Belgium fans celebrate a dramatic 3-2 victory over Senegal in extra time after the Red Devils fought back from two goals down. Supporters describe the match as an emotional rollercoaster from despair to elation.
Wednesday’s win over Bosnia-Herzegovina in San Francisco Bay Area Stadium was thoroughly deserved and earned Pochettino’s side a date with Belgium in Seattle on Monday evening (01:00 BST on Tuesday).
It did not, however, come without a price.
Folarin Balogun, the 24-year-old former Arsenal youngster, who inspired the US to a thumping win over Paraguay with two goals to begin their campaign, added his third of the tournament to break the deadlock shortly before half-time.
He might have had a hat-trick, firing one effort wide of the near post, seeing an effort ruled out for offside and slicing a shot onto the bar from close range, but just after the hour mark his night, and potentially his World Cup was ended.
What looked an innocuous tussle with Bosnia defender Tarik Muharemovic for a looping ball down the left channel ended with the forward being shown a straight red card.
As Balogun attempted to shield the ball, Muharemovic managed to get in front of him, and as the forward’s boot returned to the ground it landed on the back of the Bosnian’s ankle, causing it to twist gruesomely.
In real time, and in all likelihood in reality, it looked entirely accidental, but Brazilian referee Raphael Claus was sent to the monitor to watch a super slow-motion replay, which gave him little choice but to brandish the red card.
It etched Balogun’s name further into the record books.
On the night when he became just the third American to score three goals in a World Cup edition, he also became the fourth player to both score and be sent off in a knockout match, following Brazil’s Garrincha in the 1962 semi-final, his compatriot Ronaldinho in the 2002 quarter-final against England, and France’s Zinedine Zidane in the infamous 2006 final against Italy.
The sending-off brings an immediate one-game ban, ruling him out of the Belgium match, but it could yet be extended by Fifa officials to potentially rule him out of the quarter-final and semi-final, should the Americans make it.
Long-time Fulham target Ricardo Pepi is the man most likely to fill Balogun’s boots , though he has not scored in his 184 minutes on the pitch at this tournament, nor in the four friendly games before it.
The PSV man’s last international goal came in a Nations League game in November 2024.
Crystal Palace and US defender Chris Richards said the players were supporting Balogun.
“We told him we have got his back,” he said. “We are a team of 26, not just one.
“Ultimately we are going to miss him for the next game but we know whoever is going to step up is going to do a job just as well as he did.
“I think it’ll keep us stronger. One man is down, the next guy steps up. We are a team, we are more than just one player, we are more than just 11 players.”
Pochettino added: “When Balogun received the red card, I thought that is the moment we need to show we are a team and the eyes of the players were [saying], ‘Coach, we are ready to go and fight’ and that is amazing.
“These guys are creating a legacy in this country and with our amazing fans everything is possible. Why not us?”
One minute, Senegal were cruising into the last 16 of the World Cup.
The next, they were left wondering how another dream had slipped through their grasp.
Manager Pape Thiaw’s side led 2018 semi-finalists Belgium 2-0 with only four minutes left of normal time, after goals from Habib Diarra and Ismaila Sarr.
But after outplaying their opponents, they somehow “found a way to lose the game”, as ex-Republic of Ireland skipper Roy Keane put it on ITV.
Romelu Lukaku’s 86th-minute goal sparked hope for Belgium and three minutes later, captain Youri Tielemans headed in an equaliser from Leandro Trossard’s cross – the pair were earlier seen having a heated argument – to force extra time.
Then came the controversial penalty, awarded for Lamine Camara’s challenge on Tielemans following a video assistant referee (VAR) review, and converted by the skipper himself 125 minutes in.
Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back speaks during a ceremony at the Navy’s 2nd Fleet Command in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, 29 June 2026, to mark the 24th anniversary of an inter-Korean naval battle on the seas off South Korea’s northern Yeonpyeong Island. Six South Korean seamen were killed and 19 others injured in the 2002 skirmish, called the Second Battle of Yeonpyeong, which broke out as two North Korean patrol boats violated the inter-Korean maritime border in the Yellow Sea. Photo by YONHAP / EPA
July 1 (Asia Today) — South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back urged senior commanders Wednesday to complete a key military capability review and work toward proposing a target year for the transfer of wartime operational control by the end of 2026.
“A military that cannot make its own decisions cannot become a strong military,” Ahn said while presiding over a meeting of senior commanders from across the armed forces at the Defense Ministry in Seoul.
Ahn called on the military to make every effort to present what officials have described as an “X-year” for the command transfer at this year’s South Korea-U.S. Security Consultative Meeting.
“Regaining wartime operational control is a path toward building a stronger Republic of Korea and advancing the South Korea-U.S. alliance to a new level,” Ahn said.
He said the transfer would allow the South Korean military to take the lead in wartime planning, operational preparations and the execution of military operations.
Ahn made similar remarks earlier Wednesday while chairing a quarterly meeting reviewing progress on the command transfer.
“This year, we face the critical task of completing the Full Operational Capability verification and determining the timing of the OPCON transition,” Ahn said. “Let us fulfill the historic mission of regaining wartime operational control.”
The Defense Ministry aims to complete verification of the future Combined Forces Command’s Full Operational Capability at the annual Security Consultative Meeting, or SCM, scheduled for November in Washington.
The ministry then plans to recommend a target year for the transfer to the presidents of South Korea and the United States.
South Korea regained peacetime operational control of its armed forces in 1994. During wartime, designated South Korean and U.S. forces remain under the operational control of the South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command, which is led by a U.S. general.
The allies have agreed that wartime command will be transferred after mutually established conditions are met rather than on a predetermined timetable.
The assessment of South Korea’s ability to lead the combined defense is divided into three stages: Initial Operational Capability, Full Operational Capability and Full Mission Capability.
The ministry said the Full Operational Capability assessment has been completed and that finishing its verification would allow the allies to begin specifying a transfer timetable.
U.S. and South Korean defense officials have repeatedly said the transition must be carried out in a stable and systematic manner under their jointly approved conditions-based plan.
Ahn also emphasized cooperation among the Army, Navy and Air Force.
He said each service must maintain its professional expertise but warned that service-specific interests should not create barriers to joint operations.
“Each service should ask itself how much time it allocates to joint training during the year,” Ahn said.
