World

July 16 (UPI) — Thousands of Ukrainians rallied in central Kyiv and other cities on Thursday demanding the reinstatement of sacked Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov ahead of a vote in parliament to approve his replacement.

The mostly young protestors, waving Ukrainian flags and holding up signs condemning the removal of the popular political figure, shouted “reappoint” and “shame.”

“Hands off Fedorov” and “Stop sabotaging victory!” read some of the placards hours after President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed Fedorov after just six months in the job as part of a major reshuffle of his cabinet.

The demonstrations come amid widespread opposition by lawmakers, the military and civil society demanding to know the reason for the ejection of one of the government’s most capable officials.

Among other achievements, Fedorov has been credited with breathing new life into the Defense Ministry, spearheading an anti-corruption drive, using data analysis to try to boost battlefield capabilities and opening a new front targeting critical Russian infrastructure in occupied Crimea and the Asov Sea.

In his previous government role in charge of digital transformation, he is credited with successfully lobbying SpaceX‘s Elon Musk to block the guidance systems of Russian drones from utilizing the firm’s Starlink satellite arrays. He also persuaded Musk to supply Starlink terminals to keep the country online amid sabotage of Ukraine‘s terrestrial internet networks.

Protesters said Fedorov’s dismissal would make people doubt the reforms he had embarked on.

A number of lawmakers from the ruling party have indicated they will not back the appointment of Ihor Klymenko, who currently serves as the minister of the interior, with at least one threatening to quit.

“Klymenko might not have enough votes. It’s not even about Fedorov. People have accumulated frustration and fatigue, and Fedorov’s resignation may cause unexpected social turmoil,” an unnamed lawmaker from the ruling party told The Kyiv Independent.

Tatiana Bohdanovska, 29, who lost her younger brother in battle in Kharkiv province four years ago, said it was a slap in the face to those killed defending Ukraine.

“My brother died believing this country would become different. If the government had invested earlier in technology and supported the army the way it should have, maybe he would still be alive,” she said.

Oleksandr, a serving soldier, told the BBC it was “the worst mistake Zelensky has made during his entire presidency.”

Fedorov’s dismissal — part of a shakeup that saw state-run Naftogaz CEO Serhiy Koretsky replace Yuliia Svyrydenko as prime minister — has been attributed to personal friction between him and Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi.

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Fedorov accused Syrskyi of sowing division among Ukrainians.

He said he tried to work with Syrskyi and his Chief of the General Staff Andrii Hnatov after Zelensky declined to replace them but every improvement he tried to initiate was rebuffed.

“Instead of finding a way of defeating Russia asymmetrically — which is the job of the commander-in-chief [Syrskyi] — he’s found a way of splitting our country,” said Fedorov.

However, Fedorov said he was 100% confident it would turn out for the best, stressing that Zelensky “hears the Ukrainian people, knows what to do.”

“I don’t believe he has yet chosen a side in the Syrskyi matter. I spoke with him today and said that I am acting according to my conscience,” he said.

Seoul shares again plummeted Thursday, led by steep losses in technology heavyweights, as escalating tensions in the Middle East weighed on investor sentiment. The Korean won rose against the U.S. dollar.

After opening 4.45 percent lower, the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) extended its losses to close at 6,820.60, down 463.81 points, or 6.37 percent from the previous session, after falling as low as 6,730.87.

The Korea Exchange, the country’s bourse operator, activated a sell-side sidecar on the KOSPI for 20 minutes at around 9:10 a.m. after the benchmark index fell more than 5 percent.

The decline came after the index surged 6.24 percent Wednesday as softer-than-expected U.S. inflation data eased concerns about near-term Federal Reserve interest rate hikes.

Adding to investor jitters, the Bank of Korea (BOK) raised its benchmark interest rate by a quarter percentage point to 2.75 percent earlier in the day, the first increase in 3 1/2 years, to curb inflation amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.

The U.S. launched fresh strikes on Iran, escalating tensions in the Middle East and renewing concerns over potential disruptions to regional energy supplies.

“Profit-taking followed sharp gains in technology stocks a session earlier, while persistent concerns over the semiconductor industry kept the index under pressure,” Kang Jin-hyeok, an analyst at Shinhan Securities Co., said.

Institutional and foreign investors sold a net 2.37 trillion won (US$1.6 billion) and 1.38 trillion won worth of shares, respectively, while retail investors bought a net 3.66 trillion won.

Technology stocks led the decline.

Market bellwether Samsung Electronics plunged 8.77 percent to 255,000 won, while rival chipmaker SK hynix tumbled 11.53 percent to 1,842,000 won.

Top automaker Hyundai Motor fell 2.07 percent to 425,000 won, while steelmaker POSCO Holdings slipped 0.95 percent to 311,500 won.

Among gainers, shipbuilder Hanwha Ocean rose 5.73 percent to 86,700 won, while leading beverage firm Hitejinro gained 2.47 percent to 14,910 won.

The Korean won was quoted at 1,480.4 won against the U.S. dollar at 3:30 p.m., up from 1,484.7 won the previous session.

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Speaking after the match, Argentina midfielder Leandro Paredes said the Falklands War was a “sad part of our history”, adding the game “wasn’t just a football match” for his nation.

Argentina vice-president Victoria Villarruel posted on X after Wednesday’s victory, external that “it wasn’t just another match” alongside a video of what appeared to be Argentine soldiers.

“The Falklands are Argentine,” Villarruel posted. “They banned bringing them to the stadium and forgot that we carry them in our blood and our hearts.”

In the build-up to the game, Villarruel had said the semi-final was “about putting the invaders in their place”.

MP Peter Kyle, Secretary of State for Business and Trade, said Argentina’s banner was “entirely inappropriate”, adding that he expects Fifa to do a thorough investigation into the matter.

“I think [an investigation] is certain to happen because it was such an egregious violation of the rules of not having political activity as part of the football,” Kyle told BBC Breakfast.

The UK Prime Minister’s official spokeswoman echoed Kyle’s view but said any potential action was “a matter for Fifa”.

