Saudi-backed forces have begun an assault on the key port of Hudaydah after Houthi rebels ignored a final deadline to withdraw, reports say.
Rebel positions are being bombarded from the air and sea, according to regional media.
Aid agencies have warned of a humanitarian catastrophe if the city is attacked, with up to a quarter of a million casualties possible.
The port is the main entry point for humanitarian aid into Yemen.
More than seven million people in the war-torn country are dependent on food aid.
The Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya network reported that the "liberation" of Hudaydah had begun with a large-scale ground assault supported by air and naval cover.
Explosions were heard on the outskirts of the port city, it added.
The Yemeni government of President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi said in a statement that all political means to persuade the rebels to withdraw had been exhausted.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE), part of the Saudi-led coalition that backs Mr Hadi, had earlier given the Houthis a final ultimatum to withdraw or face imminent attack.
UAE Junior Foreign Minister Anwar Gargash told the BBC that the coalition had run out of patience with diplomatic efforts after a previous 48-hour deadline expired.
He said the coalition wanted the UN to take control of the port but it was prepared to take military action if the Houthis refused to withdraw.
The civil war in Yemen has killed about 10,000 people over the past three years and created what the UN says is the world's worst humanitarian disaster.
A Saudi-led multinational coalition intervened in the conflict in Yemen in March 2015 as forces loyal to President Hadi battled the Houthi movement, which champions Yemen's Zaidi Shia Muslim minority.
White House aide apologises over 'special place in hell' comment
White House trade adviser Peter Navarro apologised on Tuesday for his sharp comments directed at Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau after last week's Group of Seven summit, according to the Wall Street Journal.
At an event hosted by the Journal, Navarro said he had made a mistake, according to the newspaper. "My mission was to send a strong signal of strength," Navarro said at the event, the Journal reported. "The problem is that in conveying that message I used language that was inappropriate." Navarro, in a Fox News interview on Sunday, condemned Trudeau after the Canadian leader's post-summit news conference following the summit with US President Donald Trump and other world leaders from the Group of Seven. "There is a special place in hell for any leader that engages in bad-faith diplomacy with President Donald J. Trump and then tries to stab him in the back on the way out the door and that’s what bad-faith Justin Trudeau did with that stunt press conference. That’s what weak, dishonest Justin Trudeau did," Navarro said on the "Fox News Sunday" programme. A day before, White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow also lashed out at Trudeau. Both aides accused Trudeau of betraying Trump when he gave a news conference after the US president had departed. At the event, Trudeau said Canada would take retaliatory steps in response to Trump's steel and aluminum tariffs imposed on Canada and other allies.
HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani met yesterday with the outgoing Pakistani ambassador to Qatar Shahzad Ahmad. The prime minister wished the ambassador success in his future tasks and further progress and prosperity to ties between the two countries. For his part, the ambassador expressed his gratitude and appreciation to the prime minister and the State’s officials for the co-operation he received during his tenure. Below: HE the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani also met with the Pakistani ambassador. He thanked the ambassador for his efforts in supporting and promoting bilateral relations, wishing him success in his future duties.
Messi says Argentina future depends on show in World Cup
Argentina captain Lionel Messi said his international future will be determined by his country’s performance at the World Cup in Russia. “It will depend on how far we go, how we’re going to finish” at the finals, Messi said in an interview with Spanish daily Sport. “We’ve just lost wwthree finals in a row, which has led to us going through some difficult moments with the press,” added the Barcelona forward. “Notably with the Argentine press because we have differences of opinion over what it means to make these three finals.” Argentina lost the 2014 World Cup final 1-0 to Germany after extra time, before suffering successive defeats by Chile on penalties at the Copa America in 2015 and 2016. Messi, who will turn 31 during the World Cup, believes Spain, Brazil, Germany, France and Belgium are the leading contenders for the title. “There are lots of teams who arrive with lots of confidence, with both a team game and individual talents,” said the five-time world player of the year. Argentina launch their World Cup campaign against Iceland on Saturday in Moscow, with games to follow against Croatia and Nigeria in Group D.
