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Former Australian Open champion Madison Keys told AFP that "many players" are united on the question of Grand Slam prize money and that they will boycott a major tournament if their voices are not heard.Last year almost all the leading players signed two letters to the four Grand Slam bosses demanding an increase in prize money, payments into a player welfare fund to improve retirement and maternity benefits, as well as involvement in decisions that affected them.The letters set a target of a 22-percent share in tournament revenue, which would bring the majors in line with the nine combined 1000-level events run by the ATP men's tour and the women's WTA tour.However, some players feel their demands are not being taken into serious consideration."I think it's incredibly important that the players have more of a voice when it comes to the big decisions that are being made," world number 19 Keys told AFP in Paris, where she is warming up for Roland Garros by playing in the WTA 125 Trophee Clarins event."And I think that it has been many, many years where players have tried to come to the table and have the discussion and it hasn't really gotten anywhere."The American added that seeing "so many players... unified" on the matter was "very inspiring".This strength of feeling has lead to talk of a potential boycott of a Grand Slam tournament."We have kind of come together and agreed that if that's what's necessary, then we'll do it," Keys said."Hopefully it would never get to that point, but I think it's great to see how many, especially so many of the younger players are so willing to stand up for all players."'Many are willing'The 31-year-old is the latest top player to address the matter, after men's world number one Jannik Sinner last week called for Grand Slam tournaments to show tennis players "respect".Two days prior to Sinner's comments, women's top-ranked player Aryna Sabalenka said that she was ready to boycott the Grand Slams in order for the players to force organisers' hands.Those comments came after players said in a statement that last month's announcement by the French Open of a 9.5-percent prize money rise was not good enough.It said that a 14-percent increase in revenue last year only led to the total prize purse going up by 5.4 percent, reducing the players' share to 14.3 percent.Former world number five Keys said if there was a movement to boycott upcoming majors this year, such as Roland Garros, which starts on May 24, or Wimbledon, then she would heed the call."I think it's one of those things where it's just something that you talk about until it actually happens. So I'm as prepared (to boycott) as I need to be," she said."It's something that it seems as though many players are willing to do. So again, hopefully it doesn't actually get to that point, but to see so many people that are willing to get to that point for all players, I think is inspiring." 

An Australian dog credited with saving over 100 koalas from bushfires is retiring after a decade of service.Bear, an 11-year-old Australian Koolie, was one of the first dogs in the country to be trained on the scent of koala fur.The International Fund for Animal Welfare called using dogs to detect koalas a "novel" approach."No one knew if it could be done," IFAW head of programmes Josey Sharrad wrote in a statement about Bear on Monday.As a pup, the four-legged hero's boundless energy made it tough to stay indoors, but he found his true potential in the bush."He literally went from chewing the walls of a Gold Coast apartment to roaming through the Aussie bush on a mission to save our most iconic species," Sharrad said.Bear's skills saved over 100 koalas as the Black Summer bushfires raged across Australia's eastern seaboard from late 2019 to early 2020, razing millions of hectares, destroying thousands of homes and blanketing cities in noxious smoke.The tail-wagging detective with a "joyful and goofy" personality retires with an extensive list of accolades — including an Animal of the Year award and Puppy Tales Photos Australian Dog of the Year award.He also features in a "dogumentary" called "Bear: Koala Hero", and in a book, "Bear to the Rescue".Bear will embark on a slower-paced chapter on the Sunshine Coast with one of his former handlers, getting belly rubs and playing his favourite game, fetch.One of his former handlers, Romane Cristescu, said Bear had been a "tireless ambassador for koalas for a decade"."He melted hearts all around the world, and opened many doors so we could have critical and difficult conversations about climate change and its impacts on the threatened koalas, as well as so many other species." 