She added: “The PM wishes both teams well for the final, especially Spain.”

Argentina players also sang chants which referenced the Falklands and Argentina greats Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi following their dramatic 3-2 win over Egypt in the last 16.

However, before the semi-final, manager Lionel Scaloni had said he was “not going to mix” football and politics.

“The reality is that this is a football match. I can’t mix things up, especially out of respect for what happened so many years ago,” Scaloni had said.

“It was a very sad period in our history, and there isn’t much we can do about it, that’s the reality.

“Things are happening elsewhere in the world, and we criticise the existence of war. We certainly remember those people, of course. But it is a football match – we shouldn’t confuse the two.”

The semi-final, which England lost to late goals from Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez, was held under increased security measures because of the historical tensions between the two nations.

July 16 (UPI) — Police in Hong Kong detained five bookstore workers on suspicion of breaches of the territory’s national security law during raids on two independent shops.

The two men, aged 37 and 57, and three women, aged between 30 and 59, were arrested in the Mong Kok district of the city on Wednesday on suspicion of “intention to commit sedition” under the 2024 Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, Hong Kong Police Force said in a news release.

They said the five were being detained under investigation. If convicted, they face a maximum prison sentence of seven years.

Police accuse the suspects of displaying items with seditious intent and selling publications with seditious content, specifically inciting hatred against the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, the judiciary, and law enforcement agencies.

They said they seized books which they allege had “seditious intent” from the shops during the raid, which was mounted on a tip-off after customs officers intercepted a shipment of books allegedly containing seditious material. Police did not say which country the books were being shipped from.

Local media identified the stores as Greenfield Book Store and Have A Nice Stay, which is run by former journalists and specializes in books on democracy, authoritarianism and media literacy.

Photos circulating online show one young woman being led away from the Have A Nice Stay store in handcuffs and police loading plastic storage containers of evidence onto a truck.

The raid came a day after Have A Nice Stay announced on Instagram that it would be shutting its doors for good on Aug. 30. Apologizing, it said because it was losing money and was fearful of running foul of the law.

“The elusive red line is certainly a reason. The director has made it clear before that he will not explain what books cannot be sold. We are really limited in our ability to read every book or decide which are a ‘problem.’ For us, books are the space of knowledge and thought, and this space is supposed to be flawless… We lack the ability and courage to carry out our mission of disseminating knowledge through books,” the store wrote.

According to its Facebook bio, Greenfield Book Store specializes in literature, history, philosophy, art, society, and self-help books from Hong Kong and Taiwan with discounts offered year-round.

Human rights groups condemned the arrests.

“The use of ‘sedition’ offenses to target bookstores once again demonstrates how Hong Kong’s national security framework is being weaponized to silence dissenting voices and eradicate spaces for free thought and debate,” Amnesty International said in a news release.

It said increasingly ambiguous “red lines” for booksellers intentionally left publishers and authors guessing what material could render them liable to criminal investigation, arrest or closure, stoking fear and self-censorship with “devastating consequences for freedom of expression.”

Human Rights Watch said in a post on X that the targeting of and arrests of booksellers “exposed what the Chinese government fears most: free thinking.”

“Beijing is trying to impose a world where people think only what the authorities permit,” it wrote.

The arrests bring to 11 the number of bookstore workers arrested following raids on two other stores in March and June.

The latest crackdown came two weeks after bookseller Lam Wing-Kee passed away in exile in Taiwan. He ran Causeway Bay Books on Hong Kong island for two decades until he, Gui Minhai and four others associated with the business went missing in 2015.

Lam returned to Hong Kong eight months later, saying he had been abducted by Chinese security officials as he was returning from a trip to the mainland. He gave a press conference claiming he had been sent back to Hong Kong to retrieve a hard drive containing names of writers and customers. He then fled to Taiwan.

A Chinese court in Ningbo sentenced Swedish citizen Gui to 10 years in prison in 2020 for “illegally providing intelligence” to foreign governments after Swedish authorities concluded he was likely kidnapped while on vacation in Thailand in 2015 and may have been tortured while in custody.

Thai authorities had no record of Gui exiting the country.

England scored through Anthony Gordon in the 55th minute and held the lead for half an hour.

Fernandez struck a brilliant equaliser in the 85th minute, after Messi picked him out near the edge of the penalty area.

Lautaro Martinez then won the game in stoppage time with a header from Messi’s cross.

Between Gordon’s goal and Argentina’s equaliser, England had only 12% of the ball which meant they spent most of the second half defending in deep positions.

It became a tussle of Argentina’s attack versus England’s defence, which lived a charmed life for a while.

Argentina persisted though, with Messi exploiting weaknesses in England’s structure and flaws in individual players’ habits to inspire his side’s comeback.

After getting some joy against Messi in the early stages of the game, Anderson’s front-footed approach became less effective with Messi adapting on the fly to his direct opponent’s playing style.

In fact, Messi began to use Anderson’s aggression against him. He held the ball for as long as possible, drawing the 23-year-old out, before flicking the ball around the corner for team-mates in the knowledge there was now space to attack in the zone Anderson had vacated.

A senior North Korean party official and China’s top political adviser have met in Pyongyang and discussed ways to strengthen bilateral exchanges and cooperation, the North’s state media said Thursday.

Jo Yong-won, a secretary of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea, and Wang Huning, chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), held talks Wednesday, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

Wang, China’s fourth-ranking official, is leading a Chinese party and government delegation on a three-day visit to North Korea through Friday to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance between the two countries.

During the talks, Jo said the rapidly changing international political situation “has required the two countries to further strengthen the militant unity, support and solidarity and steadily intensify and develop the friendly and cooperative relations” based on the spirit of the treaty.

Jo also said bilateral ties have entered a new stage of development under the leadership of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Chinese President Xi Jinping, expressing Pyongyang’s willingness to expand strategic communication and cooperation across various sectors.

Wang said the friendship treaty has provided a legal foundation for consolidating the “militant friendship formed at the cost of blood” between the two countries.

He also reaffirmed China’s commitment to elevating bilateral ties to a higher level in line with the consensus reached by Xi and Kim during their summit in Pyongyang in June, according to the KCNA.