Nestor Pitana to referee the Opening Match of 2018
FIFA World Cup Russia
Argentina’s Nestor Pitana has been assigned as the referee for the Opening Match of the 2018 FIFA World Cup™ between Russia and Saudi Arabia on Thursday 12 June at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow. He will be assisted by compatriots Juan Pablo Bellati and Hernan Maidana, with Sandro Ricci from Brazil designated as the fourth official.
The Video Assistant Referee team is composed by Massimiliano Irrati of Italy (VAR); Mauro Vigliano of Argentina (AVAR 1); Carlos Astroza of Chile (AVAR2) and Daniele Orsato, Italy (AVAR3).
Nestor Pitana is set to become the second Argentinian referee to participate in two World Cups after Norberto Coerezza, who oversaw two games in 1970 and one in 1978. Pitana is one of South America’s most experienced referees. He made his debut in the Argentinian league in 2007 and officiated his first international match in 2010. At the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™, he oversaw four fixtures including France-Germany in the quarterfinals.
Pitana returned to Brazil in 2016 for the Olympic Football Tournament where he was the man in the middle for the semi-final between Germany and Nigeria. A year later in 2017, he was involved in another semi-final, in the FIFA Confederations Cup between Germany and Mexico.
Delegates attending the 68th FIFA Congress took part
Team Russia beat Team FIFA in the match for third place
The CSKA Stadium provided the setting for the FIFA Legends Football Tournament, an event that is becoming something of a tradition in the lead-up to the FIFA Congress.
Following the host side’s victory in Bahrain last year, it was Team CAF, captained by Kalusha Bwalya, who took the honours on this occasion after beating Team OFC on penalties.
Eight teams took part in the competition, representing FIFA, Russia and the six confederations. Figuring among the players was FIFA President Gianni Infantino, members of the FIFA Council, delegates of the member associations taking part in the 68th FIFA Congress, and a sizeable contingent of FIFA Legends.
“You can see how much we’re enjoying it. It’s a great idea by FIFA to organise events like this, to bring the most prominent members of the football world together, whether they’re ex-players or administrators. It’s important to get all these people in the same place,” said former Cameroon international Geremi Njitab, who played at Korea/Japan 2002 and South Africa 2010, as he celebrated his team’s victory.
The 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ is drawing ever nearer – with just 2days to go! Between now and the start of the World Cup, we will take a closer look at a different statistic from the history of the tournament each day.
2- To date, only two men have won the FIFA World Cup™ as both a player and coach – Mario Zagallo and Franz Beckenbauer.
Zagallo became a world champion twice during his playing career, in 1958 and 1962, and was on the touchline when Brazil triumphed again in Mexico in 1970.
Franz Beckenbauer lifted the Trophy as West Germany’s captain in 1974 and as the national team manager in 1990. He was also on the losing side in the Final as a player in 1966 and as a coach 20 years later.
WWDC 2018: New iOS update will help iPhone addicts regulate screen time | The Independent
Getty Images/iStockphoto
Tearing yourself away from your phone at night can be a huge struggle for anyone who’s grown especially dependent of their handheld device.
Apple has taken note of this common predicament by introducing new features in the latest iOS update to help combat iPhoneaddiction.
Ironically, this means that your greatest vice could also become your ultimate saviour.
The new tools that will become available when the iOS 12 update is launched include Activity Reports, Screen Time and new controls for Notifications and the Do Not Disturb setting.
The Screen Time feature is particularly interesting, as it will help iPhone users monitor exactly how much time they spend on and away from their smartphones.
“In iOS 12, we’re offering our users detailed information and tools to help them better understand and control the time they spend with apps and websites, how often they pick up their iPhone or iPad during the day and how they receive notifications,” said Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of software engineering.
“With Screen Time, these new tools are empowering users who want help managing their device time, and balancing the many things that are important to them.”
iOS 12 Screen Time feature (Apple)
The Downtime tool has been created specifically with parents in mind who want to ensure that their children don’t spend too much time glued to their iOS devices.
