Light News (LN)

  Messi works on ‘specific exercises’ as he recovers from muscle fatigue in his left hamstring before the World Cup. Lionel ‌‌Messi has trained on his own ⁠⁠during Argentina’s first practice session at their base camp in the United States, where the squad has assembled this week for their World Cup preparations. The defending ⁠⁠World Cup champions held their first pretournament training in Kansas City, Missouri, on Monday. The ⁠⁠Inter Miami captain has been dealing with muscle fatigue in his left hamstring ⁠⁠since May 24 but is expected to be ready for Argentina’s opener against Algeria on June 16 in Kansas City. Messi, ‌‌38, joined Argentina at their training base and worked on “specific exercises” along with several teammates who are also dealing with fitness concerns. “The players who are suffering from ⁠⁠niggles and injuries continue ⁠⁠to work with the physiotherapy team on specific exercises on the pitch and are making good progress,” Argentina’s Football ⁠⁠Association said. A...

  The war in the Middle East has dented economic growth prospects worldwide, with a more severe shock likely if no effective ceasefire is agreed before 2027, the OECD warned Wednesday. The OECD has downgraded its global growth outlook, warning that rising energy prices, geopolitical tensions and persistent inflation are weighing on the world economy and could push several countries into recession if disruptions continue. In its quarterly update, the organisation, which represents 38 industrialised countries, forecasts global economic growth of 2.8% in 2026, down from its previous estimate of 2.9%. However, if the conflict continues into 2027, global growth could slow to 2.1%, the OECD said. That would be well below the average annual growth rate of 3.4% recorded between 2013 and 2019, before the Covid-19 pandemic. "The longer the disruptions last, the greater the economic and social costs will be," the OECD's chief economist, Stefano Scarpetta, said in the report. He warn...

  This month’s football World Cup puts North America at the heart of global tourism and is set to trigger an economic boom across the region, with Canada leading the way, ahead of Mexico and the United States, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council. The  FIFA World Cup 2026  is shaping up to be one of the biggest drivers of tourism in North America. The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) expects the tournament to give a significant boost to the tourism GDP of Canada, Mexico and the United States, cementing the region’s status as one of the world’s leading tourism hubs. According to the council’s estimates,  Canada will see the strongest tourism growth , with a 6.4% increase in sector GDP, while  Mexico is set to expand by 2.4%  and  the United States by 2.1% . The WTTC sees the World Cup as a  “strategic opportunity” to reinforce long-term tourism growth  through greater air connectivity, more integrated experiences for trav...

  An investigation by Al Jazeera’s Open Source Unit has identified 40 distinct Israeli military outposts entrenched within Gaza. Israel was supposed to fully withdraw its troops from Gaza as part of the ceasefire signed in October. Instead of pulling back, Israeli forces are quietly cementing permanent, heavily fortified military posts across the besieged enclave, according to satellite imagery analysed by Al Jazeera. An investigation by Al Jazeera’s Open Source Unit, analysing satellite data up to May 2026, has identified 40 distinct Israeli military outposts entrenched within Gaza. Crucially, the analysis proves that eight of these bases were constructed entirely from scratch after the October 2025 truce went into effect, with one site still undergoing active construction. This physical entrenchment mirrors the increasingly overt territorial ambitions of Israel’s leadership. Speaking at a recent conference, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed directives to  permanent...

  The Russian-installed head of Donetsk, Denis Pushilin, says a drone hit a bus travelling between Moscow and Simferopol. At least seven people have been killed after a drone hit a bus in the Russian-controlled Donetsk region of Ukraine, as both sides escalate attacks. The Russian-installed head of the region, Denis Pushilin, said on the Telegram messaging platform on Wednesday that the bus was travelling between Moscow and Simferopol in Crimea. “A further 11 people sustained injuries of varying severity, and all are receiving the necessary medical care,” he added. Russia’s state news agency Tass reported that the Investigative Committee has opened a criminal investigation under the category of “terrorist attack”, according to its spokesperson Svetlana Petrenko. Meanwhile, the governor of St Petersburg said Ukrainian drones hit infrastructure in several districts, causing damage and wounding several people, as Russian President Vladimir Putin hosts the “Russian Davos” economic foru...

  It took eight fire engines to extinguish the blaze, as more than 40 people were rescued and taken to nearby hospitals. At least 21 people have been killed in a fire that ripped through a hotel in New Delhi, police said, in one of the deadliest blazes in the Indian capital in years. The fire broke out on Wednesday in a building in the Malviya Nagar neighbourhood in the southern part of the city, which has a restaurant on the ground floor and a hotel above. The predominantly residential area is densely populated and popular with students and young professionals. The blaze was extinguished with the help of eight fire engines, and more than 40 people were rescued and taken to nearby hospitals, Delhi police said in a statement. “It is with profound sorrow that 21 persons have been declared dead in this tragic incident,” the force said. Several of those killed were visitors from African countries who had come to the city for medical treatment, the Indian Express and other local media r...