The two sides discussed ways to deepen party-to-party exchanges and expand cooperation in various fields, including the economy and culture, with the aim of promoting the well-being of their peoples, the report said.

Wang’s visit comes days after North Korean Premier Pak Thae-song traveled to China to attend events marking the treaty anniversary, where he met with Xi and other senior Chinese leaders.

The exchange of high-level delegations has highlighted increasingly active contacts between Pyongyang and Beijing as the two sides seek to reaffirm their traditionally close ties and deepen cooperation.

“We are closely monitoring the possibility of a meeting between Wang and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, as well as any follow-up cooperation that may emerge from the talks,” an official at Seoul’s unification ministry told reporters.

He added the government is also paying attention to the presence of officials involved in urban management at the talks, saying it could signal discussions on cooperation in the economic and urban development sectors.

The latest exchanges reflect efforts by Pyongyang and Beijing to strengthen strategic communication and party-to-party ties, though it remains to be seen whether the current pace of high-level exchanges will continue beyond events marking the treaty anniversary, the official said.

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Lautaro Martinez scored a 92nd-minute winner as Lionel Messi inspired World Cup holders Argentina to a stunning 2-1 comeback victory over England, setting up a final against European champions Spain.

England had been on course to reach their first World Cup final since 1966 after Anthony Gordon fired them ahead 10 minutes into the second half of Wednesday’s semifinal, played in front of 68,239 fans in Atlanta.

The fierce rivalry between these nations has produced several memorable contests on the World Cup stage over the years, and this encounter will be remembered in Argentina as the stuff of legend after the South Americans denied England with two late goals.

Messi set up Enzo Fernandez to drill in an 85th-minute equaliser and then, with extra time looming, crossed for substitute Lautaro Martinez to head in the winner in the second minute of stoppage time.

No team has retained the World Cup since Brazil in 1962, and now Messi will become only the second player, after Brazilian great Cafu, to appear in three World Cup finals.

The final will be played at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Sunday, as the first 48-team World Cup culminates in a showdown between the reigning champions of Europe and South America.

Jude Bellingham slapped Argentina substitute Valentin Barco on the back of the head following England’s 2-1 World Cup semi-final defeat.

Barco, who did not play in the game, came on to the pitch at full-time and was hugging team-mates near Bellingham when the England midfielder walked over and slapped him.

It sparked a small melee as players from both sides got involved before Bellingham walked away.

It is not known what prompted the reaction, but footage showed Barco running on the pitch after Enzo Fernandez’s 85th-minute equaliser and celebrating in front of the England players.

Lautaro Martinez headed the winner for Argentina in the second minute of stoppage time, ending the hopes of an England side who had taken an early second-half lead through Anthony Gordon’s goal.

Barco, 21, who plays for French side Strasbourg and previously had a spell at Brighton, has featured once at the tournament as a second-half substitute in a 3-1 group win against Jordan.

The first half of Wednesday’s match in Atlanta was feisty with 19 fouls, as American referee Ismail Elfath struggled to keep control.

Bellingham, who has scored six goals in the tournament, also had a confrontation with Argentina captain Lionel Messi in the fourth minute after England midfielder Elliot Anderson had been fouled.

“We were really just discussing a foul, actually,” Bellingham is reported to have said. after the match.

“It wasn’t anything bad. I’m sure everyone will do their thing and make it a big deal, but it was nothing.”

Argentina players held up a banner declaring ‘Las Malvinas son Argentinas’ after beating England to reach the World Cup final. The message refers to the disputed Falkland Islands, reviving the sovereignty dispute and raising questions over FIFA’s ban on political displays.

An England fan has opened up to BBC Breakfast about the devastating moment he witnessed England’s loss against Argentina.

An England fan has revealed what the atmosphere in the stadium was like on Wednesday evening.

The nation has been left heartbroken after World Cup dreams were shattered in a dramatic semi-final game.

Despite Anthony Gordon’s 55th-minute goal, Argentina fought back with two goals in the final minutes, taking Lionel Messi to his third World Cup final.

Appearing on BBC Breakfast on Thursday, July 16, an England fan spoke to presenters Naga Munchetty and Charlie Stayt about witnessing the devastating loss in the stadium.

Andy Payne travelled across the United States to watch every match with his wife Kirsty, and admitted she was left “destroyed”.

He said: “This is my third World Cup semi-final, and Kirsty’s second, and to say the least, we’re used to this disappointment. We came so close today, I thought we were going to do it.

“We’ve had a fantastic trip, England have played brilliantly well. Thomas Tuchel might get a lot of criticism for today but everything done so far has been great.

“We just couldn’t do it today, every single time England just don’t quite get there but that’s life.”

He went on: “As always with England, there’s tension. Frankly, what Tuchel has done is put his best team out, the best players he had who weren’t injured of the 11 went out. And this is the first time he didn’t change things early, it was late, it was getting on.

“When we saw the goal, my view and other people in the ground were the same, was this is a goal that is decided on one goal. We thought we’ve got one goal, we might get two, we’ve got them, we’ve done this.

“And unfortunately, I think Tuchel looked at his team and went, ‘well how am I going to improve this team?’ because the players that weren’t on the field either weren’t the best players or were injured.”

Talking about the atmosphere in Atlanta Stadium, Andy agreed it was “the most extraordinary place to be”.

He went on: “For me, it was the best atmosphere bar one. The Azteca where we beat Mexico, but listen, I’ve seen England play Argentina now in 1986… I was there, we were outnumbered that day. 1998, I was there, we were hugely outnumbered by Argentinians.

“Today we were hugely outnumbered, the atmosphere was unbelievable. Every single England fan who was there was behind the team.

“None of the England fans who were in that ground boo’ed the players. We were disappointed, of course, we lost the game from 1-nil up with six, seven minutes to play.

“We fell short, and that’s England really, isn’t it? But all the people around me were as disappointed as I was, but we’ve had a good tournament and the team spirit was unbelievable.

“And we gave those boys a good send-off at the end. They came to us and they saluted us and we saluted them.