When Downtime has been scheduled, certain apps of your choosing will become temporarily inaccessible and notifications will no longer be visible on screen.
Parents will be able to access Screen Time when Family Sharing has been enabled, meaning that they’ll have the ability to change the settings on their children’s devices from their own phones.
iPhone X on sale across the world: in pictures
The way in which you receive your notifications has also been updated to include a greater range of choices depending on your preference.
You’ll have the power to control whether your notifications are turned off completely or delivered silently, which could come in useful when you’re settling down for the evening.
According to a recent study, teenagers who spend a long time looking at the screens of digital devices are more likely to exhibit signs of unhappiness.
The study, conducted by researchers at San Diego State University, found that just one hour of screen time a day could drastically impact the mental state of adolescents.
Apple is going to dramatically change your iPhone. Even if it's old.
The company announced iOS 12, the new version of its operating software for iPhone and iPads. And while it did not include some of the dramatic features found in previous updates, it did include at least two profound changes.
And as well as those, it introduced a raft of fun and meaningful new changes, designed to make the iPhone more fun. They include changes to animoji and new features to improve the phone's augmented reality tools.
But many of the features were intended to make people spend less time on their phone. The new software includes a variety of ways to do things more quickly, and new ways to remind you to get off your phone.
In particular, Apple will focus on ensuring that old phones are able to run the software as well as they can. Apple said that iOS 12 improves the performance of the iPhone 6 – for example – dramatically, even when it is doing intensive processes.
This has been a repeated complaint about new versions of iOS – and, anecdotally, one that gets louder every year. This should be the first time that your phone feels much faster after updating, as well as much more exciting.
(Apple software boss Craig Federighi claimed that these speed boosts and performance improvements would be a worthy upgrade all by themself.)
Screen Time
The other major upgrade was also focused on fixing problems rather than introducing new things. Apple's Screen Time feature is intended to make your phone a happier and healthier place to be – even if that means stopping you using it.
Among other things, the phone will watch how you are using your apps and assemble that into graphs and charts with a whole array of probably shocking information: how often you use certain apps, and how often you pick up your phone. If you see something in there you don't like, you can set limits – so that your phone will kick you out of Instagram if you use it for more than an hour, for instance.
It will concentrate on notifications, too. Apple will make it much easier to ignore them when they're not relevant to what you are doing, in an effort to stop them being quite so intrusive and distracting you from what you should really be getting on with.
Privacy
Apple is taking a swipe at ubiquitous "share" buttons created by Facebook and others to track your behavior online regardless of whether you click on them. The company says it's shutting down that tracking through its Safari browser in an update to Mac and iOS devices, including iPhones and iPads. Apple senior vice president Craig Federighi said such tracking would be blocked by default. Even if users click to share an item, they will get a prompt with an option to prevent subsequent tracking.
He also said Apple would crack down on so-called "fingerprinting," in which data companies identify specific devices by creating a unique fingerprint based on a device's particular configuration settings, installed fonts and plug-ins. Apple plans to instead send out generic data to such collectors, making a user's device look just like any other Apple device. Federighi said the changes will make it "dramatically more difficult for data companies to identify you and track you."
Last year, Apple added "intelligent tracking prevention" that imposes time limits on tracking cookies and takes other measures to try to prevent advertising tech companies from following users around the web.
Even more augmented reality
Apple rolled out new support for augmented reality applications as it unveiled a new format for digital objects that appear to live in the real world.
The update comes as Apple tries to extend AR experiences to a broader population, rather than just hard-core, tech-savvy users. The company started that effort last year when it built AR tools into most iPhones and iPads; by contrast, Google had limited that to niche Android phone models.
Digital objects created with the new format, called USDZ, will work in Apple's Safari browser, Messages and Mail apps, meaning AR isn't limited to stand-alone apps that people choose to download separately. The format will also get support in Adobe's Creative Cloud suite of apps for professional photographers, videographers and designers. What remains to be seen is whether there is enough of a compelling reason for someone to use AR, even if it's built-in to everyday apps.
