Alcaraz downs Djokovic in thriller to reach Madrid finalSpain's Carlos Alcaraz celebrates after winning against Serbia's Novak DjokovicMADRID - Carlos Alcaraz became the first player to defeat Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic at the same tournament on clay as he stormed into the Madrid Open final on Saturday. - Djokovic cuts hand -Djokovic staved off three break points on his serve in game four of the decider, digging deep for a 2-2 hold. Two more break points came and went for Alcaraz on his opponent's serve as Djokovic battled to hold for 3-3. The crowd went wild as Alcaraz blasted a forehand winner to get his first match point. Djokovic saved a second match point for 5-6 but Alcaraz was third time lucky, claiming a statement three-hour 35-minute victory with yet another forehand winner -- his 35th of the match.

The first measure is to ensure that at least 60 per cent of students aged 15-18 are fully vaccinated with two doses, said Deputy Public Health Minister Sathit Pitutecha. The second is to ensure all schools score at least 95 per cent in evaluations by provincial public health offices using the Thai Stop Covid Plus standard. The third is to screen symptomatic and at-risk students with antigen tests. The fourth measure is an emergency plan to ensure schools remain open even if infections are found. Classrooms where students test positive must be cleansed, after which classes can continue as normal.

Russia steps up Ukraine assaults ahead of Victory DayRehearsing for Monday's Victory Day show of force, Russian MiG-29SMT jet fighters forming the symbol "Z" in support of military action in Ukraine. (AFP Photo)ZAPORIZHZHIA, Ukraine: Ukraine hoped to evacuate more civilians from a besieged Mariupol steel plant on Saturday as Russian forces unleashed new bombardments across the country ahead of Victory Day festivities in Moscow. On Monday, Moscow and President Vladimir Putin will celebrate the World War II Soviet victory over Nazi Germany with a traditional Victory Day parade. But with Victory Day fast approaching, Ukrainian officials fear more intense missile and artillery bombardments and renewed assaults as Moscow scrambles for symbolic wins. Kherson in the south remains the only significant city Russia has managed to capture since the war began.

Premier League leaders City were two goals up on aggregate but Real scored in the 90th minute and equalised a minute later before winning in extra time through a Karim Benzema penalty to set up a final against Liverpool in Paris. "No words can help (for) what all of us feel," said Guardiola. "It is just a question of time, try to sleep as best as possible and think of the new target." Guardiola said the league focus remained the same and he would talk to the players on Saturday about who they were as a team, what they had achieved and how well they had played all season. He said, however, that he did not know whether the current group of players could win the Champions League or whether he was the manager to do it.

Russian owner Roman Abramovich, now subject to sanctions by the British government, put the London club up for sale in early March following his country's invasion of Ukraine. Abramovich cleared the path for the takeover on Thursday after he dismissed reports that he wanted a loan given to the club, reportedly worth 1.5 billion pounds ($1.85 billion), to be repaid. The Boehly group, which also includes Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss and British property investor Jonathan Goldstein, were in exclusive negotiations to buy the club after a late bid from British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe was rejected. Groups led by Boston Celtics co-owner Stephen Pagliuca and former British Airways chairman Martin Broughton were earlier eliminated from the bidding process while a consortium led by Chicago Cubs owners the Ricketts family pulled out of the running. ($1 = 0.8106 pounds)

Sri Lanka president declares state of emergency amid unrestA demonstrator helps another as police use tear gas and water cannon to disperse students demanding the resignation of Sri Lanka's President Gotabaya Rajapaksa over the country's crippling economic crisis, near parliament in Colombo on May 6, 2022COLOMBO - Sri Lanka President Gotabaya Rajapaksa Friday declared a state of emergency for the second time in five weeks, giving security forces sweeping powers as a nationwide strike demanding his resignation brought the country to standstill. A spokesman for the president said he invoked the tough laws to "ensure public order" after shops closed and public transport was halted Friday by unions blaming him for the unprecedented economic crisis, which has ignited weeks of unrest. The emergency gives sweeping powers to security forces to arrest and detain suspects for long periods without judicial supervision. "The President used his executive powers to invoke emergency regulations to ensure the maintenance of essential services and public order," the spokesman said. Beleaguered Rajapaksa had declared an earlier state of emergency on April 1, a day after thousands of protesters attempted to storm his private home in the capital.

PM affirms neutral Ukraine war stanceThailand will not take sides in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, confirmed Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha in advance of a top-level US-Asean meeting that he will be attending in Washington DC next week. During a media briefing at Government House yesterday, Gen Prayut talked about his upcoming trip to America for the US-Asean Special Summit from May 12-13. Given Russia's invasion of Ukraine, there might be some opinions about it during the meeting, Gen Prayut said. I will put my best effort into it," said Gen Prayut. Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon will be in charge of national affairs while Gen Prayut is away from May 11-15.