“It’s not a matter of life or death, it’s a game of football.”

BBC Breakfast airs daily from 6am on BBC One and iPlayer.

Erling Haaland and SoFi Stadium, ladies and gentlemen. Your breakout stars of the World Cup.

We’ve all fallen for the blond forward who has rowed Norway to its first World Cup quarterfinal berth — and also for SoFi Stadium.

Or “Los Angeles Stadium,” FIFA’s designation for the $5.5-billion architectural masterpiece that welcomed the world to Inglewood.

I cover Rams and Chargers games there regularly, but the World Cup changed how I feel about the place. It has more soul now, more character.

There is more history attached, “core memories,” as Kevin Demoff, president of parent company Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, put it.

The exultation when the United States went up 1-0 in the seventh minute of its tournament-opening, 4-1 victory over Paraguay? “That’s now a core memory of this stadium,” Demoff said.

So is the proud Iranian diaspora showing up en masse to mostly support Team Melli twice, in draws with New Zealand and Belgium.

And the goal by LAFC’s Stephen Eustáquio in the second minute of second-half stoppage time to lead Canada to a 1-0 victory over South Africa in its first knockout game.

And Spain’s taut, 2-1 victory over Belgium in Friday’s high-stakes quarterfinals match.

FIFA might say these sensational scenes put L.A. — our tiny hamlet of more than 18 million people — “on the map.”

What they did was put SoFi Stadium on everyone’s radar as one of the world’s foremost football stadiums.

Jose Ovalle, a 34-year-old from Reynosa, Mexico, has watched matches at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City and Estadio BBVA in Monterey, both sites of World Cup action this summer.

“They’re amazing stadiums — a lot of history, so much history,” Ovalle said Friday. “But [SoFi Stadium] is one of the top stadiums in the world.”

Spain midfielder Fabián Ruiz, left, celebrates after scoring past Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, right, in the World Cup quarterfinals at SoFi Stadium on Friday.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Nah, said New Zealand coach Darren Bazeley: “This is the best football stadium I’ve ever been in.”

Swiss center back Manuel Akanji plays for Inter Milan and roots for the Atlanta Falcons. It was a big deal for him to play at their home field, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, in last year’s FIFA Club World Cup.

“It’s really nice, but this is the best,” Akanji said after Switzerland defeated Bosnia-Herzegovina in group play at Sofi Stadium. “This is the best I’ve seen overall among all the stadiums I’ve ever been to. It’s amazing.”

Eight matches, five group stage games, two round-of-32 knockout affairs, Friday’s quarterfinal and a partridge in a pear tree — it was a monthlong run that was everything SoFi Stadium’s team could have wished for when it began preparing to host eight years ago. And more.

“I don’t think you can envision the passion of national team fans,” Demoff said. “We’ve seen so many great events here, NFL games, concerts, but the pride of a national event and seeing people come to Los Angeles and the U.S. for the first time, and seeing this building for the first time…

“There’s something magical about 30,000 Bosnians in blue singing, marching from the airport to here. You can’t properly envision that, no matter how many times you’ve been here.”

People raved about sight lines and sound. They admired the architecture and the infinity screen and the way the canopy kept things cool. In line to buy merchandise Friday, Orange County’s Nick Valencia looked around and mused: “Wow, humans made this.”

Players had the run of the place on real grass, not the artificial turf in place for NFL games. (Don’t expect that to change, Demoff said, noting that upkeep would be doubly challenging at SoFi Stadium with two NFL teams using the field.)

Soccer fans amplified their positive reviews online, where the only complaint having to do with SoFi Stadium was that FIFA decided to give the World Cup final to the archaic-by-comparison MetLife Stadium — a.k.a. “New York/New Jersey Stadium” — instead.

The stadium popped in person and on TV, its distinctive, futuristic shape making it immediately recognizable in a way that not every stadium is.

Vibes were good among volunteers and visitors from around the world and every corner of the United States — and among stadium staffers, who won raises in a late-breaking contract agreement that resulted in increases to more than $30 per hour.

The Rams’ house — and Chargers’ — was full almost every match, with four sold-out crowds of 70,492 and an eight-game total of 561,656.

People paid thousands of dollars for tickets and got their money’s worth at the world’s most-expensive stadium, a modern marvel that’s only getting better with age.

Dodger Stadium is dripping in lore, from Kirk Gibson’s legendary walk-off home run in 1988 to more history, like Shohei Ohtani playing perhaps the greatest game ever last postseason.

Staples — er, Crypto.com Arena — is where Kobe Bryant dropped 81. Decathlete Rafer Johnson lit the Olympic flame in 1984 at the Los Angeles Coliseum. And we all can picture Brandi Chastain ripping off her top in her iconic celebration after scoring the game-winning penalty kick in the 1999 Women’s World Cup at the Rose Bowl.

“We may not have the Brandi Chastain moment from ‘99,” Demoff said. “But we’ve had so many great moments off this tournament that I think will be replayed over and over and over again.”

There are more moments to come, with SoFi Stadium slated to host Super Bowl LXI in February and then, in 2028, to stage the Olympic Opening Ceremony and the Olympic swimming competition.

“Where the U.S. scored the opening goal,” Demoff said, “is going to be the middle of the Olympic swimming pool. I think that contrast blows people’s minds. It certainly blows mine.”

And for the past month, Los Angeles’ stadium blew the world’s mind.

July 15 (UPI) — The United States attacked Iran on Wednesday, and Iran struck U.S. assets across the region into Thursday morning, marking the fifth straight day of strikes between the two nations as they fight over the Strait of Hormuz.

U.S. Central Command launched two waves of attacks seeking to degrade Iran’s ability to threaten vessels transiting the vital chokepoint between Iran and Oman.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said early Thursday that it was conducting missile and drone strikes targeting U.S. assets at Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait.

“Once again, we remind the honorable people of Kuwait that the United States is committing these crimes against Muslim Iran from your soil,” the elite military unit responsible for protecting Iran’s Islamic regime said in a statement.

