Japan marked the 1,000th game in the history of the World Cup with a 4-0 thrashing of Tunisia on Saturday to close in on a place in the last 32. Ayase Ueda scored twice while Daichi Kamada and Junya Ito were also on target as the Asian giants joined the Netherlands on four points at […]
Mango exports shrink as Middle East war impacts linger
Beneath the scorching sun in Pakistan’s southern mango belt, labourers balance on tree branches, working at a swift pace to throw the freshly picked fruit into sacks held ready by farmhands waiting below. Though mango season is well underway, far less of the fruit will be bound for the lucrative export market than usual, with […]
Paraguay’s Almiron sent off under new FIFA ‘mouth-covering’ rule
Paraguay’s Miguel Almiron claimed an unwanted piece of football history on Friday after becoming the first player to be sent off for covering his mouth during an on-field confrontation under new FIFA rules. Former Newcastle player Almiron was given his marching orders in first half stoppage time after covering his mouth while he appeared to […]
Meloni hits back as Trump escalates G7 photo spat
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni fired back at US President Donald Trump on Saturday, saying his “constant, unprovoked attacks are senseless” after he escalated a diplomatic row by accusing her of repeatedly seeking a photograph with him. The clash has opened an unusually personal rift between Trump and one of Europe’s most prominent right-wing leaders, […]
Sabalenka roars back to make Berlin WTA semis
World number one Aryna Sabalenka stormed back from the cusp of defeat to beat Czech Nikola Bartunkova and reach the last four of the WTA event in Berlin on Friday. Sabalenka won 2-6, 7-6 (7/2), 6-4 in sweltering conditions in the German capital in the traditional Wimbledon warm-up event. “I was thinking ‘wow, that’s how […]
Vance warns Israel against criticising US-Iran deal
US Vice President JD Vance on Thursday issued an extraordinary rebuke to Israeli critics of the Iran deal, warning them not to alienate their “only powerful ally” left in the world. Vance told members of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet to “wake up and smell the reality,” amid growing tensions between Netanyahu and US […]
World Cup goals record ‘just a number,’ says Messi
Lionel Messi savored a “beautiful moment” after becoming the World Cup’s joint all-time leading goalscorer on Tuesday but said, “ultimately, it is just a statistic, nothing more.” The 38-year-old Argentina captain etched another memorable chapter in his glittering career with a brilliant hat trick in the South Americans’ 3-0 win over Algeria in Kansas City. […]
Ghana beat Panama 1-0 in World Cup opener after injury-time winner
Ghana scored a dramatic 1-0 victory over Panama in their opening World Cup Group L clash in Toronto on Wednesday. Caleb Yirenkyi bundled in the winning goal in the fifth minute of stoppage time, sending thousands of Ghanaians in Canada’s largest city into a frenzy and settling an otherwise attritional battle. Both sides largely struggled […]
Billboards hailing ‘Islamabad Peace Deal’ pop up across capital
Billboards hailing the “Islamabad Peace Deal” and featuring portraits of Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir have popped up across Islamabad on Thursday. Pakistan played a key role in efforts to end the war between Iran and the United States, acting as a mediator and hosting peace talks. The two […]
G7 leaders applaud Iran ‘opportunity’
G7 leaders on Wednesday hailed the US-Iran deal to end the Middle East war as a “historic opportunity” and hosted AI bosses for an unusual meeting to discuss greater protection for children online. The three-day meeting of the leaders of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States has focused intensely on US […]