World

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.”

July 15 (UPI) — Argentina has strengthened cooperation with U.S. authorities to implement its stadium access control system for the World Cup semifinal match Wednesday against England in Atlanta.

The system allows officials to identify people banned from attending soccer matches, including members of violent fan groups and thousands of child support debtors.

The Ministry of National Security is coordinating a joint operation with U.S. and British agencies to strengthen security inside and outside Atlanta Stadium, where the match was to be played.

The operation includes meetings with the FBI and Georgia State Police, as well as an increased presence of law enforcement officers and private security personnel at stadium entrances, the ministry said.

National Security Secretary Alejandra Monteoliva said in a video posted on X that Argentina’s National Registry of Individuals Banned from Stadiums has already been made available to U.S. authorities to assist with the operation.

“Soccer belongs to families and true fans, and we do not want violent people representing us anywhere in the world,” she said.

The Argentine government previously provided U.S. authorities with a database that contains the names of some 35,000 people subject to stadium bans. The information-sharing system allows U.S. authorities to identify those prohibited from entering soccer stadiums in Argentina, although the final decision on entry into the United States stadiums to matches rests exclusively with U.S. authorities.

The operation also incorporates the “Alerta Halcón” system, which works alongside the National Directorate of Migration and detects when a person subject to a stadium ban leaves Argentina. That information is transmitted in real time to Argentine officials in the United States, who share it with local authorities for case-by-case evaluation.

The mechanism is part of the Tribuna Segura program, created by the Argentine government in 2016 to prevent people considered a security risk because of previous violence at sporting events from entering stadiums.

The registry primarily includes members of barras bravas, the term used in Argentina for organized soccer supporter groups historically associated with violence inside and outside stadiums.

The system operates through a national database that is checked whenever a spectator presents an identity document to enter a stadium. If the individual is listed as subject to an active restriction, entry is automatically denied.

In May, the national government expanded the scope of Tribuna Segura by incorporating information from child support debtor registries in Buenos Aires and 13 provinces as part of an agreement to extend restrictions already in force in different jurisdictions, the Buenos Aires Herald reported.

Also, about 13,000 of the roughly 35,000 people in the database are parents who failed to meet child support obligations.

Authorities said, however, that not every late payment results in a stadium ban. To be added to the registry, a person must go through judicial proceedings for failing to comply with child support obligations and become subject to measures ordered by a judge, which may include a ban on attending sporting events.

The Argentine government said the inclusion of child support debtors is intended to encourage compliance with obligations toward children by restricting access to recreational activities.

According to the latest report by UNICEF Argentina, 56% of mothers whose children do not live with their father receive no child support, and that figure rises to 68% when those who receive irregular payments are included.

“Failure to pay child support constitutes a violation of children’s rights, with tangible effects on their living conditions,” Carolina Aulicino, social policy officer at UNICEF Argentina, said while presenting the report.

Experts cited by the Buenos Aires Herald said the measure has strong symbolic value because it seeks to encourage debtors to regularize their situation, although they argued it should be accompanied by reforms to speed up access to the courts and facilitate the effective collection of child support payments.

The 14-team 2027 ODI tournament in Africa will have a Super Seven stage but no quarterfinals.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced a revamped format for the men’s 2027 one-day international World Cup that could lead to an additional fixture between India and Pakistan.

The restructure, revealed on Wednesday, comes after concerns were expressed about the prospect of too many dead rubbers, which in turn would lead to sparse crowds at venues, and the number of foregone conclusions at the recent T20 World Cup.

While next year’s edition in Southern Africa remains a 14-team competition, the three lowest-ranked qualifiers will now take part in a preliminary round, and just one of them will progress to a 12-team main group stage.

That will now feature just two pools of six teams with a new “Super Seven” stage replacing the previous “Super Six” round robin.

Significantly, there will be no quarterfinals with the 50-over tournament denied the further jeopardy and interest that comes with an extra round of clear-cut knockout matches.

The ICC, however, insisted in a statement that the new ODI World Cup structure “creates greater context, competitiveness and consequence during the event”.

An additional team in the round-robin phase also increases the prospects of an extra match between India and Pakistan, who share a bitter rivalry that has been soured further in recent years.

The passion for cricket on the subcontinent, which in turn generates lucrative broadcast rights and huge commercial revenues for the ICC, makes a match between India and Pakistan the most valuable in the sport.

But India and Pakistan no longer meet outside ICC events as political tensions between the border nations mean they are in effect barred by their own governments from facing each other.

The last bilateral series India played in Pakistan was in 2006 (Test and ODI series).

Another change approved last week at the ICC’s annual board meeting in Edinburgh will see the next men’s T20 World Cup in 2028 remain a 20-team competition but with 10 sides qualifying from the group stage rather than eight.

The two best-performing teams in the “Super 10” will automatically secure a semifinal spot with a new eliminator stage to decide their opponents.

ICC loans Cricket West Indies $12.82m

In a separate announcement, the ICC said it had approved a $12.82m loan to Cricket West Indies (CWI) “to support the member board”.

Unlike other leading international cricket teams, the West Indies are a regional side, and the relative economic weakness of its constituent Caribbean islands and territories along with the travel distances involved puts the CWI at a considerable financial disadvantage compared with the “Big Three” of India, England and Australia.

During the recent women’s T20 World Cup in England, West Indies captain Hayley Matthews lamented an “unfair” funding ecosystem after her cash-strapped side’s eight-wicket semifinal thrashing by Australia.

“The reason we were so successful back in 2012 to 2016 is because women’s cricket was based off pure talent at that time,” Matthews said.

“The minute that investment comes into the picture, we’ve seen the gap widen a lot. … I feel like it’s a bit unfair sometimes.”

While every World Cup introduces viewers to new young stars, this tournament featured eight players who were older than 40 — one more than the number of over-40 players in the previous 22 World Cups combined.

Among them were Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo, 41, and Mexico’s Memo Ochoa, 40, who were playing in their sixth World Cups alongside Argentina’s Lionel Messi, a relative youngster at 39. No one has played in more men’s World Cups.

But while Ronaldo and Ochoa have gone home, Messi will be playing in his third semifinal in four tournaments Wednesday when Argentina, the reigning champion, faces England at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

The newfound longevity of elite soccer players has been made possible by advances in sports medicine, diet and analytics that measure everything from biomechanics and heart rate to muscular output and sleep cycles, all in real time. And injuries that once ended careers can now be repaired through outpatient procedures.

Argentina star Lionel Messi holds his jersey up and celebrates with teammates after a World Cup quarterfinal win over Switzerland on Saturday in Kansas City, Mo.

(David Ramos / Getty Images)

“Over the past 10, 20 years, the sports science within the game has changed a lot,” said Liam Anderson, an exercise physiologist at the University of Birmingham in England, who has worked as an applied practitioner in top-flight professional soccer for more than a decade.

“Players are now definitely more aware of their bodies and I think the professionalism has changed quite a lot as well. But they’re also in tune with the things which are helping them recover, manage their training load and ultimately stay fitter and healthier for longer.”