The IRGC-aligned Fars News Agency reported early Thursday that U.S. bases and facilities in Bahrain, as well as in Kuwait, were being struck. It separately said it was attacking U.S. assets at the Al-Azraq Base in Jordan.

The extent of potential damage could not be independently verified. However, the Kuwait Army said its air defenses were confronting drone attacks, and the Jordanian Armed Forces said they downed eight Iranian missiles early Thursday. Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior urged residents to find shelter as sirens blared, suggesting an incoming attack.

CENTCOM said in a statement that its second wave ended at 9 p.m. EDT, hitting command centers, air defense sites, coastal surveillance facilities and missile ad drone capabilities.

In announcing the strikes hours earlier, CENTCOM had said they were “targeting Iranian military capabilities used to threaten vessels freely transiting through the Strait of Hormuz.”

“The U.S. military is holding Iran accountable at the commander in chief’s direction,” the post said.

The U.S. attacks followed earlier strikes on Greater Tunb Island in the Strait of Hormuz, a key site for Iran’s coastal defenses and missile storage, during a 90-minute wave. The U.S. military also said it fired on the Curacao-flagged Belma vessel transiting international waters toward Iran.

CENTCOM accused it of violating a military blockade of Iran’s coast that Trump reimposed Tuesday afternoon to deny Iran maritime trade.

The IRGC said Ahvaz, a southwestern Iranian city, had come under U.S. attack, with missiles reportedly hitting near Baghaei Hospital, which treats children with cancer, requiring all but the most ill patients to be transferred to another medical facility.

Iran’s Parliament Speaker Bagher Ghalibaf told state media that Iran had “no reason” to abide by any deal with the United States if it did not benefit from it, but he left the door open for possible diplomacy, stating: “We must utilize diplomacy and negotiation to achieve and stabilize our national interests.”

While the war began in late February with President Donald Trump seeking to dismantle Iran’s nuclear and conventional weapons programs while encouraging regime change, the current chapter of the war is over the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. President Donald Trump is fighting to restore freedom of navigation through the waterway, down which about one-fifth of global energy supplies flow. Tehran is fighting to preserve its ability to restrict passage through the chokepoint as leverage and has previously suggested it could charge vessels that transit it.

The U.S. attacks came as Trump told reporters that Iran’s leaders “better behave” on Wednesday, one day after he threatened that the United States would strike bridges and power plants if Iran did not return to the negotiating table.

“They want to settle so badly,” Trump said later Wednesday at a defense summit in Pennsylvania. “They don’t like what we’re doing, and they do want to settle. We’ll find out whether or not we settle with them or we just finish it off.”

England’s football team were playing Argentina on Wednesday night in the World Cup semi-finals.

World Cup viewers were quick to spot the familiar face in the crowd during the latest match.

Tensions were at an all-time high on Wednesday night (July 15) as BBC viewers saw the England football team try to earn a spot in the World Cup final as they went head-to-head with Argentina.

As the game began, the camera panned to the live audience who were watching the match unfold in Atlanta. However, BBC viewers were quick to notice a famous face in the crowd who was there to support the England squad.

Taking to X, one person said: “WAS THAT LOUIS TOMLINSON IN THE AUDIENCE. IT WAAASSSSS AAAAA.” Another wrote: “Louis Tomlinson is there. Oh my god.” Someone else commented: “LOUIS TOMLINSON SPOTTED AT THE #WorldCup”

A third shared: “Louis Tomlinson blessing our screens at the England game tonight was everything I needed.” While a fourth person wrote: “I’m already satisfied with the match cause I saw Louis Tomlinson in the crowd #WorldCup #England.”

The former One Direction star wasn’t the only famous face who was spotted in the crowd, either, as Rolling Stones legend Mick Jagger was also there to support the team.

Elsewhere during the game, Argentina fans have caused outrage with viewers as they were heard booing during England’s national anthem before kick-off began, although the Three Lions supporters retaliated with boos of their own.

Recently, Thomas Tuchel came under fire for his comments made after the 2-1 match against Norway, as he made critiques on the technical side of England’s performance.

When an interviewer asked Jude Bellingham what he thought of his manager’s remarks, he replied: “Yeah, well… whatever. Whatever. It’s difficult out there. It’s a tough shift.”

Discussing the comments, Thomas Tuchel told The Guardian there is no issues between them as he said: “Our comments come from the same place – from being competitive and having the edge when competition is on.

“He [Bellingham] was just confronted with a critique of my side. I [also] called him a world-class player. I said he had world-class actions again to decide the match. I said the mentality is outstanding of this team. All of that was not part of the question.

“I would maybe also bite back when I come from 120 minutes, score two goals and give literally everything that is in my body. It’s just a very normal reaction for a player of his mindset. So no problem.”

The World Cup final airs on Sunday, July 19, on BBC One from 8pm

England have showed character at this World Cup, coming from behind to defeat both DR Congo at the last-32 stage and Norway in the quarter-finals.

“The difference is hanging on against Norway or Mexico [in the last 16], they have not got the quality this Argentina team have got in terms of the ability on the ball and the ability they have to punish you,” former England captain Alan Shearer told BBC Sport.

“Tuchel played his cards very, very early and it has backfired.”

England looked to have taken full control of the semi-final against their old foes when Gordon put them ahead 10 minutes into the second half.

England’s fans celebrated wildly – but then the Three Lions opted to sit back and defend.

“The fact that England got themselves in front and then basically handed Argentina the initiative… that was a coaching catastrophe from Thomas Tuchel,” Chris Sutton, a Premier League winner with Blackburn in 1994-95, told BBC Radio 5 Live.

“You can’t expect to defend for 30 minutes against the quality Argentina had.

“It’s all on the coach where I am concerned. He made the changes. He was negative, so the question which I’m going to ask is ‘how can you trust Thomas Tuchel to take this team forward?'”

England have come undone against Argentina in the past.

Who can forget Diego Maradona’s infamous ‘Hand of God’ goal at the 1986 World Cup or the 1998 World Cup defeat that burns so deep.

England, however, have no-one but themselves to blame for Wednesday’s loss.

