From l-r., former President Joe Biden, former first lady Jill Biden, former first lady Laura Bush and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on stage during the dedication ceremony for the Obama Presidential Center, Thursday, June 18, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)2026-06-19T19:09:18Z A federal judge on Friday rejected former President Joe Biden’s attempt to block the Trump administration from releasing to a conservative group the recordings that Biden made with a ghostwriter.U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich found that the public interest in the material outweighed whatever privacy rights Biden had, but she effectively put her ruling on hold for up to three weeks so Biden could appeal. The recordings were obtained by special counsel Robert Hur in the course of his investigation into whether Biden improperly retained classified documents while a senator and vice president. Republicans in Congress demanded them after Hur declined to file charges against the then-president.Biden’s Democratic administration refused to turn over the recordings and transcripts from 2016 and 2017, leading congressional Republicans to hold his attorney general, Merrick Garland, in contempt. President Donald Trump’s Justice Department authorized the release of the materials. That led Biden last month to sue to seek to block the release to a staffer at the conservative Heritage Foundation who had formally requested the records. Biden objected to the release as an invasion of privacy, saying the recordings included him discussing sensitive personal matters such as the death of his older son, Beau Biden. But Friedrich found that the administration redacted that material. Read More The judge wrote that the materials “contain no mention of highly sensitive topics like illness or death, nor do they mention any non-public persons, including members of Biden’s family.”Representatives for Biden did not immediately comment but asked Friedrich to bar release of the material while they appeal her decision. The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.Friedrich was nominated by Trump, a Republican, in 2017.Hur’s yearlong investigation led to a 345-page report that questioned the effects of Biden’s age and his mental competence but recommended no criminal charges against the then-81-year-old. Hur said he found insufficient evidence to prosecute a case in court successfully. The transcripts of five hours of Biden interviews with federal prosecutors was released that same year. While Biden was adamant that he treated classified information seriously, the transcript shows that he was at times fuzzy about dates and details and he said he was unfamiliar with the paper trail for some of the sensitive documents he handled.

From l-r., former President Joe Biden, former first lady Jill Biden, former first lady Laura Bush and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on stage during the dedication ceremony for the Obama Presidential Center, Thursday, June 18, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)2026-06-20T02:54:54Z SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) — A large fire almost completely destroyed a luxury resort in the Dominican Republic on Friday, forcing the evacuation of almost 1,700 tourists, authorities said.Local media reported an Italian tourist died in the fire and several other tourists required medical assistance. The Viva Dominicus Beach by Wyndham resort is located in Bayahibe, a popular destination for U.S. and international tourists on the Dominican Republic’s southeastern coast.Authorities reported about 1,690 tourists had to be evacuated from the resort to other hotels and nearby housing facilities because of the massive blaze.The cause of the blaze was under investigation and the country’s Emergency Operations Center said it appeared the “fire spread rapidly” due to wind and because part of the resort’s roof was made of thatch.Viva Wyndham’s other nearby resort, the Dominicus Palace, was not damaged by the fire and was operating as normal, the center said.

Catholic nuns from the orphanage where Vanisa Anifa, a 6-month-old orphaned girl who died of Ebola, was staying, attends her funeral in Bunia, Congo, Friday, June 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa)2026-06-19T18:14:48Z BUNIA, Congo (AP) — Mourners gathered Friday to bury a 6-month-old girl who died from Ebola earlier this week, the third child to die at an orphanage in eastern Congo as authorities have struggled to contain the latest outbreak.Carrying a cross, people stood at a distance as the small coffin was lowered into the ground by masked and gloved health workers, and a Catholic priest prayed over her body.“It’s a feeling of sadness because we have lost one of our own, a daughter of the church,” said Father Innocent Ndogo.“As we have always said, the Lord gives, and the Lord takes away.”Ituri, the region at the center of the current outbreak, has reported more than 90% of the cases. The response has been complicated by residents clashing with healthcare professionals over disrupted burials and the response to the outbreak, which has been militarized at times. The impersonal nature of safe burial practices and the severity of the epidemic were evident on Friday as only healthcare workers in protective gear were allowed to handle the coffin and the burial.Bundibugyo, the type of Ebola in this outbreak, has no approved treatment or vaccine, and even some health workers have said they don’t have the masks, gloves and other gear to protect themselves. During a visit to Bunia on Friday, Congolese Health Minister Roger Kamba said that there were now 933 confirmed cases and 245 deaths from the current outbreak. Kamba also stated that all health centers will be free in Ituri and that healthcare workers bonuses will be doubled. Read More There are 35,000 suspected potential contacts, Africa’s Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said on Thursday. Despite the rapid spread of the current outbreak, it is still not nearly as deadly as a 2014 outbreak of Ebola that killed more than 11,000. With no approved vaccines or treatments, the Bundibugyo strain was not tested for in the early days. This lack of testing is one of the reasons the outbreak has spread to such an extent. The more common Zaire virus, for which there is a vaccine, was responsible for most of Congo’s past 16 outbreaks of the disease. Alex Lock, a communications officer at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, asked people to resist feeling indifferent. Sign up for Morning Wire: Our flagship newsletter breaks down the biggest headlines of the day. Email address Sign up By checking this box, you agree to AP's Terms of Use and acknowledge that AP may collect and use your data pursuant to our Privacy Policy. “She was a baby. She had her whole life ahead of her. Unfortunately, she was taken by the disease, a disease that, as you know, is transmitted from one person to another,” Lock said.Although the outbreak is concentrated in Ituri, cases have also been recorded in the North Kivu and South Kivu provinces and have spread across the border to Uganda, where 19 confirmed cases have been reported and two people have died.___McMakin contributed from Dakar, Senegal.

President Donald Trump speaks after touring the newly designated Air Force One presidential aircraft at Joint Base Andrews, Md., Friday, June 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)2026-06-19T20:09:50Z JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. (AP) — President Donald Trump on Friday showed off the new Air Force One, a formerly Qatari-owned jumbo jet that has been converted into the official U.S. presidential aircraft. The new aircraft eschews the Kennedy-era robin’s egg blue exterior of the old plane for a bolder look, with the underbelly of the plane painted navy blue with a red stripe above it. The plane’s left side, where the president boards, features the presidential seal, while the tail of the aircraft has a massive American flag on it. “This plane was transformed into a flying White House at a level of luxury that nobody has ever seen before,” Trump said from inside the massive Joint Base Andrews hangar, as a couple hundred assembled Air Force personnel looked on. He spoke after stepping off the new plane in a dramatic flourish, as his signature tune “God Bless the USA” played. The newly designated Air Force One presidential aircraft sits in a hangar following a tour by President Donald Trump at Joint Base Andrews, Md., Friday, June 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) The newly designated Air Force One presidential aircraft sits in a hangar following a tour by President Donald Trump at Joint Base Andrews, Md., Friday, June 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More He confirmed that he would be taking the new jet to the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, next month and indicated he would be returning to China “at some point,” presumably a reference to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit that China is hosting in November. His return from the Group of 7 summit in France this week was the last planned trip aboard the old Air Force One, he said. “Now, when we land at airports in London and in Germany and different places, nobody tops this one, and that’s the way we have to have it for our country,” Trump said, noting that the colors and the design were to “my taste, I will say.” Read More He added that the new Air Force One will do a flyover during the July 4 celebrations next month.The gift from Qatar is serving as a “bridge” aircraft to carry the president until the new planes ordered directly from Boeing arrive. That is currently slated for 2028. President Donald Trump speaks after touring the newly designated Air Force One presidential aircraft at Joint Base Andrews, Md., Friday, June 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) President Donald Trump speaks after touring the newly designated Air Force One presidential aircraft at Joint Base Andrews, Md., Friday, June 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More The administration formally accepted a luxury Boeing 747 jet from Qatar last year to be used as the presidential airplane, despite questions about the ethics and legality of accepting such an expensive gift from a foreign government. Trump has insisted in the past that he would not fly around in the Qatari jet once he leaves office and said it would instead be donated to a future presidential library. Trump on Friday said the U.S. was in a “little bit of a logjam” as they awaited the delivery of the new jets directly from Boeing, which had originally been scheduled for 2024 but have been delayed. He recalled asking the emir of Qatar for use of one of their planes. “See, a normal president wouldn’t do this. A normal president wants to stay away from aircraft,” Trump said Friday. “But our country has to be represented properly.” President Donald Trump exits the newly designated Air Force One presidential aircraft following a tour at Joint Base Andrews, Md., Friday, June 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) President Donald Trump exits the newly designated Air Force One presidential aircraft following a tour at Joint Base Andrews, Md., Friday, June 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More The Air Force said in a news release Friday that any plane deemed Air Force One “must meet rigorous security requirements” and that the Qatari plane “was modified under a disciplined engineering approach that prioritized these exact core capabilities above all else.” The Air Force also said “much of the previous head of state interior layout” of the plane was kept intact. The Air Force has said in the past that security modifications to the jet would cost less than $400 million. President Donald Trump, left, speaks alongside Air Force Gen. Dale White after touring the newly designated Air Force One presidential aircraft at Joint Base Andrews, Md., Friday, June 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) President Donald Trump, left, speaks alongside Air Force Gen. Dale White after touring the newly designated Air Force One presidential aircraft at Joint Base Andrews, Md., Friday, June 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Trump’s efforts to reimagine the presidential airplane date back to his first administration, when he directed that an incoming fleet of new jets would adopt a color scheme that was nearly identical to that of his personal airplane. Then-President Joe Biden reversed the decision in March 2023 as an Air Force review suggested that the darker colors could increase costs and delay delivery of the new jets, but once Trump returned to office, he returned to his desired colors for the plane. Other government jets that carry other top administration officials will also use the similar red, white and navy color scheme, the Air Force said earlier this year. An Air Force spokesperson, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive plans, told The Associated Press that the two current planes, known as VC-25As, will not be retiring. Instead, they will remain in the fleet until the new Boeing planes, referred to as VC-25Bs, come into service, the spokesperson said. It is unclear how the older jets will be used but the spokesperson said that both the Qatari jet as well as the VC-25As will be available for use and “the Presidential Airlift Group will select the appropriate aircraft for each mission based on operational requirements.” ___This story has been updated to correct the name of the air base to Joint Base Andrews, not Andrews Air Force Base, its former name.___Kim reported from Washington. Associated Press writer Konstantin Toropin contributed to this report from Washington. SEUNG MIN KIM Kim covers the White House for The Associated Press. She joined the AP in 2022 and is based in Washington. Kim is also a political analyst for CNN. twitter mailto

