powder fluff. You can pick it up with your bare hands, it doesn’t even feel cold… It’s just a shame that it’s become so populated,” he told AFP at the foot of the slopes, snowboard in hand. Built in the 1960s on the northern island of Hokkaido, the resort began attracting foreigners, mainly Australians, in the 1990s and became a popular destination after the 9/11 attacks in 2001 for those wanting to avoid the US. They gradually opened more shops and acquired property, and were later joined by Asian investors from Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore, among others, pushing land prices ever higher. In Hirafu, one of the four resorts that make up Niseko, land prices jumped 70% between 2020 and 2025. “If ski resorts in Japan had stayed the way they used to be, they would never have gained such worldwide renown,” said Hiroshi Hasegawa, director of a local real estate agency. “It’s thanks to the taste and sensibilities of Australians and New Zealanders that this town has grown.” They are no longer alone, with “funds based in tax havens and all kinds of investors (who) have started pouring money in. Hollywood stars and artists come here, and owners of multinationals are buying second homes,” he added. “All of this is driving prices up even further,” a trend that will likely continue, according to the agent. Unaffordable for locals For residents, inflated property prices and living costs are leaving a bitter taste. “Land is being sold at prices that are no longer affordable for locals,” explained 42-year-old Masatoshi Saito, who runs a painting company. “In the supermarket, you find luxury products, sea urchins or Dom Perignon champagne, and vegetables have become extremely expensive,” pushing some people to do their shopping in a neighbouring town. To attract staff, hotels and restaurants are raising wages, but local businesses are struggling to keep up. “In construction, paying that much is very difficult because market prices are fixed. Raising wages is a huge risk for bosses,” Saito said. Meanwhile, “care workers sometimes prefer jobs in hotels,” which pay better, creating a risk of labour shortages in social services”, warned Hasegawa. Driven by tourist demand, the region sees thousands of seasonal workers arrive each year, most of them foreigners. In Kutchan, a large town in the area, the non-Japanese population doubles in winter to 3,000 people from 70 countries, making up nearly 20%of residents. “Young people in their twenties come here from all over the world (…), which creates a very lively atmosphere,” but also causes problems with neighbours, admitted Kutchan Mayor Kazushi Monji. Saito and other residents, meanwhile, have complained about littering. A plan to build housing for 1,200 foreign workers that was approved last autumn sparked outcry among locals. “Cultures are different, not to mention the language barrier,” the mayor said, urging “mutual support and consideration”. ‘Harmonious coexistence’Reflecting growing anti-immigration sentiment, the far-right “Japanese First” Sanseito party made gains in February’s general election. Prime Minister Takaichi, meanwhile, has promised tougher rules for foreigners in the name of “harmonious coexistence” between communities. Her government is proposing stricter checks on foreigners entering the country, lengths of stay and illegal work. It also wants to revise rules on land purchases by foreigners for “national security” reasons. While acknowledging the need to adapt legislation to current realities, Monji rejects “the somewhat extreme view” that foreigners could “take over”. The interest Niseko is generating “boosts the economy and greatly contributes to the town’s development”, Kutchan’s mayor said. And with births falling again in 2025 for the tenth year in a row in Japan, the country desperately needs foreign workers. Hokkaido is experiencing extreme polarisation, hosting both the localities that saw the sharpest land-price increases in the country last year due to tourism and foreign investment, and those where prices fell the most, due to population decline. “If we want to share the beauty of this region with the whole world, we must move beyond nationality divides,” Monji said. Related Story Source link
President of World Athletics Sebastian Coe reacts during the opening ceremony of the World Athletics Indoor Championships Kujawy Pomorze 2026 in Torun, Poland on March 20,…
Barcelona’s Uruguayan defender #04 Ronald Federico Araujo da Silva celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the Spanish league football match between FC Barcelona and Rayo…
Bryson DeChambeau celebrates with his trophies after winning the LIV Golf South Africa individual and team events.(Reuters) Bryson DeChambeau won back-to-back LIV Golf titles via play-offs when he made a birdie on the first extra hole to beat Spaniard Jon Rahm in the South Africa tournament near Johannesburg Sunday.Last weekend in Singapore, Canadian Richard T. Lee missed a short putt to gift DeChambeau victory. This time a brilliant second play-off shot from the American at the par-five 18th set up success.After receiving relief when his tee shot landed in grass muddied by torrential rain, the 32-year-old major winner used a wood and slammed the ball into the heart of the green.Rahm failed to take advantage of his tee shot landing in the fairway as his second found a greenside bunker.After reaching the green in three, Rahm watched his birdie putt veer right, leaving DeChambeau needing two putts for victory and a $4 million first prize.His eagle putt stopped just short and he tapped in for a triumph that triggered an emotional reaction as he struggled to hold back tears.”I wish I could tell you why I am so emotional,” DeChambeau told reporters after his fourth LIV title.More than 100,000 spectators watched the four-day event at Steyn City and the champion called it “the best LIV event we have ever had. There was some stellar golf this week.”The atmosphere on the final day, with President Cyril Ramaphosa present, resembled that of a football match, with constant cheering, chanting and singing.Such was the enthusiasm of the crowds that golf etiquette was occasionally forgotten with cheering continuing as competitors played shots.DeChambeau was always in contention. He shared the first-round lead and was two shots ahead after the second and third rounds.He carded a five-under 66 in the final round while Rahm, helped by a long birdie putt on 16, fired a 63 to force the play-off. Both completed four rounds in 258, 26 under par.Mexican Anthony Ancer (66), Belgian Thomas Detry (65) and South African Branden Grace (67) finished on 261.After tournaments this season in Saudi Arabia, Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore and South Africa, the sixth LIV Golf event will be in Mexico from April 16.Leading final-round scores (par 71):258 – Bryson DeChambeau (USA) 63-65-64-66, Jon Rahm (ESP) 65-66-64-63DeChambeau won at first hole of play-off261 – Abraham Ancer (MEX) 66-65-64-66, Thomas Detry (BEL) 66-67-63-65, Branden Grace (RSA) 64-66-64-67262 – Dean Burmester (RSA) 67-64-65-66, David Puig (ESP) 66-64-66-66263 – Carlos Ortiz (MEX) 67-65-65-66264 – Charles Howell III (USA) 63-68-66-67, Anirban Lahiri (IND) 69-69-63-63265 – Scott Vincent (ZIM) 66-68-66-65 Related Story Source link