“Norway and Mexico panicked against England,” former England goalkeeper Joe Hart told BBC Sport.

“I didn’t see one bit of panic from that Argentina side. I saw belief, I saw the realising they could free up the great man Lionel Messi in the pocket, and they were running all over England.

“Gareth Southgate took a lot of criticism for the big moments with England, when they had the lead in big games and shut up shop. I don’t see that anything has changed in that big moment out there.”

So what were the changes that frustrated England fans so much?

Leading 1-0, many expected Tuchel to go for another goal – but instead the German made three defensive changes.

He brought Konsa on for Gordon in the 72nd minute – switching to a back five – before bringing on further defensive reinforcements 10 minutes later in Burn and O’Reilly.

Tuchel sent on forwards Rashford and Toney in added time, but it proved too little too late.

“I felt the changes we made at 1-0, that if Argentina scored we wouldn’t make extra time,” added Rooney.

Former England defender Micah Richards told BBC Sport: “When England scored that first goal they should have gone for the second.

“Yes, you respect their quality, but dropping deep allowed Argentina to get into their flow.”

Former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson, speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, said Tuchel went too deep too soon.

“I think he has got that wrong,” added Robinson, who won 41 caps for England between 2003 and 2007.

“He has got a lot of decisions right, but I think trying to defend a lead against this team was a wrong choice.”

Once Gordon put England ahead in this latest stormy episode of an old and bitter rivalry, Tuchel decided on a rearguard action.

That had worked for England in their knockout wins over Mexico and Norway – but it would not against a Messi-inspired Argentina.

Tuchel replaced goalscorer Gordon with defender Ezri Konsa with 18 minutes left and switched to a back five. He then brought Nico O’Reilly and Dan Burn on for Declan Rice and Reece James.

It was clear almost instantly that Tuchel had called it badly. It did nothing but invite Argentine pressure and those late goals. This one was almost all on Tuchel.

If there was one statistic that brutally condemned his approach, it was that England only had 12% possession between taking the lead and Martinez’s winning goal nearly 40 minutes later.

Such was England’s sudden attacking need in the closing moments that Tuchel threw on Ivan Toney after 96 minutes – his first appearance of the tournament.

Toney’s “blink and you’ll miss it” cap also brought some of Tuchel’s selections under scrutiny. Was Toney simply picked for a penalty shootout that never came?

And the debate around Tuchel’s defensive picks, especially at right-back, will continue to rage.

Tuchel gambled on the injury-prone Reece James staying fit – but when the Chelsea defender was sidelined with a hamstring issue, right-back suddenly became a problem position.

The position turned into musical chairs between Jarell Quansah – injured against Panama then sent off against Mexico – Djed Spence and Ezri Konsa before James was back for the semi-final.

All this while Trent Alexander-Arnold watched from afar, his natural gifts ignored by Tuchel on the basis of defensive frailty.

And as the ashes are raked over, Tuchel’s decision to ignore the creativity of Cole Palmer and Phil Foden – easy to say with hindsight given both had poor seasons with Chelsea and Manchester City – and Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White will be revisited.

Jordan Henderson, whose tournament ended in bizarre circumstances when he broke an arm amid the celebrations after the win against Mexico, was taken for his influence around the squad but was never going to be a serious on-field performer.

If Tuchel valued his professionalism and personality so much in this area, why not take Henderson on his backroom staff and open up a place for a younger, more creative player?

This was a desperate day for England – and Tuchel and his tactical approach.

A day when it could easily have been said, as the song goes: “Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss.”

ATLANTA — The jury is still out on whether Lionel Messi is the greatest soccer player ever. But there should be no doubt he’s the greatest to ever play in a World Cup.

And you don’t need the records, the wins or the goals to prove that — although he certainly has enough of those. You just need to see Messi at his most magical, as he was Wednesday, setting up a pair of game-changing goals in a seven-minute span to lift Argentina to a 2-1 win over England and into Sunday’s World Cup final with Spain.

“It’s really hard to speak right now, but I’m going to try not to cry,” Lautaro Martínez, who scored the winning goal two minutes into stoppage time, said in Spanish. “I’m already overwhelmed inside. It’s incredible. Everything we’ve achieved is just incredible.”

Like their 13-game World Cup unbeaten streak, dating to the opening game of the 2022 tournament in Qatar. Or back-to-back trips to the final, which gives them a chance to become the first repeat champion in the men’s tournament since Brazil in 1962.

Argentina’s Lautaro Martinez scores his team’s second goal in front of England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford (1) and fellow England players Ezri Konsa (2) and John Stones (5) during a World Cup semifinal in Atlanta on Wednesday.

(Erik S. Lesser / Associated Press)

But it hasn’t been easy. Eleven of Argentina’s 19 goals — including both scores in Wednesday’s semifinal — have come after the 75th minute. They trailed in the 80th minute or later in two of their last three knockout games, only to rally both times.

And Messi has either scored or assisted on three of the four goals that rescued Argentina.

“This group, in the face of adversity, keeps going, keeps going, and never gets tired,” Martínez said. “And we have the best in the world as our example.”

On Wednesday that meant heartache for England, which was as close to a World Cup final as it has been in six decades, leading 1-0 on Anthony Gordon’s second-half goal with just five minutes left in normal time.

But after taking the lead, England turned strangely conservative, dropping all 11 players behind the ball at times, daring Argentina to score. Eventually it did, with Enzo Fernández curling a right-footed shot from about 20 yards past England keeper Jordan Pickford and in at the left post to tie the game.

It was a pass from Messi that found Fernández in space at the top of the box, earning the Argentine captain his record 11th World Cup assist.

“The opponent doubted themselves,” Argentine coach Lionel Scaloni said. “We smelt blood and went for it. We all felt it. “

The tie didn’t last for long though, with Messi threading a perfect cross from the right wing to Martínez, who found space between English defenders John Stones and Ezri Konsa at the far post. Messi’s pass just cleared the leaping Stones, then dipped to Martínez, who nodded it home.

England’s Harry Kane and England’s Jude Bellingham are dejected after losing to Argentina during a World Cup semifinal on Wednesday in Atlanta.

