The United States is discussing an offer from the royal family of Qatar to supply a luxury jumbo jet for use as a presidential plane.
US President Donald Trump’s administration has signalled that it plans to accept the Boeing 747-8 airliner to serve as a temporary replacement for Air Force One. The news has provoked warnings from critics that accepting the plane would be unethical.
Qatar denied in a statement that the plane would be a gift, saying the transfer of the aircraft for “temporary use” was under discussion.
Spokesperson Ali Al-Ansari said the offer was still under consideration by Qatar’s Ministry of Defence and the US Department of Defense and “no decision has been made”.
However, in a post on his social media site Truth Social late on Sunday, Trump appeared to confirm that he intends to accept the plane as a gift.
At a cost of about $400m, it would be one of the most valuable gifts ever received by the US government.
“So the fact that the Defense Department is getting a GIFT, FREE OF CHARGE, of a 747 aircraft to replace the 40 year old Air Force One, temporarily, in a very public and transparent transaction, so bothers the Crooked Democrats that they insist we pay, TOP DOLLAR, for the plane,” the Republican president wrote.
Democrats and good government advocates said accepting the plane as a gift would be unethical and likely unconstitutional.
“Nothing says ‘America First’ like Air Force One, brought to you by Qatar,” Chuck Schumer, leader of the Democrats in the Senate, wrote on X.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt rejected such claims.
“Any gift given by a foreign government is always accepted in full compliance with all applicable laws. President Trump’s administration is committed to full transparency,” she said.
Trump toured the Qatari-owned 747-8 in February when it was parked at Palm Beach International Airport in Florida near his Mar-a-Lago resort.
At the time, the White House said the president did so to get a better understanding of how the updated Air Force One planes would be configured.
Al-Ansari said the proposed arrangement involves Qatar donating the luxury jet to the US government for use as Air Force One during Trump’s presidency.
The aircraft would then be transferred to the Donald J Trump Presidential Library upon his departure from office, according to reports in the US media.
The opening arguments in the high-profile criminal trial of rapper and music mogul Sean Combs, better known by his nickname Diddy, are set to begin on Monday in Manhattan, New York.
The three-time Grammy winner has been in federal custody since September on charges including sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy, and transporting to engage in prostitution. His trial officially began on May 5.
The multimillionaire American record producer and founder of Bad Boy Records has been accused of using his fame and money to abuse women over the course of 20 years.
The 55-year-old rap star has pleaded not guilty to all charges. But if he is found guilty on all counts, he could face a minimum sentence of 15 years and up to a life term.
Here is everything you need to know about his trial:
What can we expect on Monday?
On Monday, the jury of 12 jurors and six alternates is expected to be finalised, paving the way for opening statements by the government and then the defence.
US District Judge Arun Subramanian will preside over the trial.
Over the course of a two-month trial, jurors are expected to hear testimony from three and possibly four of the rapper’s female accusers, as well as his former employees who prosecutors say helped arrange and cover up his actions.
In this courtroom sketch, Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, accompanied by lawyers Marc Agnifilo and Anthony Ricco, attends a hearing in a federal court in the Manhattan borough of New York City, US [File: Jane Rosenberg/Reuters]
What are the charges against Combs?
A five-count indictment against the Hip-Hop artist has accused him of sex trafficking, racketeering and transporting individuals for the purpose of prostitution. The indictment also makes claims of sexual assault, physical violence, kidnapping, forced labour, bribery, obstruction of justice and arson against Combs.
He “engaged in a persistent and pervasive pattern of abuse toward women and other individuals”, the indictment said.
This involved years of carrying out threatening and coercive behaviour towards women “to fulfil his sexual desires, protect his reputation, and conceal his conduct”, it added.
Over two decades, Combs used violence and threats to force women to take part in days-long, drug-fuelled sexual performances with male sex workers known as “Freak Offs”, according to the indictment.
Combs would often watch the performances, masturbate and film them, sometimes using the recordings as blackmail to ensure his alleged victims did not report his abuse, prosecutors say.
In one 2016 incident that was captured on hotel surveillance footage that prosecutors plan to show the jury, Combs was seen kicking and dragging a woman as she was trying to leave a “Freak Off”, prosecutors say.
CNN last year broadcast footage that appeared to show Combs attacking his former girlfriend, the rhythm and blues singer Casandra “Cassie” Ventura, in 2016 in a Los Angeles hotel hallway. Combs apologised after the video aired.
Who is going to testify?
Ventura is likely to testify as a key witness for the prosecution.
She sued Combs in November 2023, saying he abused her for years, also involving allegations of rape. However, the lawsuit was settled the next day, with the terms of the settlement remaining undisclosed.
But it triggered a law enforcement investigation and was followed by dozens of lawsuits from people making similar claims.
Three other alleged victims, all women and only known to the public by pseudonyms, are also set to testify, as well as former business associates and law enforcement officers.