Public anger has sparked sustained protests demanding the government’s resignation over its mismanagement of the crisis, Sri Lanka’s worst since independence in 1948. Officers fired a barrage of tear gas followed by water cannon from two trucks, but the crowd quickly reassembled behind police barricades set up to block access to the parliament. It was the second time police tried to disperse the crowd with tear gas, after an earlier unsuccessful attempt on Thursday afternoon. “We can pinpoint the policy blunders of the president that led to this very sorry state of our economy,” said trade union leader Ravi Kumudesh. Sri Lanka’s economic crisis took hold after the coronavirus pandemic hammered income from tourism and remittances.

Earlier Friday, police used tear gas and water cannon to disperse students attempting to storm the national parliament demanding Rajapaksa resign. The emergency gives sweeping powers to security forces to arrest and detain suspects for long periods without judicial supervision. But protests have escalated since then, fuelling Sri Lanka's worst crisis since independence in 1948. - Storming parliament -The students' attempt to storm the tightly-guarded legislature on Friday was their second in as many days. Sri Lanka's economic crisis took hold after the coronavirus pandemic hammered income from tourism and remittances.

Tour subsidy schemes extended to revitalise tourismPeople gather hoping to watch migrating birds against the sunset, at Bang Pu Recreation Centre in Samut Prakan on Thursday. The present phase of the scheme offered two million room rights, until May 31. Mr Thanakorn said the Tour Teaw Thai package will also be extended, from the end of April to the end of September. This programme is aimed at helping tour group operators, by offering a 40% subsidy discount on tour packages. The Association of Domestic Travel, Thai Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Authority of Thailand have orchestrated calls for the government to continue the subsidy schemes to promote domestic travel.

Surin reopens Chong Chom crossing to CambodiaThe first truck crosses the border to Cambodia through the Chong Chom checkpoint in Kab Choeng district, in southern Surin, after it reopens on Friday morning. (Photo: Nopparat Kingkaew)SURIN: The Chong Chom checkpoint on the border with Cambodia reopened on Friday, two years after it was closed by the arrival of the Covid-19 epidemic. Surin governor Suwapong Kitipatpibul and Oddar Meanchey governor Pen Kosal opened the gate at 10.30am after a countdown at the border. Chong Chom is in Kap Choeng district, and links with O Smach in Cambodia. The Chong Chom-O Smach xrossig is now open for Thais and foreigners seven days a week, from 6am-10pm.

Mental health guidance amid CovidJessada Charoensri, a teacher at a school in Tak province, tries to cheer up students under pressure from staying home during Covid. They are traumatic and contribute to the increasingly dire mental health concerns in society today. For many college and university students, the social isolation proved particularly alienating and is detrimental to their psychosocial development. We can develop more Thai language-based mental health questionnaires that can be completed anonymously online. The social marginalisation of those suffering from mental health concerns is real, and society would benefit from beginning to have this difficult discussion.

Volatility in the currency market is still supporting the dollar and pressuring the baht, Poon added. Meanwhile, the Covid-19 situation in China is deterring investment in Asian emerging markets, meaning the baht is likely to swing sideways, he said. However, the baht would face downward pressure from purchases of gold if the price goes down. Poon said the Thai currency’s key resistance level would be 34.50, at which point exporters would sell the dollar. He advised businesses to use hedging tools such as options to manage risks in the highly volatile currency market.

Almost three times as many people have died as a result of COVID-19 as official data show, according to a new World Health Organization (WHO) report, the most comprehensive look at the true global toll of the pandemic so far. There were 14.9 million excess deaths associated with COVID-19 by the end of 2021, the U.N. body said on Thursday (May 5). The official count of deaths directly attributable to COVID-19 and reported to WHO in that period, from January 2020 to the end of December 2021, is slightly more than 5.4 million. The WHO's excess mortality figures reflect people who died of COVID-19 as well as those who died as an indirect result of the outbreak, including people who could not access healthcare for other conditions when systems were overwhelmed during huge waves of infection.

Crisis Sri LankaAnti-government protesters vow to bring the country to a standstill todayThe Island ( Sri Lanka )https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40015281Covid-19 ChinaCPC: Nation will win antivirus fightChina Dailyhttps://www.nationthailand.com/international/40015283Jobs SingaporeSix in 10 in Singapore prepared to request pay rise amid labour crunch, inflation: SurveyThe Straits Times ( Singapore )https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40015284NATO South KoreaSouth Korea’s intelligence agency joins NATO’s cyber defence centre as the first in AsiaThe Korea Heraldhttps://www.nationthailand.com/international/40015282Covid-19 VietnamDomestic health declaration for Covid-19 prevention and control is no longer required across VietnamVietnam Newshttps://www.nationthailand.com/international/40015285