Man United Legends match versus Scunthorpe United announcedManchester United legends will be back in action this August.Historic fixturesA group of former Manchester United players often play together under the banner of the Legends team to raise money for various charities.The most recent game took place against Southampton at the end of March.United ran out 5-3 winners with players such as Louis Saha and Antonio Valencia taking the stage.One of the most famous legends matches occurred in 2019 when Manchester United beat Bayern Munich 5-0 to mark the 20th anniversary of the Treble victory.The event saw the return of numerous fan favourites such as David Beckham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.The year 2017 also saw an entertaining 2-2 draw with FC Barcelona at Old Trafford.Newest opponentScunthorpe United’s in-house media has announced that they will be the next opponent to take on a United legends’ side this summer.The site reports, “Scunthorpe United Football Club is delighted to announce the return of Iron Aid, with a Scunthorpe United Legends side set to take on a Manchester United Legends XI in a special pre-season fixture at the Attis Arena on Sunday, August 2nd (4pm kick-off) as part of a wider event with more details to be released in due course.”They explain that the event will “bring together some of the most iconic names from both clubs’ histories for a memorable afternoon of football, nostalgia and fundraising.”The club elaborated further on the reasons behind the match, stating, “the match marks the return of the popular Iron Aid concept, which in 2024, as part of the club’s 125th anniversary celebrations, raised significant funds for local charities and community causes, whilst creating unforgettable occasions for supporters of all ages.”Which Scunthorpe and Manchester United players will be taking part in the match will be announced in due course.online pollsThe Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social

TimesofIndia.com in Chennai: There is not an iota of doubt that, when on song, there is no better sight than Kuldeep Yadav bowling those chinamans. The hop, the skip, the jump to the bowling crease, the flight, and the revs he imparts on the ball are a sight to behold. But over the years, for different reasons, he has never been able to cement his place in the Indian squad.Kuldeep's case has always been a curious one. In the current ODI setup, he is the senior most bowler and is just six wickets away from reaching 200 ODI wickets. The 31-year-old has an exceptional record in the format. He has 194 wickets in 121 matches and takes a wicket every 31 balls. His economy rate is slightly on the higher side, but he has always been India's main wicket-taking option in the middle overs.In the ongoing series, Kuldeep has played only one game in Lucknow and even though he didn't bowl badly, he wasn't close to the rhythm he has often hit in the past. Manav Suthar and Washington Sundar outbowled him in the one-off Test against Afghanistan and in the rain-curtailed ODI in Dharamsala, Harsh Dubey was picked ahead of him.Ahead of the Chennai ODI, while India are expected to rotate their batting line-up and pacers, the onus will be on Kuldeep to find his groove. Team India's spin bowling coach Sairaj Bahutale was in Kuldeep's ear after almost every ball he bowled to Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rohit Sharma in the nets.Bahutale watched Kuldeep closely, be it his run-up, his load-up or the revs he imparted on the ball. Kuldeep thrives on confidence, and this team management certainly knows that if India are to do well in the middle overs at the 2027 ODI World Cup, much will depend on the chinaman. No one in this bowling attack is as capable as Kuldeep of taking wickets against the run of play. Jasprit Bumrah can do it to an extent, but even he cannot be relied upon to provide those breakthroughs in the middle overs as consistently as Kuldeep.In the pre-match press conference, India's assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate made it clear that the management will continue to back Kuldeep because they believe he remains India's trump card."The wickets are always there, and I thought he bowled really well the other night. He hasn't had a continuous run of games for a while, even in Test cricket, so there are no real concerns about him," said Doeschate on Kuldeep's dip in form."We always like to play a wrist spinner or a mystery spinner. With the way the game is evolving, the onus is on spinners to keep reinventing themselves. Kuldeep, along with our other spinners in the Test squad, has put a lot of work into the tactical side of the game and planning for batters. I think Kuldeep is doing really well," he added.The Chennai ODI may not define Kuldeep Yadav's future, but it could be the first step towards rediscovering the rhythm that has made him India's biggest wicket-taking weapon in the middle overs. With the road to the 2027 ODI World Cup only getting busier from here, India need their premier wrist spinner firing again. Sooner rather than later.

Former Washington tight end Logan Paulsen was asked a very direct question this week.The 10-year NFL veteran was a guest on the Grant & Danny Show on 106.7 The Fan after the Commanders completed minicamp this week. Rouhier didn't beat around the bush: "Do you feel, and again, this is minicamp, it is June, do you get the sense there might be a paradigm shift to some degree from Quinn and his staff in terms of leading up to the season, whether going a little bit harder more often?"Interpretation: Rouhier didn't like the lack of urgency in last year's training camp, with the coaches perhaps overreactive and wanting to limit the risk of injury. The Commanders, thus, in their first two games last year, immediately looked a step slower, were completely outplayed by the Packers, and the offense was not sharp vs. the Giants in the opener.Paulsen responded, "Well, you know, he talked earlier this week in his press conference about how this is going to be a really competitive camp. I think that is speaking to the depth, but I also think it's speaking to a certain mindset/approach. Just watching that second group or the group that's going at kind of a full tilt out there. It's a competitive group of guys out there. It's pretty physical. They're not in full shoulder pads, but they're pushing the envelope there. It does feel like, if we are comparing it to last year, there's a little bit more pop, a little bit more energy, and a little bit more excitement on the team."Paulsen wrapped up his statement with a summary: "While there is this new age thinking of protecting the players, finding ways to modify practice, to mitigate injury, I also feel this is a mix of some pretty competitive practice reps and letting guys get better."The Commanders went 12-5 in 2024 but overlooked some of the quarterbacks they defeated. Wait, the Commanders actually forgot how many games during the 2024 season they actually won in the last minute?This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington Commanders: A paradigm shift in 2026?

The Boston Celtics may be willing to wait out the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade saga. Or at least that is the point of view of the folks behind the "98.5 The Sports Hub" YouTube channel, who put together a clip from a recent episode of their "Zolak and Bertrand" show that has the eponymous hosts taking a deep dive into the theoretical dynamics of a potential swap for the Greek Freak by the Celtics.Will Boston pull the trigger on a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade before the Milwaukee Bucks self-imposed deadline to get a trade in for the two-time Most Valuable Player ahead of the 2026 NBA Draft? And if they do not, could a deal for Antetokounmpo still happen afterward for the Celtics?Take a look at the clip embedded below to hear what they had to say about such a prospect actually taking place.Listen to "Havlicek Stole the Pod" on:Blue Wire: https://tiny.ee/CdKpiTunes: https://tiny.ee/RK47YouTube: https://tiny.ee/cOW3This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: The Celtics may be willing to wait out the Giannis trade saga

BRADFORD, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 14: Coby Ebere of Everton U21 looks on during the Vertu Trophy match between Bradford City and Everton U21 at University of Bradford Stadium on October 14, 2025 in Bradford, England. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images) | Getty Images The Everton Under 21 and Under 18s are certain to have a much changed look about them next season. At the time of writing, the club have yet to make an official announcement but reliable sources have said and it’s widely assumed that Paul Tait, U21 coach, will be moving on. Add to that the news that several players associated with the youth teams are on the verge of leaving the club upon expiry or heading towards the last season of their contracts.As ever, on the young player front, there will be people spreading gloom about the Academy “failing players’ talent”, about “Moyes not giving youth a chance” and various other sensationalist “news pieces” just to grab attention.In the vast majority of cases (it’s not an exact science) young players leave the club because they cannot see a path to the first team or, I’ll say it first, they’re simply not good enough!I do have sympathy for the perception of blocked pathway to the first team. Personally, I think the club could do much more to expose the very top young talent to the senior team and the public at large. If that happened and the top talent got first team minutes off the bench, then players would generally see a routeway which they don’t right now and, importantly, supporters could judge for themselves whether the player is good enough or ready!I’m not for one minute suggesting that there’s a raft of talent that justify being in the Everton starting team but a lot of clubs, even our close neighbours, give small opportunities to their talented players and some actually flourish quickly. As an example, 17 year old Rio Ngumoha who has made 19 appearances at Liverpool and has broken through to the England national team. Tyler Fletcher (Manchester United and Scotland) is another example of progress and trust.For the record, the following U21 players will officially leave the club after June 30th contract expiry:Defenders Roman Dixon, Bradley Moonan, Reece Welch, midfielder Tyler Onyango and forwards Jacob Beaumont-Clark, Kingsford Boakye, Francis OkoronkwoPutting it bluntly, none of those players deserved to in with a shout of Everton’s current first team and 5 of them were at least 21 years of age with the other 2 aged 20 and frankly, none of them “anywhere near it”In addition, at U18 level these players are being released:Goodness Gospel-Eze, Louis Poland, Charlie Stewart and Kean WrenOf those I was a little surprised by Poland as he had shown up well as a marauding left back but the club also has a competing talent, Harvey Billington who they may see a brighter future with.If the strong rumours are confirmed, 18 year old centre midfielder Demi Akarakiri (pictured below) who had shown promise last season looks to be opting against the offer of a new contract and going to Serie A with Cagliari whilst 20 year old Coby Ebere (main picture of the post) who had shown great promise the season before last, appears to have joined Serbian top flight side FK Cukaricki despite being under contract with the Blues.I guess Akarakiri stands a chance of being a success but, despite his impressive strength, control and passing range, he probably had to improve his decision making on the pitch to be nearer the first team picture. Let’s hope his decision-making off the pitch is better! Ebere, on the other hand, had a season to forget last year, often deployed as a winger which did not make use of his powerful frame and when he was moved to centre forward he was less impressive than he had been. Let’s hope he can make a careerThere’s also a 14 year old kid called Chigwada who is reportedly jumping ship to the red side of the city and that seems to have caused concern with some. Frankly, all players that age have choices to make, the clubs never really have full contractual ownership of them before 17 years old so there’ll be some losses and some gains across all clubs. Anthony Gordon, for instance, left Liverpool for the Toffees at the age of 11, made 78 first team appearances and just as importantly for the Blues, up to £45 million from his move to Newcastle with a further £4m approximately from the sell on clause to Barcelona. You simply cannot tell what the chances of success are at such young ages and I don’t hear many Liverpool supporters bemoaning the release of Gordon 15 years ago?One last mention on the departures front must go to winger Isaac Heath (below in red). The club sold him for a nominal fee to Cambridge United recently. He had an inspiring loan spell with Accrington Stanley last season, scooping their Young Player of the Season awards after making 33 appearances with the League Two outfit and scoring 6 goals. There’s a small chance he might have made progress with the Blues had he stayed but, at the age of 21, it was by no means a definite and the club has to be more brutally honest.Good luck to all the departing players (and coach) and we look forward to seeing who will replace them!