Gone are the days when chain-smoking Dutch legend Johan Cruyff would light up a cigarette on the bench, French world champion Zinedine Zidane would smoke in the locker room and George Best would party and drink so hard he would disappear for days at a time.

“There’s a couple of reasons,” Dr. Michael Joyner, a specialist in the physiology of elite athletes at the Mayo Clinic, said of the growing lifespan of soccer players. “The first is that people just make a lot more money and as a result, there’s tremendous incentive to keep playing. The second is people are taking much better care of themselves.”

“You just don’t hear about people like George Best anymore,” said Joyner, speaking for himself and not the clinic where he works.

“Diet is huge,” Anderson added. “High-protein diets and fueling with carbohydrates for matches. Nutritional strategies have changed considerably in the last 10-15 years.”

And those diets are tailored by position since a midfielder, who may run more than seven miles in a match, burns more calories than a goalkeeper.

As the eldest player in Major League Soccer, Diego Chara has had to make some concessions to age.

“It’s a little detailed,” said Chara, a midfielder with the Portland Timbers. “Talking about recovery time, it maybe takes a little bit longer than before. Nutrition. Working in the gym, it’ll be longer than other players.”

But if Chara, 40, is an old man in a league where the average age is younger than 26, he would have been something of whippersnapper in this summer’s World Cup.

The Portland Timbers’ Diego Chará passes the ball under pressure from the Columbus Crew’s Wessam Abou Ali on Feb. 21in Portland, Ore.

(Amanda Loman / Associated Press)

Soccer isn’t the only sport in which 40 is the new 30.

Serena Williams returned to Wimbledon this summer at age 44 and at least half a dozen athletes 40 and older showed up at the Milan-Cortina Olympics last February hoping to medal. Four of them succeeded, including American Elana Meyers Taylor, 41, who became the oldest athlete to win an individual gold in Winter Olympics history in the women’s monobob.

It isn’t unheard of for athletes to be golden in their golden years. Ted Williams hit .316 at 41 and Gordie Howe played 80 games and had 41 points in his final NHL season at 52. Nolan Ryan threw a no-hitter and pitched 173 innings at 44 while Tom Brady quarterbacked the Tampa Bay Bucs to a Super Bowl title at 43.

But if those age-defying performances were outliers, playing into your mid-40s and even early 50s may soon become, if not common, at least less unusual.

“People are just staying in better shape, taking care of themselves,” Joyner said. “Career-changing or career-ending injuries are no longer career-ending injuries. It just goes on and on, all of this stuff combined.”

American Serena Williams, 44, serves against Australian Maya Joint during a match at Wimbledon on June 30.

(Cameron Spencer / Getty Images)

State-of-the-art training centers and access to top-line sports medicine have also become more accessible, even in poor countries.

“The elite level has spread and really become global, as opposed to where there used to be pockets,” Joyner said. “The opportunities to compete are so great.”

Few team sports are as physically demanding as soccer, though, which makes both the growing number of seasoned citizens and their performances noteworthy. Messi has averaged nearly a game a week for club and country during the past 23 years, yet he entered the semifinals of this tournament tied for the scoring lead with France’s Kylian Mbappé, who is 12 years younger.

Ronaldo has played even more games yet he became the oldest player to score in a World Cup knockout game when his penalty kick helped eliminate Croatia and midfielder Luka Modric, who will be 41 in less than two months.

“They’ve probably lost a little bit off the top, but their experience and their mind make up for that,” said Scott Trappe, a professor of human bioenergetics at Ball State. “So the overall package of them as a sports person is really they’re contributing at a high level. I think we’re going to continue to see this movement.

Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates scoring a World Cup group stage goal against Uzbekistan on June 23 in Houston.

(Charlotte Wilson / Getty Images)

“They like playing the sport and as long as they can and contribute and they make these teams, they’re going to do it. I don’t see the trend going away.”

And that will not only change the way we think of sports and athletes, it will completely rewrite the record book. Messi, for instance, entered the semifinals of this World Cup as the tournament’s all-time leading scorer with 21 goals. But that was just one ahead of Mbappé, who could appear in another three or four World Cups.

“No question,” Trappe said. “You look what’s going on in pro cycling. We’ve got some guys in their upper 30s competing in the Tour de France, but we also have a teenager competing. So this lifespan, what used to be a five- to eight-year period for cycling at the at the highest levels is turning out to be, you know, double or triple that.”

Both Messi and Ronaldo have benefited from how they play as well, walking rather running for long stretches of the game to conserve energy for the burst they need to lose a defender. It’s a strategy Mbappé, Norway’s Erling Haaland and other young players have adopted and if they do that over enough games, the wear and tear it saves could add years to the end of their careers.

“We are expanding. The age will start moving up a little bit further up and players’ careers will definitely be longer,” Anderson said. “The sort of normal distribution of playing age will begin to move forward and that experience within the squad will be key.’

Argentina’s Lionel Messi dribbles the ball during the World Cup quarterfinal match against Switzerland on Saturday in Kansas City, Mo.

(Charlie Riedel / Ap Photo/charlie Riedel)

Consider Wednesday’s semifinalists. In its quarterfinal win, Argentina used six players older than 32 and two — Messi and defender Nicolas Otamendi — who are over 38. The spine of England’s team runs from goalkeeper Jordan Pickford through defender John Stones to striker Harry Kane, who are all 32.

“We’re coming up with new ways on how to improve and maximizing potential,” Anderson said. “God gave us what we are and it’s maximizing that, not necessarily changing that.”

That knowledge won’t stay in the stadiums and locker rooms for long, expanding to others who choose to adopt the same wellness discipline as professional athletes.

“It cycles down,” Trappe said. “We’re studying that in the lab at a pretty high level. This sort of healthy lifestyle in terms of functionality and extending into our later years and having a higher quality life, there’s data starting to emerge there.

“These types of things are going to trickle into that for sure.”

Spain advances to World Cup final

From Kevin Baxter: In a World Cup boasting a galaxy of stars, a lunch-bucket team of blue-collar everymen may wind up outshining them all.

Spain clinched a berth to the final Tuesday by smothering France 2-0 at AT&T Stadium, running its unbeaten streak to 37 games while eliminating a team that had run roughshod through the tournament.

And it wasn’t even close. France came into the game with 16 goals, second only to Argentina in the tournament, then failed to put a shot on goal in the first 81 minutes.

It had Kylian Mbappé, who is tied with Lionel Messi for the scoring lead this summer and was the Golden Boot winner four years ago in Qatar. He was all but invisible until, frustrated, he felled Spanish keeper Unai Simón with a cheap shot in the final minutes, drawing a well-deserved yellow card.

France couldn’t even score into an open net, with Desire Doue lining a low shot right at a rapidly retreating Simón, who had come well off his line and left the goal unattended. For Simón, Tuesday’s clean sheet was his sixth in seven games in this tournament.