Apple also unveiled an app called "Measure" that measures boxes and other objects in the real world by pointing the camera at them. Apple is also offering tools to give multiple users a different view of the same digital objects viewed from different angles.
Animoji improvements
In iOS 12, the company's animated emoji which track a user's face, known as Animoji, have also been updated to include new animals, as well as the ability to detect when a tongue is being stuck out.
A new version of the app, called Memoji, will now also enable users to create animated emoji of their own faces instead of using an animal face.
Group FaceTime
Apple's video calling tools have barely changed at all since they were introduced in 2010.
Now it will include a range of changes, chief among them the ability to speak to more than one person at once. In fact, you'll be able to speak to 32 people at once.
All of that is done within a redesigned interface. When people speak, for instance, FaceTime spots it and ensures that the screen showing the person talking takes up more of the screen.
And you can also use the animoji described above within a FaceTime call. That means you can stick the cartoon version of your face over the real one.
Siri gets smarter
Apple wants its digital assistant Siri to do more. Third-party apps will now be able to let users invoke Siri for commonly used tasks, much the way competing assistants from Google and Amazon long have. Before, Apple had limited third-party access to a handful of categories, such as messaging, while excluding competitors to Apple's Music service, for instance.
The software update will also let people group similar tasks together into shortcuts that can be accessed by simple phrases like "heading home." Saying the phrase can be set to open Apple Maps to find the best route home and launching a radio app.
Easier photo sharing
Apple will encourage users to share photos with their friends by suggesting such opportunities in a new "for you" tab. When a friend receives photos from an event, Apple will then suggest that the friend reciprocate with photos from the same event. It's similar to how Google already encourages sharing through its own Photos app for both iPhones and Android devices.
Apple says all sharing will be done privately, using encryption already built into its Messages app.
The 2018 World Cup is nearly here with the eyes of the globe turning towards Russia.
It promises to be an action-packed, drama-filled month as 736 players from 32 nations arrive for a feast of football. Brazil, Spain and Germany arrive as tournament favourites with Gareth Southgate's England heading in with plenty of hope if not much expectation. They face Tunisia in Volgograd on Monday before taking on Panama and Belgium in Group G.
They jet out to their training base in Repino later today with the tournament kicking off in earnest on Thursday afternoon when the hosts face Saudi Arabia.
We will have all the latest news, views, pictures and video direct from Russia throughout the day as we build up to the biggest football tournament in the world.
Live Updates
As the England squad touch down and take their first steps on Russian soil, it's time to wrap up this World Cup blog for Tuesday.
But we'll be back tomorrow with all the latest news from Russia, and then it's time for the talking to stop - the 2018 World Cup begins on Thursday!
2 hours ago
The final side to preview in Group B are Iran.
With games against Morocco, Spain and Portugal, Carlos Queiroz's squad are going to need moves like Dejagah.
2 hours ago
Will this be the last time we see these two words together this summer?
2 hours ago
Morocco have some fine attacking talent in their squad, and they'll need them to be at their best if they are to get through a tough Group B.
The chances of Hervé Renard are assessed before they take on Iran in Saint Petersburg on Friday.
2 hours ago
Head of FIFA Refereeing, Massimo Busacca, has been asked at a press conference in Moscow how many games at this World Cup he thinks will be ruined by VAR.
3 hours ago
The plane carrying the England squad has landed in Russia.
We're not sure if it's worth suggesting that they keep the engine running.
3 hours ago
And here come the 2010 winners!
There may be no more Xavi, but Julen Lopetegui still has an incredible array of talent in his Spain squad.
4 hours ago
Let's delve into Group B and take a look at how the European champions are set.
Fernando Santos' Portugal begin their World Cup campaign by facing Spain in Sochi on Friday.
4 hours ago
Midfielders Tim Cahill and Mile Jedinak sandwich coach Bert van Marwijk as the Australia squad pose for a squad picture ahead of a training session in Kazan.
Combined age in the photograph, 316
4 hours ago
And there's no better way to set yourself up for England failure in Russia than reliving failures from World Cups past.
