LONDON isn’t necessarily known for its gardens – but it does have some spectacular green spaces.

In fact Syon Park in Hounslow has just been named the ‘best public garden in London‘.

The gardens at Syon Park were named the best in London by White Stores, experts of outdoor living.

They looked at 240 gardens in total, totting up the best from factors like on-site attractions to Google ratings, reviews – even average amount of rainfall and sunshine.

Topping the table was Syon Park in Hounslow, West London.

The entire estate is one of the Duke of Northumberland‘s homes – its been owned by the family for over 400 years.

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While it is still a family home, the house, along with the award-winning gardens are open to the public on certain days during the week.

Of course the Bath stone manor is impressive, but it’s the grounds that you have to check out this summer.

There’s 100 acres of parkland on the estate with trees, grassland, wildflower meadows and an ornamental lake.

One called it a “hidden gem” which “exceeded expectations.”

While you’re having a stroll around the gardens, it will be hard to miss the enormous glasshouse.

The conservatory has an enormous dome-shaped roof and was once used to grow exotic plants from countries like South Africa and Australia.

The building was neglected during World War One, but was restored in the late 1980s.

Fans of Netflix‘s Bridgerton might recognise Syon Park; the glasshouse conservatory was used as a venue for Lady Danbury’s ball in series two.

Kylie Minogue and Little Mix even filmed music videos in there.

If you want to visit the estate, Syon Park is open on Mondays, Tuesdays and Sundays between 10.30AM and 3.30PM.

Tickets to the gardens and conservatory start from £7 for adults, £5.50 for concessions and £3.50 for children (between 5-16).

If tickets are bought on the door it’s £1 more expensive.

While it’s a private home, some state rooms at Syon Park are open to explore.

It has a huge Great Hall with patterned tiled floor and Greek-style columns.

The Ante Room (essentially a waiting room) has gold detailing with paintings of Greek and Roman gods on the walls.

Others that visitors can see are the state dining room, drawing room, gallery, print room and Princess Victoria’s bedroom.

You can get a glimpse of the inner courtyard too which has a pretty fountain and neat hedges.

If you want to visit the whole estate, including the house, it’s a little more expensive – with an advance ticket, it costs £16.50 for adults.

For concessions it’s £15, children between 5-16 it’s £9.50 – children under five go free.

Again, entry on the door is an extra £1 on top of the online ticket price.

The U.S. men’s soccer team isn’t only trying to win games in this World Cup. It is trying to win hearts and minds as well.

“We want the game to grow,” star midfielder Christian Pulisic said. “We want to get Americans excited to watch this game, to watch our team. That’s obviously a big goal of ours. And being successful would give that the best boost.”

The Americans certainly got a great start Friday, opening the second World Cup played on U.S. soil with a dominant 4-1 win over Paraguay. It was one of the most complete performances the American men have had on the sport’s biggest stage, with Folarin Balogun scoring twice, Pulisic setting up two goals, and just one momentary lapse on defense separating goalkeeper Matt Freese from a shutout.

The U.S. passed well, defended well and, most important, was clinical and dangerous in front of the net, finishing well.

U.S. midfielder Giovanni celebrates with Antonee Robinson and Sebastian Berhalter after scoring against Paraguay.

(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)

“It was a real statement,” Balogun said. “And that’s what we wanted. I’m very delighted with the overall performance.”

The effort was warmly received by a sold-out crowd of 70,492 at SoFi Stadium, with record-setting crowds watching on TV throughout the country.

Fox Sports announced 15.99 million watched the win, making it the most-viewed U.S. World Cup match on English-language television.

And the Spanish-language broadcast drew a total audience of 8.9 million across Telemundo, Peacock and Telemundo’s streaming platforms. It was the most-watched U.S. World Cup match on Spanish-language television network platforms, harking back to the 1994 World Cup, the first played in the U.S. that also attracted record TV audiences.

At 38, captain Tim Ream is the only member of the team who was alive in 1994, but he and his younger teammates repeatedly have been reminded of the impact that tournament had on soccer in the U.S. That 1994 team won just one game, though, scored just two goals and didn’t make it past the round of 16.

This team is convinced it can do better — on and off the field.

Fans cheer after U.S. beat Paraguay to open the World Cup Friday at SoFi Stadium.

(Kelvin Kuo/Los Angeles Times)

“It’s trying to be an inspiration for the next generation and grow the game,” midfielder Tyler Adams said. “I think we have the opportunity to do that.”

Part of that is kick-starting the kind of interest in soccer that briefly swept the country during the first U.S. World Cup 32 years ago. And this team certainly energized fans Friday.

“Having this crowd around us, seeing the red, white and blue, it’s awesome,” Pulisic said. “It’s really pushing us forward. We just hope it continues like that.”

It will if Pulisic and Co. continue playing like that.

The U.S. controlled the ball for nearly an hour of the 90 minutes, completed more than twice as many passes as Paraguay and took almost twice as many shots. It was a game that was as attractive and inviting as it was one-sided, one that might turn the most skeptical viewer into a fan.

It was, midfielder Weston McKennie said, the kind of game that could push the U.S. closer to becoming a proper soccer nation.

American midfielder Weston McKennie outruns two Paraguay defenders.

(Kelvin Kuo/Los Angeles Times)

“Because it’s a World Cup and it’s in America, people came out,” McKennie said. “We’re OK with that. There’s a lot of people that maybe have never come out to support us. But hopefully today, with this performance, they can connect with us.

“You feel this electricity in the stadium and the passion. That’s one thing that’s going to change soccer here.”

Pulisic and McKennie helped put the U.S. in front to stay in the seventh minute, although the goal was credited to Paraguayan midfielder Damián Bobadilla, who got his right foot in front of a McKennie pass intended for Balogun and deflected it into the net for an own goal. Pulisic made the whole sequence happen, however, pushing the ball between a pair of defenders before poking it on to McKennie in the center of the box.

Balogun scored twice in the final 20 minutes of the first half, one-timing a perfect pass from Pulisic in from the penalty spot in the 31st minute, then running on to a perfectly weighted through ball from Malik Tillman and avoiding two defenders to line a left-footed shot into the top left corner five minutes into stoppage time.

The brace was the first of Balogun’s international career and came in his World Cup debut before a crowd of family and friends, a cheering section he saluted from behind the goal line after scoring.

“I had to sort through a lot of ticket [requests.] It’s a dream night, you know? I’ve not been able to take it all in,” said Balogun, whose brace marked the first multigoal game by an American in the World Cup since 1930.

And that wasn’t the only history the U.S. made Friday. Defender Chris Richards, whose status for the opener was in doubt after he tore two ligaments in his left ankle a month ago, completed all 83 of his passes, the most without a miss in a World Cup game since 1966.

Mauricio pulled one of those goals back for Paraguay in the 73rd minute, before Gio Reyna closed the scoring with his first World Cup goal deep in stoppage time.

Pulisic, who said he took a kick to his left calf in the first half, was replaced by Sebastian Berhalter to start the second. Pulisic showed no signs of injury while talking with reporters after the match, and coach Mauricio Pochettino is hopeful the injury will not limit Pulisic during the next match Friday against Australia.

For the U.S., the commanding win over Paraguay was just the start. The best, the players promise, is yet to come.

Fans fill SoFi Stadium during the U.S. World Cup win over Paraguay on Friday.

(Kelvin Kuo/Los Angeles Times)

“Today was a great starting point for us,” McKennie said. “But we know that’s just a start and this is something we don’t want to over-celebrate. Because we want this to be the normal for us.

“We have two more games to go in the group. Hopefully we improve.”

Added Pulisic: “There’s so much more we want to accomplish.”

And not all of that will take place on the field.

June 12 (UPI) — A federal judge on Friday extended an order to indefinitely block President Donald Trump‘s $1.776 billion “anti-weaponization” fund because she does not trust the administration’s word that it will not attempt to enact it.

The fund was announced last month and meant to compensate people the Trump administration alleged were targeted by the Biden administration, including people who were convicted for their actions during the Jan. 6, 2021, riots at the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C.

Judge Leonie Brinkema of the Eastern District of Virginia in her ruling blocked Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward, Jr., and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent from taking “any action to create or operate” the fund and that they not proceed with the concept “in any manner, or under any name.”

Brinkema’s ruling builds atop one from Washington, D.C., Judge Richard Leon that they do not believe the administration will not attempt to distribute money in the scheme.

Both judges indicated that they do not believe that the Department of Justice will back off from the plan because no officials from the agency have said they would do so while sworn in and under penalty of perjury.

“When the President of the United States says” that he wants something, referring to Trump, Brinkema said “that’s a pretty good indicator there will be an incentive and motive to make it happen,” CNN reported.

Even with the fund having been on hold for the last week, at least one person already has attempted to file a claim, to which the federal court responded that it is “not accepting applications”

Al Jazeera’s Basel Ghazoghli traces the documented record from 1948 to the present. Sexual violence against Palestinians in Israeli custody is often framed as a post-October 7 issue. But historical records, academic research, and legal testimony suggest a much longer history.

Summer, and all the vacation days and potential travel that implies, is upon us. And whether flying internationally or taking time off at home, you can’t beat a good British crime drama as the ultimate self-soother (especially in summer when the U.K.’s inevitable drizzly city streets and windswept moors can provide at least visual relief from the heat). The genre is varied, the casts inevitably fine and justice almost always prevails. So here are 15 shows, new and old, to watch. (And if that’s not enough, you can find 15 more here.)

‘Young Sherlock’ (Prime Video)

Will we ever tire of reimagining Sherlock Holmes? Not anytime soon, apparently. Created by Matthew Parkhill and developed by Guy Ritchie (who directed two episodes), this version gives us a college-aged Sherlock (Hero Fiennes Tiffin) banished to the role of Oxford University porter by his fed-up older brother, Mycroft (Max Irons), who hopes to put the arrogant young rip on a steadier path. Alas, before you can say “Sir Bucephalus Hodge” (the Oxford bigwig played by Colin Firth), young Sherlock is up to his flat cap in murder and mystery, which he is determined to solve with the aid of his new best bud — wait for it — James Moriarty (Dónal Finn). An over-the-top romp that proves, if nothing else, the near-miraculous elasticity of Arthur Conan Doyle’s iconic creation.

Mark Gatiss stars as Gabriel Book in “Bookish.”

(PBS)

‘Bookish’ (PBS)

Speaking of Holmes, “Sherlock” co-creator and co-star Mark Gatiss is up to it again, this time in the leading role. In post-World War II London, Gabriel Book (Gatiss) runs a secondhand bookshop, above which he and his beloved wife, Trottie (Polly Walker), live. But all is not what it seems, as Jack (Connor Finch), the young orphan ex-con they take under their wing, soon discovers. Gabriel apparently did something so important during the war that he is now the neighborhood’s go-to crime solver (with a letter from Winston Churchill to ensure VIP access). He also has a personal stake in Jack’s reclamation, which gives the series a fascinating and pathos-filled LGBTQ-history subtext.