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How World Cup senior citizens like Lionel Messi have bio-hacked longer careers

Folarin Balogun says his red card controversy ‘didn’t help’ U.S. at World Cup

Norway star Erling Haaland left the U.S. with seven World Cup goals and a taxidermy raccoon, sparking a run on the item

World Cup semifinals schedule, results

All times Pacific
All games on Fox and Telemundo

Tuesday
Spain 2, France 0

Wednesday
England vs. Argentina, noon

Third-place match

France vs. England or Argentina, Saturday, 2 p.m.

Championship match

Spain vs. England or Argentina, Sunday, noon

Cody Bellinger is MVP of AL’s All-Star game victory

Dylan Cease struck out the side in the first inning, combining with 10 relievers on a three-hitter in a show of pitching dominance that led the American League to a 4-0 win over the National League in Tuesday night’s All-Star Game.

All-Star most valuable player Cody Bellinger hit a two-run single and Ben Rice followed with an RBI single in the first against Cristopher Sánchez of the host Philadelphia Phillies.

Miguel Vargas of the Chicago White Sox added an eighth-inning home run off the Dodgers’ Justin Wrobleski, who was pitching on his 26th birthday, for the game’s only extra-base hit. Wrobleski struck out five in two innings.

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Shaikin: ‘You never know when it’s your last.’ Mike Trout savors every moment of this All-Star Game

All-Star game box score

MLB standings

USC extends deal with Nike

From Ryan Kartje: The Swoosh is staying at USC for the foreseeable future.

USC and Nike agreed this week to a 10-year extension of their all-sports apparel deal through 2036, the school announced on Tuesday.

Their partnership was already among the longest-running apparel deals in college athletics. Now it’s ensured to carry into its fifth decade.

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What do the Sparks do next?

From Marisa Ingemi: A day after general manager Raegan Pebley was fired, the Sparks were in Atlanta and seemingly still focused on trying to reach the playoffs this year.

The suggestion that Pebley’s removal was a sign that the team is performing poorly didn’t sit well with coach Lynne Roberts.

“I don’t think we underachieved last year and this year is still going,” Roberts said in Atlanta on Monday before the team’s loss to the Dream. “For where we want to get, that’s not where we want to be, but we tripled our win total in my first year — that’s not underachieving. We haven’t hit our stride, we’ve been injured all year. Hopefully we get [Kelsey Plum] and Cam [Brink] back. Our system is designed around KP. I’m not close to thinking we are underachieving.”

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Clippers probe should wrap up this summer

From Broderick Turner: NBA commissioner Adam Silver reiterated Tuesday night after the Board of Governors meeting that the investigation into whether the Clippers circumvented the salary cap by funneling money to Kawhi Leonard for an endorsement deal he allegedly never fulfilled still is not completed.

Silver said his “timeline remains this summer” to make his findings known after high-powered New York law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz wraps up its investigation and presents the findings to the NBA.

The investigation centers on a $28-million endorsement deal to Leonard from a company called Aspiration that Clippers owner Steve Ballmer invested $60 million into.

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This day in sports history

1912 — Jim Thorpe wins the decathlon at the Stockholm Olympics and, in the closing ceremony, Sweden’s King Gustav proclaims Thorpe the world’s greatest athlete.

1922 — Gene Sarazen shoots a final-round 68 to beat out Bobby Jones and John Black for the U.S. Open golf championship.

1923 — Amateur Bobby Jones beats Bobby Cruikshank by two strokes in a playoff to win the U.S. Open golf title.

1927 — Bobby Jones wins the British Open shooting a championship record 7-under 285 at the Old Course in St Andrews, Scotland. It’s the second straight Open title for the amateur, who goes wire-to-wire for a six-stroke victory over Aubrey Boomer and Fred Dobson.

1945 — Byron Nelson defeats Sam Byrd in the final round of the PGA golf tournament.

1961 — Arnold Palmer shoots a 284 at Royal Birkdale to win his first British Open title.

1967 — Argentina’s Roberto DeVicenzo wins the British Open by two strokes over defending champion Jack Nicklaus.

1972 — Lee Trevino wins his second consecutive British Open title by beating Jack Nicklaus by one stroke.

1978 — Jack Nicklaus shoots a 281 at St. Andrews to win his third and final British Open.

1984 — Hollis Stacy wins her third U.S. Women’s Open golf title, beating Rosie Jones by one stroke.

1990 — Betsy King overcomes an 11-shot deficit over the final 33 holes to win her second consecutive U.S. Women’s Open as Patty Sheehan blows an eight-shot lead over the final 23 holes.

1991 — Sandhi Ortiz-DelValle becomes the first woman to officiate a men’s pro basketball game, working a United States Basketball League game between the New Haven Skyhawks and the Philadelphia Spirit.

2000 — Lennox Lewis stops Francois Botha at 2:39 of the second round to retain his WBC and IBF heavyweight titles in London.

2007 — BYU star Daniel Summerhays becomes the first amateur winner in Nationwide Tour history. Summerhays scores a two-stroke victory over Chad Collins and Chris Nallen in the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Invitational.

2007 — Copa América Final, Maracaibo, Venezuela: Defending champions Brazil win their 8th title with a 3-0 win over Argentina.

2010 — Rory McIlroy, a 21-year-old from Northern Ireland, ties the major championship record by shooting a 9-under 63 in the opening round of the British Open at the Old Course in St. Andrews, Scotland.

2010 — Caster Semenya wins her first race since being cleared to return to competition after undergoing gender tests, winning the 800 meters in a modest time against a weak field at a low-key meet in Finland.

2018 — Novak Djokovic wins his fourth Wimbledon title with a 6-2, 6-2 7-6 (3) victory over Kevin Anderson. It’s Djokovic’s 13th major trophy, the fourth-highest total in the history of men’s tennis, trailing only Roger Federer’s 20, Rafael Nadal’s 17 and Pete Sampras’ 14. At No. 21, Djokovic is the lowest-ranked Wimbledon titlist since Goran Ivanisevic in 2001.

2018 — France wins its second World Cup title with a 4-2 win over Croatia in a dramatic final in Moscow.

Compiled by the Associated Press

This day in baseball history

1901 — Christy Mathewson of the New York Giants pitched his first of two career no-hitters, beating the St. Louis Cardinals 5-0.

1921 — NY Yankees slugger Babe Ruth ties MLB record of 138 career home runs (held by Roger Connor since 1895).

1960 — Baltimore’s Brooks Robinson goes 5-for-5, hitting for the cycle and driving in three runs to lead the Orioles past the Chicago White Sox 5-2.

1969 — Cincinnati’s Lee May hit four home runs in a doubleheader split with the Atlanta Braves. May had two home runs and drove in five runs in both games. The Reds lost the opener 9-8 but won the second game 10-4.

1969 — Rod Carew stole home off Chicago’s Gerry Nyman in the Minnesota Twins’ 6-2 victory. It was Carew’s seventh steal of home for the year and tied Pete Reiser’s 1946 major league mark.