Nigerian nationals repatriated from South Africa, following concerns about unrest, reacts upon arrival at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, Nigeria, Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)2026-06-20T05:01:46Z LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — When the flight carrying hundreds of Nigerians fleeing South Africa landed in Lagos last week, the first feeling of passenger Iniebong James was one of relief. Then came worry. Nearly two weeks after his return to his homeland, James, 52, is trying to settle back into the life he left 10 years ago when he packed his suitcases and headed for South Africa on a six-month visitor’s visa. He overstayed his visa and, despite lacking permission to stay, built a life as a car mechanic in the country’s Eastern Cape Province. He was coping until he was attacked by anti-immigrant protesters in May, leaving him with a head wound, he told The Associated Press.The attack on James came in the midst of a sharp rise in anti-migrant sentiment in South Africa in recent months, when there have been marches calling for immigrants in the country illegally to leave and reports of violence against some foreign nationals. Hundreds of migrants from Nigeria and several other African countries have been repatriated from South Africa recently by their governments, citing threats of violence against them and a growing sense of tension. South Africa has for years attracted foreign nationals from across Africa, including many from Nigeria, because of its relative wealth and opportunity. But outbursts of xenophobic violence against foreigners also have accompanied that sporadically. South Africans sometimes blame foreigners for high levels of unemployment and poverty, putting a strain on public services and for being involved in crime. Read More Before moving to South Africa, James worked as a truck driver for a haulage company in Lagos, but the company closed in 2016 when Nigeria’s economy entered its first recession in two decades. Unemployment worried him, but it was the dayslong power outages that pushed him to finally leave. To survive with an expired visa in South Africa, James said he had to bribe community police officers 200 rands ($12.14) a week to operate his shop. Twice, he paid immigration officers when he had been arrested. The AP could not verify this claim. James said he is happy to be home as he now has his “freedom,” but the economy that made him leave is much worse and he is worried that getting a job will be harder.“I would submit my CV if anybody can accept me, but I am still hoping for the government to help me (with a job),” he said. Sign up for Morning Wire: Our flagship newsletter breaks down the biggest headlines of the day. Email address Sign up By checking this box, you agree to AP's Terms of Use and acknowledge that AP may collect and use your data pursuant to our Privacy Policy. Starting over again is very difficultWhen Nigeria’s government announced a repatriation flight last month to bring back its nationals, James thought he should come back home and try again. He was one of the first group of Nigerians repatriated from South Africa on June 11.Over the past decade, the economy has fallen, leading to far-reaching economic reforms by President Bola Tinubu in 2023. Those reforms included the removal of decades-long fuel subsidies that kept fuel prices low, influencing retail prices of nearly every good and service in the West African nation and allowing the value of the naira to be dictated by market forces.The reforms have sparked skyrocketing inflation, which was compounded by the U.S.-Iran war, bringing fuel prices to nearly $1 per liter. When James left in 2016, fuel cost 85 naira a liter ($0.1), and on the day he returned it was selling for 1,400 naira ($1.03). “Everything is too expensive,” he said.The government said the returnees will “receive the appropriate assistance and support before being reunited” with their families. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not respond to questions about long-term plans for the repatriated citizens.“Reparation is not transformation,” said Margaret Monyani, founder of OLAM Africa Research Institute, a Johannesburg-based migration think-tank. “Returning is not always as straightforward as it sounds. People just think, go back home and start again. No, what is home?” ‘We don’t want to employ foreigners’Omotola Adeniyi, another Nigerian migrant, joined her mother in South Africa in 2015 when she was 8 years old. Her mother enrolled her and her sister in high school, but after that, she was unable to find a job and proceed to university.“After I finished high school, that’s when I saw real life because everywhere I looked for a job, all I could get was, ‘No, we don’t want to employ foreigners,’” Adeniyi said. She started saving for a flight back to Nigeria last year, but the fare was too high. So she accepted Nigeria’s offer of an airline ticket home. But having been away for 11 years, Adeniyi said home feels foreign now. The latest protests have sparked diplomatic reactions from governments across the continent, including Nigeria, Ghana, Malawi and others who have repatriated hundreds of their citizens from the country. Nigeria and Ghana summoned South Africa’s diplomatic officials and issued strong public statements.“The price of your peace, and the safety of your children, is worth any sacrifices you have to make, or any assets you have to leave behind when fleeing a conflict zone or hate-infested environment. Survival is the noblest form of vengeance,” Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, told James and others when they arrived in a statement delivered by her representatives. Despite the attacks on foreigners, experts say South Africa still remains a destination of choice for most African migrants due to its more advanced economy and infrastructural development. “It doesn’t mean South Africa has the perfect institutions, but they’re working to a large extent,” Monyani said.___For more on Africa and development: https://apnews.com/hub/africa-pulseThe Associated Press receives financial support for global health and development coverage in Africa from the Gates Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find the AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org. OPE ADETAYO Adetayo is a West and Central Africa reporter for The Associated Press. He covers news and regional development across West and Central Africa. twitter facebook mailto

Atletico Madrid legends weigh in as Julian Alvarez pushes for Barcelona move: ‘Can’t find a player like him these days’The growing uncertainty surrounding Julian Alvarez’s future continues to dominate headlines in Spain, with the Atletico Madrid striker’s desire to join Barcelona becoming one of the biggest transfer stories of the summer.While Atletico’s hierarchy has repeatedly insisted that the Argentine is not for sale, the speculation refuses to die down. For now, Barcelona remain strongly linked with the forward, and reports surrounding his wish to leave the Metropolitano have only intensified the debate.As a result, several respected figures connected to Atletico Madrid have publicly addressed the situation, offering a more understanding perspective on Alvarez’s position despite the club’s firm stance.Atletico teammate shows understandingIt must be remembered that Atletico president Enrique Cerezo recently made his frustration clear regarding the endless questions surrounding Alvarez’s future. However, not everyone associated with the Madrdi-based club has approached the topic with the same rigidity.Julian Alvarez continues to be linked with Barcelona. (Photo by Marcos Brindicci/Getty Images)One of those is Marcos Llorente, who admitted that his close relationship with Alvarez makes him view the situation from a personal standpoint rather than a purely sporting one.“Because of the relationship I have with Julian, I want him to do whatever makes him happiest or brings him the most joy. As a friend, I’ll support him.”Godin and Forlan’s verdictThe discussion has also drawn reactions from two of Atletico Madrid’s most respected modern-day figures: Diego Godin and Diego Forlan.Neither former star openly encouraged Alvarez to leave, but both acknowledged the realities of modern football and the importance of player commitment.Notably, Godin highlighted the importance of a player’s desire to remain at the club.“Fernando Torres said it the other day. At Atletico, you have to want to stay. Not just stay, but want to stay. I hope Julián stays. Forlan has offered his opinion on Alvarez’s links with Barcelona. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)“I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I hope he wants to stay. He is a brilliant player. “You can’t go out and find a player like Julian these days. I don’t know what sort of fee it would take…”Meanwhile, Forlan admitted it would be a significant loss if Atletico were to part ways with the Argentine striker, while also recognising the professional realities players face during their careers.“It’s a shame, but people have to understand that we’re professional players. It would be a shame (if he left), but someone else will come along.”In conclusion, Forlan praised Alvarez’s development in recent years, adding,“I’ve been watching him since he was at River Plate and then at Manchester City, and here he’s grown and improved a lot.”Source: Mundo Deportivo

NEW DELHI: Delhi Capitals (DC) management has already swung into action to prepare for the next season with Rishabh Pant set to come back to Capitals from Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). TOI understands that the two franchises have reached an understanding where Pant is likely to be traded with Kuldeep Yadav. Besides, former India batter Yuvraj Singh is set to join DC as a key member of the coaching staff.The modalities of the agreement are still in process. Pant, who started his IPL career at Capitals, endured two rough seasons at LSG after being picked up at the auction for a record Rs 27 crores in 2025. Kuldeep’s form too has seen a dip over the last couple of seasons at Capitals.After LSG finished at the bottom of the points table this year, Pant decided to step down as the captain of the franchise.TOI understands that Capitals are also thinking of a major shakeup in the coaching staff which could see head coach Hemang Badani make way for a someone else. It is learnt that the franchise is also looking at Anil Kumble as a probable member of the coaching staff.

Justin Gaethje (left) was the big American winner at UFC White House, claiming his first undisputed title [Getty Images]Ronda Rousey and Jake Paul have taunted the UFC and Dana White for failing to break their MMA record audience figure with the White House event last week.The UFC 250 Freedom event at the White House reached 7m people in the US on Paramount+.Rousey's 15-second demolition of Carano on Netflix had a US average audience of 9.3m and a US "peak audience" of 11.6m.Paul, who co-founded MVP with Nakisa Bidarian, wrote on X: "As a boxing promoter it feels good waking up today being the biggest MMA promoter."Paul has a history of taunting UFC president White, and the MVP-promoted Rousey v Carano event was positioned as a "takeover" of MMA by boxer Paul.Rousey, who chose to fight on an MVP card rather than the UFC because of fight purse demands, reacted to news of the viewing figures by targeting UFC chief business officer Hunter Campbell."Lmao [laughing my ass off]! Kiss my ass, Hunter Campbell," Rousey said.UFC White House, which had two title fights and was held on the south lawn of US President Donald Trump's home, averaged 8.2m viewers across the US and Latin America.US broadcaster Paramount said 17m people watched at least one minute of the event in those countries, including 15.3m in the US.It said the live audience figures were verified by Nielsen, the industry standard in reporting TV viewership metrics, and Adobe Analytics.Streaming giants Netflix did not release any figures other than for the US and did not say whether the numbers were verified by Nielsen or any other party.Paramount suggested the UFC would release further global figures for the White House event.American Justin Gaethje gave the Trump-fronted event a fairytale ending on his 80th birthday by upsetting the odds to beat Ilia Topuria in the main event.Gaethje, a Trump supporter, claimed the UFC lightweight title for the first time at the age of 37.US star Gaethje wins at Trump's UFC White House showGroup planned to attack White House UFC event using snipers and drones, FBI saysMachado Garry to face Makhachev for UFC title

The World Cup 2026 is into the second round of group stage fixtures, with sides including England, Germany and France well-placed to put a foot in the round of 32 over the coming days.Co-hosts Mexico became the first team to advance into the last 32 after their win over South Korea, and that 1-0 victory means El Tri have will finish top of Group A. Despite the fact that their opponents could finish with a better goal difference, Mexico have secured top spot in Group A thanks to a subtle change in group stage rules that is new for this World Cup. For the first time ever, the tournament is using head-to-head records – rather than goal difference – as a tiebreaker for teams who are level on points in the groups. This means the USA were also confirmed as topping their group after Turkey lost 1-0 to Paraguay in the early hours of Saturday morning, after following up their opening win over the South American nation by convincingly beating Australia.This new rule is sure to influence the eventual round of 32 fixtures, so here’s more information on how it could affect the final group stage games. What is Fifa’s new head-to-head rule? Essentially, the new rule means that a team’s head-to-head record against another team is the first thing to separate teams who are level on points. This is the same as the system used in Uefa competitions. Goal difference is then used as the next differentiator, with the total number of goals scored in all group matches then considered before the highest “team conduct” score, which takes into account the total record of yellow and red cards.Interestingly, if two teams still can’t be separated after all these criteria, then the team that is ranked higher “according to the most recent published edition of the Fifa/Coca‑Cola Men’s World Ranking” will go through.In terms of tie-breaking criteria for the group stages, Fifa’s official website reads that the following criteria – in the same order as below – will be used to determine group rankings:The greatest number of points obtained in the group matches between the teams concerned Superior goal difference resulting from the group matches between the teams concerned (in other words, head-to-head record)Greatest number of goals scored in all group matches between the teams concernedHow does the head-to-head rule apply to Mexico? For a team to secure top spot in a group after just two games, a group either needs to have two draws or for the team in first place to have beaten any team(s) on three points.Mexico have won both of their opening games, and they now sit three points clear of second-placed South Korea. However, they cannot be overtaken as they beat South Korea 1-0 in the game between the two nations. The new rule means that England will top Group L if they beat Ghana and Panama fail to beat Croatia (Reuters)How can the rule affect other teams?The fact that some teams can secure top spot after just two games comes with both advantages and disadvantages for the other teams in the group depending on how they’ve performed so far. In Mexico’s example, El Tri could opt to rest their entire starting XI, so the Czech Republic – who currently sit in third, two points behind South Korea – could benefit, leaving South Korea needing to beat South Africa to be certain of second place. Who else could win their group on matchday two?As mentioned, the US have secured top spot thanks to Turkey losing to Paraguay, while Germany could win their group if they beat the Ivory Coast and Ecuador don’t beat Curacao. Sweden can qualify as group winners if they beat the Netherlands and Japan don’t win against Tunisia, while Lionel Messi and Argentina can top their group if they beat Austria and Algeria fail to beat Jordan. Finally, Thomas Tuchel’s England can ensure they qualify top of Group L if they beat Ghana and Panama fail to beat Croatia.