Rishi Nair as Alphy Kottaram, left, and Robson Green as Geordie Keating in the 11th and final season of “Grantchester.”

(PBS)

‘Grantchester’ (PBS)

The sacred meets the secular in this long-running pairing of a young vicar with a worldly police detective in the titular idyllic Cambridgeshire village during the 1950s and ‘60s. In Seasons 1-4, that vicar is Sidney Chambers (James Norton), a jazz enthusiast plagued by memories of WWII who offers unsolicited insights to gruff and initially ungrateful Det. Inspector Geordie Keating (Robson Green). Friendship inevitably blooms, and when Sidney leaves the scene (and Norton the series) at the end of Season 4, many hearts (including Geordie’s) are broken. But subsequent replacement vicars — Will Davenport (Tom Brittney) in Seasons 5-9 and Alphy Kotteram (Rishi Nair) in Seasons 9-11 — each find their way to Geordie’s side, bringing their own charms, detectival insights and personal woes. The final season premieres June 14.

‘Touching Evil’ (BritBox)

DI Dave Creegan (a young Robson Green) is brought in to help DI Susan Taylor (an even younger Nicola Walker) of the Organized and Serial Crime Unit solve a series of abductions that Creegan comes to believe have been committed by a serial killer. The relationship sticks and the pair goes on to track down all manner of nasty killers with a combination of unconventional techniques and good police work. Green’s Creegan gets top billing, and a deeply resonant personal story, but seeing Walker (who would go on to star in so many fine series, including the terrific crime dramas “River” and “Unforgotten”) play a finely tuned second fiddle is great fun too.

‘Karen Pirie’ (BritBox)

For fans of Scottish crime drama (see also “Case Histories,” “Shetland” and “Dept. Q”), Det. Inspector Karen Pirie (“Outlander’s” Lauren Lyle) is a refreshing historic cases hero. Smart, ambitious and dogged, she is not burdened by a dark past or traumatic pain or the generally dour outlook that plague so many of her peers. Based on the books of Val McDermid, the series is set on the Scottish peninsula of Fife (the first season involves the picturesque town of St. Andrews) and all the gloriously broody scenery that implies. Murder mystery plus vicarious international mini-break.

‘Sister Boniface Mysteries’ (BritBox)

This cheeky spinoff of the iconic “Father Brown” puts a sweet-faced Catholic nun (Lorna Watson) at the center of all manner of murder in the fictional 1960s Cotswolds town of Great Slaughter. Sister Boniface is, of course, not just any nun. Having served as a codebreaker at Bletchley Park during WWII before entering the convent, she holds a PhD in chemistry, which makes her the perfect, if most unlikely, forensic specialist. (She also rides a red Vespa and serves as the convent’s vintner.) Unflappably brilliant and sincere in her vocation, she proves that faith in action can be both serious and great fun to watch.

‘The Bletchley Circle’ (BritBox)

Like Sister Boniface, Susan Grey (Anna Maxwell Martin) served her country as a codebreaker, but she is finding post-WWII life a bit more, well, boring. Forced back into the traditional roles of wife and mother, Susan tries to make do until a series of murders suggests to her a pattern unnoticed by the police. Gathering her former and still formidable colleagues who are also languishing in a sexist world, she creates, for two marvelous seasons, her own private crime unit. (See also, the one-season spinoff, “The Bletchley Circle: San Francisco.”)

‘Sherwood’ (BritBox)

When truculent Gary Jackson (Alun Armstrong) is murdered by an arrow outside his home in Nottinghamshire, near Sherwood Forest, Det. Chief Supt. Ian St. Clair (David Morrissey) is quick to put down any Robin Hood references and look instead at the town’s 30-year-old but still roiling divisions over the U.K.’s 1984-85 miners’ strike. Based on real events, “Sherwood” is both a murder mystery and a contemplation of the damage done by class-based strife and longheld grudges, often based on misinformation. With an incredible cast, including Lesley Manville, Kevin Doyle and Lorraine Ashbourne, it is deeply moving drama that illuminates the personal price of social divisions. Season 3 premieres this year.

Lesley Manville as Susan Ryeland and Timothy McMullan as Atticus Pund in “Magpie Murders.”

(Nick Wall / Eleventh Hour Films / PBS)

‘Magpie Murders’ (PBS)

Season 3 of “Magpie Murders” — titled ”Marble Hall Murders” — is also set to bow this year, so now is a good time to catch up on the previous adaptations of Anthony Horowitz’s Susan Ryeland novels, which both satirize and honor the murder-mystery genre. Ryeland (Lesley Manville) is a book editor whose most famous — and tiresome — author, Alan Conway (Conleth Hill), has just turned in his final murder mystery called “Magpie Murders.” Only the last chapter is missing and Conway has just been found dead at his country home. So it’s up to Ryeland, working with Conway’s literary detective Atticus Pünd (Tim McMullan), to figure out what happened, both in real life and in the book. This mystery-within-a-mystery launches two vivid characters, Ryeland and Pünd, working separately and together to solve crimes, sometimes in two different timelines.

Bill Nighy as headmaster Alan Lockwood, from left, Sharon Small as Det. Sgt. Barbara Havers and Nathaniel Parker as Det. Inspector Thomas Lynley in “The Inspector Lynley Mysteries.”

(Alex Bailey / BBC)

‘The Inspector Lynley Mysteries’ (BritBox)

The many, and voluminous, novels of Elizabeth George are being adapted in “Lynley,” a new series that has its charms. Still, I’m sticking with the older version, which ran from 2001 to 2008. Over six seasons, the unlikely partnership of Det. Inspector Thomas Lynley, eighth earl of Asherton and generally natty guy played by Nathaniel Parker, and his distinctly working-class and perpetually disheveled sergeant, Barbara Havers (Sharon Small), creates a classic odd-couple mix that allows some actual insight into issues of class and gender. But mostly, they make a great detective team, often using their differences to their advantage. The mysteries range far and wide over the U.K., from gritty streets to posh country homes, and 24 90-minute episodes are enough to keep you going all summer long.

Derek Jacobi in the title role of “Cadfael” in 1995.

(ITV)

‘Cadfael’ (BritBox)

Though the oldest series on this list (1994-1998), “Cadfael,” based on the books of Ellis Peters, remains a classic and constant recommendation. The great Derek Jacobi plays the titular 12th century monk who was once a soldier of the Crusades. Now a botanist and apothecary, Cadfael aids the local sheriff in solving all manner of crimes committed in and near Shrewsbury Abbey during England’s 15-year civil war known now as the Anarchy. Though the series does not delve as deeply into the politics of the time as the novels do, it creates an uncertain world in which violence runs rampant. Mercifully, there is a monk who knows his stuff, and if Jacobi isn’t enough reason to watch, the costumes and landscape are pretty great too.

‘No Offence’ (BritBox)

Joanna Scanlan was punk rock long before her turn in “Riot Women,” especially as the wildly frank, slightly raunchy, take-no-prisoners DI Viv Deering in this blackly funny depiction of the wayward Friday Street division of the Manchester Police. They are not misfits exactly — Deering knows what she’s doing as does her team, including the ambitious Det. Constable Dinah Kowalski (Elaine Cassidy), the self-doubting Det. Sgt. Joy Freers (Alexandra Roach) and Paul Ritter’s wise-cracking Randolph Miller (OK, maybe he is a misfit) — but they are much more recognizably human than most TV coppers. We know they’ll get their man, but it will take some time, and more than a few hilarious and heartbreaking misfires.

‘Inspector George Gently’ (Acorn TV)

After the murder of his wife, Inspector George Gently (Martin Shaw) leaves London’s Metropolitan police force in search of a more peaceful life in 1960s Northumberland. But as anyone who has seen “Vera” could tell him, Newcastle Upon Tyne is far from peaceful. Still brokenhearted, Gently finds himself solving crimes, and trying to teach his sergeant John Bacchus (Lee Ingleby) to be an honorable man in a time of shifting social mores and political upset.

‘Whitechapel’ (Hulu)

Come for the Jack the Ripper overtones, stay for the always great character actor Phil Davis (“Trying,” “Vera Drake”). He plays old-school Det. Sgt. Ray Miles, a member of an East End squad that is less than thrilled by their new guy, opposite the smooth and ambitious Det. Inspector Joseph Chandler (Rupert Penry-Jones), who shows up to his first crime scene in a tux and doesn’t appear to understand that this is the East End. But with what seems like a Ripper copycat on the loose, everyone needs to put aside their preconceived notions and figure out what’s going on. The series is wildly atmospheric with plenty of gallows humor and more than a few truly loopy plotlines, but great fun with Davis managing, as ever, to sell even the most preposterous scene.

James Norton as Henry Alveston, from left, Matthew Rhys as Darcy and Matthew Goode as Wickham in “Death Comes to Pemberley.”

(Robert Viglasky / PBS)

Death Comes to Pemberley (PBS)

This adaptation of P.D. James’ sequel to “Pride and Prejudice” is a miniseries, and just three episodes long, so this might be a bit of a cheat. But if you haven’t seen it, you should. Elizabeth Darcy (nee Bennet) (Anna Maxwell Martin) and Fitzwilliam Darcy (Matthew Rhys) are happily married and planning a ball. Sure, a couple of servants see a ghost in the woods (where Elizabeth encounters a suspicious woman), and Col. Fitzwilliam (Tom Ward) clearly wants to marry Georgiana (Eleanor Tomlinson), who doesn’t seem too keen, but what of it? Then Elizabeth’s sister Lydia (Jenna Coleman) shows up uninvited and hysterical; her still-caddish husband, George Wickham (Matthew Goode), had an argument with his friend Capt. Denny (Tom Canton), and the two vanished into the woods where shots were subsequently heard. Once again, Mr. Darcy must do what he can to protect the dreaded Wickham, and in doing so all manner of secrets are revealed. Jane Austen meets Agatha Christie with a cast either writer would kill for.

TONOPAH, Nev. — Some years ago, Harry Chahal and his wife were on a trip to Las Vegas when, like countless motorists before and since, they passed through this high desert speck of a town.

Tonopah, built by the mining industry around 1900 and depleted as the gold, silver, lead and mercury waned, is a remote way station about halfway between Reno and Las Vegas. Signs on either side warn — ominously, given the unforgiving expanse ahead — that once you’ve left, the nearest gas station is not for another 100 miles or so.