1973 — Nolan Ryan of the Angels struck out 17 batters and threw his second no-hitter of the year, beating Detroit 6-0.

1980 — Johnny Bench broke Yogi Berra’s record for home runs by a catcher, and the Cincinnati Reds beat the Montreal Expos 12-7. Bench hit his 314th homer as a catcher off David Palmer. Bench had 33 home runs while playing other positions.

1997 — The San Francisco Giants scored 13 runs to set a modern NL record for runs in a seventh inning en route to a 16-2 rout of the San Diego Padres. The Giants set the NL record for the most runs in a seventh inning since 1900.

1999 — After 22½ years in the dreary Kingdome, Seattle finally played a home game outdoors, moving into a $517.6 million ballpark with a retractable roof. Jose Mesa wasted a ninth-inning lead by walking four batters and the Mariners lost 3-2 to the San Diego Padres in Safeco Field’s opener.

2003 — Garret Anderson of the Angels went 3-for-4 with a two-run homer and a double, powering the American League past the National League 7-6 in the All-Star Game.

2005 — Baltimore’s Rafael Palmeiro became the 26th player to reach 3,000 hits with an RBI double into the left-field corner off Joel Pineiro in the fifth inning of a 6-3 win over Seattle. Palmeiro joined Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and Eddie Murray as the only players with 3,000 hits and 500 homers.

2007 — The Philadelphia Phillies lost their 10,000th game, 10-2 to St. Louis. The franchise, born in 1883 as the Philadelphia Quakers and later unofficially called the Blue Jays in the mid-1940s, fell to 8,810-10,000.

2008 — Justin Morneau slid home just in time on Michael Young’s sacrifice fly in the 15th inning, giving the American League a 4-3 victory in the All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium. The AL extended its unbeaten streak to 12.

2014 — With Derek Jeter going out a winner in his last All-Star appearance, Mike Trout drove in two runs with a triple and a double to lead the American League past the National League 5-3. Jeter started his 14th and final midsummer classic and went 2 for 2 before being removed in the top of the fourth inning.

2017 — Cody Bellinger became the first Dodgers rookie to hit for the cycle and Alex Wood became the first Dodgers pitcher in more than a century to win his first 11 decisions in a season, helping Los Angeles beat the Miami Marlins 7-1.

2021 — Tampa Bay catcher Travis d’Arnaud becomes first player in MLB history to hit three homers while catching and batting leadoff in the Rays’ 5-4 win over the NY Yankees.

Compiled by the Associated Press

Until next time…

That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

July 15 (UPI) — Britain announced plans Wednesday for a midnight social media curfew for older teens aimed at preventing them from staying up late into the night on apps such as Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, with the new measures expected to take effect in Spring 2027.

Targeted at 16- and 17-year-olds and following on from a full social media ban for children younger than 16 announced in June, the package of measures calls for a 12 a.m. to 6 a.m. curfew to be set by default within the apps and that other “addictive features” such as autoplay and customized feeds be automatically disabled, the government said in a news release.

However, unlike the total ban for under-16s, restrictions on the older teens will be discretionary, meaning they will be able to override them, or turn features back on again, at will.

The Science, Technology and Innovation Department said the move was designed to ease young people’s transition into the online world and ensure there was “no cliff edge” when the full social media restrictions they will have been under, in some cases for their entire life, were suddenly lifted when they turn 16.

It said the protections, which came out of a nationwide pilot that found they improved sleep and focus, struck a balance between protecting older teenagers while giving them age-appropriate independence to change the settings, trusting that they will make good choices.

“Our consultation provided a clear message from parents and teenagers alike — even as young people gain greater independence at 16, they should still be protected from the most addictive online features that can have a harmful impact on their wellbeing,” said Technology Secretary Liz Kendall.

“These measures will be crucial in helping young people get the sleep they need, focus on school and college, and spend more quality time with family and friends, all of which are fundamental to building a happy, healthy and fulfilling adult life,” she added.

The first set of regulations will be introduced to parliament by the end of this year, with measures expected to come into force in spring 2027, timed to coincide with when the social media ban for children younger than 16 comes into force.

The opposition Conservative Party’s shadow education secretary Laura Trott described the move as “absurd.”

“Either Labour think 16 & 17 year olds should be on social media or they don’t, but curfews they can switch off won’t achieve anything. They should stop tinkering and get on with getting u16s off social media,” she wrote in a post on X.

Ellen Roome, who alleges her 14-year-old son lost his life in an online dare that went awry in 2022, was also highly critical.

“I just think it’s not good enough really just to have a product you can switch off; it’s a bit like offering a 17-year-old a bottle of alcohol and then moving it slightly out of arm’s reach, they can just drag it back in, I really wish they could go stronger and harder on these things,” she told the BBC.

Kendall said measures were also in the pipeline to help children younger than 18 use AI chatbots safely, including regular breaks, and tackling bots or apps pushing “dangerous, misleading or unverified” mental health tips with ministers open to all solutions, including banning chatbots that put children at serious risk.

Wednesday’s development follows announcements in June giving Apple, Google and other tech firms three months to stop explicit images from being shot, shared or viewed on children’s mobile phones and in April on planned legislation to ban children from using smartphones in schools in England.

England and Argentina met in another quarter-final in Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium at the 1986 World Cup, with the Falklands War four years earlier providing the backdrop.

It was the day of Diego Maradona’s infamous “Hand Of God” – as well as his brilliant second goal – as Argentina won 2-1, and then went on to lift the World Cup.

France ’98 delivered a classic last-16 game best remembered for a wound-up David Beckham being sent off for kicking out at Diego Simeone, and the solo goal that brought an 18-year-old Michael Owen to global superstar status.

Argentina prevailed on penalties to provide yet more World Cup heartache for the Three Lions.

There was still lingering ill-feeling between the two teams when they met again four years later in a World Cup group game under Sapporo’s dome in Japan.

This time it was redemption for Beckham, who scored the winner with a first-half penalty, but Argentina complained long and loud – insisting Owen had dived amid a challenge from future Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino.

Tuchel said: “It is a very big rivalry between two big footballing nations.

“I could say the history is irrelevant but I’m not sure. The players are aware of it. When a fixture provides so many iconic moments, you can’t say it is just another football match.”

Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni – who represented his nation at the 2006 World Cup – added: “We all have stories from that past time and history and it all makes it very emotional.”

It is this backdrop, this history of acrimony, that elevates this encounter above those other semi-finals.

England have had many memorable games in the past six decades – but winning this match would outstrip them all and offer the chance for a historic triumph in Sunday’s World Cup final against Spain.

MEXICO CITY — Argentina may be the last Latin American team standing in the World Cup, but don’t expect many fans in Mexico to be cheering for La Albiceleste — the lads sporting the classic white and blue stripes.

“There’s no way I want the Argentines to win,” said Roberto García, 55, who owns a clothing shop in the Mexican capital. “How can one sympathize with a team that has such a supremacist, racist discourse?”