“Jointness must become part of military culture through the process of learning, training and thinking together beginning at the service academies and then be refined and developed in the field.”
The remarks came amid concern that the ministry’s plans to reform and potentially integrate elements of the military academy system could weaken the specialized education provided by each service.
Senior commanders also discussed developing a military based on artificial intelligence and advanced technology and restructuring South Korea’s armed forces by 2040.
They reviewed lessons from Russia’s war in Ukraine and recent fighting in the Middle East, including the growing battlefield use of artificial intelligence, drones and robots as relatively inexpensive and efficient weapons.
The ministry said it would begin pilot programs using newly developed artificial intelligence models during the second half of the year.
It also plans to provide private companies with a catalog of military data that could support defense technology development.
The military will expand the number of units assigned to test commercially developed drones from one to nine to support South Korea’s domestic drone industry, the ministry said.
Tielemans’s penalty late into stoppage time of extra time capped Belgium’s comeback from 2-0 down in Seattle.
Published On 2 Jul 20262 Jul 2026
Youri Tielemans struck a 125th-minute penalty as Belgium rallied from two goals down and defeated Senegal 3-2 after extra time in their World Cup last -32 clash in Seattle to keep alive their title hopes, which had looked dead and buried.
Senegal’s Lamine Camara slid in on Tielemans as the ball flashed across the face of goal and conceded the spot kick after a video assistant referee review, with the Belgian picking out the top corner to complete an extraordinary comeback on Wednesday.
Habib Diarra and Ismaila Sarr had given Senegal a deserved 2-0 lead, and they looked to be cruising through to the next round before Belgium netted twice in the final four minutes through Romelu Lukaku and Tielemans to force extra time.
Belgium now face the winner of Wednesday’s last-32 clash between cohosts United States and Bosnia and Herzegovina in the next round in Seattle on Monday.
It was cruel on Senegal, who controlled much of the 90 minutes, and struck the woodwork twice, but could not see out the game.
They became the fourth African side to bow out in a narrow defeat in the last 32 after South Africa, Ivory Coast, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and will wonder how they managed to let this one slip.
Senegal were inches away from the lead when Ismail Jakobs’s cross from the left was parried by Thibaut Courtois, but a stretching Sarr could only steer the loose ball onto the post.
When the African side did break the deadlock in the 25th minute, it was no surprise. Sadio Mane’s cross was headed goal-wards by Sarr, but his effort came off the post again.
This time, the loose ball fell kindly for Diarra, and he side-footed home from 7 yards.
Maxim De Cuyper forced an excellent save from Senegal goalkeeper Mory Diaw with a shot that looked to be heading into the top corner as Belgium trailed at the break.
Belgium brought on Lukaku for the ineffective Charles De Ketelaere at half-time, but were soon 2-0 down.
A stunning long pass from Moussa Niakhate was brilliantly controlled on the chest by Sarr, who held off two defenders before thundering the ball into the net in the 51st minute.
Belgium struggled to create clear-cut chances until the final five minutes, and almost out of nowhere turned the game on its head by netting twice in three minutes.
First, Lukaku turned the ball in at the near post from Thomas Meunier’s low cross, and Leandro Trossard’s ball into the box from deep was headed into the net by Tielemans.
Those two had been involved in a heated exchange earlier in the match, but it was all smiles and hugs when the equaliser went in, before Tielemans was central again in the winner.
If there were such a thing as a mid-table team at the World Cup, it would probably be Mexico. They are almost ever-present, yet no side has played as many matches at the tournament – 64 in total – without lifting the trophy.
Their supporters can be demanding but expectations were more modest this summer. However, the co-hosts ended a 40-year wait for a knockout win by beating Ecuador, so confidence will be raised for their match against England.
The failure to reach an elusive fifth game – the curse of the ‘quinto partido’ – plagued Mexico for generations. El Tri went out in the round of 16 at seven consecutive World Cups between 1994 and 2018, before ending that sequence in the worst possible way in Qatar, where they exited at the group stage.
Since then, Mexico have hired and fired two coaches before bringing back the vastly experienced Aguirre for a third spell in charge in 2024.
No stone has been left unturned in his preparations. El Tri played 22 matches over the past year before the tournament began, giving Aguirre ample scope to experiment with tactics and personnel. He used 54 players in that time, fewer than half of whom made the final squad.
Those who did are well drilled now, especially the 12 domestic-based players. Most were told to report for training on 6 May, meaning some squad members were in camp for five weeks by the start of the World Cup.
England’s reaction was an explosion of celebration and sheer relief, a largely dreadful performance transformed into dramatic victory by their magnificent captain.
The celebration was for that place in the last 16.
The relief will have been Tuchel’s, who would surely have been unable to survive such embarrassment had England lost, irrespective of his contract extension.
Relief, too, for the Football Association, who placed such faith in the German and handed him the sole mission of winning this World Cup.
And it was all down to Kane.
Kane attracts superlatives and respect like a magnet. Every bit of it deserved – as proved by the stats left behind by his latest feat.
He now has five goals in this World Cup, as the race for the Golden Boot becomes a sprint between Kane, Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland and Lionel Messi, with Tuchel saying: “They are all sharks. They smell blood.”
Tuchel added: “These big guys at this World Cup, do they watch each other? And then they go ‘not with me, then I score, then I do a hat-trick, then you go’. What is going on? Crazy.
“Harry is so, so good. He’s our captain. He’s our leader. He decides football matches with unbelievable finishes and did it here twice. The second one was just a brilliant goal.”
Kane now moves above Pele to go joint sixth on the all-time World Cup scorers list with 13, and now has 84 goals for England, putting him level with legendary Hungarian Ferenc Puskas in ninth on all-time international scorers list.
He is the first England player to score twice in a World Cup knockout stage match since Gary Lineker against Cameroon in 1990. Kane has now scored five knockout stage goals at a World Cup. Only Lineker, with six, has scored more for England.
Most remarkably of all, he now has scored 72 goals in 62 games for club and country this season, with 11 for England and 61 for Bayern Munich.