Harry Chahal opened hometown pizza in 2015 after driving through town and seeing there was no pizza place.

(Mark Z. Barabak / Los Angeles Times)

As he passed through town, Chahal noticed something missing: a pizza parlor.

Pizza is not generally associated with Punjab, India, where Chahal — given name Harvarinderjit — is originally from. But he learned how to make pizza, and how much customers loved gobbling it up, while working at different gas station mini-marts around rural Nevada.

In that absence, Chahal saw opportunity.

He and his wife, Ravinder, moved to Tonopah and in 2015 opened Hometown Pizza in a vacant building on U.S. Route 95, which runs through the heart of town. Ten years later, they bought the Dream Inn Motel, a 39-room operation just up the road.

Views of the 47th president, from the ground up

Lately, Chahal has been sprucing up the motor inn: new cabinets, new furniture, fresh paint every few months. The reason is President Trump.

Tonopah and the surrounding desert, stretching farther than the eye can reckon, is verging on a boom, owing to vast reserves of lithium, boron and other sought-after materials and a Trump administration promise to turn the U.S., in the words of Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, into “a mineral powerhouse once again.”

Chahal, 40, is a repeat Trump voter and even though he has issues with some of what the president has done — he’s not happy about the war with Iran and inflation has taken a decent-sized bite out of his pizza business — he feels his faith in Republicans in general and Trump in particular have paid off.

A registered nonpartisan, Chahal is fairly apolitical. “I vote for Republicans because they’re better for business,” he said as a lunch-time crowd of locals and folks passing through tucked into the $11.99 pizza-and-salad buffet. Here’s proof: In the last year, Chahal said, he’s seen motel occupancy increase significantly, from around 15 rooms rented each night to 25 or more.

Those fresh touches to the Dream Inn are Chahal’s investment in the future and a belief that, with Trump in office, even better times lie ahead.

Tonopah was built as a mining town around 1900. It’s fortunes have waxed and mostly waned.

(Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

::

For much of its being, Tonopah relied on metal, minerals and other valuables scooped from the earth. Today, government is the largest employer.

But mining continues to hold fast to the town’s imagination.

A headframe — that’s the tower built directly over an underground mine shaft — is part of Tonopah’s logo. Mining-related sculptures, including statues of Jim and Belle Butler, who staked the first claim in the 20th century silver rush, dot the main thoroughfare. The high school’s athletes are called the “Muckers,” after those who shovel ore into underground rail cars.

The Tonopah Historic Mining Park is a big tourist attraction, along with the Clown Motel and other lodging establishments supposedly haunted by the ghosts of dead miners and other paranormal phenomena. (Chahal says there are no apparitions at the Dream Inn.)

The Clown Motel, which draws visitors from around the world, is said to be haunted by the ghosts of dead miners.

(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)

Lately, however, mining is becoming more than just a part of nostalgic lore. It’s poised to again be a major boon to the local economy and the town’s 3,000 residents.

Plans are underway for a new lithium and boron mine at Rhyolite Ridge, approximately 30 miles southwest of Tonopah, in Nevada’s Silver Peak Range. (Lithium, most of which is now imported, is a vital ingredient in the batteries that store solar energy and power electric vehicles; boron is used, among other things, for bulletproof armor and vests.)

About 27 miles to the south of Tonopah, near the town of Goldfield, a new gold mine is set to open in 2028.

Joe Westerlund, Tonopah’s town manager, said fresh development and the prospect of hundreds of new, good-paying jobs are much welcomed. The median income here is about $37,000 annually, less than half the state average. The hospital in town closed in 2015. Venture off U.S. 95 and the rolling hills are flecked with weathered miner’s cottages and tumbledown homes no longer fit for habitation.

(A three-bedroom, two-bath home in a comfy subdivision on the north end of town can be had for around $250,000, but don’t hurry over to buy; inventory is low and could grow even leaner if demand for housing increases.)

The Tonopah Historic Mining Park is a big local tourist attraction.

(Mark Z. Barabak / Los Angeles Times)

While some of the groundwork for the mining resurgence was laid during the Biden administration, Trump is credited with fostering a much friendlier regulatory environment, which promises even more opportunities for extraction.

“As soon as he got into office, things started loosening up. We had 15 drill rigs,” said Westerlund, who has lived in Tonopah since 1972. “I had never seen that before in my life.”

There are, of course, environmental concerns — about pollution, water supply, native habitat — but those worries haven’t gained much of a toehold. Nye County, which is home to Tonopah, isn’t exactly tree-hugger country — and not just because most of the land is scrub-filled desert. Trump carried Nye County all three times he ran, with landslide support ranging from 68% to 70%.

“This is a pro-Trump town,” Westerlund said, “and I feel like his policies are doing good for the town.”

Chahal stands ready to cash in, knowing firsthand what economic good times feel like.

The Mizpah hotel, opened in 1908, offers the plushest accommodations in town.

(Chris Erskine / Los Angeles Times)

When he moved here in 2014, he and his wife were forced to stay in a motel for six months because workers finishing up a $1 billion solar energy project were taking up most of the living space. That’s the kind of extended-stay guest he’s after, not the tourists bedding at the Mizpah Hotel, the plushest resort in town, with its cut-glass chandeliers, Victorian furnishings and photo gallery of celebrities who’ve stayed the night.

“If I can rent 25 rooms a night, maybe 15 can be for the long term” of several weeks at a time, Chahal said. He’s done the math — $82 a night for a queen bed, single occupancy; $89 for a king — and likes how it pencils out.

::

Chahal came to the U.S. in 2006, after marrying Ravinder, who grew up in the Sacramento area. She had family in Punjab and was a regular visitor to India. The two met when they were 10 years old. Chahal became an American citizen in 2020.

Politically, Indian Americans lean heavily toward the Democratic Party. But in the tiny Nevada communities where the couple lived — Lovelock, Battle Mountain and Ely before Tonopah — there was little or no Indian American presence. So Chahal wasn’t acculturated into the party the way many others have been. Rather, he embraced the GOP gospel of lower taxes and less regulation.

Working seven days a week, Chahal has little time these days for politics, beyond voting. He isn’t particularly ideological or, for that matter, worshipful of Trump.

“Every coin has a head and a tail,” he said, flipping his wrist as though tossing a quarter in the air. He sees two sides to the president. “Maybe you’re angry for some things,” Chahal said. “Maybe you agree with some things.”

He supports the notion of tariffs as a way of bringing manufacturing jobs back to the U.S. He also laments that the pizza boxes he uses, which are made in China, once cost him 30 cents and now run almost 67 cents apiece.

He backs Trump’s promise to round up and deport violent criminals who are in the country illegally. But he’s also mindful of the important role immigrants play, especially in areas like farming and construction, in sustaining the U.S. economy.

Chahal criticized the heavy-handed enforcement that resulted in the killing of two protesters in Minnesota. But he blamed their deaths on overzealous ICE agents, not Trump.

Living in a town greatly shaped by outside forces — the fluctuation of commodity prices, the changing of presidential administrations, the shifting priorities emanating from Washington — Chahal is familiar with vicissitudes and the business cycles of boom and bust.

Not everything Trump has done has helped the mining industry.

His tariffs and inflation have greatly increased construction costs. Cuts to the federal workforce have slowed the oversight and approval processes. His hostility toward green energy has dampened the market for electric vehicles and made solar energy considerably less attractive.

But based on the talk around town, Chahal believes a more prosperous future is in the offing. He certainly hopes so, and he’s counting on the president to deliver.

If the Constitution allowed for a third term, Chahal said, he wouldn’t hesitate voting for Trump again.

Though he’s “not praying for hat-tricks”, many would have been asking the man above for a favour or two as Scotland eyed up their first World Cup win in 36 years.

It was evident early doors against Haiti that if anything was going to happen, Gannon-Doak would be at the heart of it.

Keeping it simple, when he received the ball down the right, he looked to attack. A sight that makes Scotland supporters rejoice, such has been its rarity in recent times.

When McTominay skelped a post, it was on the end of another dazzling Gannon-Doak burst. He set up Che Adams shortly after for a shot that would be parried right in the path of McGinn, who was wheeling away in ecstasy seconds later as Scotland scored their first World Cup goal since 1998.

For 83 minutes, Gannon-Doak was the youngest man to appear at a World Cup for Scotland. That’s until his 19-year-old pal Findlay Curtis came on.

The pair play in a care-free manner. They don’t carry the years of missed qualifications or even the recent disappointments at the Euros. And it shows.

Gannon-Doak departed with 15 minutes to go against the Haitians. A collective gulp was inhaled.

“He had a cracker tonight,” former Scotland winger Pat Nevin said on BBC Sportsound.

“He’s what you want a Scotland player to be,” added ex-captain Scott Brown on BBC One.

Like few others, Gannon-Doak gets the faithful going. Believing. Hoping.

Like the rest of his generation, we’ve grown up believing ‘it’s the hope that kills you’, but with this 20-year-old driving the team, it’s difficult not to.

June 12 (Asia Today) — The 2026 FIFA World Cup opened with K-pop voices and performances woven into the tournament’s first major stages.

The tournament is the first World Cup jointly hosted by Mexico, the United States and Canada. With three host countries, opening events were held across North America, placing global pop, Latin music, hip-hop, Afrobeats and K-pop at the center of the celebration.

The first opening ceremony took place at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City before the match between Mexico and South Africa. Korean-American singer and songwriter EJAE performed “DNA,” the official FIFA World Cup 2026 anthem, with Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli.

The anthem also features David Guetta and Megan Thee Stallion. EJAE performed Korean lyrics during the ceremony, including a line that translates as, “Even if I fall again, I rise again.” Video of the moment spread quickly online after the performance.

The sound of Korean lyrics on an official World Cup stage carried symbolic weight for EJAE, who has drawn global attention for her work connected to the soundtrack of “KPop Demon Hunters.”

The U.S. opening ceremony was scheduled for SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles. The event was designed as a large-scale entertainment show reflecting American pop culture and the country’s diverse immigrant communities.

BLACKPINK member Lisa was among the performers, joining a lineup that included Katy Perry, Anitta and Rema. Her appearance highlighted K-pop’s continued expansion into major global sports and entertainment events.

One of the most closely watched K-pop-linked songs of the tournament is Lisa’s “Goals,” released May 21. The track combines Latin pop, K-pop and Afrobeats and features multilingual lyrics and percussion influenced by African rhythms. Brazilian singer Anitta and Nigerian singer Rema also joined the project.

Lisa’s role places her not only among the opening ceremony performers but also among the artists attached to the World Cup’s official music program.

K-pop’s presence is also expected to continue through the end of the tournament. BTS is scheduled to appear as a co-headliner at the final halftime show on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., alongside Madonna and Shakira.