The Argentine squad — reigning world champions led by seemingly ageless superstar Lionel Messi — faces off Wednesday in a semifinal match against England. Argentina is seeking its fourth World Cup, which would put it in a second-place tie for global titles with Germany and Italy, trailing only Brazil and its five cups.

But Argentina’s performance in the 2026 World Cup has again put the spotlight on a contentious fact of life in world soccer: The current of disdain that the Argentine side has long inspired among a certain segment of Latin American fans, especially those in Mexico.

Reynaldo Flores Jr., 10, center, reacts during the final minutes of a round of 16 knockout match between Mexico and England during a World Cup watch party at Chapter One in Santa Ana on July 5.

(Ronaldo Bolaños / Los Angeles Times)

A combination of factors are to blame: Mexico’s repeated World Cup losses to Argentina, a series of questionable refereeing decisions seeming to favor Argentina, Messi’s massive media presence and ongoing discourse on social media — where legitimate analysis coexists with passionate opinions and misinformation.

Deeper cultural resentments are also a factor. Many in the region have long complained that Argentines, many of whom have predominantly European ancestry, think they’re better than the rest of Latin America.

Critics say that Eurocentric superiority complex was on display this summer when Argentine journalist Eduardo Feinmann declared on air, after Mexico was eliminated in a close match with England: “I detest Mexicans, I detest them with my soul. … The envy they feel for us, not only in football but in everything.”

Feinmann’s comments sparked such widespread ire that Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum weighed in, calling his remarks “appalling.”

Later, Feinmann said his words were not directed at the Mexican people — while musing that Sheinbaum had bigger things to worry about, like combating narco-trafficking, violence and corruption.

The World Cup by its nature stokes nationalism, and the deployment of stereotypes and even outright racism has long been a feature of the tournament. Last week, for example, a former Spanish prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, sparked outrage when he said that the French national soccer team, which includes members with African immigrant backgrounds, “does not have any French players.”

At two Argentina matches during this year’s tournament, fans from the country were recorded hurling racist slurs at an African American streamer. Online critics were quick to dredge up comments by a former Argentinian leader as proof of the country’s bias. “The Mexicans came from the Indians, the Brazilians came from the jungle, but we Argentines came from the ships … from Europe,” former Argentine President Alberto Fernández said in 2021.

A boy wearing an Argentina jersey waves American flags as fireworks explode during the annual Independence Day Celebration in the predominantly Latino community of Lynwood on July 3.

(Mario Tama / Getty Images)

Many Argentines say they, too, are appalled by such comments. “We reject it completely,” said actress Karenina Ivankovic, 37. “But you’ll find rude people everywhere.”

She moved from her native Argentina to Mexico City 13 years ago, and said she is shocked by the wave of “xenophobia” directed at her countrymen during this year’s tournament.

People have sent her nasty messages online, and strangers have stopped her on the street to tell her they hope Argentina loses. And she said several Argentine friends were physically attacked at a festival in Mexico City organized by FIFA, soccer’s world governing body.

People love Argentine music, Ivankovic said. They love Argentine beef.

“But during the World Cup,” she said, “they hate us.”

She thinks that may in part be because of how serious Argentines take their fútbol.

“Argentina lives in crisis,” she said. “Economic crisis, political crisis. Soccer is something that unites us. We say there’s no better hug than after Argentina has scored a goal.”

But at the end of the day, she said, people need to relax and remember that what’s at stake is just a tournament trophy.

“It’s become very political and personal,” she said. “But it’s just a game.”

Even some fans in Mexico express remorse about the wave of anti-Argentine sentiment — much of which has been playing out, sometimes crudely, online.

“It’s too bad that all this hate directed at the Argentines doesn’t allow us to appreciate that they have the best player in the world, Messi,” said Carlos Romero Díaz, 37, a car salesman here who was rooting for the South Americans. “Yes, Argentina generates a lot of anger, but at the end of the day, they score goals and win games.”

While Mexico has never won a World Cup, Mexico City’s iconic Estadio Azteca has been the site of some of Argentina’s greatest soccer triumphs, notably its championship in the stirring 1986 World Cup.

Argentina player Diego Maradona outjumps England goalkeeper Peter Shilton to score with his “Hand of God” goal as England defenders Kenny Sansom (top), Gary Stevens (center) and Terry Fenwick look on during the 1986 FIFA World Cup at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.

(Getty Images)

A quarterfinal match between Argentina and England featured two of soccer legend Diego Maradona’s greatest hits: the so-called “Goal of the Century,” by all accounts a masterpiece strike; and Maradona’s infamous “Hand of God” goal, an illegal hand-goal that was allowed to stand because no referee saw the infraction.

But Mexico’s losses to Argentina have left a strong mark too. No other team has eliminated Mexico as many times in a World Cup.

After Argentina defeated Mexico 2-0 during group play in the 2022 World Cup, a video from inside the Argentine locker room began circulating, showing Messi — who scored one of the goals — taking off a soccer boot while a Mexican jersey lay on the floor.

Mexican boxer Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez interpreted the scene as the Argentine captain deliberately kicking the jersey and accused him of disrespecting Mexico — an allegation that Messi denied.

Years later, Messi acknowledged that the incident had altered the perception some Mexican fans had of him.

“I’ve always felt very loved by the people of Mexico. I’ve never disrespected anyone,” he said during an interview with “Simplemente Fútbol.”

Although Mexico is at the center of much of the debate, critical sentiment toward Argentina has taken hold among fans from other Latin American countries.

Social media has been flooded with posts from users in Colombia, Chile, Uruguay, Ecuador and Peru questioning refereeing decisions or expressing disapproval of Argentina, while messages mocking rival teams also proliferated from Argentine accounts.

As Argentina continues its quest for another World Cup title, the debate over whether it has simply been the best team in the tournament or also the one most favored by circumstances will continue to dominate soccer conversation in Latin America.

Staff writers Linthicum and El Reda reported from Mexico City and McDonnell from Boston. Special correspondent Sánchez Vidal reported from Mexico City and special correspondent Andrés D’Alessandro from Buenos Aires.

An international heritage body has recommended that Japan take further steps to adequately reflect the “whole history” of the Sado mine World Heritage site, linked to the wartime mobilization of Korean laborers, saying Tokyo’s related efforts remain insufficient.

The recommendation was included in a draft decision released Wednesday by UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee following its review of a State of Conservation (SOC) report submitted by Japan late last year, according to Seoul’s foreign ministry.

When approving the inscription of the mine as a World Heritage site in July 2024, the committee recommended that Japan present the site’s “whole history” across all periods of mining activity.

South Korean foreign ministry officials said the “whole history” includes the period during which more than 1,500 Koreans were mobilized to work at the mine during Japan’s 1910-45 colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula. Once known for its gold production, the complex was later used to produce war supplies for the Japanese imperial army during World War II.

“The interpretation and presentation strategy of the whole history has shown some progress but remains to be fully developed,” the draft decision read.

“Further clarification is needed regarding how the interpretation and presentation strategy and facilities comprehensively address, at the site level, the whole history of the property throughout all periods of mining exploitation,” it noted.