Mexican soccer fans react during the Round of 32 match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup between Mexico and Ecuador in Mexico City, Mexico, Tuesday. Three people died by asphyxiation during the celebration. Photo by Sashenka Gutierrez/EPA
July 1 (UPI) — Three people died of asphyxiation in Mexico City as about a million people flooded the streets to celebrate Mexico’s 2-0 World Cup win over Ecuador in the first knockout round.
A 19-year-old woman, a 48-year-old woman and a 44-year-old man were found unresponsive in the crowd Tuesday night. They were each given emergency resuscitation and taken to a hospital where they died.
The celebrations mostly happened around the Angel of Independence monument in downtown Mexico City. The game ended in the first knockout round win for Mexico since 1986.
Mexico City’s health department confirmed that emergency responders treated the three people at different locations around Paseo de la Reforma before taking them to the hospital.
“After performing first aid and CPR techniques on the patients, they were transferred to a hospital for specialized medical care,” the city’s health authority said.
The hospital confirmed they all had died of suffocation.
Mexico City Mayor Clara Brugada offered her “most sincere condolences” to the victims’ families.
In a post on X, Brugada said: “With my heart in my hand, I send a hug and my most sincere condolences to their loved ones. We reiterate the call to always celebrate with responsibility, care, and empathy.”
Mexico City’s metropolitan area is one of the most densely populated places on Earth. More than 20 million people live there.
Mexico players throw goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa in the air after defeating Czechia 3-0 in their FIFA World Cup match at Mexico City Stadium in Mexico City on June 24, 2026. Photo by Christian Brunskill/UPI | License Photo
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said at her morning press conference Wednesday that a national debate on regulating artificial intelligence and social media would begin after the World Cup ends July 19. Photo by Mario Gizman/EPA
July 1 (UPI) — Mexico will launch a national debate on artificial intelligence and social media after the 2026 FIFA World Cup concludes in a move aimed at laying the groundwork for future regulatory framework.
President Claudia Sheinbaum said the process will begin after July 19 and will bring together lawmakers, technology experts, academics, media representatives and parents to discuss the impact of digital platforms and artificial intelligence on different areas of society.
Sheinbaum emphasized that the process will be conducted under the government’s stated premise of not infringing on freedom of expression.
La presidenta Claudia Sheinbaum adelantó que cuando concluya el Mundial, abrirá un debate sobre redes sociales e inteligencia artificial.
La discusión incluirá la adicción de menores a las plataformas, quién controla estas tecnologías, su regulación y sus riesgos, con el…— Azucena Uresti (@azucenau) June 30, 2026
Among the issues to be discussed are mental health, protection of children and adolescents, concentration of power among major technology platforms, development of artificial intelligence and the possibility of establishing limits on cellphone use in schools.
“The discussion should be opened on the control of platforms: Who controls them? How many people own these platforms? How is that power concentrated?” the president said during her Tuesday morning news conference.
Sheinbaum also raised the need to examine who controls the development of artificial intelligence, what regulatory frameworks exist in other countries, what benefits they offer and what risks they pose for Mexico.
“It is very important for Mexico to enter this regulatory process without resorting to censorship,” she said.
The announcement prompted immediate reactions on social media, where experts, civil society organizations, academics and users began debating the scope of possible regulation.
While some argued that Mexico’s legal framework needs to be updated to address the challenges posed by digital platforms and artificial intelligence, others expressed concern that poorly drafted legislation could become a tool to limit criticism or restrict freedom of expression.
News outlet Sinaloa Hoy reported that the proposal comes at a time when social media has become the primary source of information and political criticism for young people.
According to opinion polls, including one conducted by consulting firm Enkoll, the president has a 44% disapproval rating among people ages 18 to 24.
Mexican political analyst Juan Ortiz wrote on X that regulation may be necessary, “but a poorly written rule could end up punishing political criticism under the pretext of protecting minors or combating disinformation.”
️SHEINBAUM VA POR LIMITAR REDES SOCIALES Y LA IA DESPUÉS DEL MUNDIAL
Sheinbaum dijo que esperará a que termine el Mundial, después del 19 de julio, para abrir un debate sobre redes sociales e inteligencia artificial.
“In San Luis Potosí, its ‘regulation’ of AI ended with women journalists being detained,” he said.
Mexican attorney Gildo Garza also questioned the announcement, arguing that regulation could become a mechanism to control public discourse.
In a post on X, he warned that previous experiences in Venezuela and Nicaragua show how initial narratives about protection or regulation ultimately resulted in restrictive laws, judicial persecution and punishment of critical voices.
#México | La regulación es el pretexto; el silencio, el objetivo
La presidenta @Claudiashein ya puso sobre la mesa el tema: regular redes sociales e inteligencia artificial.
Lo van a vestir de preocupación por los niños, de adicción a las pantallas, de expertos, de foros,… pic.twitter.com/MO8xI72p2c— Gildo Garza (@GildoGarzaMx) June 30, 2026
According to a report by the Anáhuac Universities Network, the path toward digital legislation in Mexico has been marked by intense activity in Congress. Since April 2023, lawmakers have introduced 85 legislative initiatives to create laws or amend existing ones to regulate artificial intelligence and the digital environment.
The vast majority of those proposals, 67, have remained stalled or are pending approval. That has been attributed to a lack of consensus, technical complexity and concerns among various sectors that such measures could affect freedom of expression.
Health officials say three people died during massive celebrations in Mexico City after Mexico’s 2-0 World Cup win over Ecuador. The victims — a 19-year-old woman, a 48-year-old woman and a 44-year-old man — died of asphyxiation. Thousands had crowded into the streets to celebrate Mexico’s first World Cup knockout-round win since 1986.
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Eddie Huang has never felt lighter. Last month, after his debut novel, “Come Undone,” finally released, something shifted.
“I have a family. I feel healed,” he said over coffee and short ribs in Santa Monica hours ahead of a live talk with Ottessa Moshfegh, the bestselling, critically acclaimed author of Huang’s favorite book, “My Year of Rest and Relaxation.”
“People always write me off as a personality or a multi-hyphenate,” he said. “It’s a nice way of saying I’m not really good at anything. But I didn’t have any of that this time.” He leaned forward, serious. “I have to be honest. I do think the Knicks are a big, big part of it.”