It will be the first halftime show held during a World Cup final, giving the tournament a Super Bowl-style entertainment moment.

For K-pop, the 2026 World Cup is not limited to one performance. EJAE brought Korean lyrics to the Mexico opening ceremony. Lisa helped anchor the U.S. opening stage. BTS is set to appear during the final.

From the opening match to the championship stage, K-pop has been placed at key moments in the world’s largest soccer event.

The lineup reflects how global sports organizers increasingly view K-pop not as a regional trend but as a mainstream force in international entertainment. At the 2026 World Cup, K-pop is helping shape the sound and image of the tournament itself.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260612010004213

Pre-tournament favourites Spain open their Group H campaign with a match against World Cup debutants Cape Verde.

The 2026 World Cup will have 13 different kickoff times. You can use the Al Jazeera Sport widget to find out exactly when your team is playing in your local time.

Who: Spain vs Cape Verde
What: FIFA World Cup 2026 Group H match
Where: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, United States
When: Monday, 12pm local time (16:00 GMT)
How to follow: Catch all live updates on Al Jazeera Sport

Spain, the reigning European champions and strong favourites for the 2026 World Cup, begin their title bid on Monday by facing minnows Cape Verde in Atlanta.

Since winning their maiden world title in 2010, Spain have endured a dismal run in the following three campaigns, bowing out in the group stage in 2014 and exiting in the round of 16 in 2018 and 2022.

But their Euro 2024 success and a new golden generation of Lamine Yamal, Pedri, Gavi, Ferran Torres and others have prompted bookmakers to keep Spain at the top of the potential winners‘ list.

La Roja – known for playing entertaining, attacking football – have become unshakeable over the last four years, going 30 matches unbeaten since a 1-0 friendly loss to Colombia at Wembley in March 2024.

Spain will arguably be the team to beat in North America, with Opta’s supercomputer handing them a 15.94 percent probability to lift the title, and France a close second at 13.62 percent odds.

Will Yamal play in Spain vs Cape Verde?

Yamal single-handedly stole the show in Germany two years ago en route to their Euro title, and will hope to repeat that form at the June 11 – July 19 tournament.

But the teen sensation may have to wait a little longer to make his World Cup debut.

Spain could take a cautious approach for the Cape Verde opener with winger Yamal and young forward Nico Williams in the final stages of recovery from hamstring injuries sustained ‌in April.

Both returned to training with their teammates on Thursday, but De la Fuente could opt to name them on the bench or keep them out of the matchday squad until they reach full fitness.

Cape Verde to break new ground in North America

Known for its crystal-clear waters and sandy white beaches, Cape Verde will make noise for different reasons this North American summer.

The archipelago of 10 islands in the Atlantic Ocean will make its World Cup debut on Monday, arriving at the global showpiece as one of 10 African representatives.

After their fairytale qualification, which coincided with its 50th anniversary of independence from Portugal, Cape Verde – with fewer than 600,000 inhabitants – became the third smallest country by population to ⁠reach the tournament after Iceland in 2018 and Curacao, also in 2026.

The team has slowly built credibility in recent years. Their international breakthrough came in 2013 when they ⁠qualified for their first Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and reached the quarterfinal stage.

Cape Verde has spread the national team net wide with starters based in several countries, including Portugal, the Netherlands, and the United States.

Spain vs Cape Verde prediction

Spain are strong favourites to win this match, having an 87.2 percent probability of walking away with three points. Cape Verde have a slim 4.8 percent chance of victory, while a draw has an 8.15 percent chance.

Overall, Spain have a 76.53 percent probability to win Group H, which also includes Saudi Arabia and Uruguay.

How to watch Spain vs Cape Verde?

The following is the list of broadcasters and platforms to watch the game in these countries:

• Spain: LA 1, DAZN Mundial, RTVE Play
• Cape Verde: New World TV, SuperSport
• United Kingdom: ITVX, ITV1, STV Player, STV
• USA: FOX, FOX One, Telemundo App, Telemundo Network, Peacock

A frequent flyer has shared her top three carry-on essentials she never travels without — and they could be a lifesaver if your checked luggage goes missing for a few days

A seasoned traveller has revealed the three essential items you should never forget to pack in your hand luggage when flying, as there’s a strong chance you’ll need them either mid-flight or immediately upon arrival.

Hopping from one country to another can be pretty straightforward, but only when everything runs smoothly. To help ensure your journey goes without a hitch, Jacqui, who travels frequently, and often alone, has outlined the items she’d urge you to keep in your carry-on bag — particularly in case your checked luggage goes astray (though fingers crossed it won’t!).

She emphasised that these are likely things you haven’t previously considered including in your hand luggage.

Money

Jacqui explained that carrying physical currency for your destination is absolutely crucial.

She said: “Not money from your country. Something that I’ve seen people doing videos about travel on TikTok is getting to the place they’re going to and being surprised that in another country, people don’t take your money.

“Take the money of the place you’re going, because just having a bit of cash, especially on you, is always really helpful, especially if your hold luggage were to get lost.”

Power banks

Jacqui stated that a power bank in her hand luggage is something she simply couldn’t do without. However, it’s absolutely crucial to remember these mustn’t be used during the actual flight, with most airlines now taking a firm stance on this.

According to the Civil Aviation Authority, power banks must always be kept in your hand luggage and are strictly prohibited from checked bags and suitcases. If security find one in your checked bag, it will be confiscated, and you risk serious flight delays, or even costly diversions.

You are not permitted to charge them during the flight, nor can you use them while in the air. However, they come in extremely handy once you touch down in a new destination.

“I cannot leave home if I’m travelling without a power bank,” Jacqui said. “You can get a cheap one on Amazon; they don’t have to be super expensive, but just being able to charge your phone everywhere is so useful.

She went on: “And if your hold luggage gets lost or you end up just with your carry-on, you become super reliant on your telephone – we’re all super reliant on our telephones when we travel these days. I can’t believe I used to travel without a mobile phone. But being able to just plug it in and charge it is just so so so useful, so make sure that you always have that in your hand luggage.”

Pants

Jacqui noted that packing a spare set of underwear — or several — in your hand luggage can prove incredibly useful.

She added that on long-haul flights, she would pack a complete outfit, reasoning that, should her hold luggage fail to arrive, it could “maybe be a few days,” and she’d want a fresh change of clothes.

“Or at least something that can get me through the day until I can get to the shop and sort myself out,” she added.

Other items that could prove useful to pack in your carry-on luggage…

• Medication
• An empty water bottle to fill after security
• Electronics, including iPads and Kindles
• Valuables
• Travel documents, including a passport and a boarding pass
• A pen
• Earplugs, sleep mask, travel pillow

What do you pack in your hand luggage? Tell us in the comments…

MOLLY-MAE and Tommy Fury have revealed the name of their baby boy after days of online speculation.

The Love Island star gave birth to the couple’s second child weeks ago, with Tommy announcing the boy’s name in last night’s boxing match.

They have decided to name their son Midas.

It was made public as Fury walked to the ring to fight Hall.

The name comes from the Greek legend King Midas of Phrygia, with the story leading to the phrase “midas touch”, which refers to someone with a knack of being successful or profitable.

What do you think of Molly-Mae and Tommy’s name choice? Have your say in our exclusive poll.

Love to debate? Join Sun Club for just £1.99 a month for the boldest opinion on the issues shaping Britain.

AN Interrail adventure around Europe was once a rite of passage for many a British teen in the days before low-cost flights.

Now, a growing number of mid-lifers are taking to the rails to repeat the journeys of their youth, or even experience it for the first time.

But with age comes the need for a little comfort — picking a hotel instead of a hostel and a wheelie case over a rucksack.

The principle the same, though. Buy a rail pass, plot your route — and adios.

With the kids grown up, my husband and I joined the rail revolution to have our very own Interrail fun.

The beauty of a rail pass is that you can destination-hop for little or no extra cost, so we created a 12-day itinerary visiting several places we had never been to. First-class, too, as it’s only £90 more.

POSH SUITE

I stayed at the historic manor house that’s now a hotel right by city of Oxford

SPLASH OUT

Gorgeous free lido with sweeping city views is returning to UK this summer

We start with a ten-hour train journey from London to Milan, rattling towards the French Alps and Italy in plush, extra legroom seats.

An overnight stay is followed by a whizz round Milan’s hotspots — including its impressive Duomo and glitzy shopping gallerias — then we’re back on the rails, snaking through the valleys and vineyards of northern Italy’s Trentino region towards the town of Riva on Lake Garda.

Framed by Alpine foothills, this 32 mile- long lake (Italy’s biggest) is idyllic — as is our base, the family-run Garda Suite Hotel, where every room comes with a balcony. Ours overlooks the hotel’s heated swimming pool as well as the lake.

The next 72 hours are spent admiring Lake Garda from in it, on it and above it.

From the Ponale Path, a trail carved high into the mountainside, there’s a sheer drop to the water which shimmers below, a magical turquoise.

Less knee-trembling are the vistas from the colourful town of Riva’s Apponale Tower (mind your head as you climb its 165 steps) and Bastione funicular.

Entry to both, as well as local transport, is included in the Garda Guest Pass, free to hotel residents.

Other highlights include saffron risotto at La Capannina Pizza and Grill, wine-tasting at the local Comai vineyards (their Merlot’s superb) and a sunset sail-boat excursion.

Skipper Alesso explains how Lake Garda is 350m deep and home to freshwater sardines and giant pike.

“Any monsters?” I ask. “Yes, Bennie.”

He shows me a picture. Not a patch on our Nessie.

Then, we’re back on the rails and watching four countries roll past the window — Italy, Germany, Austria and then our next destination: Slovenia’s Lake Bled.

Alpine Lake Bled differs from Garda. It’s much smaller and circled by a four-mile walking trail. There’s a fairytale island at its heart with a church.

You can hire a boat to explore (£26 for 90 minutes) although the rowing is tough on arms. Happily, the hot tub at our Bled Rose spa hotel (no hostels for us) eases aching limbs.

While Bled is prominent on the tourist and Interrail trail, Slovenians have been keeping neighbouring Lake Bohinj (11 miles away) to themselves.

Surrounded by the Julian Alps and Triglav National Park, signposts keep leading us — slightly alarmingly — towards a “slap”. But it’s a relief to learn that this word is Slovenian for waterfall.

We follow a two-hour trail toward thunderous Slap Mostnice before lazing on one of the lake’s empty beaches.

The real taste of Slovenia, however, comes when we move on to capital Ljubljana and try strukli — cottage-cheese filled steamed dumplings. They’re served warm, sweet or savoury and the sugary ones are delicious.