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectThe ‘Good Ol Canadian Boys’, ‘Seth Jarvis’ Buddies’, the ‘Traveling Jarvies‘, the ‘Seth Jarvis Fan Club’.Whatever you choose to call them, the childhood friends of Carolina Hurricanes winger Seth Jarvis – all of whom met through youth hockey – have been one of the wildest and low-key wholesomest stories in hockey over the past year, and that story is about to become a little crazier. Friday, it was announced that the crew would have their own float (or bus, or whatever we call it at this point) for the Hurricanes Championship parade.It’s Been a Journey For Some Good Ol Canadian BoysThe buddies first gained the eye of the public during the 4 Nations Face-Off, when it came out that they drove 30 hours from Montreal to Boston to support Jarvis after flights were halted due to a blizzard just as the tournament changed locale from Canada to the USA.After that, they became an occasional fixture at games whenever schedules aligned."We're just grateful to be able to support our friend"Remember those guys that went viral for following their friend, Seth Jarvis, to Boston by car during the 4-Nations Faceoff? Well, they joined @mikemaniscalco and @TrippTracy in the booth during the first intermission. 🤣… pic.twitter.com/vq5F1uEfaU— Queen of the Puck (@rbarkleyhockey) November 22, 2025When Jarvis made the Olympic team – the day before players traveled to Italy – they took the hockey world by storm as they did everything they could to make it to Milan in time to watch their guy play. Their efforts were not in vain, as they ended up becoming an internet sensation, which led to Air Canada sponsoring their trip.Now, their Instagram, ‘Goodolcanadianboys’, has a whopping 87,000 followers, and their TikTok by the same handle has 33,000 followers.They were in attendance for Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final in Lenovo Center, and even sported custom jackets for the occasion.Seth Jarvis' friends showed up in their own custom gear for Game 2These ain't WAG (wives and girlfriends) jackets, these are DAB (dudes and bros) jackets 🤣#SoundTheSiren#ForgedInGold#NHL#StanleyCuphttps://t.co/A6kmWB1PZu— Queen of the Puck (@rbarkleyhockey) June 5, 2026When the Hurricanes claimed the Stanley Cup in Game 6 versus the Vegas Golden Knights in T-Mobile Arena, the friends stormed onto the ice to celebrate with Jarvis and his family. In the wee hours of the following morning, two of them – Lucas Fry and Sloan Tremblay – even got Stanley Cup tattoos, as reported by PEOPLE.Saturday morning, the pals are expected to be the ninth float in the parade, preceded by members of the Carolina Hurricanes Foundation and followed by the pair of floats featuring Hurricanes broadcasters, starting with Hanna Yates and Shane Willis, then followed by Mike Maniscalco and Tripp Tracy.You can view the full lineup and parade route here!Also Read:: Prove Me Wrong: Seth Jarvis’ Buddies Are New Generation of ‘Traveling Jagrs’Related HeadlinesMorning Rumble: Tracking the Stanley Cup; Pee Dee Native Traded to Sharks; Hurricanes Pass on Jason RobertsonWATCH: Jordan Staal Wins Conn Smythe Trophy, Carolina Hurricanes Hoist Stanley CupHoist The Cup, and the Conn Smythe! The Numbers and Notes of the Carolina Hurricanes 2026 Stanley Cup Win!

Vinicius Junior added Brazil's third goal against Haiti (Mauro PIMENTEL)High-scoring Germany face a powerful Ivory Coast side at the World Cup on Saturday with the winner guaranteed a place in the last 32, while Sweden can also book their ticket.Those three nations can join co-hosts the United States and Mexico who are already through.Germany thrashed debutants Curacao 7-1 in their opener and would be confirmed as Group E winners if they defeat Ivory Coast in Toronto and Ecuador fail to beat Curacao in Kansas City.Progressing to the knockout round would be a relief for the Germans who astonishingly have failed to reach that stage since they won their fourth World Cup in Brazil in 2014.So tight are the margins that Ivory Coast could lock up their place in the next round too, if they beat the Germans.Nagelsmann said his team had to be prepared for Ivory Coast's athleticism."Their speed is one of their biggest strengths and that's what I think they do best," he told reporters, highlighting the French-born Ivorian winger Nicolas Pepe."During the last game, he was everywhere," Nagelsmann said of Pepe.Sweden face the Netherlands in Houston knowing that a win will secure a place in the knockout round -- an extraordinary turnaround for the Scandinavians who only qualified for the World Cup through through the Nations League, essentially the back door.Coach Graham Potter warned that Sweden striker Alexander Isak will get "stronger and stronger" as the tournament goes on.Isak had a poor season by his standards, interrupted by frequent injuries, after Liverpool paid Newcastle United a British record £125 million ($165 million) for him.He made a strong start to the World Cup though as the 26-year-old scored one goal and set up two in the 5-1 thrashing of Tunisia."Alex has had a season that has been interrupted," Potter said. "Most football players would say they need a certain amount of time and games to get up to top, top level, so we've had to try to build Alex up. I think there's more to come from him."- 1,000th game -History will be made in another of Saturday's games as Japan face Tunisia in Monterrey, Mexico for the 1,000th game at a World Cup.Hajime Moriyasu warned his Japan side they will need to match the intensity of a Tunisia team fired up by the introduction of coach Herve Renard after Sabri Lamouchi became the first coach in World Cup history to be sacked after one game.On Friday, the United States marched into the knockout round with a 2-0 victory over Australia in Seattle.A day of raucous celebrations for the co-hosts got even better when Paraguay's 1-0 win against Turkey confirmed that the US would clinch top spot in Group D, ensuring a theoretically easier draw in the last 32.A Cameron Burgess own goal in the 11th minute and a headed effort from Alex Freeman two minutes before half-time sealed a comfortable three points for Mauricio Pochettino's USA side, who have won the group with a game to spare.After an unconvincing build-up to the World Cup, the Americans have made a dream start to the tournament with Friday's victory following a stylish 4-1 demolition of Paraguay in their opener."It was a fantastic game again, very good first half," Pochettino said. "I think we dominated the game against a very tough team."When the draw happened in December I thought it was going to be a really difficult, a really tough game."In other games on Friday, Brazil took control of their destiny in Group C with a 3-0 victory over Haiti that ended the Caribbean nation's chances of progressing. Haiti join Turkey in exiting the tournament.Two goals from Matheus Cunha and a Vinicius Junior strike sealed an easy win for the Brazilians in Philadelphia.Brazil are now level on four points with Morocco, but lead the North Africans on goal difference.Morocco secured their first win of the tournament on Friday with a 1-0 defeat of Scotland at Foxborough.Ismael Saibari scored the games's only goal, lashing home an angled strike in the second minute.Morocco face Haiti in their final Group C game on June 24, while Brazil take on the Scots in Miami.gj/rcw

‘MURRICAH | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images Friday’s USA vs. Australia match in Seattle was one of the most spectacular sporting events I’ve ever had the privilege to attend. From the hours-long buildup along the waterfront and all through the downtown and Belltown areas — in absolutely perfect weather — to the national anthems, to the epic flyover, to the US putting together another strong performance (especially in the first half) to ensure a place in the knockout rounds … it was absolutely tremendous. The Seahawks’ stadium is well known for how loud it can get, and we managed to get a couple seismic events registered yet again. U-S-A!“And the building shakes in Seattle!” PNSN’s seismic stations captured the crowd response to both Alex Freeman’s goal and the VAR decision overturning the offside call. It’s #USMNT 2 to Australia 0 at half-time. #WorldCup2026#FIFAWorldCup#SportsSeismologypic.twitter.com/DHLmgXspZl— PNSN (@PNSN1) June 19, 2026Turkey would manage to lose against 10-man Paraguay in the late game, confirming top spot in the group for the USMNT, and the Round of 32 game in the Bay Area. Guess I better sell the other kidney.Morocco and Brazil collected wins as well in the other games of the day, but I wasn’t really paying much attention to those.Next!NETHERLANDS vs. SWEDENGraham Potter’s Sweden romped to a 5-1 win over Tunisia in their first game and they will look to build on that against a Netherlands side who only managed a 1-1 draw against Japan. Another bad result for the Dutch could be disastrous.Date / Time: Saturday, June 20, 2026, 1pm EDT; 6pm BSTVenue: NRG Stadium, Huston, TX, USAReferee: Michael Oliver (England)On TV: FOX, Telemundo (USA); BBC One (UK); elsewhereStreaming online: FOX One, Peacock (USA); BBC iPlayer (UK)Chelsea interest: Jorrel Hato did not play a single minute in the first game.GERMANY vs. CÔTE d’IVOIREFor a hot minute we were all Curaçao as the minnows threatened briefly to make history against mighty Germany in the first game. But the hydration break sapped all that momentum and Germany would notDate / Time: Saturday, June 20, 2026, 4pm EDT; 9pm BSTVenue: BMO Field, Torono, CanadaReferee: Juan Gabriel BenítezOn TV: FOX, Telemundo (USA); ITV 1 (UK); elsewhereStreaming online: FOX One, Peacock (USA); ITVx (UK)Chelsea interest: No current players involved here.ECUADOR vs. CURAÇAOEcuador were disappointing in their first game, but have a very goo chance to get bak on track against Curaçao.Date / Time: Saturday, June 20, 2026, 8pm EDT; 1am BST (next day)Venue: Arrowhead Stadium, Kansad City, MO, USAReferee: Ma Ning (China)On TV: FOX Sports 1, Telemundo (USA); BBC One (UK); elsewhereStreaming online: FOX One, Peacock (USA); BBC iPlayer (UK)Chelsea interest: Moisés Caicedo played the full-90 in the first game; Kendry Páez did not get on. TUNISIA vs. JAPANJapan are another side looking to put a disappointing first match behind them.Date / Time: Saturday, June 20, 2026, 9day)Venue: Estadio BBVA, Monterrey, Mexico)Referee: István Kovács (Romania)On TV: FOX Sports 1, Telemundo (USA); BBC One (UK); elsewhereStreaming online: FOX One, Peacock (UUK)Chelsea interest: None

The United States are flying at the World Cup after starting their tournament with back-to-back victories. The co-hosts added to their opening thumping of Paraguay with a dominant performance against Australia in Seattle. Mauricio Pochettino’s side are top of Group D and are through to the knockout stages with a game to spare. Alex Freeman celebrates his goal against Australia (Reuters)Their place in the last-32 as group winners was even secured when Turkey lost 1-0 to Paraguay in the later game.The USA play Turkey next in their final Group D fixture – on Thursday 25 June in Los Angeles – but this will have no bearing on group position and simply see the US aim to continue momentum. USA’s route at World Cup as group winners As winners of Group D, USA will play one of the third-placed teams who advance to the last 32. Their opponent would either come from Group B, Group E, Group F, Group I or Group J. As it stands, that’s set to be Bosnia-Herzegovina – but that is likely to change by the end of the group stages. USA celebrate Alex Freeman’s goal against Australia (Getty)However, what’s locked is in the time and location of the last-32 clash, as the USA head to Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara for their last-32 match on Wednesday 1 July, with kick-off at 5pm local time (1am BST on Thursday 2 July). Levi’s Stadium the home of the San Francisco 49ers, known as the Bay Area Stadium for the purposes of the World Cup. Should the USA progress to the last 16, they would then play either the winner of Group G or another of the third-placed teams who progress to the knockout stages. Group G contains Belgium, Iran, New Zealand and Egypt. If the USA play in that match, they would return to Lumen Field, Seattle on Tuesday 6 July.