His beloved Knicks winning the championship, he said, kept him from spiraling over the book. In person, Huang subdues his ironic braggadocio with polite eye contact and rolling belly laughs at his own jokes. For years, audiences have watched Huang resist whatever box you put him in. His particular brand of cultural fluency — a rapid-fire mix of food, fashion, basketball, politics and pop culture — is what made the “Gua Bao Bad Boy” impossible to categorize.
For most of his career, Huang has seemed constitutionally incapable of standing still. Chef. Memoirist. TV host. Filmmaker. Lawyer. Comic. Podcaster. His first book, “Fresh Off the Boat,” became the longest-running network sitcom centered on an Asian American family, even as Huang publicly distanced himself from the show. Since leaving post-fires L.A. for New York, he’s reopened Baohaus — returning to the kitchen that built his career. Waiting for him at home after the book tour is his wife, Natashia Perrotti, and their 2-year-old son.
Now there’s “Come Undone,” fiction that Huang called his most honest — and vulnerable — work to date.
“It’s sort of this next-gen auto fiction type thing that is creating its own rules,” Moshfegh said ahead of their Q-and-A. “It made me think about my own appreciation for the experience of male heterosexuality and how much it’s been commodified.”
The book follows Hubie, a globe-trotting food-show host drifting through Chateau Marmont, Madeo, Nobu and other “dirtbag L.A” (as Huang coins) spots. He meets Janine, his equal in appetite and id, sending him into a tailspin of yearning and loops of Sky Ferreira’s “Everything Is Embarrassing” on sadboi walks. The “two walking red flags” decide to try to make it work.
Huang called the novel an “autofictional riddle.” The puzzle isn’t especially difficult if you’ve followed his relationship with Perrotti, who co-hosts their podcast, “Canal Street Dreams.” Marrying a writer, she’s learned, often means finding out what he feels by reading it. “We’ll get into a fight,” she said, “and I’ll wake up to a Substack article about it.”
It’s also part of the private life she’s since conceded. “It’s annoying,” she added. “But now I can read it, and maybe understand him a little bit better. He’s trying to communicate through the writing, like sending somebody a song and saying, ‘I want you to listen to these lyrics.’”
The novel goes further, drawing from experiences the couple has never discussed publicly. In the novel, Hubie and Janine’s relationship pivots after an ectopic pregnancy ends in loss. Perrotti said the scene is fictionalized but mirrors a similar experience they had early in their own relationship.
“It brought us closer together,” she said. “It was the catalyst for us realizing we were serious.”
Before Huang could finish the book, the life he was writing about had to fall apart. “This book was very much about breaking up with your family to start your own,” he said. “There was a lot of anger in the book that had not been resolved.”
By the end of 2024, Huang had stopped speaking to his mother. The break followed what he described as a blowup at a Cheesecake Factory. It also unlocked the ending he’d been chasing.
Eddie Huang.
(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
Looking back, Huang thinks the earlier versions failed because he was still arguing with her. He’s still trying, in some way, to communicate with her through his writing. “If there’s one person I wish would read the book,” he said, “it would be my mom.”
There were other chapters he had to close the book on, mainly Hollywood. His foray into fiction coincided with the writers’ strike, drying up all his income and future projects. That same year, he became a father. “I had to accept and realize that my value was not in making money,” he said. “Because for three years, I couldn’t.”
He recalled a particular low point researching life insurance policies. “I had to rebuild my whole self. Really love myself despite not being able to offer anybody anything.”
That new certainty didn’t make Huang any less willing to pick fights. Last year, as his documentary “Vice Is Broke” — an autopsy of the media company behind “Huang’s World” and its eventual bankruptcy — awaited release, Huang said distributor Mubi shelved the film after he boycotted the company over Sequoia Capital’s investment in an Israeli defense technology startup. (Mubi denied this and said it still planned to distribute the film.)
The ghost of Vice still lingers in today’s media ecosystem in what he called our “era of cartel journalism:” creators navigating a world of blurred incentives and corporate interests. He traced this instinct to challenge those systems back to Socrates’ “gadfly” — the person whose job was to annoy power. “As a writer, you should be challenging people,” he said. “If your memoir can be turned into a sitcom, it probably wasn’t challenging.”
Eddie Huang.
(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
After the 2025 L.A. fires drove his new family back to New York, Huang went back to cooking. He worked pop-ups, reopened Baohaus and found himself alongside line cooks half his age. In March 2025, he rewrote the novel in five days. That same month “was the first month I didn’t overdraft my credit card,” he said, with the majority of his income today coming from the restaurant. It’s allowed him to make films, write books and walk away from deals he doesn’t believe in. “Being a chef is the anchor that allows me to maintain my artistic integrity.”
For years, comparisons to Anthony Bourdain followed Huang everywhere. The two eventually became friends.
“He was one of the few people who was as advertised,” Huang said. “Nicer and more generous in person. And wounded.”
Bourdain is the only real person who appears in “Come Undone” under his own name.
When Huang mentions him, he stops talking. He covers his face. Tears come.
“I don’t believe in God,” he said, “but I asked the universe why for many, many years.”
Bourdain’s suicide, he said, was one of the reasons he walked away from “Huang’s World” in 2018. At the time, few people understood why. “It was Tony. It was family. It was everything.”
Eddie Huang.
(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
Now, looking back, Huang thinks he was writing “Come Undone” toward a different ending than the one he’d imagined.
“This book is a guy saying, ‘I don’t want to be like my biological father,’” he said. “And, in the most respectful, loving way, I don’t want to go out like Tony.”
He paused. “I needed to name the sadness in me. I needed to allow myself to be loved.”
Huang is already writing another memoir about getting back into the kitchen. Still, he said, these days, he’d rather write fiction.
Rudi, an L.A. native, is a freelance art and culture writer. She’s at work on her debut novel about a stuttering student journalist.
More than 100 examples passed the legal thresholds for preparing case files to enforce action.
While detection methods have improved, the SMPS said the “data trends show a concerning direction of travel in terms of racially aggravated abuse”.
The Netherlands players who missed penalties in the last-32 shootout defeat to Morocco on Monday all suffered racist abuse.
Justin Kluivert, Quinten Timber and Crysencio Summerville were subjected to discriminatory, racist and hateful comments on social media, said the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB).
More than six million posts and comments were scanned – an increase of 33% – with 225,000 identified for human review.
Around 1,000 accounts were identified for further investigation and 181,000 hateful comments hidden.