Afterward, we climb to the castle on a hill for a panorama over the city’s jumble of steeples and turrets.

Our trip includes three ten-hour journeys, seven travel days, 14 trains and one missed connection. No matter, we take the next one. Some trains require seat reservations costing extra, but most don’t.

Working it out is part of the Interrail experience. Free wifi is the norm and everything’s done on the Interrailing app — no physical tickets. My only complaint is that time passes far too quickly.

Soon, we’re circling back toward France and our penultimate destination of Strasbourg, whose location close to Germany’s border lends it a Germanic feel.

The street signs are bilingual and Riesling’s the local wine. We enjoy a glass over dinner at our boutique Leonor Hotel — an 18th-century former police station which has a grandiose internal courtyard.

Round the corner is Strasbourg’s gothic Cathedral de Notre Dame which, for 400 years, was the tallest building in Europe.

A lung-busting 350 steps lead up to its viewing platform, from where we enjoy grandstand views over the city’s half- timbered Alsatian houses on backstreets criss-crossed by waterways.

Our biggest high, however, comes in Paris, where our trip ends. The new 4H hotel (built for the 2024 Olympics) towers over the city and is close to the Stade de France stadium where footie fans can enjoy tours.

Our room on the 35th floor affords a jaw-dropping view of the River Seine and Eiffel Tower. And on floor 40 is the highest swimming pool in Paris.

On the Eurostar back to London we toast an Interrailing trip which covered 2,509 miles, averaged 20,000 steps a day and crossed six borders.

Every moment felt fresh, exciting and youthful. Best lesson learned? To roll back the years, you must head for the rails.

As soon as enough votes were counted to officially knock Tom Steyer out of the California governor’s race, the anti-billionaire schadenfreude kicked in.

Social media and legacy media, conservative and liberal, all seemed to have a rare melding of the minds, delivering endless variations of, “How dare he try to buy elected office! We showed him.”

“I hope you received the message from California that a power-hungry communist billionaire cannot buy the state!” wrote one detractor on social media. “How much money did you waste spamming Californians? Do you know how many hundreds of millions of dollars you wasted?”

“What a waste,” screamed a New York Times headline, slamming Steyer for not donating that money directly to building houses or funding Planned Parenthood — one-off actions that prop up broken systems instead of changing them.

I get it.

In an age when income inequality is reaching serf-lord levels, hating the rich seems easy and reasonable. You could take several zeros off the $200 million Steyer spent on his campaign and it would still be more than most of us make in a lifetime. That’s a rage-inducing reality for many, if not most of us, for whom pairing a full tank of gas with a restaurant dinner seems like careless luxury these days.

I’m not here to defend the nine-zeroes class. But maybe we should take a beat and make sure our outrage is working for us, not against us. While Steyer has spent the last few months advocating for universal healthcare, better pay and protections for workers, and putting curbs on out-of-control corporations from the energy sector to AI, other billionaires have spent that time actively undermining democracy and our financial system. Heck, some even seem to be undermining humanity. Why aren’t we raging at them?

Take, for example, a certain billionaire who seemingly would prefer to be a trillionaire: Elon Musk.

Last week, his SpaceX held an IPO in which somehow the rules of Wall Street meant to protect small investors and pension plans were set aside to his benefit. Like it or not, if you hold a public pension or a 401(k) in America that uses index funds (which most do) you will likely be an investor in his unproven and possibly risky business. I’m sure that will work out fine.

Or consider the hundreds of millions of dollars right-wing AI and surveillance-company billionaires, some Californians, are dumping into political races across the country right now to ensure that their dangerous and unpredictable technologies are not regulated, or regulated in largely meaningless ways. It’s a situation so dire that one wealthy insider last week warned in his own op-ed that if his former colleagues are successful, “It could concentrate economic power in ways that would make the Gilded Age look quaint.”

Then there’s our president, king of self-enrichment, whose wealth has skyrocketed to more than $6 billion during his time in office. Much of that moola is in opaque cryptocurrency holdings, an industry he has championed as his fortunes in it have increased.

But don’t think Trump is in it only for himself: He’s enriching his family, too.

His daughter Ivanka recently made her own “eat cake” headlines over an alleged $1.5-billion project that would convert an uninhabited Albanian island into a luxury resort. The Albanians are so mad, they’ve been protesting in the streets for nearly two weeks. Meanwhile, her brothers have coat-tailed off their dad’s crypto-ventures to make their own fortunes, as other investors suffered losses.

Those are our individual billionaires, never mind the corporations, who can dump as much money as they want into our politics thanks to the Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizen’s United decision. In 2025, the oil and gas industry in California, led by Chevron and the Western States Petroleum Assn., spent about $34 million on lobbying. Not to be outdone, the Golden State’s water and electricity interests, including PG&E, spent about $35 million to bend politics to their will.

But sure, hate the goofy guy in the vintage Nikes pointing all this out.

“I’m proud of the enemies we made,” Steyer said in his concession. “In this race, those corporations revealed that they see a government that puts working people first as an existential threat — even when proposed by a billionaire. By spending $55 million — the most ever against a single candidate in a California primary — they showed the lengths they would go to in order to protect a status quo that only serves them and their profits.”

I don’t like the amount of money in our political system either, but the truth is, it’s there. And worse, the majority of those who have it seem intent on diminishing the political and economic power of those who don’t.

We are increasingly moving toward a country where the well-being of the majority of people will depend on the largesse of the few — Silicon Valley’s tech industry now talks about a universal basic income as a great boon for the coming mass unemployment they are creating.

But is existence off a charity-pittance really what we want for ourselves and our children? Do we really want these ultra-wealthy overlords to use their money unchecked to make decisions that will shape our future, diminish our rights and ultimately leave us without the power to fight back?

If Steyer wants to use his money to join this battle to keep power by the people and for the people, then the enemy of my enemy is my friend.

Like it or not, us average worker bees need money to fight money. In this age when animus eats discernment like the rich eat caviar, the luxury we really can’t afford is hating the good guys just because it’s easy — even if they’re billionaires.

Ariel Atkins’ head whipped back. After taking an elbow from Indiana’s Monique Billings on May 13, the Sparks’ team doctors spotted the potential for a head injury and sent her to the locker room.

It was the second concussion of her career, but she didn’t know that at the time. All she knew was that her head hurt.

“You just don’t feel like yourself,” Atkins said. “It’s hard to even be a part of society. Luckily, this wasn’t a serious one.”

There have been eight diagnosed concussions in the WNBA already this year after just a quarter of the season. There were eight total in 2025, four in 2024 and six in 2023.

The “why” could be bad luck, better awareness in diagnosing concussions or something else. Atkins thought the lack of game flow because of new officiating standards might be making things harder.

“You would think it should be down,” Atkins said. “Maybe there is no rhythm when there are stoppages.”

Atkins got hit in the nose against the Wings three weeks after returning from her concussion. She stayed in the game after a quick check on the bench.

She didn’t have a concussion that time, but players do seem to be getting hit in the head at a higher rate. Minnesota-based sports scientist Lucas Seehafer thinks it’s too early to make a definitive declaration of why that is happening.

“Some players and coaches in the past have talked about the physicality of the play,” he said. “I know some people have talked about how the rules are kind of lax, or you’re maybe not as rigorous as what they could be in terms of like punishing blows above the shoulders and that kind of stuff. But it’s tough to say with any certainty until we get more data.”

On opening night in Seattle, Golden State forward Cecilia Zandalasini suffered her first concussion when elbowed by the Storm’s Zia Cooke.

She called the process to return a “nightmare.”

“It was so weird with the feeling of always having a headache,” she said. “I had to wait until it was gone, I couldn’t move.”

Valkyries forward Cecilia Zandalasini called working through concussion protocal a “nightmare” earlier this season.

(Ellen Schmidt / Getty Images)

Seehafer said that when it comes to women’s sports, hockey and soccer have a reputation for having higher concussion rates, but basketball can be just as physical.

“Compared to the rest of the [pro sports] leagues, the WNBA is pretty much doing exactly what the other leagues are doing, but again, is that enough?” he said. “It’s tough to say. I would say they’re not, but I don’t think they’re egregiously leaving athletes open to even more severe injuries, necessarily. My bias is just that everything can be safer.”

The WNBA follows the same concussion protocol as the NBA, by which a player must undergo a locker room evaluation after getting hit in the head. If the player is cleared by medical staff, they can return to the game.

Any player showing concussion-related symptoms, such as a headache or dizziness, must be monitored for 24 hours by the team’s medical staff. Once they are symptom-free, they go through a range of activities from light physical activity to full-contact practice. They must stay symptom-free throughout that entire process to be allowed back into games.

“Back when I played, I didn’t know what concussion meant,” said Sparks coach Lynne Roberts. “I think now we understand the science of how serious it is, and we don’t rush them back. Once they’re back, there’s really nothing you can do. It’s a contact sport, and the players just kind of play through that, but obviously we’re very cautious with not letting a player play until the doctor’s fully certain that she’s symptom-free and at no risk.”

The hardest part with concussions can be the initial diagnosis. Oftentimes, symptoms show up hours or even days later. For Zandalasini, she was originally diagnosed with a jaw injury before dealing with a headache the next day.

Atkins knew a little bit about what concussions felt like, and even this time was different. Why concussions are up this year is still a mystery, and perhaps it will even out as the season goes on.

But for now, players and medical staff are on alert.

“It’s the thing with athletes, right?” Atkins said. “We’re trying to figure out pain versus injury, like, is it something serious? Is it not? I don’t want to hurt myself further. So, yeah, it can be hard to decipher that with a head injury.”

Israel has bombed the southern suburbs of Beirut, saying it targeted Hezbollah ‘infrastructure’ in response to cross-border fire. The strikes come as Israel continues to violate a supposed ceasefire with incursions and daily bombardment in southern Lebanon. Trump has said a deal to end the war on Iran will be signed on Sunday.

Vinicius Junior scored a brilliant goal to dig Brazil out of trouble after Ismael Saibari had put Morocco ahead.

A moment of magic from Vinicius Junior salvaged Brazil a point against Morocco in New Jersey, as the five-time World Champions made a shaky start to the tournament.

Ismael Saibari ran through to give Morocco a 21st-minute lead with a clever scoop in the Group C opener on Saturday, but a solo effort from Vinicius ensured the points were shared in this much-anticipated group match.

Here are the biggest takeaways from the 1-1 draw at New York New Jersey Stadium.

Brazil make a slow start

Brazil are chasing a record sixth World Cup title, 24 years after last lifting the trophy, but this performance suggests there is a lot of work to be done by Carlo Ancelotti’s side.

They showed signs of nerves during the early stages of the game and struggled to cope with a lively Morocco attack.