What evidence has been presented so far?
A central part of the prosecution’s case rests on the 2016 leaked video showing Combs beating Ventura in a Los Angeles hotel hallway.
The video, released by US media outlet CNN in May 2024, was widely circulated on other news platforms and social media sites.
While Combs’s lawyers have argued the video should not be presented in court, Judge Subramanian said he would allow it.
“The defence can’t show the footage is inadmissible,” he said in a ruling in late April. “There’s no unfair prejudice to Mr. Combs.”
Moreover, in March 2024, his homes in Los Angeles and Miami were raided by federal authorities and dozens of electronic devices were recovered.
During a hearing in October, one of the prosecutors, Emily Johnson, said 96 electronic devices had been seized in March. Eight of those contained some 90 terabytes of data, which Johnson labelled as “extraordinary”.
What is the defence saying?
Combs has repeatedly denied the allegations.
His lawyers are expected to argue that the sexual activity described by prosecutors was consensual, and say there is nothing illegal about a “swingers” lifestyle in which Combs and his girlfriends occasionally brought a third person into their relationships.
Their strategy at trial will hinge on undermining the credibility of the women who testify against Combs, including by arguing they were motivated by money to accuse him of wrongdoing and have unreliable memories.
Marc Agnifilo, his lawyer, has asserted the indictment was an “unjust prosecution” of his client and that Combs was not a “criminal”.
Agnifilo has said the 2016 hotel incident depicted the aftermath of a dispute over infidelity and was not evidence of sex trafficking.
In a court hearing on Friday, Agnifilo said Ventura had a history of domestic violence, undercutting prosecutors’ argument that she was a victim.
Ventura’s lawyer declined to comment.
Where is Combs right now?
The Bad Boy Records founder has been held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York, without bail since his arrest in September.
He has been denied bail three times, with Judge Subramanian saying there was a “serious risk” of witness tampering.
What sentence does Combs face if convicted?
Combs could face up to life in prison if the jury convicts him on the racketeering charge.
If convicted on the sex trafficking charge, he would have to serve a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years, and a maximum of 10 years in prison if found guilty on the charges of transporting to engage in prostitution.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he will be waiting to meet Russia’s Vladimir Putin in Turkiye to talk face-to-face, as part of peace negotiations scheduled for May 15. It’s not clear however if Putin will attend.
Hamas says it will release US-Israeli captive Edan Alexander and confirms direct talks with the US, while Israel insists it has not agreed to any ceasefire – signaling a possible rift with Washington, analysts say.
Israel’s blockade threatens the entire population of the Gaza Strip with famine and faces 500,000 with starvation, a global hunger monitor has warned.
A report by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) initiative, released on Monday, said the Gaza Strip “is still confronted with a critical risk of famine” after over a year and a half of devastating war, with the vast majority of its approximately 2.1 million people at severe risk.
Some 70 days after the Israeli military halted the entry of food, water, medicine and all other life-saving supplies into Gaza, the report said “goods indispensable for people’s survival are either depleted or expected to run out in the coming weeks”.
“The entire population is facing high levels of acute food insecurity, with half a million people (one in five) facing starvation,” it said. Approximately 93 percent of Gaza’s population is experiencing acute food shortages, it added.
Conditions have significantly worsened since the previous IPC report, released in October, with a higher percentage of the population facing more severe levels of food insecurity.
The entire population is expected to face “crisis” or worse levels of acute food insecurity if the Israeli siege persists. One in five is thought likely to face starvation between May and September.
Authorities in the bombarded territory said last week that at least 57 people had starved to death as a result of Israel’s blockade.
Widespread acute malnutrition is anticipated, the analysis adds, especially in mostly destroyed northern Gaza and in Rafah in the southernmost part of the Strip.
🔴 #GazaStrip
The Gaza Strip—approximately 2.1 million people—continues facing a critical risk of Famine following 19 months of conflict, mass displacement, and humanitarian aid blockade.
📉 Extreme hunger is deepening every day!
⚠️ 1 in every 5 people faces starvation between… pic.twitter.com/z7uN9ifnpC
A continued blockade “would likely result in further mass displacement within and across governorates”, the report said.
“The vast majority of people in the Gaza Strip would not have access to food, water, shelter, and medicine. This would exacerbate civil unrest and competition over remaining scarce resources, further eroding whatever limited community coping and support mechanisms remain.”
Food prices in Gaza are soaring excessively. The IPC report points to a 3,000 percent increase in the price of wheat flour since February in Deir el-Balah in central Gaza and Khan Younis in the south.
The analysis calls for “urgent action” to end the hostilities, allow unhindered humanitarian access, and protect civilians and aid workers who have been killed by the Israeli army in record numbers.
After 14 years playing Test matches, Virat Kohli is retiring from the national team as one of the immortals of Indian cricket.