England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt has been passed fit to return from injury for Thursday’s T20 World Cup semi-final against South Africa.
Sciver-Brunt, 33, who has not played since England’s second match of the tournament against Ireland after a recurrence of her calf issue, batted in the nets again on Wednesday morning.
She also trained on Tuesday at Lord’s and England have deemed her fit enough to return as her side attempts to win a World Cup for the first time since 2017.
“We are confident I am fully fit,” Sciver-Brunt told BBC Test Match Special.
Batter Dunkley was seen in conversation with coach Charlotte Edwards shortly before Sciver-Brunt emerged to speak to the media.
While Sciver-Brunt batted for half an hour on Wednesday, appearing relatively free and able to come down the pitch to spinners, there are obvious risks involved.
She worked with England’s physio indoors at the start of the session but did not do any running or fielding drills outdoors.
There are less than 72 hours before Sunday’s final.
“We have tested it enough to be comfortable,” she said. “What will happen out on the pitch will happen.”
Assuming she comes through, Sciver-Brunt’s presence for the latter stages is a significant boost to England.
She is their best batter and, though Charlie Dean has stood up successfully in her absence, their captain. Sciver-Brunt, Heather Knight and Danni Wyatt-Hodge are the only players remaining from their last World Cup win.
England have lost their last two World Cup semi-finals against South Africa – at last year’s 50-over World Cup and the T20 version in 2023 – but go into Thursday’s match at The Oval as favourites, having progressed through the group stage unbeaten. They have also never lost a women’s international at The Oval.
South Africa have been unconvincing at times through this tournament but have reached the past three World Cup finals across formats as they chase their first World Cup win.
And captain Laura Wolvaardt admitted her batting line-up – blessed with powerful strokemakers such as Tazmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk, Marizanne Kapp and Wolvaardt – has not been at “100%” and it has been “frustrating” they were not able to win games more comfortably.
“We have chatted about it, that if we do find ourselves in a position to kill the game earlier we are blessed with a lot of power in our line-up,” she said.
“We have that opportunity to go a bit earlier. Maybe tomorrow at The Oval suits us a bit better.”
Wolvaardt also swerved a question on whether she would be happy for Sciver-Brunt to have a substitute fielder, should the England captain injure her calf again.
Cricket’s laws state substitutes are allowed to replace players who suffer an injury during a match, rather than an issue carried in.
“As a captain it is always hard to plan for her,” Wolvaardt added.
“She is a world-class batter and is able to hit really weird areas.
“Setting a field is quite hard for her. Hopefully we are able to keep her quiet.”
The round of 32 is in progress, with several teams already moving on the round of 16, including tournament co-hosts Canada and Mexico. The U.S. will be looking to do the same when it faces Bosnia-Herzegovina on Wednesday.
Here’s everything you need to know about World Cup knockout stage matches being played Wednesday, Thursday and Friday across the U.S., Mexico and Canada (all times Pacific).
Wednesday’s round of 32 matches
England vs. DR Congo
England’s Jude Bellingham celebrates with teammates after scoring against Panama on June 27.
(Steve Luciano / Associated Press)
Where: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta Time: 9 a.m. TV: Fox, Telemundo
The buzz: England was unbeaten in group play, but it looked sluggish, failing to score in a goalless draw with Ghana then needing two second-half scores to beat Panama. Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham have combined for five of England’s six goals while Jordan Pickford hasn’t given up a goal since the opening half of the first game. The Democratic Republic of the Congo, playing in the World Cup for the first time since 1974, made it out of the group stage for the first time ever by beating Uzbekistan with three second-half goals.
Belgium vs. Senegal
Belgium’s Leandro Trossard celebrates after scoring against New Zealand on June 26.
The buzz: Unbeaten Belgium didn’t score a goal of its own until routing New Zealand 5-1 in its group-play finale. That allowed it to finish atop of its group and advance to the knockout stages, something it failed to do four years ago. Senegal started with consecutive losses, but routed Iraq 5-0, giving it the best goal differential of all third-place teams and allowing it to advance.
U.S. vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina
U.S. forward Christian Pulisic shoots during a loss to Turkey at the World Cup on June 25.
The buzz: The U.S. won its group, winning twice in the first round for the first time since 1930. But it has won just once beyond the group stage in its history and hasn’t beaten a European team in 12 tries dating to November 2022. Bosnia-Herzegovina beat Qatar in its group-stage finale to advance to the knockout rounds for the first time. Ermin Mahmic has two of the team’s five goals.
Thursday’s round of 32 matches
Spain vs. Austria
Austria’s Marko Arnautovic celebrates after a goal against Algeria on June 27 at the World Cup.
The buzz: Spain did not allow a goal in the group stage with keeper Unai Simón making just four saves in the three shutouts. But No. 3 Spain has struggled offensively; leave out its 4-0 rout of Saudi Arabia and it scored just once. Austria needed a goal deep in stoppage time to draw Algeria and finish second in its group, advancing to the second round for the first time since 1982. Marko Arnautovic has two of the team’s six goals.
Portugal vs. Croatia
Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo attempts an overhead kick against Colombia at the World Cup on June 27.
(Robert Cianflone / Getty Images)
Where: BMO Field, Toronto Time: 4 p.m. TV: FS1, Telemundo
The buzz: Call this the Geritol Cup. Unbeaten Portugal finished second in its group with Cristiano Ronaldo, 41, becoming the second-oldest male to score in a World Cup and the only man to score in six consecutive tournaments while Croatia saw Luka Modric become the oldest player in history to record a World Cup assist. Croatia has reached the semifinals of the last two tournaments, but its golden generation is aging. Portugal, a quarterfinalist in 2022, is hoping to give Ronaldo the one title he’s missing.
Switzerland vs. Algeria
Switzerland’s Johan Manzambi heads the ball against Canada at the World Cup on June 24.
(Abbie Parr / Associated Press)
Where: BC Place, Vancouver Time: 8 p.m. TV: FS1, Telemundo
The buzz: Unbeaten Switzerland held off Canada in its last game to win its group for the first time since 2006. The Swiss have not won a knockout-round game since 1954. Midfielder Johan Manzambi, the team’s youngest player at 20, has three of Switzerland’s seven goals. Algeria drew Austria in its group-play final to advance as a third-place team. Riyad Mahrez, 35, had a brace in that game and leads Algeria with two goals.