A fifth-placed finish in South American qualifying underlined the scale of the challenge facing Ancelotti, and this performance has done little to ease concerns about the quality of the Brazil squad.

A number of their players struggled to cope with the intensity of the Moroccan team, with midfielder Casemiro subbed off at half-time after a difficult opening 45 minutes in the heat.

The World Cup final is a long way off in New Jersey, but Brazil will have to vastly improve if they are to have any hope of making it.

Morocco look like the real deal

The Atlas Lions stunned the world of football in 2022 as they made it all the way to the semifinals in Qatar.

Four years later, Morocco have the chance to show that it was not a one-off run to the last four and they are the real deal.

Judging by their performance in New Jersey on Saturday, the North African nation are truly a force to be reckoned with.

They arrived in North America as African Cup of Nations champions, after being retrospectively awarded the title following a controversial final defeat to Senegal, and they continued their strong form with a commanding performance against Brazil, playing with a high level of confidence and plenty of attacking threat.

Morocco appear set for another strong tournament showing.

Vinicius shows his top quality

If Brazil are to make it to the latter stages of this tournament, they will rely heavily on Vinicius to provide goals and assists in North America.

The Real Madrid man has consistently scored for his club this season, including 16 goals in La Liga and five in the Champions League, and it now appears that he is bringing this form to the world stage.

With Brazil struggling in the first half, Vinicius received the ball from Bruno Guimaraes on the left side of the area before cutting back onto his right foot and hammering into the far corner past Yassine Bounou.

It was the kind of magic moment that he regularly produces for Real Madrid, and the Selecao will be looking for more individual brilliance in their coming games.

Neymar injury hangs over Brazil

The Neymar soap opera is set to dominate another tournament for Brazil, with the 34-year-old on the sidelines for yet another major tournament match.

Brazil’s all-time record goalscorer is still recovering from a calf injury, having not played for his country since 2023.

He was dramatically recalled to the national squad, despite not featuring in Ancelotti’s plans ⁠during the Italian’s year in charge, but he remains under scrutiny over his fitness and form following years of injury trouble and an ⁠underwhelming spell back at Santos.

It is unclear exactly when Neymar will be fit enough to return to first-team action, but judging by the media’s focus on him during Saturday’s match, this saga is set to dominate discussion around Brazil.

Draw leaves Group C wide open

Brazil and Morocco are the clear heavyweights in their group, but Saturday’s draw in New Jersey has left Group C somewhat in the balance.

Scotland currently sit top of the table after a 1-0 victory over Haiti in Boston, and they will now be eyeing the chance to reach the knockout stages for the first time in their history.

Morocco and Brazil remain heavy favourites to finish in the top two automatic qualification spots, but Scotland know that any points in their final two group games will almost certainly book their spot in the round of 32.

You need to check if your paperwork is still valid for Spain, France, Portugal, Greece, Italy and other destinations

Martin Lewis’s MoneySavingExpert has issued urgent advice for anyone travelling to Europe this summer, as more than two million people will see a key document expire before they head off. MoneySavingExpert.com has a holiday warning for anyone visiting countries including France, Spain, Portugal, Greece and Italy.

Martin’s team has urged holidaymakers to check if their European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) is still valid, as 1,285,250 GHICs and 926,954 EHICs are set to expire this year. The EHIC is being replaced by the new Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC). These cards are totally free to get and they give you access to state-run hospitals or GPs in EU countries for the same price as a local.

They last for up to five years, and the final EHICs issued after Brexit are expiring this year. The MSE newsletter reads: “These cards give access to state-run hospitals or GPs in EU countries for the same price as a local – so if it’s free for them, it’s free for you.”

You need to check your card for the expiry date, and apply for a new one if necessary.

The team said: “You’ll need to get a new card – it’s now called a GHIC (as it’s been rebranded a ‘Global’ card, though in essence still covers mostly the same European countries).” However, MSE also warned people not to fall for websites that charge you for these cards.

MSE said: “Never pay to get an EHIC or GHIC. It is always free, beware shyster sites trying to charge you for ‘fast tracks’ or other stuff, that’s nonsense. See how to safely get a free GHIC.” If you have an existing EHIC, it remains valid until the expiry date runs out – after this, you’ll need to apply for a GHIC card.”

The NHS explains: “The UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) lets you get necessary state healthcare in the European Economic Area (EEA), and some other countries, on the same basis as a resident of that country. This may be free or it may require a payment equivalent to that which a local resident would pay.

“The UK GHIC has replaced the existing European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). If you have an existing EHIC you can continue to use it until the expiry date on the card. Once it expires, you’ll need to apply for a UK GHIC to replace it.

“The ‘Global Health Insurance Card’ (GHIC) and its predecessor, the EHIC, give access to state-run hospitals or GPs, mainly in European countries, for the same price as a local. So if they don’t pay, you don’t either. Over two million expire this year, check yours.”

A UK GHIC is free, and you can apply through the NHS website. The NHS advises avoiding unofficial websites, which may charge an application fee. People can apply for a new card up to nine months before their current card expires.

The NHS says: “Every member of your family needs their own card. You can add your spouse, civil partner and children to your application when you apply. You must enter your own details first and apply for any additional cards when prompted.”

Béla Guttmann may be the most consequential soccer coach you’ve never heard of. But if it weren’t for Guttmann, you may never have heard of Pelé.

And Brazil may never have become the greatest soccer-playing country on Earth.

That’s because Guttmann changed the shape of modern Brazilian soccer — and changed the sport forever — when he imported the revolutionary 4-2-4 system from Hungary to Sao Paulo in 1957. A year later, Brazil won the first of five World Cups and the joga bonito was born.

But what Guttmann brought to Brazil isn’t nearly as interesting as how he got it there. That’s just one of the fascinating stories in “The Beautiful Game … The Untold Story,” the exhibit that will open the Holocaust Museum LA on Sunday at the Goldrich Cultural Center, a $70-million expansion that will double the size of the Pan Pacific Park museum’s campus to 70,000 square feet.

A soccer ball from the holocaust is among the items on display in the exhibit “The Beautiful Game … The Untold Story” at the Holocaust Museum LA.

(Eric Thayer/Los Angeles Times)

The exhibit was unveiled during a private reception on Saturday followed by a free preview day open to the public from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The grand public opening will take place in August.

The show’s launch coincides with eight local World Cup matches, which kicked off with the United States’ 4-1 win over Paraguay on Friday at SoFi Stadium, and it shines a light on the important but largely overlooked relationship between Jewish life and the global game, as well as how Jewish innovators like Guttmann shaped the modern rhythm, style and culture of the sport.

“It was in the same intellectual level as jazz, as art and everything modern and progressive,” journalist Allon Sander, who helped curate the exhibit, said of Jewish participation in European soccer in the years before World War II.

“The origin of the game and how it intersects with Jews and the Holocaust and the impact that these Jewish footballers and coaches had to shape the game and help popularize the sport is so fascinating,” added Beth Kean, the museum’s CEO. “And it’s an unknown history.”

Much of that story can be told through Guttmann, who was born in Budapest in the final year of the 19th century and developed into one of the sport’s first Jewish stars, representing Hungary in the 1924 Olympics and playing for nine teams in two countries before retiring to become a coach.

But none of that success mattered when the Hungarian government began introducing anti-Jewish laws in 1938, costing Guttmann his job and nearly his life when he was sent to a Nazi forced-labor camp, where he was tortured. Just days before he believed he would be shipped to Auschwitz, which meant certain death, he escaped alongside Erno Erbstein, another Jewish coach.

Erbstein revolutionized soccer in Italy before dying in 1949, along with the entire Torino team, when their plane crashed into a hilltop outside Turin. Four years ago, he was inducted into the Italian soccer hall of fame. Guttmann, meanwhile, who lost much of his family in the Nazi death camps, would go on to coach for 42 years in 14 countries, winning championships in six of them yet only staying in a single place for more than two years just once.

“He’s running away from his demons,” said Ronen Dorfan, a journalist and sports historian based in Budapest whose research was instrumental in putting the exhibit together. “His father was murdered, his sister was murdered. You never know how you survived in Budapest during the war so he had guilt feelings.”

A jersey worn by player Max Wozniak and a jersey from the 1930s are displayed in an exhibit called “The Beautiful Game … The Untold Story.”

(Eric Thayer/Los Angeles Times)

The exhibit was designed in three sections, the first devoted to the years before World War II, the second is about the Holocaust and the third is the postwar years. And while it details Jewish participation in, and influence on, global soccer, it also challenges the cliché that Jews were intellectuals, artists and laborers but not athletes.

“We are always trying to challenge stereotypes. Stereotypes that we might have about ourselves and even stereotypes that we believe about others,” said Jordanna Gessler, the museum’s vice president of education and exhibits who helped curate the show. “It’s crucial to help people find their place and their voice and really see the unity, the similarities between people.

“This is a story that was lost in time and we’re really bringing it out,” Gessler added. “To really have this conversation and encourage people to explore stories that they might not know.”

One thing people might not know is that in the 1920s and ‘30s, Europe’s best teams weren’t in England, Germany or France, but in Austria and Hungary, where they were led by Jewish players and coaches such as Hugo Meisl, Jozsef Braun, Arpad Weisz, Marton Bukovi, Gusztav Sebes and Gyula Mandi. Weisz and Braun were both killed by the Nazis.

A soccer ball from the 1974 World Cup is displayed at an exhibit called “The Beautiful Game … The Untold Story.”

(Eric Thayer/Los Angeles Times)

The surge of antisemitism and fascism in Germany, Italy and Eastern Europe helped spread the influence of those revolutionary players and coaches around the world.

“With the rise of the Reich and the Holocaust, the coaches ran away,” Dorfan said. “And they ran to every corner of the world, to Brazil, to Argentina, to Portugal [and] provided coaches to Real Madrid, to Barcelona, to Benfica, to Flamengo.

“There isn’t one of these clubs that doesn’t owe its tactical development in the ‘40s and ‘50s to the Jewish coaches, which came primarily from Hungary.”

The primary tactical development was the shift from the popular but rigid 2-3-5 formation, which required immense physical endurance and tactical discipline, to the fluid 4-2-4, which spread the wingers to the touch line and allowed for improvisation and creativity on the attacking end, a formation pioneered in Budapest in the 1920s.

“They developed a more refined game of passing the ball, keeping it on the carpet rather than the English kick and run, and really put thought into tactical thinking,” Dorfan said.