(Jeff Roberson / Associated Press)

When the ball hit the net, the sellout crowd at Atlanta’s massive Mercedes-Benz Stadium erupted.

“Once again, despite falling behind, we managed to turn the game around in stoppage time. That speaks volumes about this group, about this team that never settles, always wants more, always strives for more,” Martínez said.

It also gives Messi a chance to strive for more in Sunday’s final. He has already played in more World Cup games, scored more World Cup goals and had more World Cup assists than any man in history. With a win over Spain, he can join another elite group of men: those who have won back-to-back World Cup titles.

History will eventually decide if it was Messi’s brillance or the tactical surrender of England coach Thomas Tuchel that truly turned the game around. Tuchel, however, said he had no regrets.

“We played the matches how they were,” he said. “We overcame every obstacle. We were very, very close today. It’s not a moment now to analyze the full tournament because we lost a crucial match.”

His captain, Harry Kane, who lost in the semifinal of a World Cup for the second time in three tournament, was also not interested in second-guessing.

Argentina’s Lionel Messi sits on the shoulders of a teammate and celebrates after beating England in a World Cup semifinal on Wednesday in Atlanta.

(Rebecca Blackwell / Associated Press)

“We had a lot of good moments in this tournament, a lot of good games,” he said. “We talked about knocking on the door. We’re close, we just have to find that missing piece in the final stage of the tournament.”

They may be closer than they think: England is the only team this century to score the first goal in a World Cup semifinal but not reach the final, according to the OptaJoe statistical service.

Argentina’s team, meanwhile, is missing nothing — except maybe a second title,

“The people of Argentina should celebrate being in a final,” Scaloni said. “This group of players is difficult to describe in words. They are so special. I’m getting emotional. They fight for everything.

“We’re going to try to win the final. But what else does this team need to do? There isn’t much else to say. I’m eternally grateful to this group of players.”

Sports editor Iliana Limón Romero contributed to this report.

Jubilant fans leapt with joy in Buenos Aires after Argentina defeated England 2-1 in Wednesday’s World Cup semifinal match. The defending champions will take on Spain in Sunday’s final.

England will face France in the bronze-medal match on Saturday (22:00 BST) – and victory will mean this is their best performance in a men’s World Cup since 1966.

“It is heartbreaking to be so close,” said Bullingham.

“The players and Thomas gave it everything today and the squad, coaches and staff could not have worked harder during the tournament.

“I would like to thank them all – and also give my heartfelt thanks to our wonderful fans here in the USA and at home.”

Despite the disappointment of losing in the semi-final, England’s progress will be viewed internally as a relative success.

Tuchel said at his post-match news conference in Atlanta: “We keep on going with the contract until the home Euros.

“I’m looking forward to that even though right now it’s difficult to look that far ahead.

“Of course, it’s a semi-final; a lot of big football nations are eliminated before the semi-final, so it is an achievement.

“No-one wants to hear that at the moment; me neither because we demand the most of ourselves. That’s just the nature of being competitive.”

Holders Argentina will face Spain in the final after snatching victory from England in ⁠a highly charged encounter.

Lautaro Martinez scored a 92nd-minute winner as Lionel Messi inspired World Cup holders Argentina to a stunning comeback to beat England 2-1 and set up a final with European football champions Spain.

England had been on course to reach their first FIFA World Cup final since 1966 after Anthony Gordon fired them into the lead 10 minutes into the second half of the semifinal in front of 68,239 fans in Atlanta on Wednesday.

The great rivalry between these nations has produced several memorable contests on the World Cup stage through the years, and this will be remembered as the stuff of legends in Argentina as the South Americans denied England with two late sucker punches.

Messi set up Enzo Fernandez to fire in an 85th-minute equaliser, and then, with extra time looming, crossed for substitute Lautaro Martinez to head in the winner in the second minute of stoppage time.

It was maybe not quite up there with Diego Maradona’s legendary display in putting England to the sword in 1986, but the goals this time brought Argentina back from the dead and kept alive their hopes of winning back-to-back World Cups.

No team has retained the trophy since Brazil in 1962, and now, Messi will become just the second player after Brazilian great Cafu to appear in three World Cup finals. Italy are the only other side to defend a World Cup crown.

The 2026 final will take place at New York New Jersey Stadium in New Jersey on Sunday, as the first 48-team World Cup boils down to a confrontation between the reigning champions of Europe and South America.

Messi had waited until the age of 39 to get the chance to play against England, and he will now face Spain for the first time in a competitive game.

His career appeared to be complete when he dragged Argentina to glory in 2022 in Qatar, but he is clearly not done yet.

England, though, will have huge regrets as they head to Miami to play France in Saturday’s third-place playoff, a game neither team will want to contest.

The prospect of a first World Cup final appearance since their sole triumph 60 years ago was a momentous one, and they were so close, but will live to regret sitting back after Gordon’s opener.

The key men for Thomas Tuchel’s side during this campaign have been Jude Bellingham and captain Harry Kane, yet they failed to deliver on this occasion, and England’s players slumped to the turf at full-time.

Lautaro winner

Given the deep-rooted rivalry between these nations, this was always likely to be a game with an edge, and there was a palpable sense of tension at Atlanta Stadium.

Argentina’s players were clearly fired up, partly by a determination to hold onto their World Cup crown but also by a sense of what this fixture means.

That translated into a niggly contest, pockmarked by fouls in the first half, including Elliot Anderson being booked for scything down Messi.

There were no real chances to speak of in the first half, but England struck in the 55th minute.

Kane was involved in the buildup as the ball eventually came to Morgan Rogers on the right, and he whipped in a low cross towards the back post where Gordon stole in front of Nahuel Molina to score.

But this was the stadium where Argentina produced a stunning comeback from 2-0 down to beat Egypt in the last 16, and they were not done.

They threw everything at their opponents, as Jordan Pickford made a great save from a Nico Gonzalez header, and Alexis Mac Allister was then denied by the post in the 76th minute.