Friday’s round of 32 matches
Australia vs. Egypt
Egypt’s Mohamed Salah celebrates after scoring against New Zealand at the World Cup on June 21.
The buzz: Australia finished second to the U.S. in its group but stumbled into the round of 32, going 195 minutes without a goal. It’s the first time since 1974 Australia has gone scoreless in consecutive World Cup games. The Socceroos are playing in the knockout stage for the third time in 20 years but have yet to win an elimination game. Unbeaten Egypt also finished second in its group, on a goal-differential tiebreaker. Its five goals have come from five different players. The Pharaohs, Africa’s oldest national team, will be playing in the second round of the World Cup for the first time.
Argentina vs. Cape Verde
Argentina’s Lionel Messi, left, and Jordan’s Noussair Mazraoui battle for the ball at the World Cup on June 27.
(Tony Gutierrez / Associated Press)
Where: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Fla. Time: 3 p.m. TV: Fox, Telemundo
The buzz: The last World Cup loss for Argentina came in its 2022 opener, making its nine-game unbeaten run the longest under one coach since 1986, the year it won its second championship. Speaking of streaks, when Lionel Messi came off the bench to score in the group finale, it gave him goals in a record seven consecutive World Cup games. He is tied with France’s Kylian Mbappé in the Golden Boot race, having scored six of Argentina’s eight goals. Unbeaten Cape Verde is playing in the World Cup for the first time, advancing to the knockout stages behind three straight draws, two of them clean sheets by Vozinha, the team’s 40-year-old keeper. It is the first debutant to go unbeaten in the group stage since Senegal in 2002. The smallest country ever to advance out of World Cup group play, Cape Verde had just seven shots on target in the group stage, according to FIFA.
Colombia vs. Ghana
Colombia’s Gustavo Puerta reacts during a match against Portugal at the World Cup on June 27.
The buzz: Unbeaten Colombia won its group but scored just once in its final two games. It’s 59 shots are tied for third in the tournament but just four of those found the back of the net. Goalkeeper Camilo Vargas, on the other hand, has been called on to make just five saves. Ghana is back in the knockout stages for the first time since 2010, advancing as a third-place team.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung (C) poses for a photo during a meeting of the Peaceful Unification Advisory Council at a hotel in Incheon on Wednesday. Pool Photo by Yonhap
President Lee Jae Myung said Wednesday the government will pursue sustained efforts to engage North Korea and replace the Korean War armistice with a peace regime.
Lee made the remarks in a meeting of the Peaceful Unification Advisory Council, a presidential advisory body on unification of the two Koreas.
“At least to open a ‘Korea premium’ era for the future Korean Peninsula that is drawing global attention, we must replace the armistice with a peace regime,” Lee said.
However difficult it may be, the government should continue to “knock on North Korea’s closed door,” the president said.
“Difficult does not mean impossible … If we keep knocking, it will eventually open.”
North Korea has remained unresponsive to the Lee administration’s repeated dialogue overtures, instead hardening its hostile stance toward Seoul.
Since the 1950-53 Korean War ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty, the two Koreas remain technically at war.
“Now is the time to resume action toward peace,” Lee declared, pledging to find a way for the two Koreas to peacefully coexist while respecting each other’s political systems and sovereignty.
“We will never give up (the effort), however slow (the process) may be,” he said.
The president also reaffirmed this administration’s commitment to nonaggression toward Pyongyang, saying Seoul will respect the North Korean system, will not pursue unification through absorption and will not engage in hostile actions.
“I will keep these promises without fail,” he pledged.
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.
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon takes the oath of office during his inauguration ceremony at Seoul City Hall on Wednesday. Pool Photo by Yonhap
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon promised Wednesday to provide more opportunities for the younger generation, who are facing severe economic threats, including drastic changes in the job market, as he began his fifth term at the helm of the city government.
Oh was reelected for a fifth term in the June 3 local elections — the first such case in South Korea’s political history. During his inauguration ceremony held at Seoul City Hall, he delivered five pledges, including providing Seoul’s youth with education and housing.
“Today’s youths are facing great pressure to survive more than ever before amid rapid job transformations, technological shifts and high housing prices,” the newly inaugurated mayor said.
Oh said he would ensure that every young citizen can learn and utilize artificial intelligence (AI) so that no one gets isolated from ongoing technological developments.
“I will make a Seoul where people can grow as much as they work and be recognized solely for their skills,” he emphasized.
Oh also promised to supply 310,000 newly built housing units by 2031 and complete urban railway projects to open an era where “a subway station is within a 10-minute walk of every home.”
He further pledged to create a city where residents can find a place to exercise within a 10-minute walk from their homes and vowed to revitalize local commercial districts by providing comprehensive support for small business owners.
“Making Seoul a global top three city is not just about raising its international ranking,” Oh said. “It means transforming it into a city where global citizens want to visit and where our residents want to live for a lifetime.”
Oh previously served his first two terms as the capital’s mayor from 2006 to 2011, when he voluntarily stepped down after losing a municipal referendum on a citywide free lunch program.
Following a decadelong hiatus from public office, Oh made a dramatic comeback by winning the 2021 mayoral by-election, stepping into his third term. After finishing his third term and winning reelection in 2022, he served his full fourth term until this year.
“I will work with the mindset that true achievements are only those felt by the citizens,” Oh said.
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.
Ranvir Singh and Ed Balls were back in the ITV studio on Wednesday (July 1) to deliver the day’s biggest headlines from across the UK and around the world.
All eyes will be on Atlanta later today as England take on the Democratic Republic of Congo in their round of 32 match at the FIFA World Cup. England came through Group L unbeaten, following wins against Croatia and Panama, and a goalless draw with Ghana, but have so far fallen short of the sort of performances needed if they are to progress deep into the competition.
Their opponents have reached the knockout stage for the first time in their history, sealing their spot with a 3-1 win against Uzbekistan, in which Newcastle United striker Yoane Wissa scored twice.
Ranvir and Ed hosted a tense debate on GMB, after some fans are calling for their employers to give them a half day so they can enjoy the match, which kicks off at 5pm UK time.