“Honestly, I never imagined the journey this format would take me on. It’s tested me, shaped me, and taught me lessons I’ll carry for life,” Kohli wrote on Monday in his Test retirement social media post.
“There’s something deeply personal about playing in whites. The quiet grind, the long days, the small moments that no-one sees but that stay with you forever,” he added.
Here is all to know about the retirement of India’s hugely impactful batter and captain:
Why is Virat Kohli retiring from Tests?
Kohli’s declining form in the five-day format of cricket may have prompted his decision to call it a day.
After averaging close to 55 at his peak between 2011 and 2019, he could muster a batting average of just 32.56 over the past 24 months.
Kohli’s last Test was in Sydney in January when India lost the match, and with it the series 3-1, to Australia.
Apart from an unbeaten century in the second innings of the first Test in Perth, Kohli managed just 90 runs from eight innings in the five-Test series.
Kohli has previously cited mental fatigue and injuries as other reasons to consider retirement.
“As I step away from this format, it’s not easy – but it feels right. I’ve given it everything I had, and it’s given me back so much more than I could’ve hoped for,” Kohli said.
What does Virat #269 mean?
Kohli used #269 in his Instagram post while announcing his retirement on Monday.
The number denotes Kohli as the 269th player who represented India in Test cricket.
What will Kohli do next?
Kohli will continue to play for the Indian cricket team in One-Day International (ODI) matches, but with Test match commitments removed from his schedule, he will now have more time to pursue other interests outside of the game.
The 36-year-old has an expanding business empire in India. He is an active investor in large-scale fitness, hospitality and clothing companies such as Chisel fitness centre, Rage Coffee, sportswear brand One8, WROGN menswear brand and Blue Tribe, to name just a few.
He is also a global brand ambassador for multiple international companies, including Puma, Audi and Vivo.
Unlike many top cricketers, Kohli has not indicated that he will pursue a cricket commentary career, but he has repeatedly talked about giving back to the game in some form, with coaching a possible option in the future.
Once retired, will Kohli move to England?
In December 2024, it was widely reported that Kohli was planning to leave India and settle in London with his wife, actor Anushka Sharma, and their two children, daughter Vamika and son Akaay, according to his childhood cricket coach Rajkumar Yadav, who hinted at the impending move in an interview with Hindi newspaper Dainik Jagran.
Cricketer Virat Kohli, left, and his wife, Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma, pose for a photo during the Indian Sports Honours red carpet in Mumbai, India, on March 23, 2023 [Ashish Vaishnav/LightRocket via Getty Images]
What is Kohli’s net worth?
It has been reported that Kohli’s net worth is about 96 million pounds ($126m) from salaries, businesses and endorsement deals.
What are Kohli’s key career Test match stats?
Kohli leaves with seven double centuries, the most by an Indian player and the fourth most in Test history. Six of them came in an extraordinary 18-month, 33-innings spell from July 2016 to December 2017 – a period in which he was the number one batter in the format.
The number of Test centuries made by Kohli – only 14 players have more. He also had 31 half-centuries.
Kohli’s highest Test score was 254, made against South Africa in Pune, India, in October 2019. He finished the innings not out, and it was the last of his double centuries.
He was captain in 68 Tests, winning 40 of them – the most for an Indian captain and fourth overall in Test cricket.
The number of Test runs made by Kohli – 9,230 runs at an average of 46.85 – ranks him fourth on the all-time list of India players behind fellow greats Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Sunil Gavaskar.
Kohli’s total of 692 runs in four Tests is the most by any Indian batsman in a Test series in Australia.
Virat Kohli celebrates his century on Day 3 of the first Test between Australia and India at Perth Stadium on November 24, 2024 [Izhar Khan/Getty Images]
How popular is Kohli?
Married to a Bollywood star, Kohli has 272 million followers on Instagram and 67.8 million on X – making him one of the most followed sports stars on the planet.
His popularity has been a key factor behind cricket’s return to the Olympics at the 2028 Games in Los Angeles, the organisers acknowledged last year.
Reaction to Kohli’s retirement
Greg Chappell, former Australia captain:
“Kohli redefined expectations, challenged conventions, and symbolised the self-assured, unapologetic India of the 21st century,” Chappell said in a piece on ESPN CricInfo.
“His departure leaves not only a statistical void but a seismic shift in energy – for there has never been another quite like him.
“No Indian captain had ever marshalled a team to such commanding overseas dominance. And no batter since Tendulkar had so unequivocally ruled in every continent.”
Jasprit Bumrah, India bowler:
“From making my Test debut under your captaincy to reaching new heights together for our country, your passion and energy will be missed but the legacy you leave behind remains unmatched.”
Sanath Jayasuriya, former Sri Lanka captain:
“While the world celebrates your cricketing brilliance and records, what I admire most is your unwavering commitment to fitness and the sacrifices you’ve made behind the scenes.”