The committee also recommended that Japan closely consult with relevant parties to improve its interpretation and exhibition strategy and ensure that the site’s whole history is fully presented, and submit a follow-up implementation report by December 2027.

The draft decision is scheduled to be discussed at the 48th committee session in the southeastern South Korean city of Busan next week. Unless objections are raised by member states, it is expected to be adopted by consensus.

“We view the decision as reflecting our consistent position that Japan’s implementation of the committee’s recommendations remains insufficient,” a foreign ministry official said.

“We will continue to work closely with the UNESCO Secretariat and relevant countries to ensure that Japan faithfully implements the committee’s decisions and the commitments it made at the time of the site’s inscription,” the official added.

Japan has held annual memorial ceremonies for workers at the mine as part of commitments made during the inscription process. South Korea, however, has declined to attend the Japan-hosted event for two consecutive years, noting the ceremony failed to adequately reflect the site’s whole history, including the forced mobilization of Korean laborers.

Seoul has instead held separate memorial services each year near the mine site with the bereaved family members of the forced laborers.

Copyright (c) Yonhap News Agency prohibits its content from being redistributed or reprinted without consent, and forbids the content from being learned and used by artificial intelligence systems.

July 15 (UPI) — The United States and Iran traded attacks Tuesday night and into Wednesday morning as their war over the Strait of Hormuz continued to spiral, with President Donald Trump renewing threats to target civilian infrastructure.

The two nations have been trading nearly nightly strikes since last week, when Iran struck commercial shipping transiting the vital energy route.

While the broader war began in late February with the United States seeking to dismantle Iran’s military and nuclear programs and encourage the overthrow of its government, the current chapter is centered on control of the Strait of Hormuz. Washington is fighting to restore freedom of navigation through the chokepoint, while Tehran is fighting to preserve its ability to restrict passage as leverage.

Iranian government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani said in a statement Wednesday that more than 30 civilians were killed in southern Iran in the U.S. strikes.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps early Wednesday claimed to have hit U.S. military assets in Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain, as U.S. Central Command said late Tuesday that it had completed a seven-hour wave of strikes, hitting Iranian naval capabilities, coastal defense systems and missile and drone sites near the Strait of Hormuz and elsewhere along Iran’s coast.

CENTCOM said the strikes were intended to “degrade Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping and civilian crews” within the Strait of Hormuz. CENTCOM earlier said that in the last seven days, Iran attacked seven commercial ships, resulting in nearly a dozen civilian casualties. An Indian national was killed in a strike on a ship on Monday.

The IRGC said in separate statements carried by its official Sepah News that it had “destroyed” shelters housing F-15, F-16 and F-35 fighter jets at Al Azraq Air Base in Jordan; and “destroyed” a satellite communications center, missile and air defense radar, a Patriot air defense complex and logistical facilities at a U.S. base in Kuwait.

The Fars News Agency reported that at least one Iranian drone struck U.S. assets in Kuwait.

The extent of any of the damage was unknown.

The Kuwait Army said its air defenses were confronting drone attacks, and Jordan’s Armed Forces said it had intercepted and shot down three missiles launched from Iranian territory. Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior said sirens had been activated.

Trump earlier Tuesday told Fox News that the U.S. military was going to hit Iran “very hard tonight” and again on Wednesday and Thursday, with civilian targets to be struck next week, a potential violation of international humanitarian law.

“Next week comes the power plants. Next week comes the bridges,” he said. “We’re gonna knock out all their power plants. We’re going to knock out all their bridges unless they get to the table and negotiate.”

Trump has, since his first administration, tried to coerce Iran to the negotiating table on a new agreement aimed at preventing Iran from securing a nuclear weapon. Last month, a fragile cease-fire was agreed to for the purpose of implementing a memorandum that could lead to ending the war, but the Strait of Hormuz has been a sticking point.

On Tuesday, the U.S. military reimposed a blockade of Iranian ports that Trump removed after the MOU was reached.

CENTCOM said its round of strikes against Iran began at 3 p.m. EDT Tuesday, an hour before the naval blockade resumed operations.

If you’re looking for a staycation this summer, this beautiful UK city should be top of your list, with its picture-postcard scenes and status as the world’s happiest for 2026

The happiest city in the world has been named for 2026, and it’s right here in the UK.

There’s a lot that can define what makes a great city, from its green space, shops, sights and culture, but knowing that residents are happy is perhaps one of the most telling. After all, if they’re content residing there, we’re bound to enjoy a weekend or a day trip to the city that even the locals praise.

Luckily for us, the happiest city in the world is right on our doorstep, as Bath topped the list in Time Out’s annual ranking. In a survey of more than 24,000 locals, respondents were asked to rate various aspects of their city, including its culture, green spaces, neighbourhoods, food offerings, art and nightlife, community spirit, and overall happiness.

Thanks to glowing reviews from locals, Bath was named the world’s happiest city for 2026 by Time Out. A staggering 93% of residents in the beautiful city, nestled in the valley of the River Avon in Somerset, agreed that their city made them happy, while 92% also said that they feel happiest in Bath than anywhere else.

The research also found that 90% of locals had positive experiences with their neighbours, while 91% found joy in everyday life, thanks to the city’s offerings. Community is a major factor in Bath, with 83% saying it’s easy to find in the city, while 76% agreed that their sense of happiness has recently increased, with green space and nature also topping the rankings.

Bath is one of the most popular cities in the UK, drawing in around six million visitors every year, so it’s hardly surprising to hear that it’s been widely recognised. However, there’s so much more to the city, and it’s absolutely brimming with life, whether you’re a local or a tourist.

As a UNESCO World Heritage site, the renowned spa town is celebrated for its preserved Roman Baths, grand honey-hued Georgian architecture and natural thermal springs. Adding to its picture-postcard scene are the cobblestone lanes, pristine gardens and parks, the historic Pulteney Bridge, and sweeping townhouses, all set within the rolling hills of Somerset.

I’ve spent countless days wandering around the city that easily makes you feel as though you’ve stepped onto a film set, and rightly so, as it’s notoriously been used as the stunning backdrop for the hugely popular Netflix drama Bridgerton. The Royal Crescent and the Holburne Museum were featured in the series, while Bath has also appeared in movies such as Les Misérables, Wonka and The Duchess.

Against its serene backdrop, the city’s food scene is nothing short of exceptional, and over the years, I’ve tasted some of the best food in the world. One of my go-to spots is the Mexican restaurant Dos Dedos, tucked down Bartlett Street, serving up tacos alongside a spicy margarita in its vibrant, funky setting that comes alive by night.

Another favourite of mine is the Japanese restaurant Robun, which offers traditional sharing plates and bento boxes. It has been featured in the Michelin Guide alongside 11 other restaurants in Bath, including Olive Tree, Upstairs at Landrace, Emberwood and Beckford Canteen.