Guttmann, who played or coached for more than two dozen teams in his career — including one, in Romania, that paid him in vegetables during the postwar period — brought the Hungarian approach to Brazil in 1957 when he coached Sao Paulo to a championship. After Vicente Feola, the manager Guttmann replaced at Sao Paulo, took over the national team a year later, he brought the formation with him, popularizing many of the tactics still used in modern soccer, such as fluid defensive wingers, overlapping full backs, the use of a withdrawn striker and an attacking midfield.

The soccer team at the Theresienstadt concentration camp’s flag is displayed in a Holocaust Museum LA exhibit called “The Beautiful Game … The Untold Story.”

(Eric Thayer/Los Angeles Times)

“He is the whole exhibition in one man,” Dorfan said of Guttmann.

“Obviously if we wouldn’t have had the Holocaust, those [coaches] wouldn’t be kept out of Europe, Europe would be much stronger, much more developed. [And] then the development of Brazil or the success of Brazil would be coming much later,” Sander said.

Dorfan spent the better part of two years tracking down many of the more than 100 trophies, uniforms, photos and trinkets that make up “The Beautiful Game” exhibit, a search that required determination, perseverance and more than a little luck. Many of the items, because of their ties to Jewish athletes and teams, were hidden during the war and presumed lost. Others resurfaced only through detective work that sent Dorfan following leads that spanned decades and crossed more than a dozen borders.

That also cost money. So Alan Rothenberg, the man who, as president of the U.S. Soccer Federation, first brought the World Cup to Los Angeles 32 years ago, stepped up to lead an effort that raised more than $1 million to fund the exhibit.

“The story really needs to be told, particularly with what’s going on right now with respect to antisemitism,” Rothenberg said. “It’s really important for people to realize what can happen. And soccer is a great vehicle to draw them in. The one main thing in the museum is bringing schoolkids in.”

The Nazis and their collaborators failed in their attempt to erase the history of Jewish soccer pioneers; in fact, they inadvertently popularized both the men — and women — and their ideas. But the sport also helped other Jews survive a dark period and Kean said that may be the most beautiful and uplifting part of “The Beautiful Game.”

“The main reason we decided to do this exhibition in the first place is because for years so many survivors, when they talk about their life before the war, so many of them talk about soccer. So many of them were passionate and fond of the sport,” she said.

“We knew the exhibit opening was going to coincide with the World Cup. L.A. is going to be on the world stage. This is a great opportunity for the museum to get these stories out.”

Over the last decade, California became a national leader in voter accessibility and security, expanding options for when and how ballots can be cast while also strengthening election safeguards.

But those reforms came at a cost: speed. And in a political climate where unsupported conspiracies about election fraud can run rampant on social media — pushed, at times, by top political leaders — some fear the slow vote count is becoming a liability.

Election outcomes in recent years have become more drawn out in California, most recently taking about a week to determine the gubernatorial and Los Angeles mayoral candidates advancing to November’s runoff after hotly contested primaries. And in prior years, it’s taken even longer to determine tight U.S. House or state Senate seats.

That trade-off — election accessibility and security over quick results — has long been defended as a byproduct of California’s desire to make it as easy as possible to cast a ballot while ensuring accuracy and integrity, something backers say remains vital to a thriving democracy.

But some experts say the increasing backlash over the slow vote count sows distrust.

“We’ve allowed the long count to be normalized, … but that doesn’t mean it’s normal,” said Kim Alexander, president of the nonpartisan California Voter Foundation, who has become an advocate for accelerating the state’s vote count. “There’s no question that voter confidence is eroding.”

A slower vote count does not signal any indication of fraud, despite unfounded claims over the last week by President Trump and others. Election officials and nonpartisan groups make clear that voter fraud remains extremely rare in the U.S., and there’s been no evidence of any such issues in California’s latest primary count.

But studies have found that voter trust slides as results lag, and this primary made clear that disinformation gains more traction the longer contests drag on, especially with lead changes.

That came to pass this primary, particularly as reality TV personality Spencer Pratt slowly lost his initial second-place ranking in the L.A. mayor’s race, before later batches of votes bumped him from the runoff — fueling an onslaught of social media hysteria: claims of so-called corruption and vote dumping, misinformed examples of alleged fraud and right-wing disinformation campaigns.

But making any substantive changes — particularly before November’s general election — would be an uphill battle, especially in deep-blue California, where Democrats tend to resist limits to voter access. And some are urging restraint.

“We should never drive policy based on conspiracy theories and lies,” said David Becker, the executive director of the nonpartisan Center for Election Innovation & Research. “That said, are there things California can do?”

Some suggestions, such as increased funding for county election offices and more education about early voting, would probably make some difference.

But the crux of the slow count comes from a flood of last-minute mail-in ballots — in a state with about one-eighth of the U.S. population. When a large percentage of California’s voters mail or drop off these ballots on or just before election day — as they tend to — it creates what Alexander calls the “pig in the python” effect: a major backlog of labor-intensive ballots to process, in a state that already handles the largest-volume ballot counts.

While verification occurs simultaneously during in-person voting, election officials in California are required to confirm a voter’s registration status, verify each voter’s signature and ensure each person did not vote elsewhere for each vote-by-mail ballot. Becker called it an “intensively human process” that cannot be sped through — but could be spread out by more early voting.

“It is a lot easier to report results out faster when ballots come in sooner,” Becker said.

Altering that process significantly enough to ease that bottleneck would likely come with other trade-offs, experts said, such as earlier deadlines to turn in certain ballots or more time-consuming ballot drop-offs — either of which might dissuade some voters from showing up. Mail-in ballots have overwhelmingly become Californians favorite way to vote, with more than 80% of voters using that method in every election since 2020.

But California didn’t become known for slow ballot counting overnight. Since the turn of the millennium, the state has taken several steps to increase voter access by expanding options for how, when and where voters can cast their ballot, while also strengthening its processes to become what the secretary of state’s office calls “the strongest voting security standards in the country.”

Those changes have included same-day voter registration, more early voting options, replacing neighborhood-specific polling places with vote centers, and most notably, universal vote-by-mail, which in 2021 required that all registered voters be mailed their ballot, which can be mailed back, returned to a secure drop box or vote center or ignored if the voter opts to vote in person.

Many Democratic voters this year waited to turn in their ballots due to the crowded pool of gubernatorial candidates, which probably exacerbated the already-slow process.

Still, that was expected. Election watchdogs and party officials from both parties tried to temper Californians’ expectations about the timing of results from the primary, reminding voters that it would likely take days if not weeks to call close races.

But when that exact process began to play out — particularly in the extremely tight contests for California governor and Los Angeles mayor — it almost immediately brought criticism and concern.

“None of the optics are good,” complained Roxanne Hoge, chair of the Los Angeles County Republican Party. “None of this is designed to inspire confidence.”

As Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office tried to dispel misinformation about California’s ballot tabulation process, the statement also said, “For the record: we wish the votes were counted faster, too.”

Not only would a speedier election count improve voter trust, which can often increase participation, Alexander said, it would also decrease harassment of election workers and help newly elected candidates step into their new roles faster — and eliminate a long limbo period for the losing candidate.

“We can get it right and do it faster, and we should,” Alexander said.

A 2023 law allowed counties to provide voters an opportunity to cast their vote-by-mail ballot as an in-person ballot, by submitting it sans envelope and signing for it at a vote center, which reduces the verification process required by election workers. About half of California counties have adopted some option of this expedited process, according to the California Voter Foundation, some calling it “Sign, scan and go!” or the “naked ballot” option, but more widespread implementation of this could help speed up the count, Alexander said. Los Angeles County, which processes more ballots than many states, has not yet implemented this time-saving option.

California also allows ballots, if postmarked by election day, to be accepted up to a week after polls close — though that policy may soon be forced to change depending how the Supreme Court rules on a case challenging ballots arriving after election day. Still, these late-arriving ballots don’t account for a large share of the delays in California: in 2024, only about 2.5% of all ballots arrived in the mail after election day.

But some election observers point out that even when compared with states with similarly run elections, California still lags behind.

“California simply counts the ballots it has too slowly and its elections offices are underfunded,” election analysts Eli McKown-Dawson and Nate Silver recently wrote in a Substack piece. “If you want people to be confident in your electoral system, a good first step is to build one that works properly.”

And while seven other states also automatically mail voters ballots, experts say it’s hard to make direct comparisons with California. Some critics often point to Colorado as an example of a state with similarly ubiquitous mail-in voting, yet a much faster count than California. But the scale of states’ elections are so different: In 2024, California processed about 13 million vote-by-mail ballots; not even 3 million were counted in Colorado.

Some have also pointed out that despite all the ways California has worked to expand voter accessibility, turnout hasn’t dramatically changed. California remains relatively in the middle of the pack when it comes to voter turnout across the U.S., and while the state has seen some spikes in turnout during certain election years, there’s been no noticeable uptick over the last 15 years, according to a review of data from 2008 to 2024.

But Becker contended that there are many factors that can influence voter turnout, in particular, California’s strong blue tilt.

“Perceived competitiveness” — or lack thereof — often keeps voters from the polls, as can uninspiring campaigns or even the weather, Becker said, but he was adamant that shouldn’t be a reason to make it harder for people to vote.

“Accessibility is always worth it,” Becker said.

Hoge, the GOP chair, had a different take, highlighting concerns about the voter registration process as well as the slow count — though she has been clear that the latter doesn’t necessarily signal fraud.

She has continued to push a more tempered narrative to many Republican leaders, including from the White House. On X, she shared a post that fact-checked a photo of vote tabulations from L.A. County, which appeared to — erroneously — show reality TV personality Spencer Pratt receiving no new votes in a daily vote count. And she boosted a video that dispelled rumors about Democrats stealing votes and ones about widespread fraud in California’s process.

“It’s a horrible roller coaster,” Hoge said about California’s election results. “It doesn’t make sense, and the fact that you’re just noticing it today doesn’t mean that it’s newly not making sense. … But until we win, we can’t change it.”

No matter what California might change or improve, Becker said he is confident it won’t stop the criticism or campaigns of misinformation. He also said that most elections in California are called relatively quickly — take the state’s pick for president, which is usually confirmed on election night — but it’s a small share of extremely tight races that take longer, because they require a more complete count to call a winner.

“It doesn’t matter how fast California counts its ballots, … we would be seeing similar conspiracy theories, maybe just with a different framing,” Becker said. “California ends up being a very effective bogeyman.”

Staff writer Kevin Rector contributed to this report.

The first three days of the 2026 FIFA World Cup are done, with the U.S. and Mexico each winning their group stage openers. However, most of the World Cup field is still looking to hit the competitive pitch for the first time.

Here’s everything you need to know about matches being played on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday in the 48-team tournament across the U.S., Mexico and Canada (all times Pacific).

Sunday’s Group E games:

Germany vs. Curacao

Germany’s Antonio Rudiger and Deniz Undav walk on the field before a friendly against the U.S. in Chicago on June 6.

