Author: INDEPENDENT

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsA 79-year-old woman makes the sign of the cross and, gripping her cane, leaves her home in a quaint village in northeastern Ukraine. Torn screens, shattered glass and scorched trees litter the yard of Olha Faichuk’s apartment building in Lukiantsi, north of the city of Kharkiv. Abandoned on a nearby bench is a shrapnel-pierced mobile phone. It belonged to one of two people who were killed when a Russian bomb struck, leaving a blackened crater…

Sign up to the Independent’s betting newsletter for the latest tips and offersSign up to the Independent’s betting newsletterPhilippe Clement is adamant under-pressure Rangers will focus fully on playing to their own strengths in Sunday’s Scottish Gas Scottish Cup semi-final with Hearts.The Ibrox side head into the Hampden showdown on the back of a damaging run of two wins from their last eight games in all competitions, with their cinch Premiership title bid having been dented significantly by a return of just two points from their last three matches.Hearts, by contrast, go into the match buoyed by back-to-back wins over…

Trump appears in court for fourth day of hush money trialSign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inboxGet our free Inside Washington emailA man who set himself on fire outside the Manhattan courthouse where Donald Trump’s trial is underway has died, police said. Maxwell Azzarello, a 37-year-old man from Florida, was “declared deceased by hospital staff”, police told NBC News.He was identified as a self-described “investigative researcher” who posted a conspiracy-laden manifesto online moments before the incident.A full panel of 18 jurors have been seated to hear the evidence against…

Man City ‘exceptional’ against Real Madrid despite crashing out of Champions League, says GuardiolaThe dream of winning back-to-back trebles is over for Manchester City after they were beaten in a Champions League penalty shootout against Real Madrid on Wednesday. Now, Pep Guardiola’s team must focus their efforts on the remaining domestic fixtures as they hunt for silverware this season. They currently sit top of the Premier League, following both Liverpool and Arsenal dropping points last time out, and are favourites to regain their title while today’s outing sees them target a spot in the FA Cup final. This is the…

German big wave surfer Sebastian Steudtner has surfed what is possibly the biggest wave ever measured at 28.57 metres (93.73ft).Steudtner’s attempt came off the coast of Nazare, Portugal, two months ago on Saturday 24 February.The height of the wave was measured using state-of-the-art drone technology developed by Porsche Engineering and Team Steudtner.Official confirmation of the new record is still pending, according to a press release from Porsche.The current world record, which Steudtner also set in Nazare in 2020, is 26.21 metres (86.4ft). Source link

Chelsea lived up to expectations to reach Champions League semi-finals, says HayesChelsea travel to Spain to take on Barcelona in the Women’s Champions League semi-finals this afternoon with a place on the European showpiece on the line.It is the second time in as many years that the two teams have met at this stage of the competition with Barcelona getting over the line last season. Caroline Graham Hansen scored a stunner to clinch the first leg at Stamford Bridge and the Blues were not able to overturn the deficit at the Nou Camp with the second leg ending in a…

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emails An Israeli airstrike on a house in Gaza’s southernmost city killed at least nine people, six of them children, hospital authorities said on Saturday, as Israel pursued its nearly seven-month offensive in the besieged Palestinian territory.Israel’s war against the Islamic militant group Hamas has led to a dramatic escalation of tensions in an already volatile Middle East.The strike late Friday hit a residential building in the western Tel Sultan neighborhood of the city of…

Sign up to the Independent’s betting newsletter for the latest tips and offersSign up to the Independent’s betting newsletterWolves host Arsenal in a crunch Premier League fixture that will determine whether the Gunners can maintain their challenge for the title. A surprising defeat to Aston Villa last time out saw Arsenal drop below Manchester City in the table and Mikel Arteta’s side are now chasing the champions once again. With City in FA Cup action today, Arsenal have the chance to build some pressure and regain top spot should they triumph at Molinuex. The visitors will have to shake off…

Footage released on social media on Saturday 20 April appears to show huge explosions at a military base belonging to Iraq’s Iranian-backed Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) in Babylon, south of Baghdad.The cause of the blast hasn’t been confirmed.Footage from a car shows huge explosions in the distance from an ammunition depot inside the military base, followed by what appears to launch bright fragments into the sky and with huge smoke and fire.A statement from the Iran-backed PMF said “an explosion occurred at the headquarters of the Popular Mobilization Forces at the Kalsu military base”.One PMF fighter was killed and six…

Sign up to the Independent’s betting newsletter for the latest tips and offersSign up to the Independent’s betting newsletterEmma Hayes insists Chelsea have not overanalysed “world-class” Barcelona ahead of their Champions League clash on Saturday.Chelsea have travelled to Catalonia for the first leg of their semi-final 12 months on from the two clubs meeting at the same stage of the competition.Barcelona prevailed 2-1 on aggregate on that occasion before overcoming Wolfsburg in Eindhoven to lift the trophy for the second time in three years.Chelsea boss Hayes, speaking ahead ahead of this weekend’s first leg at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys, said:…