Fernandez was denied from range by Pickford, but moments later, he equalised, controlling a Messi pass on the edge of the area and letting fly past the goalkeeper.

Argentina smelled blood, and Mac Allister again hit the post before England failed to clear, and Martinez headed in the winner from an exquisite Messi cross to spark chaotic scenes of celebration and leave England completely deflated.

Thousands of Argentina fans held a banderazo in the streets of Atlanta ahead of their World Cup semi-final against England. The fan tradition transforms public spaces into celebrations before a major match.

Mark Chapman led the BBC’s live coverage of the second World Cup semi-final between England and Argentina

The BBC unveiled a major change ahead of the second semi-final.

Mark Chapman hosted the broadcaster’s live football coverage on Wednesday (July 15), as England prepared to take on Argentina in Atlanta.

England reached their fourth World Cup semi-final with an extra-time victory against Norway in the quarter-finals, and were victorious in the Atlanta stadium in the last 32, when they came from behind again to defeat DR Congo.

Meanwhile, reigning champions Argentina have managed to score three times in each of their knockout matches so far, with Lionel Messi set to face England for the first time in his career.

Mark was joined by regular pundits Wayne Rooney, Joe Hart and Micah Richards during the build-up to the anticipated match, with BBC viewers quickly noticing a huge change.

Up until now, BBC stars Mark, Kelly Cates and Gabby Logan have hosted the coverage live from a state of the art immersive studio in Salford, which transported viewers to 16 cities across three host nations.

But for the latest encounter, the team travelled to Atlanta Stadium in person, after the BBC announced that it would be leaving its domestic studio to head across the pond.

Viewers were quick to share their verdict on X (formerly Twitter), as Mark introduced the coverage from inside the spacious stadium for the first time.

“The BBC finally arrive at the World Cup. Only about a month late,” one person wrote, with another adding: “I see that the BBC pundits have finally bothered to travel out for the World Cup.”

A third said: “Remember all that nonsense about the BBC presenting the World Cup from Salford while ITV1 was actually IN one of the host countries?! Tonight, one of them presents LIVE from a stadium for the first time. What one? Yes, the BBC!”

Someone else wrote: “BBC actually made it to the World Cup. Crazy.”

Mark began the coverage by saying: “Evening, don’t look back in anger. Sometimes it’s hard not to.”

A montage of some of England’s most devastating footballing moments against Argentina was then played, including Diego Maradona’s Hand of God moment and David Beckham’s 1998 red card.

Some viewers weren’t impressed with the negative start to the coverage, with one angry fan writing: “The BBC could not hate us more! We play Argentina tonight in the World Cup semi-final and how does the [BBC] open its coverage?

“Some inspiring footage of England’s past triumphs? Of course not. They open with a montage of some of our most devastating footballing moments. With the soundtrack of a post apocalyptic horror movie playing in the background.”

Someone else wrote: “The rest of the build up is just one big [Lionel] Messi love in! It’s sickening, FFS if I was Kane or Bellingham I’d be fuming, let’s have some god damn positivity please BBC.”

Meanwhile, former Football Focus host Dan Walker praised the BBC team’s build-up, writing on X: “Brilliant build-up from the BBC. Pundits all on it, Chappers superb, in the stadium, on the pitch… best of the World Cup so far.”

Coverage of the FIFA World Cup 2026 airs on the BBC and ITV

July 15 (UPI) — Spain and Gibraltar celebrated just after midnight Wednesday as border checkpoints and walls came down between the two nations after a treaty was signed in Brussels.

At midnight, the police stepped down from their border posts to open the territory, and thousands rushed across the border in both directions, celebrating the new crossing and Spain’s World Cup win against France in the semifinals, The Telegraph reported.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez visited the Spanish border town of La Línea de la Concepción on Wednesday to see the removal of the last section of a border fence. He said an “open wound” was finally closed, The Guardian reported.

“The Gibraltar fence — the last wall in continental Europe — has fallen so that we can take a step towards a new era of coexistence and shared prosperity,” Sánchez said. “This is a deal that has the wellbeing of the 300,000 Andalucíans in the Campo de Gibraltar at its heart and which opens a new phase in the relationship between Spain and the U.K.”

Gibraltar, a British overseas territory, has been British sovereign land since the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713. When Britain left the European Union in January 2020, travel between Spain and Gibraltar was made more complicated.

While Gibraltar has about 40,000 residents, about 15,000 Spaniards cross into it daily for work, causing long daily lines at the checkpoint where they were fingerprinted and had their passports scanned.

Now, British citizens flying or sailing into Gibraltar will have to be fingerprinted and have their passports checked as Spain takes over EU entrance controls, which is causing some consternation among conservative Brits.

Though Spain still wants full control of Gibraltar, this compromise allows for more cooperation between the two.

Gibraltarian Chief Minister Fabian Picardo said the treaty is a new beginning.

“The frontier that has so often divided and constrained our region will now become a place of cooperation and shared opportunity,” he said. “The daily lives of thousands of people will be made easier, our economy will be given greater certainty and Gibraltar’s future will rest on firm legal foundations.

“We have reached this moment without surrendering who we are, without compromising our British sovereignty and without weakening the constitutional protections that define Gibraltar,” Picardo added.

Not everyone was celebrating.

Iain Duncan Smith, former British conservative leader, expressed disappointment.

“This arrangement will in future years be used as a model for weak negotiation. It will be a significant step in the stripping out of hundreds of years of British sovereignty,” Smith said.

Nigel Farage, leader of the right-wing Reform UK, told The Telegraph, “This is a dreadful surrender and the opening of the border means that Gibraltar will never be the same.”

Picardo said the treaty was “among the most significant days in Gibraltar’s modern history.”

“After years of uncertainty, endurance and determined negotiation, we have secured an international treaty that protects Gibraltar, safeguards our sovereignty and opens the way to a more secure and prosperous future,” he said.

“The frontier that has so often divided and constrained our region will now become a place of cooperation and shared opportunity. The daily lives of thousands of people will be made easier, our economy will be given greater certainty and Gibraltar’s future will rest on firm legal foundations.”