Lampard Contract Talks Offer Coventry Crucial Premier League StabilityFrank Lampard and Coventry City Edge Towards New Deal After Promotion GloryCoventry City Contract Talks Carry Premier League WeightFrank Lampard and Coventry City appear to be moving towards something that feels increasingly important, stability.According to BBC, Lampard has held positive talks over a new contract after guiding the Sky Blues back to the Premier League as Championship title winners. His current deal expires at the end of next season, which naturally brings a little tension to a story that should otherwise feel full of optimism.Promotion has changed everything. Lampard arrived in November 2024 with Coventry 17th in the Championship and only two points above the relegation zone. What followed was a sharp, startling transformation. Coventry won 16 of their remaining 29 league games that season, reached the play-offs, then built again.Last season, they went further. Lampard led Coventry to the Championship title, winning 28 matches, the most the club have ever managed in a league campaign, and ending a 25-year wait for top-flight football.Photo: IMAGOLampard’s Stock Rises After Sky Blues RevivalSuccess brings attention. BBC report that Lampard’s work at Coventry has attracted interest from elsewhere, including Fulham. That is hardly surprising. A manager once viewed through the lens of Derby, Chelsea and Everton has now rebuilt his reputation in the Midlands.Speaking after promotion in April, Lampard said: “There’s a lot of work to do because we know the step up it will be for the football club.“That’s something we have to work on quickly now because of where we’re at. We have to be ambitious. I know what the Premier League is and it’s going to be a challenge. We can enjoy the moment for the next two weeks but of course we have to work behind the scenes to ensure we go up in the right way.”That phrase, “go up in the right way”, feels central. Coventry cannot afford sentimentality. They need recruitment, structure, clarity and a manager fully aligned with the board.Premier League Challenge Demands CertaintyFor Coventry, a new deal would be more than reward. It would be protection. Lampard’s name still carries weight, his profile still travels, and his recent success gives him fresh credibility.Yet this feels like the right moment for both parties. Coventry gave Lampard a platform when his managerial reputation needed repairing. Lampard gave Coventry belief when their season looked in danger of drifting.Now comes the harder part. The Premier League is unforgiving, especially for promoted clubs. Momentum helps, but it rarely survives without planning. A contract agreement before the new campaign would send a clear message that Coventry are not arriving merely to participate.They are arriving with a plan.Our View – EPL Index AnalysisFrom a Coventry fan’s point of view, this feels like the conversation that had to happen quickly. Promotion was magical, but the Premier League does not wait for anyone to get organised. Lampard is the manager who took us up, he deserves the chance to lead us into the top flight with proper backing.There is always a fear when another club starts circling. Fulham being linked makes sense because Lampard’s stock has risen, but Coventry supporters will feel this project still has unfinished business. He inherited a struggling team, lifted standards, created belief and then delivered a title-winning season that will live in club history.The concern is not whether Lampard has earned a new deal. He has. The concern is whether Coventry match his ambition. Premier League survival will require smart signings, pace, physicality and experience. We cannot go up thinking last season’s emotion will carry us through.Still, there is something powerful about continuity. Lampard knows the squad, the city now trusts him, and the players clearly respond to him. Getting this deal done before pre-season properly begins would calm everything down.For Coventry fans, this is simple. Reward the manager, back the manager, and give the club the best possible chance of staying where it fought so hard to get.

Real Madrid slap €60 million price tag on former academy star once tipped for Bernabeu returnReal Madrid could be preparing for one of the most surprising transfer moves of the summer, with club president Florentino Perez open to facilitating Nico Paz’s permanent departure despite retaining significant control over the midfielder’s future.According to Defensa Central, Los Blancos are seriously considering a strategy that would see them activate their buyback clause for the Argentine talent before placing him on the market for around €60 million.The development comes amid growing uncertainty surrounding Nico Paz’s future. For months, a return to the Santiago Bernabeu appeared to be the most likely outcome after his impressive campaign at Como. However, recent events have dramatically altered the picture.Nico Paz prefers Como stay despite Real Madrid clauseNico Paz’s rise over the past season has made him one of the most closely watched young midfielders in Europe.Real Madrid are ready to cash in on Nico Paz. (Photo by Marcelo Endelli/Getty Images)After leaving Real Madrid for Como, the Argentine established himself as a key player in Serie A and significantly increased his market value through a series of impressive performances.Despite Real Madrid retaining a buyback option worth €10 million, the player himself does not view a return to Spain as the ideal next step in his career.This is because the arrival of Bernardo Silva has only increased competition for places in Jose Mourinho’s midfield, creating uncertainty over the amount of playing time he would receive if he returned.As a result, the 21-year-old has informed Real Madrid that he would prefer to remain at Como, where he feels his development can continue without the pressure of fighting for minutes in one of Europe’s most competitive squads.However, the final decision may not rest entirely with the player.Why is that?Nico Paz wants to stay at Como. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)According to the report, however, Florentino Perez is prioritising a different outcome.Rather than allowing Nico Paz to remain in Italy, the Real Madrid president is exploring the possibility of turning the midfielder into a significant transfer profit this summer.The plan would be to activate the €10 million buyback clause before the June 30 deadline and then listen to offers in the region of €60 million.Such an operation would generate a substantial return and give Real Madrid complete control over the player’s destination.Right now, nothing is finalised, and a lot depends on the meeting between Real Madrid and Como, which is expected to happen next week.

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 14: Manager Tony Vitello #23 of the San Francisco Giants walks back to the dugout during the game against the Chicago Cubs at Oracle Park on June 14, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Andy Kuno/San Francisco Giants/Getty Images) | Getty Images The San Francisco Giants are embroiled in a scandal completely of their own making. And it just keeps getting worse. The San Francisco Chronicle published a piece on Friday that confirms what I said in my opinion post on Thursday. The players were not forced to wear the Pride hats that members of the team defaced on Pride Night. Nor did they do so out of any semblance of a feeling of being discriminated against. No, no. It was an entirely unforced error. And one that they had, apparently, spent weeks planning. Per the Chronicle’s reporting. And what’s worse is that manager Tony Vitello apparently knew about it the whole time and even helped the players navigate how they would perform their very optional protest. You know, the protest of the thing they weren’t being forced to participate in. The one that they chose to make a “personal” stand on to display their own homophobia, rather than just opting out of wearing the hats and moving on with their lives. And then, you know, complaining about not being able to move on with their lives because they were being forced to face the consequences of their own actions. I guess we should all just accept that they hate us and let them move on. But I’m not interested in doing that. So yes, they spent weeks planning this protest without ever once, seemingly, even taking a single moment to ponder how that would play out among the fanbase that supports them. Really shortsighted work on their part. But what gets me is that Tony Vitello reportedly knew the whole time. Not only did he know, he helped them plan it. You know, the person who should have known better. The person who should have advised against it. The person who most assuredly either informed the ownership group, or neglected to do so which would be even worse. Which means that we can safely assume that the ownership group was aware of the planned protest and through their lack of actions allowed it to proceed. Firing Tony Vitello would be the absolute least that the Giants organization could do to make amends at this point. He is so very clearly in over his head on a human level, that it almost doesn’t even matter how poorly he is doing on a baseball level. And he is also failing at that. So yes, Vitello should absolutely be the first firing from this shameful ordeal. But he should not be the last, and if they do fire him we should not accept his scapegoating as enough. Because the rot starts well above him. As I said on Thursday, it’s time to clean house and Vitello would only be the first move in that. But it would be a meaningful one.

Jun 19, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Los Angeles Angels shortstop Zach Neto (9) celebrates with first baseman Nolan Schanuel (18) after hitting a home run against the Athletics during the fourth inning at Sutter Health Park.The Los Angeles Angels seemed to be on their way to a much-needed, loud victory against the Athletics on Friday night. An offensive barrage after back-to-back low-scoring losses is exactly what they needed — until it didn’t matter when the lead was lost.With 12 outs to go, the Angels held what looked like a comfortable seven-run lead. Their bats were scorching, having hit five home runs as a team. Five decent innings from José Soriano against a red-hot Athletics offense even felt like a positive. But in the end, in all-too-familiar fashion, the Angels found a way to lose the game.The Athletics stormed back to score eight unanswered runs, scoring in each of the final five frames to secure the comeback and win, 12-11. Even on their last breath, the Angels’ bullpen could not prevent a dramatic blown save. With the Athletics down 11-9 with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Jonah Heim stepped to the plate looking to extend the game against Angels’ reliever Sam Bachman. In heroic fashion, he did exactly that, launching a game-tying, two-run homer to knot the game at 11 apiece. After clawing their way back with a hit parade of their own, all momentum owned by the Angels had been halted and lost completely. A shaky relief appearance from Kirby Yates in the 10th led to a walk-off walk by Nick Kurtz, sealing the comeback.It was a deafening way to lose. It was also the first such loss of its kind. The Angels are the first team to lose a game in which they hit five home runs, have a seven-run inning and own a seven-run lead. Ultimately, 11 unanswered runs and numerous bright spots from their offense without Mike Trout was not enough. It spoiled what would have been a big bounce-back win for the Angels, but instead set them back further towards the bottom of the division.After the Athletics jumped out to a 4-0 lead after two innings, Los Angeles got to starter Jeffrey Springs loudly, as he allowed six earned runs in the fourth inning and was unable to get out of the frame. The Angels hit three home runs in the inning off the bats of Denzer Guzman, Jose Siri and Zach Neto. Logan O’Hoppe continued his tear with a three-run shot in the next frame, which was followed by a Nolan Schanuel long ball in the sixth inning for the Angels’ fifth homer of the day.In total, five Angels relievers combined to allow seven earned runs over 4 ⅓ innings in the implosion. What initially seemed like a game full of bright spots instead became an exposure of the Angels’ flaws, many of which they hope to address as they try to salvage the four-game set in Sacramento.