Lindi Glass, the founder and director of Explode Social Media, has given her staff a half day to watch the match, while construction business owner Claudia Hearne firmly disagrees.
“It only happens every four years. I’m not a huge fan, but everybody is when the World Cup’s on. When it comes to business, I don’t think it’s about just salary, it’s about feeling great, it’s about output,” Lindi began.
Claudia interrupted to say: “This only happens every four years, but the games are happening several times over the next few weeks. If we manage to get through, we’ve got another five matches! Is that five half days we’re getting off?”
She went on: “How do we think the country is going to fare economically, would we be paralysed, if the 32 million workers in the country take a half day for one football match that’s not a final?”
Lindi replied: “Claudia, you’re at risk of sounding like a blithering plutocrat… I feel [like] that is an incorrect statement.”
ITV viewers were not impressed with the debate, with many sharing complaints on X (formerly Twitter).
“Congo are going to park the bus, England will struggle to break them down and the game will be s****. I can’t see us getting near the final so I’ve lost interest tbf,” one person wrote, with another adding: “Love a bit of shouting over each other 1st thing in the morning.”
A third said: “This programme is more ridiculous than ever,” with someone else sharing: “Why do u need a half day to get home an hour early?”
Another frustrated fan commented: “Where does it end … good question …. it doesn’t as everyone needs to be included these days with all the whataboutery,” while another wrote: “An afternoon off to watch #England play the rubbish #football they’ve been playing? You’ve got to be kidding!”
A seventh fan echoed the sentiment, saying: “What a load of old s****.”
Oasis legend Liam Gallagher even shared his thoughts on the GMB debate, writing: “Did RANVIR on GMB just say England fans who are working should be allowed to f*** off home early or am I hearing things.”
Good Morning Britain airs weekdays on ITV1 and ITVX at 6am, while England’s World Cup knockout match will air from 4pm on BBC One on Wednesday (July 1)
MEXICO CITY — Mexico once again enjoyed a night of celebration with its fans, this time after defeating an old nemesis — the knockout stage of the World Cup.
El Tri won its first knockout match at a World Cup since 1986, beating Ecuador 2-0 on Tuesday night at the majestic Azteca Stadium packed with 80,824 fans.
From 1994 to 2018, Mexico failed to win a World Cup knockout game and, in 2022, failed to advance past the group stage — its worst showing at a World Cup since 1978.
“Bringing joy to the fans is the best thing that can happen to us,” Mexico coach Javier Aguirre said after the win. “Our duty is to give it our all on the field. Our duty is to defend our crest and represent our country with dignity.”
Thanks to an expanded 48-team World Cup format with a knockout round of 32 teams and a formidable home-field advantage, Mexico achieved a goal that had seemed impossible.
Mexico players celebrate after the World Cup round of 32 win over Ecuador in Mexico City on Tuesday.
(Fernando Llano / Associated Press)
Ecuador, which finished second in the South American World Cup qualifiers, put up a strong fight, bombarding the Mexican team with crosses, albeit without much organization.
Fans roared their approval for the Mexican national team, which took a lap of honor after the match, as the crowd sang “El Rey” and other songs to express their love for their team.
Julián Quiñones scored the first goal for Mexico in the 22nd minute on a counterattack, while Raúl Jiménez added the second in the 31st minute, in a match where El Tri had numerous scoring opportunities against an Ecuador side that did not appear to be well-organized defensively despite having advanced after defeating Germany in the group stage. The victory over Germany helped Ecuador become one of the third-place finishers to advance to the knockout round.
Mexico will play one more match in Mexico City, facing the winner of the England versus the Democratic Republic of Congo match to be played Wednesday in Atlanta. Mexico’s round of 16 game is scheduled for Sunday. The team is one step away from matching its best World Cup performance — a run to the quarterfinals it achieved in 1970 and 1986 when Mexico hosted both tournaments.
El Tri is now 4-0 in World Cup matches and has yet to concede a goal, both firsts for the Mexican national team.
Tuesday night’s showdown with Ecuador was delayed by an hour because of lightning.
The Ecuadorian team complained before the match that their fans had not received the tickets required by FIFA and that Mexican fans made noise all night outside the Ecuadorian team’s hotel — a common practice in Latin America designed to prevent the opponent from getting a good night’s sleep the night before a decisive match. Finally, Ecuador’s coach, Argentine Sebastián Beccacece, complained about the logistics of the trip to Mexico, claiming it involved long journeys that were an undue burden for his team.
Frustration flared up throughout the match, with both teams briefly crowding the sideline after a hard foul.
When Ecuador could not earn shots on target and time was running out during the second half, Piero Hincapié ran toward forward Santi Giménez and covered his mouth while speaking.
The referee saw the exchange and stopped play, calling for video review. Once he confirmed Hincapié’s action, the referee issued a red card and the Ecuador player became the second player this World Cup for violating FIFA’s restriction against players covering their mouths during heated exchanges. Since Ecuador lost, Hincapié will serve his red-card suspension during the team’s next international match.
FIFA established the new rule to prevent players from trying hide use of offensive language.
Paraguay’s Miguel Almirón was the first player to get a red card for the infraction against Turkey earlier in the World Cup.
Other players have covered their mouths while speaking to opponents during the World Cup, but a red card is only issued if the conversation occurs during a confrontation or heated exchange.
After Mexico brushed aside Ecuador to reach the last 16 of the World Cup, some of their celebrating fans already had an eye on their potential next opponents.
England face a difficult test in their last-32 tie with DR Congo later on Wednesday but, should they overcome that, it will not get any easier.
That is because next up would be a match with Mexico at the iconic Azteca Stadium – a mouthwatering fixture for many football fans, but a daunting one for England supporters.
Mexico have never got beyond the quarter-finals of the World Cup, but their impressive displays at this tournament – four games, four wins, eight goals scored and no goals conceded – have their fans dreaming of what could be.
“England have the Ballon d’Or favourite Harry Kane leading that team,” one fan said.
“You have players like Jude Bellingham, and it is scary, but with the momentum we have there is the chance to do the impossible.”
Based on their performances at this World Cup and their record at the Azteca, Mexico going far should not feel like an impossible target.
Their competitive record at this stadium is 69 wins from 88 games, with 17 draws and only two defeats. They are also unbeaten in 10 World Cup games there.