(Alexander Hassenstein / Getty Images)

Where: NRG Stadium, Houston
Time: 10 a.m.
TV: Fox, Telemundo

The buzz: This is David vs. Goliath. Germany, a four-time champion ranked 10th in the world, against Curaçao, the smallest country to qualify for a World Cup. But remember David won that first battle, and Curaçao, with a roster full of Dutch-born-and-bred players and an experienced coach in Dick Advocaat, at 78 the oldest manager in the tournament, won’t be a pushover.

Ivory Coast vs. Ecuador

Ecuador’s Piero Hincapie controls the ball during a World Cup qualifier against Argentina in September 2025.

(Franklin Jacome / Getty Images)

Where: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
Time: 4 p.m.
TV: FS1, Telemundo

The buzz: Ecuador hasn’t lost since September 2024, a run that’s been fueled by the European-based back line of Willian Pacho (Paris Saint-Germain), Piero Hincapié (Arsenal), Pervis Estupiñán (AC Milan) and holding midfielder Moisés Caicedo (Chelsea). Ivory Coast is the youngest team in the World Cup, with an average age of 25.4 years, but it beat France in its final tournament tuneup. In three previous World Cups, the Elephants failed to advance out of the group stage.

Sunday’s Group F games:

Netherlands vs. Japan

Netherlands standout Frenkie de Jong looks on during an international friendly against Algeria on June 3.

(Dean Mouhtaropoulos / Getty Images)

Where: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
Time: 1 p.m.
TV: Fox, Telemundo

The buzz: The eighth-ranked Dutch, arguably the best team never to win a World Cup, come into this tournament with a golden generation led by defenders Virgil van Dijk and Nathan Ake, midfielder Frenkie de Jong and coach Ronald Koeman. Japan’s only loss in the last 12 months came to the U.S. in a friendly last September; after that it beat fellow World Cup qualifiers England, Scotland, Ghana and Brazil and played Paraguay to a draw. The Dutch have lost just twice, to Algeria and Germany, in the last 23 months.

Sweden vs. Tunisia

Tunisia’s Hannibal Mejbri warms up before an international friendly against Belgium on June 6.

(Omar Havana / Associated Press)

Where: Estadio BBVA, Guadalupe, Mexico
Time: 7 p.m.
TV: FS1, Telemundo

The buzz: Tunisia played in five of the last seven World Cups without getting out of group play, but this time it brings a roster that blends international veterans such as midfielders Hannibal Mejbri (Burnley) and Elias Achouri (Copenhagen) and young talent, including teenager Rayan Elloumi of the Vancouver Whitecaps, the ninth-youngest player in the tournament. Sweden beat Ukraine and Poland in a pair of UEFA playoff games this spring to grab a place in this tournament. Aston Villa defender Victor Lidelof is the most experienced player with 76 caps, including four World Cup appearances.

Monday’s Group G games:

Belgium vs. Egypt

Belgium’s Joaquin Seys, left, and Axel Witsel celebrate after defeating the U.S. in an international friendly on March 28.

(Mike Stewart / Associated Press)

Where: Lumen Field, Seattle
Time: noon
TV: Fox, Telemundo

The buzz: Belgium hasn’t lost in more than a year, but it also hasn’t played a top-10 team since 2024. It has a veteran core of four players — midfielders Axel Witsel and Kevin De Bruyne, goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and forward Romelu Lukaka — with more than 100 international caps. Egypt, Africa’s oldest national team, is playing in a World Cup for the fourth time and is still looking for its first win. Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah, the team’s active leading scorer, is the only player on the roster with a World Cup goal.

Iran vs. New Zealand

Iran’s Amirhossein Hosseinzadeh plays the ball during an international friendly against Gambia on May 29.

(Khalil Hamra / Associated Press)

Where: SoFi Stadium, Inglewood
Time: 6 p.m.
TV: FS1, Telemundo

The buzz: For the first time in World Cup history a tournament qualifier, Iran, will play in a country with which it is at war, the U.S. The Iranians, with the second-oldest roster in the tournament, are playing in their fourth straight World Cup. Only a 1-0 loss to the U.S. kept them from advancing out of group play in 2022. New Zealand, playing in its third World Cup, was winless the first two times — although it didn’t lose in its last visit in 2010, playing Slovakia, Italy and Paraguay to draws. The Kiwis are the only team this century not to lose in group play while also failing to advance.

Monday’s Group H games:

Spain vs. Cape Verde

Spain’s Ferran Torres scores during an international friendly against Iraq on June 4.

(Manu Fernandez / Associated Press)

Where: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
Time: 9 a.m.
TV: Fox, Telemundo

The buzz: Cape Verde is one of four nations making its World Cup debut and it will open against second-ranked Spain, a tournament favorite which has lost just once since March 2024. Every player on Spain’s roster plays for a top European team; four of them played in last month’s Champions League final.

Saudi Arabia vs. Uruguay

Uruguay’s Federico Valverde heads the ball past Brazil’s Joao Gomes during a Copa America quarterfinal match in 2024.

(Godofredo A. Vásquez / Associated Press)

Where: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Fla.
Time: 3 p.m.
TV: FS1, Telemundo

The buzz: Saudi Arabia, playing in its third straight World Cup, began its last visit by beating eventual champion Argentina in one of the most stunning upsets in tournament history. And the last time the World Cup was held in the U.S., in 1994, the Arabian Falcons became the first Arab-Asian team to reach the round of 16. Uruguay, a quarterfinalist in 2018, comes into this World Cup with an experienced roster led by Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde and Atlético Madrid defender José María Giménez.

Tuesday’s Group I games:

France vs. Senegal

France’s Kylian Mbappe works out with teammates in Waltham, Mass., on Friday.

(Martin Meissner / Associated Press)

Where: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, N.J.
Time: noon
TV: Fox, Telemundo

The buzz: France, ranked third in the world by FIFA, played in the last two World Cup finals and is favored to make it back again this year. Its best player, captain Kylian Mbappe, holds the tournament record with four goals in World Cup finals, including a hat trick in Qatar four years ago. Senegal is led by former African player of the year Sadio Mane, the country’s all-time leader in goals. Senegal made the quarterfinals in 2002 and the round of 16 in Qatar.

Iraq vs. Norway

Norway’s Erling Haaland controls the ball during a World Cup qualifier against Moldova in March 2025.

(Aurel Obreja / Associated Press)

Where: Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Mass.
Time: 3 p.m.
TV: Fox, Telemundo

The buzz: Norway is playing in the World Cup for the first time this century which means Manchester City‘s Erling Haaland will finally make his tournament debut. A three-time Premier League scoring champion, Erling has more goals for club at country at 25 than either Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo had at that age. Iraq has gone even longer between World Cups, making its only appearance in 1986 when it lost all three games. Iraq won its way back with a 2-1 victory over Bolivia in an inter-confederation playoff last March. The winning goal came from forward Aymen Hussein, the team’s active leader in goals and appearances among outfield players.

Tuesday’s Group J games:

Argentina vs. Algeria

Argentina’s Lionel Messi, fourth from left, practices with teammates in Kansas City, Kan., on Thursday.

(Charlie Riedel / Associated Press)

Where: Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Mo.
Time: 6 p.m.
TV: Fox, Telemundo

The buzz: Top-ranked Argentina was upset by lowly Saudi Arabia in its World Cup opener four years ago, then ran the table to give Lionel Messi the one title he was missing. Argentina returns 17 players from its world championship team, among them Messi, the golden ball winner; goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez, the golden glove winner; and midfielder Enzo Fernández, the 2022 tournament’s best young player. Algeria is ranked 28th in the world, it best ranking in more than a decade, and has lost just twice in the last two years. Its roster features 16 players from first-division clubs in Europe.

Austria vs. Jordan

Mousa Al-Tamari of Jordan controls the ball during the international friendly match against Switzerland on May 31.

(Sona Maleterova / Getty Images)

Where: Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, Calif.
Time: 9 p.m.
TV: Fox, Telemundo

The buzz: Jordan played its first international match in 1953 but it hasn’t played in World Cup until now, finally qualifying by finishing second to South Korea in its Asian group. Its best player is captain Musa Al-Taamari, a dynamic winger known as the “Jordanian Messi” who leads active players with 91 international caps. Austria is playing in the World Cup for the first time this century and it hasn’t won a game here since 1990. Its best player in Real Madrid defender David Alaba, a four-time Champions League winner and 10-time Austrian footballer of the year.

June 12 (Asia Today) — Hanmi Semiconductor said Friday it will invest about 50 billion won, or $32.9 million, in SpaceX as part of a strategic move tied to future cooperation in artificial intelligence chip manufacturing.

The South Korean semiconductor equipment maker said in a regulatory filing it plans to acquire shares in SpaceX on Monday. SpaceX, founded by Elon Musk, is a private aerospace company known for rocket technology and its Starlink satellite communications service.

Hanmi Semiconductor said the investment was made with an eye toward potential cooperation related to Musk’s Terafab project, an AI semiconductor manufacturing plan involving SpaceX, Tesla and xAI.

The project is aimed at building chip production capacity for Musk’s companies, including SpaceX, Tesla and xAI, as demand grows for AI semiconductors, satellite data services and global network infrastructure.

Market expectations for SpaceX have grown ahead of its expected public listing, with some estimates putting the company’s value at about 2,600 trillion won, or roughly $1.7 trillion.

Hanmi Semiconductor said it made the investment to position itself early in the expansion of AI infrastructure from semiconductors and data centers into aerospace, satellite communications and data industries.

The company has previously invested in businesses with future growth potential. Hanmi Semiconductor Chairman Kwak Dong-shin has pursued several investments connected to his relationship with Peter Thiel, the co-founder of Palantir.

Crescendo Equity Partners, a global private equity firm backed by Thiel, invested in Hanmi Semiconductor in 2013, marking the first investment of its kind in a Korean company. Hanmi Semiconductor said its latest investment in SpaceX also stems from that connection.

Kwak and Hanmi Semiconductor jointly invested in semiconductor equipment maker HPSP in 2021, generating a return of about 639% from the original investment. In 2024, Kwak personally invested 31 billion won, or about $20.4 million, in Line Next, a global Web3 company affiliated with LY Corp., acquiring an 8.5% stake.

A Hanmi Semiconductor official said the company decided to invest in SpaceX, a participant in Musk’s Terafab project, as AI industry growth expands beyond semiconductors and data centers into aerospace, satellite communications and data businesses.

The company said it plans to reinvest expected returns from the SpaceX investment into its core semiconductor equipment business to support sustainable growth and increase corporate and shareholder value.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260612010004261