😭 Turkey aren’t alone in despair: another World Cup side is out!The jubilation was boundless when Haiti qualified for a FIFA World Cup for the first time since 1974 in November 2025. The island nation had had to wait a full 54 years for such a moment of success.But after just two matches, Haiti’s North American adventure is already over. Following the 0–3 defeat to Brazil on the night from Friday to Saturday, it is now clear: “Les Grenadiers” no longer have any chance of reaching 3rd place in Group C, which could, under certain circumstances, be enough to qualify for the round of 32. Brazil and Morocco, both on four points, are already uncatchable for the pointless underdogs. Haiti also cannot make up the three-point gap to Scotland, having lost the head-to-head 0–1, and that result takes precedence over goal difference in the event of a tie on points.For a few hours, Haiti was therefore the first team eliminated from the tournament. But in the early hours, Turkey followed them after a 0–1 defeat to Paraguay.That means the remaining clash with the USA (June 26) is now only about pride for the star-studded Turkish side led by Arda Güler and Kenan Yildiz. The same applies to Haiti against Morocco the day before.This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.

Motorsport photoKai Allen has taken Grove Racing and Ford to the top step of the podium at the second Supercars race at Hidden Valley in Darwin.The rising star of Supercars celebrated his 21st birthday a week early when he rose from sixth on the opening lap to pick off the cars in front, including team-mate Matt Payne. Allen managed to track down early leader Cam Waters, who started from pole position in the Tickford Ford Mustang. But Waters, the winner of Friday’s race, had no answer to the leader’s pace, running wide on lap 41, and came home in second place.By the chequered flag Allen had run away, pulling a lead of nearly nine seconds over the final 20 laps of the 70-lap journey. It was his fourth podium finish in five races at the Hidden Valley circuit. Read Also: Supercars Darwin: Cam Waters takes first win of 2026 as Ford sweeps top five “I knew I had something early in the race,” said Allen, who gained early track position with a short fill in his opening pitstop.“Once I got out on those fresh tyres and got past Cam, I knew we could pull away. It was not easy going from fifth but I managed to do it. I could see Cam moving around on Matty, and the boys made the call and I got past.”Over the final laps of the race Waters had to fight hard to hold off Brodie Kostecki. The Dick Johnson Racing Ford driver was feeling the effects of flu for the second day in a row, but his cause was aided somewhat when Payne had to serve a five-second time penalty at his first of two pitstops, after behind adjudged to have crept at the start.Waters admitted that his Mustang did not have the speed to take a second win on the weekend.“I was happy to get another podium, I am happy to maximise what we had then, we still got a trophy when the car was not perfect,” he said. “We have taken a big step forward this weekend.”Kostecki was quite physically distressed after the race, with much hotter conditions than experienced on Friday amplifying the effects of his ongoing ’flu and a failing drinks bottle making things even worse. While he was being treated by medical staff his trophy was accepted on the podium by race engineer George Commins.Completing the Ford sweep of the top five placings was the Triple Eight Mustang of Will Brown. He had to put on an early charge after starting outside the top 10, while team-mate Broc Feeney was better than he had been on Friday, starting sixth and gaining a position on the opening lap. But the blue cars were again not quite as sharp as their Ford rivals and he lost a place to Chaz Mostert with a dozen laps to go.Mostert put in the drive of the race. After running with the leaders he was unlucky to find some power steering fluid (ironically dropped by Walkinshaw TWG team-mate Ryan Wood) and run off the track, dropping from sixth to 14th. From that point he was on a mission, gaining positions lap by lap and eventually restoring that sixth place.Anton De Pasquale was the best of the Chevrolet Camaro drivers in eighth place. The Team 18 driver started a lowly 20th on the grid after finding that he had a lack of grip in Qualifying, but a dogged drive lifted him right onto Feeney’s rear bumper at the end of a tough race.Feeney’s points lead has been further reduced, dropping from 59 pre-race to 36, with Payne second.The Supercars and drivers will return to the track on Sunday for another 70-lap, 200km race.To read more Motorsport.com articles visit our website.

At around 2pm on the delayed 9am train to Boston, two shocked locals were engaged in bemused conversation. The subject, a kilted man presumably in his early 60s, had just returned down the carriage after an hour or so sitting with his new-found friends. “It’s only 2pm! The game isn’t for another seven hours!” one exclaimed. “Those drinks must have had at least five shots in them, and he definitely got through at least three,” came the shocked reply. Boston is no stranger to a British siege, but they didn’t quite expect this. Scotland fans packed into the Boston Stadium for their opening game against Haiti (Reuters)Whether it’s South Koreans in Mexico or Brazilians in New York, social media is awash with videos and photos of fans and locals enjoying their own World Cup parties. And one story that has proved particularly captivating is that of Scotland fans’ takeover of Boston. Scotland were one of few teams who played the first two games of their group stage campaign in the same city, with Steve Clarke’s side narrowly losing to Morocco in Boston on Friday, just six days after beating Haiti. With fans arriving a few days ahead of their opener on 13 June, some had a week or so to make Boston a home away from home. They got to work quickly. Scotland fans brought a unique atmosphere to the city ahead of their first World Cup game in 28 years (Getty)Scots were dotted all around the city and surrounding areas, and from the North End to Back Bay, locals quickly came to realise that a World Cup party 28 years in the making was not something the visitors would be taking lightly.News that the flagship taproom of Samuel Adams (Boston’s signature beer) ran dry will come as no surprise, with a representative telling the BBC that “the Tartan Army drank four times as much Boston Lager as we run through on a typical four-day holiday stretch like 4th of July”.The fact the opening game against Haiti fell on a Saturday meant that locals and visitors alike had ample time to party, and it made for a jovial, boisterous Beantown atmosphere. “I love the Scots, they brought their charm,” said a manager at a bar outside Quincy Market. “It’s so genuine and heartfelt, they just want to come here, support their team, eat, drink and be merry!”Scotland fans with bagpipes marched to Fenway Park ahead of Sunday’s game (Reuters)Nowhere was this more apparent than at Fenway Park last Sunday. A day after beating Haiti, thousands of Scottish fans marched to the stadium ahead of the Red Sox’s game against the Texas Rangers, and they carried their now-famous atmosphere into another Boston institution. An impromptu rendition of the Scottish national anthem was louder than the pre-planned American one, and from John McGinn chants to ‘Yes Sir, I Can Boogie’, the visitors made good on the ‘No Scotland, No Party’ slogan. The consensus from locals was that this great stadium had probably never seen anything quite like it. A local news anchor said that she had “never experienced an environment like that at Fenway or anywhere else”, and the injection of energy was so appreciated by the Red Sox that they announced a free beer for all Scotland fans for the games in the following week. Get your tickets and complimentary drink at tonight's @RedSox game at @fenwaypark ⚾️📲 Full details are available on the Official Scotland App: https://t.co/th1UGulSay#FIFAWorldCuppic.twitter.com/uj6E01Lb4h— Scotland National Team (@ScotlandNT) June 17, 2026Fans at Fenway said they’d never been to a Red Sox game with this kind of atmosphere. Others went further. “I’ve never seen the city more lively,” a local quipped. “I think you’ve come to see Boston for the best week in about 20 years!”Local news was infatuated with the Scots too, with stations running several segments on the Scots’ various adventures and interactions with locals. There were certainly glowing reviews, though the city played its own part in a party for the ages too. Bostonians certainly held up their end of the bargain, combining a warm welcome with plenty of good faith to help lay the platform for one of the feel-good stories of the World Cup. And such was the strength of goodwill and positivity around Boston that the city once referred to as the ‘Hub of the Solar System’ again felt like the centre of the universe, if only for a fleeting week in June. Scotland’s loss to Morocco leaves their hopes of qualification in the balance (Getty)As they bid farewell to Boston, Scotland’s win over Haiti and the loss to Morocco means that Clarke’s side are still in with a chance of extending their stay in North America into the knockout rounds. Miami will be next as the Tartan Army hope for a famous result against Brazil, with a draw likely to be enough to secure a place in the last 32. Depending on where they finish in Group C, Scotland could play in Boston once more, returning after making the World Cup knockout rounds for the first time. Beantown has already seen a party for the ages, but the best may be yet to come. And even if their stay only lasts one more game, it’s been a successful campaign both on and off the pitch, for Scotland fans in Boston have embodied exactly what makes the World Cup so special. Scotland fans could be found all around Boston, from Fenway Park to the North End and the suburbs (PA Wire)It only took a week for the world to remember what football – and indeed all sports – are really about. In a world of ticket rip-offs, staged Peace Prizes and visa denials, fans have come together to produce something organic and overwhelmingly positive. Boston now knows that when it comes to a World Cup, only one team can win, but anyone can take part. Indeed, sometimes the game is not about winning. As fans of Scotland, Cape Verde or even the Red Sox would tell you, sometimes it’s just about being there.

Real Madrid veteran likely to lose starting role under Jose Mourinho next seasonAntonio Rudiger’s position at Real Madrid could come under increasing threat next season as a number of developments are influencing the club’s defensive hierarchy ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.According to Mundo Deportivo, the experienced German defender may no longer be guaranteed the prominent role he once enjoyed at the Santiago Bernabeu. While much will ultimately depend on Jose Mourinho’s plans, it is said that several factors are already working against Rudiger as competition for places intensifies.The 33-year-old remains an important figure within the squad, but with new signings, returning players and changing dynamics at both club and international level, the battle for minutes is expected to become tougher for the veteran.Competition growing on multiple fronts for Rudiger Rudiger’s situation has become increasingly complicated in recent months, and one factor is Real Madrid’s ongoing interest in strengthening the centre-back position. Despite already signing Ibrahima Konate on a free transfer from Liverpool, Real Madrid are expected to make more signings to reinforce the defence.Rudiger could lose his starting role. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)Should that materialise, competition in Mourinho’s defensive unit would increase significantly.On the other hand, the German international is also facing challenges away from club football.Within the national team, Rudiger is no longer considered an undisputed starter, as Julian Nagelsmann has turned toJonathan Tah and Nico Schlotterbeck, which has limited Rudiger’s influence.While international selections do not directly affect club football, they often reflect changing perceptions regarding a player’s place among the elite defenders in Europe.Militao and Huijsen add pressure at Real MadridBack at the club level, the competition within Real Madrid could prove even more problematic for Rudiger, who has renewed his contract with Real Madrid.Rudiger is no longer a first choice for Germany. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)This is because Eder Militao is expected to be fully recovered and available from the next season, giving Mourinho another top-level option at the heart of defence. At the same time, Real Madrid remain committed to Dean Huijsen despite the youngster enduring a difficult period after arriving last summer. The club invested heavily in the highly-rated defender and remain convinced that regular playing time is essential to unlocking his full potential.That creates a delicate balancing act, as Mourinho will have to manage the development of younger defenders while also maintaining competitiveness. In such a scenario, veteran players like Rudiger could find themselves facing reduced opportunities.