Admittedly, the opposition they have faced at he Azteca is not always of the highest quality but, nevertheless, it will be a daunting task for whoever faces them in the last 16.
“The whole nation is behind them – we’ve seen the scenes,” former Australia and Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou said on ITV.
“If it will be England going down to Mexico, it’s going to be like stepping into a different World Cup for them.”
People walk past Alibaba logo on their building in Xuhuibinjiiang Park, also known as ‘AI Park,’ home to many Chinese companies involved in AI (artificial intelligence) research, in Shanghai, China, 19 March 2026. Photo by ALEX PLAVEVSKI / EPA
June 30 (Asia Today) — Major Washington lobbying firms are ending their relationships with Alibaba, Tencent and other Chinese companies as a new U.S. defense-contracting restriction takes effect Tuesday.
Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, Mercury Public Affairs and MO Strategies were among the influential firms that recently terminated contracts with the Chinese technology companies, Bloomberg reported Monday.
Public lobbying disclosures showed Alibaba had lost five lobbying firms and Tencent had lost four over the past week. MO Strategies said it would comply fully with the new Defense Department requirements.
The shift follows the implementation of Section 851 of the fiscal 2025 National Defense Authorization Act.
The provision prohibits the Defense Department from awarding contracts to a company, including its parent companies and subsidiaries, if that company retains a covered lobbyist who also lobbies for a Chinese business on the Pentagon’s Section 1260H list.
The law does not directly prohibit lobbying firms from representing Chinese companies. In practice, however, it forces firms to choose between Chinese clients on the list and U.S. companies seeking Defense Department business.
The Pentagon established the Section 1260H list under the fiscal 2021 defense authorization act to identify companies it considers affiliated with China’s military or contributors to Beijing’s military-civil fusion strategy.
The Defense Department added Alibaba and dozens of other companies to an updated list published June 8. The latest version includes 188 entities operating directly or indirectly in the United States, according to the department.
Tencent appeared on an earlier version of the list and remained designated in the June update.
A company’s inclusion on the list does not by itself impose comprehensive economic sanctions. Other U.S. laws, however, increasingly connect the designation to federal contracting, procurement and funding restrictions.
Alibaba filed a federal lawsuit last Tuesday seeking removal from the list. The Chinese e-commerce company said the Pentagon lacked sufficient evidence to classify it as a Chinese military company and failed to adequately consider evidence disputing the alleged ties.
Alibaba has denied that it works with the Chinese military or participates in China’s military-civil fusion strategy. Tencent has also denied military links.
Alibaba said in its lawsuit that the new lobbying restriction had already prompted several firms and individual lobbyists to indicate that they would end their relationships with the company.
The Pentagon’s expanded list and the new contracting rule are likely to increase compliance reviews among Washington lobbying firms, law firms, consultants and defense contractors.
Companies seeking Pentagon contracts may need to determine whether outside advisers represent any listed Chinese entities, even when those advisers’ work for the U.S. company is unrelated to national defense.
The development also narrows Chinese companies’ access to experienced lobbyists as they seek to challenge expanding trade, investment and national security restrictions in Washington.
Adverse weather does not dampen Mexico’s party as the cohosts storm into the last 16 by beating Ecuador.
Published On 1 Jul 20261 Jul 2026
Mexico turned on the style at their iconic Azteca Stadium on Tuesday, brushing Ecuador aside 2-0 to break their FIFA World Cup knockout curse dating back 40 years.
The round-of-32 match was delayed for an hour due to stormy weather, and when it started, the co-hosts flew out of the blocks, mounting wave after wave of attacks.
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In a supercharged atmosphere, Julian Quinones gave Mexico a deserved lead midway through the first half with a thunderous strike, and then turned provider for Raul Jimenez.
Ecuador desperately needed to wrest back the momentum after the break but struggled to shift through the gears, with the home side largely in control.
Mexico had not won a World Cup knockout game since 1986, when it last hosted the tournament.
Tuesday’s win means Mexico are now unbeaten in 10 World Cup games at the Azteca and will fancy their chances against England or the Democratic Republic of Congo in the round of 16.
Mexico were one of only three teams in the group phase to win all three of their matches, alongside title favourites France and reigning champions Argentina, and did not concede a single goal.
Ecuador finished third in their group, scoring just two goals.
Mexico players celebrate after the match [Henry Romero/Reuters]
Gilberto Mora, 17, was named in the starting line-up for Mexico, becoming the second-youngest player to start a knockout match at the World Cup finals behind Brazil legend Pele in 1958.
The home team started on the front foot, refusing to allow a shell-shocked Ecuador to settle.
Jimenez wasted a glorious headed chance in the seventh minute, and Mora flashed just wide.
At the other end, John Yeboah muscled his way into the penalty area in a rare foray forward for the visitors, clipping the outside of the near post.
Mexico took the lead in the 22nd minute when Saudi-based Quinones received the ball from Roberto Alvarado and tore down the left before driving into the box and unleashing an unstoppable shot past goalkeeper Hernan Galindez, raising the roof.
The first hydration break failed to change the script, and Mexico doubled their lead after half an hour when Quinones fed Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Jimenez, who fired a rocket into the top corner.
Mexico’s Julian Quinones scored the first goal and set up the second [Raquel Cunha/Reuters]
Raul Rangel produced a fine save to keep out another Yeboah effort, as Ecuador got a foothold in the match, but chances kept flowing at the other end.
Ecuador coach Sebastian Beccacece made several changes after the break in an effort to find a way back into the match. But Mexico, largely content to sit back, still looked the more threatening team, with Cesar Montes twice going close.
Ecuador substitute Kevin Rodriguez poked just wide with just over a quarter of an hour remaining, but their chances ran out. Piero Hincapie was sent off in stoppage time after covering his mouth during a confrontation with an opposition player to cap a miserable night for Ecuador.
Mexico will hope the Azteca, which hosted the World Cup final in 1970 and 1986, works its magic again in the last 16 on Sunday.
From the quarterfinals onwards, all the matches at the World Cup will be taking place in the United States.
Former Mexico player Andres Guardado is thrown in the air in celebration by the players after the match, as Mexico qualify for the round of 16 stage of the World Cup [Eloisa Sanchez/Reuters]