Tony Strudwick, part of Roy Hodgson's backroom team in Brazil four years ago, explains where the Three Lions fell short in their preparations.
4 hours ago
In other England news, Gareth Southgate's squad have reportedly requested English television within their base in Repino. It's a demand that can be met but has to be capped at a selected four channels. After thinking long and hard, the players have gone for Sky Sports News in order to keep in touch with the football stories back home, BBC1 and ITV so that they can watch the live World Cup games with English commentary, and finally, ITV2 so as not to miss a minute of Love Island.
This country.
5 hours ago
Best wishes from their best ever goalscorer...
5 hours ago
Either there is some kind of protest going down outside the Russian embassy in Berlin, or Germany have produced the world's worst format of Frank Sidebottom.
5 hours ago
Egypt have their sights set on the knockout stages of the World Cup for the first time, but much will depend on the fitness of Mohamed Salah.
Héctor Cúper's side are the last of our Group A previews before they face Uruguay on Friday.
6 hours ago
Where's the World Cup heading? Everyone's got an opinion and that includes the sports team at The Independent.
From the winners to where England will come unstuck, our writers have put up their predictions to be shot at.
6 hours ago
Fourth in 2010, beaten in the last 16 in Brazil four years ago, Uruguay are back for their third consecutive World Cup finals.
Luis Suarez, Edinson Cavani and co. are always capable of making headlines, and get their 2018 campaign underway against Egypt in Yekaterinburg on Friday.
7 hours ago
It's 16 years to the day that England confirmed their place in the knockout stages of the 2002 World Cup following a 0-0 draw with Nigeria, a game that kicked-off in Osaka at 7.30am BST.
It's also 16 years to the day that I phoned in sick to work - from the pub.
7 hours ago
Russia's opponents in Moscow on Thursday are Saudi Arabia.
The Green Falcons' best showing at a World Cup was at USA '94 when they reached the Last 16 of a competition in which Saeed Al-Owairan scored one of the great international goals. Can they replicate - or better - that performance this time around?
8 hours ago
It's almost time for the talking to stop and the action to commence so it's only right that we take a look at the countries involved.
The Independent's sports staff have compiled in-depth previews of each nation and we'll be bringing them to you throughout the day.
Like the World Cup, let's kick-off with the hosts, Russia, in Group A.
8 hours ago
Brazilian birthday bantz.
The yolk's on Philippe Coutinho as his Brazil teammates decide to celebrate the Barcelona's midfielder's 26th birthday by cracking eggs off the back of his head.
That's one way of warming up for their Group E opener with Switzerland on Sunday.
opens up diplomatic opportunities for India. New Delhi was quick to welcome the US-North Korea summit in
Singapore
, describing it as a “positive development” and hoping the “outcomes would be implemented, thus paving the way for lasting peace and stability in the Korean Peninsula.”
India’s interest in the summit was also encapsulated in the MEA’s reaction — “We also hope that the resolution of the Korean Peninsula issue will take into account and address our concerns about proliferation linkages extending to India’s neighbourhood.”
Indian observers never really expected any big deliverables from today’s summit. But the very fact that the two leaders of the US and North Korea — virtually at war for decades — decided to meet and work out a denuclearization plan is significant. India does not seriously expect that Kim will voluntarily dismantle his nuclear weapons — after the Libya experience, where former leader Gaddafi gave up his nukes, only to be hunted down and killed by US-supported militia — this may be a bridge too far. But if North Korea opens up gradually to become a more mainstream nation, India reckons it may become easier for Kim to give up his weapons.
Weeks before the summit, India used the opportunity provided by the new openness to send the minister of state for external affairs VK Singh to the isolated nation. India used to be the third largest trading partner for North Korea until the sanctions bit and India clamped down. While most of those sanctions remain in place, India would be looking to exploit whatever opportunity finds its way.
In addition, India would hope that denuclearization would help to expose the proliferation conduits between North Korea, China and
that has been largely responsible for setting Pakistan off on its missile race. India has a stated policy of not wanting to add more nuclear weapons states to the world, and that has remained its approach even for Iran.