Celik set to sign Roma renewal, Dybala and Pellegrini nextNow that Tony D’Amico has effectively become Roma’s new sporting director, the Giallorossi expect to close the deal with players whose contracts are expiring very soon. In addition to Stephan El Shaarawy, with whom the club has opted to part ways, the other three players who could have left the club at the end of June will remain at Trigoria. These are Zeki Celik, Lorenzo Pellegrini, and Paulo Dybala. According to La Repubblica, the final details are now in place for the Turkish international’s renewal: the agreement is now set at €2.8 million plus bonuses, with the former Lille player set to receive a small raise over his previous contract.There are different discussions regarding the midfielder and the Argentine star. Both will sign a lower-rated renewal, and especially for the former Juventus player, the contract will include bonuses tied to appearances and performance. La Joya has asked Roma for a €3 million per season contract, with a final agreement still pending with the Friedkins. As for Pellegrini, negotiations are still ongoing: the deal has yet to reach a conclusion, but there is cautious optimism regarding the number 7’s continued presence at Trigoria.

By Rosalba O'Brien NEW YORK, June 20 (Reuters) - Ahead of the World Cup, many international fans were sceptical of the idea of the U.S. as co-hosts for soccer's biggest tournament. There were worries over visa access, high costs, gun violence, a lack of local interest in the sport and more. While those worries have not been entirely ‌dispelled, as the tournament has got under way social media has been flooded with posts from fans visiting the country for the first time and discovering something more positive - ‌a distinctive culture of 24-hour retail, free soda refills, chicken wings dipped in ranch dressing and a warm welcome from Americans. "I met these two gorgeous girls from Boston. It was her birthday, she was having cocktails. I bought her another ​one and they kept saying 'welcome to Boston, Massachusetts!'," said "Tartan Army" Scottish fan Gail Nicholl, in a Boston pub ahead of her team's first game against Haiti. "They loved us, we loved them ... Everyone is so friendly, so nice." "Something new for me is how friendly and outgoing everyone is," said a Swiss fan from Zurich on a Reddit forum replete with praise from visiting tourists. Whether such positive press can restore a reputation battered by an often confrontational government that has proudly proclaimed 'America First' and angered allies including Canada, Britain, Germany and more remains to be seen. But, say sports analytics experts, it can make a real difference. "The front porch ‌of your house is the first thing a visitor experiences before ⁠they ever step inside," said Darin White, founder of Samford University's Sports Industry Program in Alabama and a former soccer coach. "Sports serves that same function for cities, states, and countries. It is often the first meaningful, emotionally charged encounter someone has with a place they might otherwise never have thought much ⁠about." Research has consistently indicated that hosting a major sports event can genuinely shift long-held stereotypes, he added. OFF THE BEATEN PATH What is particularly interesting about the 2026 World Cup is that it is exposing international visitors to places outside those normally frequented by tourists - not just New York, Los Angeles and Orlando, but Kansas City, Atlanta and Houston. In Kansas City, Argentines - for whom eating "asado" barbecue is almost as central to the culture as soccer - ​gathered ​to try the local "dry rub" version of grilled meat. "The Argentinean barbecue is my favourite. But this one is really ​good," said visiting Argentina supporter Cristian Gastes. In Dallas, Germany fan Maximilian Kirch from Duesseldorf ‌also tried barbecue - and showed off his new Texan cowboy hat. "Of course I'm wanting to experience more of it," he said. "There is something distinct about the warmth you encounter when you get off the beaten path," said White. "The fan from Morocco who got help finding their gate in Dallas, or the family from Germany who got directions from a stranger in Seattle, those moments do not make headlines. But they are doing real work on Brand USA." Some of the concerns raised ahead of the tournament still linger. The heat, particularly in places like Miami, is tough on players and fans, and the final is still a month further into summer away. Although soccer's world governing body FIFA says attendance at matches has been strong, high ticket and travel prices have already dissuaded many from ‌making the trip. And visa restrictions or denials have left some fans watching on TV at home. Citizens of four ​participating countries - Iran, Haiti, Ivory Coast and Senegal - have faced partial or total bans on entry to the United States. Iran ​and Haiti both have significant American diasporas to cheer them on - although some feel conflicted ​by that prospect. But Ivory Coast and Senegal have only small U.S. communities. Enter the Americans. "I'm in the bloodiest of the nosebleeds but I hope they can ‌hear me down there on the pitch," said Brooklyn resident Jessica Ambres, wearing ​a Senegal shirt at the France v Senegal match ​this week in New Jersey. She felt a connection to the African diaspora as a Black American, she added. In stadiums across the country, Americans streamed in, not just to support the U.S. or their countries of ancestry, but to cheer on the underdogs and those without significant fan bases. U.S. politicians and business owners hope the warmth will be remembered once the ​final whistle is blown. "I hope that the Tartan Army will keep ‌coming back to Boston," said Boston Mayor Michelle Wu. "Of course, have a wonderful time during the games now, but we'd love to see you any season, any year. ​This is your home." (Reporting by Rosalba O'Brien in New York; additional reporting by Eric Cox in Boston, Sebastian Rocandio and Iain Axon in Kansas City, Malgorzata Wojtunik ​and Manuel Ausloos in Dallas and Amy Tennery in East Rutherford, New Jersey, Editing by Ken Ferris)

Washington Commanders wide receiver Luke McCaffrey appeared to be on the verge of a successful sophomore season in 2025. The 2024 third-round pick took over as Washington's primary kickoff returner earlier in the season, averaging 30 yards per return, which was among the best in the NFL. McCaffrey was progressing as a receiver, too, catching three touchdowns and averaging almost 19 yards per reception before breaking his collarbone in a Week 9 loss against Seattle. McCaffrey caught 11 passes for 203 yards in nine games. While the numbers weren't gaudy, McCaffrey looked much more comfortable than he ever did as a rookie. McCaffrey's injury was one of many suffered by the Commanders in a lost season. Now, McCaffrey is preparing to begin his third NFL season, and he understands this is a critical year. All offseason, the talk has centered around Washington's inability to find a legitimate No. 2 receiver opposite Terry McLaurin. The Commanders tried to land Alec Pierce and Romeo Doubs before bringing back Dyami Brown and signing veteran Van Jefferson. Additionally, Washington spent a third-round pick on Antonio Williams and re-signed Treylon Burks. What about McCaffrey?McCaffrey is back, along with 2024 fourth-round pick Jaylin Lane, but the competition for snaps will be stiff in 2026. While the Commanders continue to be linked to Brandon Aiyuk and Stefon Diggs, there's no doubt the receiver position is much deeper now than it was one year ago. McCaffrey's father, Ed, a 13-year NFL veteran and three-time Super Bowl champion, says Luke knows the challenge in front of him. "I know Luke is working really hard to be the best player he can be," Ed McCaffrey told Kyle Odegard of Casino.org. It’s very competitive and there is a lot of talent on that roster. Luke knows that. He’s the son of an NFL player. His brothers play and coach in the NFL. He knows he has to go out and earn it. No one gives you anything in this league."Ed McCaffrey says his son is doing everything right to earn more playing time in 2026. "I can say he looked in great shape last time I saw him. He looked stronger than a year ago. He looks faster and more explosive. He’s giving himself the best chance to get on the field and compete for the Commanders."The Commanders need McCaffrey. They don't necessarily need him to be McLaurin's equal, but he has solid size and speed, and proved last season he could beat defenders deep. He could compete with Williams for snaps in the slot this summer in training camp. Jayden connects on a deep ball to Luke McCaffrey!WASvsLAC on FOX/FOX Onehttps://t.co/HkKw7uXVntpic.twitter.com/Fzk0ycZbdc— NFL (@NFL) October 5, 2025That play gave everyone a glimpse of McCaffrey's potential. The good news is that Daniels and McCaffrey are fully healthy now and working together throughout this offseason. Washington hopes that the offseason work translates into a successful 2026. This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington Commanders: Ed McCaffrey sees big things for Luke in 2026

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JUNE 19: Alex Freeman, #16 of the United States celebrates after scoring a goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group D match between USA and Australia at Seattle Stadium on June 19, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by John Todd/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images) | ISI Photos via Getty Images USMNT excitement is building at World Cup 2026 after another eye-catching performance from Mauricio Pochettino’s side on Day 9 of the tournament. Two goals were enough to see off Australia and make it two wins out of two on a fun afternoon in Seattle.Time to check out all the goalscoring action…Impressive USA into the knockoutsThe tournament co-hosts impressed with another high-energy start to the game and were rewarded with the opening goal after just 11 minutes. Balogun continued his impressive form at the tournament by bursting down the left, beating his man and sending in a cross for Ricardo Pepi that was diverted past his own goalkeeper by Australia defender Cameron Burgess.1-0! GOOOOAL FOR USA! 🇺🇸Flo Balogun charges in and the @USMNT finds the back of the net on the own goal pic.twitter.com/GdivDaeNt9— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) June 19, 2026Pochettino’s side continued to dominate the first half and were rewarded just before half-time with a second goal. A clever free-kick was cut back to Sergino Dest on the edge of the penalty area to let fly with a shot. His effort was blocked but Alex Freeman managed to head home the loose ball. The goal was originally flagged for offside but given after a VAR check, sparking wild celebrations on the pitch and around the stadium.ALEX FREEMAN MAKES IT 2-0 AMERICA! 🇺🇸The goal is confirmed for the @USMNT after a VAR check! pic.twitter.com/jTGJxaXk52— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) June 19, 2026The win means that the USMNT are safely through to the knockout stages after securing consecutive wins at a World Cup for the first time since 1930. Later results also ensured they will progress as group winners.Gone in 70 secondsMorocco took just 70 seconds to score against Scotland in a dramatic start to the game in Boston. Ismael Saibari lashed home an eye-catching shot from inside the penalty area after some sloppy defending from Steve Clarke’s side. MOROCCO 2ND MINUTE GOAL! 🇲🇦Ismael Saibari wasted NO TIME on this beauty pic.twitter.com/Rwa4VvxbmD— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 19, 2026The fastest goal of World Cup 2026 so far (but not for long, we’ll get to that) ended up being the only goal of the game, as Scotland struggled to create chances. The defeat means the Tartan Army’s hopes of qualification are now in the balance, ahead of their final group game against Brazil.Cunha at the double as Brazil send Haiti homeBrazil picked up their first win of the finals by cruising past Haiti. Manchester United Matheus Cunha came into the team in place of Igor Thiago and opened the scoring when defender Hannes Delcroix kicked the ball off him and it spun into the net.Cunha may have been fortunate with his first goal but there was nothing lucky about his second. Vinicius Jr played his team-mate through and the Manchester United man hammered a strike into the top corner at the near post.Cunha SMASHED this one near post 🇧🇷 pic.twitter.com/mRLCEScaI8— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) June 20, 2026Vinicius Jr then scored his second of the tournament after fine work from Lucas Paqueta in stoppage time at the end of the first half. The Real Madrid superstar ran onto a ball over the top and kept his composure to slot home.2ND GOAL OF THE TOURNAMENT FOR VINI JR.! 🇧🇷Brazil is dominating in this first half pic.twitter.com/upiOQH52g2— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) June 20, 2026The results on Day 9 are enough to confirm Haiti are the first team to be eliminated from the World Cup as they are now guaranteed to finish bottom of Group C.Turkiye crash out after Paraguay defeatTurkiye then became the second team to crash out of the tournament following a 1-0 defeat to Paraguay. Matias Galarza scored the winner after just 64 seconds, making sure to outdo Morocco, with a low strike from range that flew into the back of the net.PARAGUAY STARTING OFF HOT! 🇵🇾Matías Galarza scores early in the 2nd minute! 🤯 pic.twitter.com/2a0HHacGen— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 20, 2026Turkiye went on to dominate and managed 32 attempts on goal but could not find a way back in to the game even after Miguel Almiron became the first player sent off at World Cup 2026 for covering his mouth while speaking to an opponent. Plenty of goals but which was your favorite? Have your say in our poll, as we cover every goal, goof and everything in between throughout the World Cup!