For an authentic Italian, I recommend a visit to Portofino, which is one of the many independent restaurants in Bath. For that desirable lunch stop, Cortado Café is another favourite among mine, serving up a selection of mouthwatering empanadas and artisan coffee that you won’t be able to find anywhere else.

But no visit to Bath for me is complete without a stop at Good Day Cafe for one of their incredible brookies – a cookie and brownie all rolled into one. For that extra sweet treat on a summer’s day, there’s Brickell’s Ice Cream, and for a refreshing beer, Kingsmead Street Bottle can’t be missed.

Aside from going on a food crawl around the city with flavours from around the world, there’s plenty to do and a plethora of attractions. Some of the city’s most famous include tours around the ancient Roman Baths, or a relaxing afternoon spent at Thermae Bath Spa, where you can soak in the rooftop pool with panoramic city views.

There are boat trips available to meander down the river, and the tranquil Royal Victoria Park to soak up the city’s ambience before a walk past the towering Bath Abbey, in the heart of the city and, by Christmas, the backdrop to the famed market. But I find that the best way to explore Bath is just by following my feet and seeing what I stumble upon, after all, that’s what locals would do.

Do you have a travel story to share? Email webtravel@reachplc.com

Scott Bryce, the actor best known for originating the role of Craig Montgomery on the soap opera “As the World Turns,” has died. He was 68.

Bryce died Sunday evening “surrounded by his loving wife Jodi Stevens-Bryce and loving son Jackson Bryce,” his agent Ken Melamed told The Times by email on Tuesday. “He was beloved by all!”

The actor revealed last year that he had been diagnosed with Stage 3 esophageal and stomach cancer in 2024.

“This evening my father lost his long-fought battle with cancer. What began as stage three esophageal cancer eventually spread and became brain tumors that took his life away from him,” Bryce’s son, Jackson, wrote in a tribute posted Sunday to Instagram. He said his father approached his treatments with “pride and courage, and an unshakable belief that somehow, everything would work out.”

“May his strength and relentless belief forever live within me,” he added. “He fought the hardest and most honorable fight I have ever witnessed.”

Born Jan. 6, 1958, in New York, Bryce followed in the footsteps of his actor parents. His father, Ed, portrayed Bill Bauer on the daytime drama “Guiding Light” for years, while his mother, Dorothy, was known for her role on the hospital soap “The Doctors.”

Bryce made his television debut as Craig Montgomery on CBS’ long-running soap “As the World Turns” in 1982. He received two Daytime Emmy nominations for his portrayal of the charming but ruthless businessman, whom he portrayed off and on from 1982 to 2008. The character was known for his ambition and mysterious business dealings but also had a reputation for being unlucky in love. One early romantic interest was Betsy Stewart, who was portrayed by Meg Ryan from 1982 to 1984.

Finn Carter, who played Montgomery’s wife, Sierra Esteban, on the show, shared a tribute to Bryce on Instagram Monday.

“My sadness knows no bounds. My gratitude for Scott knows even fewer,” Carter wrote. “Scott was the best husband a woman could ask for. As an actor he was fearless, kind, generous and forever looking for ways to grow. And what a sense of humor!”

Over the course of his decades-long career, Bryce appeared on shows such as “The Facts of Life,” “The Golden Girls,” “Murphy Brown,” “L.A. Law,” “The Good Fight,” “Law & Order” and “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.”

He also portrayed Mike McQueen, the father of a cheerleader (Leslie Bibb) on the millennial teen drama “Popular.” McQueen marries the mother of his daughter’s high school rival (Carly Pope) in the series, which ended on a cliffhanger in 2001 after its cancellation.

“When asked what he wanted people to remember about him, he said, ‘I was a one-take actor. Two takes, max,’” Jackson Bryce wrote in his tribute. “In working with Dick Wolf on NBC, directors would schedule him at the end of the day because they knew it wouldn’t take long.”

In addition to his onscreen work, Scott Bryce was a theater actor as well as a director and a producer, with credits including the 2010 television movie “Frederick Douglass, From Slavery to Freedom” and the satirical web series “Steamboat.”

“My dad also made sure I knew his greatest accomplishment that came at 50 years old, becoming a Dad,” son Jackson said in his tribute. “He is a part of everything I’ve done and everything I will do.”

It is a question that has been repeatedly asked.

Not least at the various reunions to mark Leeds‘ title triumph in 1992 or Blackburn Rovers’ Premier League win three years later.

Batty was involved in both of those landmark achievements, but ex-Blackburn midfielder Mark Atkins has not caught up with him since their playing days.

“We have tried to get him to the dos we have had, but nobody can get hold of him,” he said.

“He’s not that type of person. Even if he was living five miles away, he wouldn’t turn up because he’s a very personal guy, really.”

Aside from a rare trip to Elland Road to lay a wreath on the pitch in memory of his close friend Gary Speed, following his tragic death in 2011, Batty has tended to keep out of the public eye.

Viduka, who quietly opened a cafe in Croatia after hanging up his boots, can relate.

“In this day and age, everyone shows off everything they do in every moment, like what they had for breakfast,” he said. “Who cares?

“If anyone was not going to be like that, it was Batts.”

Rather than entertaining corporate guests, representing footballers or working in the media, Batty always planned to dedicate his time solely to his family in Yorkshire after retiring.

It has only added to the cult surrounding a player who former Leeds team-mate Eirik Bakke called one of his “heroes”.

“If someone tackled you, Batts was always there to stand up for you,” he said. “You don’t find those types of players a lot. You could always rely on him.”

Batty was more than a mere enforcer, however.

As well as standing his ground, and aggressively winning the ball back, the England international rarely gave away possession.

Those qualities quickly struck ex-Leeds midfielder John Sheridan, who was Batty’s “mentor” in his early days at the club.

“You would think butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth when you looked at him then,” he said.

“But he was tough as nails. He made the game look very simple by doing the simple things easily.”

England face Argentina in Wednesday’s semifinal, hoping to reach the World Cup final for the first time since 1966.

Manager Thomas Tuchel said he did not feel burdened by the weight of history as he bids to lead England to a first World Cup final in 60 years by beating Argentina on Wednesday.

The Three Lions have been led at the 2026 tournament by Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane, who have each scored six goals.

Remarkably, Wednesday’s semifinal will be the first time Lionel Messi faces England, at the grand old age of 39, despite the historic significance of the fixture.

Former Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich boss Tuchel said he did not feel extra pressure as he spoke to reporters in Atlanta on Tuesday.

“I don’t feel a burden. We feel the tension and will be nervous, but that is normal,” Tuchel said.

“What I like is that I feel the players are really competitive, hungry and excited to play this match.

“The two shirts are just iconic. There are historic matches, iconic moments, and everyone recognises the shirts and players straight away.”

England have not won a major trophy since their 1966 World Cup triumph on home soil.

England and Argentina have previously clashed five times at World Cups, most notably the 1986 quarterfinal when Diego Maradona scored his infamous “Hand of God” goal in a 2-1 win.

Twelve years later, Argentina won on penalties after David Beckham was sent off for kicking Diego Simeone.