A bonus for today’s summit is that direct relations between North Korea and the US would dampen China’s influence somewhat, though not completely. It must be remembered that Kim took off from Pyongyang on a Chinese jet, apparently bound for
Beijing
, which changed direction midway and went to Singapore instead. That kind of influence is hard to beat, but the important thing is there is a breach, and that's all for the good, as far as India is concerned.
India also reckons that there would be setbacks to putting a denuclearization package together. The removal of sanctions too would not be easy or be done anytime soon. But for the present, Trump has got himself a big foreign policy moment-in-the-sun.
NEW DELHI: Government will soon revive the sale of its money-losing flag carrier with new guidelines after a recent attempt ended in a debacle last month, as the proposed terms deterred potential investors.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration is ready to “re-examine” its privatisation process, including a clause requiring a minority state stake in
, Secretary, department of economic affairs. The government is considering various options and doesn’t intend to insist on keeping 24 per cent of the company, he said.
B
“A certain kind of strategy was offered that didn’t find many takers and therefore something different will have to be done,” Garg said in an interview in New Delhi on Monday. “There’s no fixed objective that government should have 24 per cent. It can be re-examined.”
Modi’s most high-profile privatisation plan ended in a whimper on May 31 as a deadline for prospective suitors passed by with none showing interest in the airline mired in debt of more than Rs 50,000 crore.
, the nation’s biggest carrier, initially said it was keen but pulled out after the government made it clear it wasn’t selling Air India’s international operations separately.
While policy-makers viewed the condition for a government stake as a “confidence building measure,” it was cited as one of the reasons for the lack of bids, Garg said.
Air India, which was offered along with above Rs 33,000 crore of its debt, is surviving on taxpayer bailouts after losing money for years. Previous attempts by the Indian government to dispose of the carrier were derailed by political opposition.
NEW DELHI: It’s not just the Modis — Nirav and Lalit — and the Mallyas of India who have sought refuge in the Queen’s land, aka the United Kingdom. Over 5,500 people from India have sought political asylum in Britain since 2013, not all of them criminals though.
So why do Indians make a beeline for London?
A matter of rights:
UK is a signatory to European Convention on Human Rights—if UK courts deem that a person to be extradited is likely to face torture or death penalty, or the
is due to political reasons, they may deny the extradition request.
Greenery in the pocket
: Some prominent Indians who’ve sought refuge in UK have been men of considerable financial means—music director Nadeem Saifi, former IPL administrator
, accused of perpetrating the biggest fraud on Indian banking system, of $2 billion.
The billionaire jeweller has asked for political asylum, claiming what he says is 'political persecution' back home, according to a Financial Times report.
Unequal standards
: India and UK signed a mutual extradition treaty way back in 1993; but while India did extradite a UK national, Maninderpal Singh Kohli, in the Hannah Foster murder case in 2008, UK has been stonewalling all of India’s extradition requests, including that of British national Raymond Varley, who’s accused of child abuse in Goa.
Asylum on lease:
If Nirav Modi, who’s now fled to UK and is said to be seeking asylum there, is granted his request, he can stay there worry-free for at least five years—after which it can be extended.
Kim Jong Un got a taste of President Trump’s pain when CNN star Jim Acosta peppered the world leaders with grandstanding questions following their historic summit in Singapore early Tuesday.
“Mr. President, how is the meeting going so far, sir?” the Trump-bashing newsman hollered as Trump and Kim exited their conference room at the Capella Hotel following a 35-minute meeting. “Any progress, Mr. President?”
“Chairman Kim, will you denuclearize?” he pressed. “Mr. President, how’s it going so far, sir?”
When Trump finally responded by saying it was going “Very, very good,” Acosta, who was the designated pool reporter assigned to represent U.S. media organizations, seemed encouraged to demand answers from Kim, who is used to a more compliant media.
“Will you give up your nuclear weapons, sir?” Acosta shouted, either unaware that Kim had just pledged to do exactly that or thinking that his probing interrogation technique might elicit a more fulsome answer than the recently concluded diplomatic session.