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani received a phone call on Tuesday from the Prime Minister of the Republic of India, Narendra Modi. During the call, HH the Amir reassured the Indian prime minister about the welfare of the Indian community residing in Qatar. In response, Prime Minister Modi expressed his gratitude for Qatar's care and attention towards Indian nationals, particularly under the current exceptional circumstances. The two leaders also discussed the recent military developments in the region, with Modi condemning the Iranian aggression against Qatar as a clear violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity, and reaffirming India's solidarity with Qatar and its people. Both leaders stressed the importance of restoring regional peace and stability, calling for an end to escalation and a return to political dialogue and negotiations as the path to managing the crisis and safeguarding regional security.

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani received a phone Tuesday from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.During the call, HH the Amir reassured the Indian prime minister about the welfare of the Indian community residing in Qatar. In response, Prime Minister Modi expressed his gratitude for Qatar's care and attention towards Indian nationals, particularly under the current exceptional circumstances.The two leaders also discussed the recent military developments in the region, with Modi condemning the Iranian aggression against Qatar as a clear violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity, and reaffirming India's solidarity with Qatar and its people.Both leaders stressed the importance of restoring regional peace and stability, calling for an end to escalation and a return to political dialogue and negotiations as the path to managing the crisis and safeguarding regional security.HH the Amir also received a phone call from Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto.The Indonesian president expressed his country's full solidarity and support for Qatar and its people in the face of the blatant Iranian aggression. He condemned any targeting of national territory and sovereignty in the region and emphasised the urgency of de-escalation and a return to negotiations.HH the Amir expressed his deep appreciation for Indonesia's stance and support, noting that it reflects the strong bilateral relations and mutual understanding between the two countries.Both leaders also discussed current regional developments, underlining the importance of dialogue and diplomatic efforts as the way to contain the crisis and preserve regional security and stability.In his call with HH the Amir Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy inquired about the situation in Qatar following the Iranian aggression, expressing his absolute condemnation of this aggression and affirming his country's solidarity with Qatar.They also discussed the latest developments in the Middle East region, particularly the military escalation in the Gulf region and its repercussions on international peace and security.The two sides agreed to continue exchanging views and coordinating efforts to enhance stability and security in the region and the world. 

Her Excellency Minister of State for International Cooperation Maryam bint Ali bin Nasser Al Misnad held a phone call with the Ministry of State at the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Welfare of the Republic of Sudan, Dr. Salma Ishaq Al Khalifa, who is also responsible for the issue of violence against women. The call discussed the humanitarian situation in Sudan, particularly the latest developments in El Fasher city, and the need to protect women and children.

The fifth edition of the ‘Bedar Workers Welfare Programme’ was launched recently with the participation of more than 1,000 workers from 15 local companies operating in the northern regions of the country.Organised in partnership with the Ministry of Interior (MoI) and Qatar Shell, and in collaboration with the Workers’ Support and Insurance Fund, Barwa Real Estate Group, Waseef, and Al Khor Sports Club, the initiative aims to raise workers’ awareness in the fields of security, safety, health, and Qatari culture, with a focus on mental health and personal care, while integrating them into community and national activities.“At Qatar Shell, our dedication to the State of Qatar goes beyond energy — it’s about empowering communities. Through education, community engagement, and proactive support, we strive to create a resilient, informed, and thriving workforce for Qatar’s future,” said Muhammed al-Mushiri, community liaison officer from Qatar Shell. Colonel Ahmad Saad al-Mohannadi from the North Security Department affirmed that the ‘Bedar’ initiative represents a distinguished model of community partnership between government institutions and the private sector, noting that mental health is a key component of security and stability in society, and that the large turnout reflects the initiative’s success in achieving its awareness and social objectives.Kholoud Saif al-Kubaisi, executive director of the Workers’ Support and Insurance Fund, described the ‘Bedar’ initiative as a distinguished example of community collaboration between the public and private sectors. She emphasised that the initiative embodies the commitment to improving the work environment and enhancing workers’ quality of life through awareness, education, and community participation.Hamad Ahmed al-Mohannadi, events and programmes supervisor at Al Khor Sports Club, said the initiative aligns with the club’s commitment to supporting national efforts aimed at promoting mental health awareness and fostering a culture of care for human well-being as an integral part of quality of life.