“I think the players of both countries are very aware of what it means to them – if a fixture provides so many iconic moments, then you cannot say it is just another football match, but as a coach we do exactly that, focus on what we can influence.”

The German said he would not use the rivalry between the two teams as “fuel” to fire his men.

“We know why we are here, we know what we want, we were never shy of expecting that from ourselves, and of saying it or of dreaming it,” he added.

“We are in the semifinals, and we arrive very hungry.”

The England boss said his entire squad trained on the eve of the game and that Declan Rice was fit to play after recovering from illness. Jarell Quansah remains suspended, following his red card in England’s last 16 win over Mexico.

‘Big obstacle’

Tuchel explained that he had “no words” to describe magical Messi, who has scored eight goals so far and is second behind Kylian Mbappe in the Golden Boot race.

“You can see the cohesion, you can see that they are experienced in tournament football,” Tuchel said.

“They have the same core group of players who have been together a long time, and they have a very experienced and very, very good head coach, he added, referring to Lionel Scaloni.

“We know how big the obstacle is, but we are ready for it.”

Argentina have laboured to reach the semifinals, although England’s path through the knockout rounds has not been smooth either, with tough matches against the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mexico and Norway.

“It is just my first World Cup as a coach, and it is very rare that you fly through a tournament and everything falls into place from match to match,” Tuchel said.

“We will prepare for the best version of Argentina – we expect and demand the best of ourselves.

“We have not peaked yet, but the match will bring the best out of us, and we are excited.”

Should England beat Argentina, they will face Spain in Sunday’s final after La Roja defeated two-time world champions France with a controlled display in the first semifinal.

Jude Bellingham has been the best player at the World Cup so far, says former England striker Wayne Rooney.

Real Madrid midfielder Bellingham has scored six goals in six games for England, leaving him only two behind France’s Kylian Mbappe and Argentina’s Lionel Messi in the Golden Boot standings.

Erling Haaland, whose Norway side were eliminated by England in the quarter-finals, is on seven while Three Lions captain Harry Kane is level with Bellingham.

England play Messi’s Argentina on Wednesday in the second semi-final (20:00 BST). The match is live on BBC One, BBC iPlayer, the BBC Sport website and app, and BBC Radio 5 Live.

“In terms of best in the world I think you’re looking at someone like Mbappe or Haaland,” Rooney said on The Wayne Rooney Show.

“Bellingham hasn’t quite hit those levels at Real Madrid this season, but he’s been the best player in the tournament for me.”

Bellingham, 23, has become a big-game player for England – with nine goals and three assists in World Cups and European Championships.

His Real Madrid team-mate Mbappe – with 12 – is the only European player to have scored more than nine goals in a major tournament before the age of 24.

Bellingham has averaged a goal or assist every 138 minutes at major tournaments for England, compared to one every 284 minutes in other international matches.

He scored in the group wins over Croatia and Panama at this World Cup, then twice against both Mexico and Norway in the knockout stage.

“With Jude, it’s all about energy, passion, desire, drive and that’s how he’s getting his rewards,” said Rooney.

“That’s very rare to have that. A lot of these top players rely on the ability and the technique to get their moments. Jude has desire and hunger and it’s so refreshing to see a player playing the toughest game but also doing it.

“That’s what fans want, especially the England fans. They want to see players running and working for the team and for the badge.

“He reminds me of me in terms of one minute you’re thinking, ‘this lad’s a genius’, and the next minute you’re thinking, ‘don’t go into that tackle, don’t get sent off’.

“It’s exactly how I was. But he’s obviously backing it up in the biggest tournament. There were doubters before but he’s put all that to bed.”

July 14 (Asia Today) — South Korea’s new court administration chief warned Tuesday that growing outside pressure is making it more difficult for judges and other court employees to perform their duties independently.

Supreme Court Justice Roh Kyung-pil, 62, made the remarks during his inauguration as minister of the National Court Administration at the Supreme Court in Seoul.

“External pressure and burdens that make it difficult for judges to conduct independent trials and for court members to perform their duties in a stable manner are increasing,” Roh said.

He said the National Court Administration would serve as a protective barrier so judges and other employees could carry out their responsibilities according to the law and their professional judgment.

“The National Court Administration will provide firm support so that all members of the judiciary can confidently perform their duties in accordance with laws and principles,” Roh said.

He also pledged to strengthen personnel and material resources for judges and court employees working in difficult positions.

“The more demanding the position, the more we must reduce the burden, even slightly, so they can concentrate on their work,” he said. “We will expand the necessary personnel and physical foundations and develop effective support measures.”

Roh’s appointment filled a position that had remained vacant for about four months.

Former court administration chief Park Young-jae resigned in February after the ruling bloc pushed three controversial judiciary bills through the National Assembly.

The measures included the creation of a criminal offense for intentionally distorting the law, a system allowing constitutional challenges to court judgments and an expansion of the number of Supreme Court justices.

Park stepped down in protest against the legislation.

Roh was born in Haenam County in South Jeolla Province. He graduated from Gwangju High School and Seoul National University’s College of Law.

He was appointed as a judge in 1997 and later served as a Supreme Court research judge, a Seoul High Court judge and a presiding judge at the Gwangju and Suwon high courts.

Roh was appointed to the Supreme Court in August 2024.

The head of the National Court Administration oversees judicial administration under the direction of the chief justice and supervises court administrative operations and personnel.

The position does not involve directing judges’ decisions in individual trials but carries significant responsibility for the judiciary’s budget, staffing and administrative policies.

— 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=20260714010005202

Rodrigo de Paul has become, in this Argentina squad, what Jose Manuel Pinto once was at Barcelona, or Luis Suarez later became: the team-mate with whom Messi instantly feels at home.

Their bond was forged on international duty. Until then, the midfielder’s only connection to Messi had been asking for a photo after a Valencia–Barcelona match, which he proudly posted on social media.

One afternoon, he noticed Messi leave training alone, looking subdued. Concerned, De Paul waited about 40 minutes before knocking on his door.

“Fancy a mate and a game of truco?”

A friendship began, with its own strict etiquette. Mate, the drink, together every morning in De Paul’s room. In order of arrival, Leo first, then other members of the squad. If they got up too early, they have to wait for the moment to get to De Paul’s room, nobody can jump the routine.

De Paul sometimes calls Messi ‘El Pequeno’ (the little one), even though he is the oldest in the room.

He needles him, treats him like a normal guy rather than a monument, because that is what Messi actually more often than not wants: to be Leo, not Messi. De Paul knows him well enough to sense when to leave him alone, too.

Walking out to the pitch, Messi leads, De Paul at his side, the rest of the squad fanning out behind almost in a wedge – like a street gang protecting its leader.

For many of this group Messi was never simply a team-mate first, he was the childhood idol on television, the reason some of them picked up a ball at all.

The whole squad wears the same boots, the Adidas Adistar Messi. For his birthday in June, the players wore a T-shirt printed with a photo of themselves alongside Leo from some point across his years with the national team.