Mexico could choose to rest players against the Czech Republic with top spot secured [Getty Images]There has been a subtle change in the way Fifa is determining league tables for the 2026 World Cup - and it might have a huge impact on the final group matches.For the first time at a World Cup, Fifa is using head-to-head records instead of group goal difference as the primary tiebreaker for teams level on points.And the change is already being felt, with Haiti and Turkey both going out of the World Cup despite only being three points behind the team in third.Co-hosts Mexico and the United States, meanwhile, are guaranteed to top their groups with a game to spare.Until 1966, goal ratio was used to separate teams - this involved dividing a team's goals scored by goals conceded. In 1970, Fifa moved to goal difference - until now.It brings Fifa in line with Uefa, which has always given priority to the results between teams.The logic is that assessing the direct performance of two teams is fairer, because it removes freak results - such as Germany's 7-1 win over Curacao.Others say that taking overall goal difference is better as that compares the total record in the group.Fifa first introduced the new system at last year's Club World Cup, where Flamengo won Group D ahead of eventual tournament winners Chelsea after two matches.Here's how it changes things at this World Cup.How the rule change is making an impact alreadyThere are two main knock-on effects.The first is a greater chance of teams not only advancing but winning the group before matchday three. The other is that teams can be eliminated after two matches - this would not be possible if goal difference was used first.Under the old format, a team would need to be four points clear of second to secure top spot after two games.That was rare because it required the other two fixtures of the first two rounds in the group to both be draws.Now it is possible to be three points clear and have first place in the bag.It can happen in a few ways. It requires either two draws, or first place to have beaten the team(s) on three points.We have already seen it in Group A and Group D.Mexico won their first two games and sit on six points - three points clear of South Korea, with the Czech Republic and South Africa on one point.As Mexico have already beaten South Korea they cannot be overtaken if both countries end on six points. So Mexico have won the group.They know they will play a last-32 tie in Mexico City against a third-placed team.The same applies to the United States, who are three points ahead of Australia and Paraguay but have beaten both teamsThus, the US have won the group and will head to Santa Clara to play a third-placed team.There's a knock-on effect, too.Mexico effectively have nothing to play for when they meet the Czech Republic next Wednesday, and could opt to rest players. And that creates an imbalance the Czech Republic could benefit from, though they can only qualify automatically if South Korea lose to South Africa.But in a tournament where the best third-placed teams go through, it could be important. The system is also used at the European Championship, where the best third-placed teams advance.It also impacts the other end of the table.Haiti, three points behind Scotland, are out because they lost to Steve Clarke's men.Similarly, Turkey are bottom and three points behind Australia and Paraguay. As they lost to both of those countries they are eliminated.It means that Turkey v United States in Inglewood on Wednesday is a dead rubber for both teams.Who else could win their group on matchday two?For top spot to be determined after round two, a few things need to be considered:The top team must win both their gamesThe two other fixtures must have draws, ORFirst place must have beaten the team or teams on three points Groups B and C will go to the final day.GROUP EGermany win the group with a victory over Ivory Coast if Ecuador do not win against Curacao.Ivory Coast will seal top spot with a win if Curacao do not beat Ecuador.GROUP FSweden will qualify as group winners if they beat the Netherlands and Japan do not win against Tunisia.GROUP GNo team can seal top spot on matchday two.GROUP HNo team can seal top spot on matchday two.GROUP INo team can seal top spot on matchday two.GROUP JArgentina take top spot with a win over Austria as long as Jordan do not beat Algeria.Austria can do so with a victory if Algeria do not win against Jordan.GROUP KColombia will seal first place if they beat DR Congo and Portugal do not win against Uzbekistan.GROUP LEngland win the group with a victory over Ghana if Panama do not win against Croatia.Ghana will be group winners with a victory if Croatia do not beat Panama.Stick or twist? Rashford and Guehi are Tuchel's big dilemmasA heavily jeered $250m goldmine - are hydration break ads here to stay?Who's the Bos? - meet 2026 World Cup's fastest playerWhat are all the tiebreakers?When teams are level on points, this is the order used to separate them:Head-to-head points between the teams in question. If there are three teams involved, a mini-league is created removing the results against the fourth teamHead-to-head goal differenceHead-to-head goals scoredGroup goal differenceGroup goals scoredFair play (yellow card -1, red card for two cautions -3, straight red card -4, yellow then straight red -5)Fifa world rankingBetter position in progressively older Fifa world rankingPlay BBC Sport's new World Cup predictor gameWorld Cup fixtures and group standingsHow to watch the World Cup on the BBCEverything you need to know about the World Cup

HACKENSACK — A street near Hackensack High School will be renamed in honor of Gordon “Scooter” Whiting, the beloved former Hackensack coach and athletic director who died in May.The City Council voted Tuesday, June 16, to rename the intersection of Beech and Second streets as Gordon “Scooter” Whiting Way. The decision was met with applause from a packed council chambers filled with family, friends and former students.“This is a well-deserved honor for the Whiting family. Scooter was a thoughtful, caring man who deeply loved Hackensack,” Mayor Caseen Gaines said. “He believed in this city, he believed in its people, and he always believed our shared future could be better if we worked together toward it, as a community.”Story continues below photo gallery.Whiting died at age 58 on May 15, just two days after the city Board of Education had accepted his retirement.He was a lifelong Hackensack resident and a legendary figure in the city's athletics community going back decades. In the 1980s, he was a star football player for the Comets, earning All-State and All-League honors as a linebacker and defensive lineman before graduating from Hackensack High School in 1986.Whiting attended North Carolina State on a football scholarship, and then transferred to Wagner, where he was part of the school's 1987 Division III national championship team.After college, Whiting became the head coach at Dwight Morrow High School in Englewood in 1994 and worked there for three years before returning to his hometown as an assistant football coach in 1997. He was the head basketball coach when he took over as head football coach in 2006.After two seasons as the Comets' head football coach, Whiting served as an assistant to Benjie Wimberly from 2012 to 2020. He became athletic director in 2021. Beyond his work in athletics, Whiting was also a teacher and an assistant principal in the Hackensack School District.Dr. Joy Dorsey-Whiting, Whiting’s wife and principal of Hackensack Middle School, said she was overcome with emotion when Gaines announced plans for the street renaming at the funeral services. Whiting was a “proud Comet” and loved the Hackensack community he grew up in and spent decades serving, she said.“My husband was a humble man. He was a man of few words, but he lived loudly,” she said. “He lived for us as a family. He lived loudly for the children of Hackensack. He loved this city.”On June 17, scholarships were given to two Hackensack athletes from the Gordon “Scooter” Whiting “Once a Comet, Always a Comet” Memorial Fund, a scholarship fund his family had set up shortly after his death.“We know so many people who want to do something. Flowers die, but money can have a lasting impact and he was such a staunch believer in paying it forward,” Joy Dorsey-Whiting told The Record and NorthJersey.com in May. “We just feel like this is a way that will enable my husband’s light to shine.”The couple would have celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary on June 30. They have two children: Curtis, who recently graduated from Sacred Heart, where he played football, and Camille, a sophomore at Hampton.While he was the district’s athletic director, Whiting volunteered to coach the flag football team, forgoing extra pay so he could coach Camille.An official dedication ceremony of the street will be held in the fall, planned to coincide with the start of the football season. The location was chosen because it overlooks Hackensack High School's gymnasium and athletic fields, where Whiting coached countless students over his decades-long career, officials said.This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Hackensack street to be renamed for late Coach 'Scooter' Whiting

New Zealand batter Henry Nicholls marked his return to the Test side with an unbeaten century as the visitors tightened their grip on the second Test against England at The Oval on Friday.Recalled to the squad after Kane Williamson's retirement, Nicholls remained unbeaten on 119 at stumps as New Zealand reached 252/3 in their second innings. With a first-innings lead of 100 runs, the visitors ended day three with an overall lead of 352 runs and seven wickets still in hand.Earlier in the day, New Zealand secured that advantage by bowling England out for 291 just before lunch.Nicholls and Rachin Ravindra then rebuilt the innings after early setbacks. Ravindra scored 76 before being dismissed, while the pair added 161 runs for the fourth wicket from 201 balls. It is New Zealand's highest partnership at The Oval.The visitors steadily extended their lead before taking control after tea, leaving England with a difficult task heading into the fourth day.Former England fast bowler Stuart Broad said the match was becoming a major challenge for stand-in captain Joe Root.Root is leading the side in place of Ben Stokes, who was left out following the nightclub incident after the first Test.England's bowling attack has little Test experience. Sonny Baker is making his debut, Matt Fisher is playing only his second Test and first in four years, while Josh Tongue is appearing in his 11th Test. Jofra Archer, playing his 19th Test, is the most experienced member of the pace attack.The lack of experience extends beyond the bowling unit. Wicketkeeper James Rew and batter Jordan Cox are also making their debuts, while opener Emilio Gay is only playing his third Test.Broad told the Sky Sports Cricket Vodcast: "It has almost been Root's worst nightmare.""He has an inexperienced bowling group, a flat pitch, the sun is out, England are behind in the game and tactically he has no one, particularly, to lean on.""They have looked starved of tactical ideas. It's not just up to the captain to decide what to do but the lack of experience in the England side has been overshadowed by a bit of game nous from New Zealand."New Zealand now have a strong chance to level the series at 1-1 and force a decider at Trent Bridge from June 25.However, they will remain cautious after England chased down targets in all three Tests during New Zealand's previous tour in 2022.With seven wickets in hand, the visitors will look to stretch their lead further before asking England to attempt one of the biggest fourth-innings chases in Test history.England's highest successful run chase at The Oval remains 263 against Australia in 1902, while their highest successful chase in Test cricket is 378/3 against India at Edgbaston in 2022.

World Cup: Ancelotti’s Brazil bounce back but Montella and Turkey are already eliminatedCarlo Ancelotti’s Brazil secured a 3-0 win over Haiti in the second group stage game of the World Cup, but Vincenzo Montella’s Turkey lost 1-0 to Paraguay and faced elimination.It’s been a night of mixed feelings for Italian coaches at the World Cup, with one, Montella, knocked out after just two rounds.His Turkey side lost 1-0 to Paraguay despite playing the entire second half a man down. The South Americans took the lead in the second minute through Matias Galarza. Serie A stars Hakan Calhanoglu and Kenan Yildiz played the full 90 minutes but were unable to turn the game around.World Cup: Montella’s Turkey eliminatedTurkey already lost the opening round 2-0 to Australia, so their second consecutive loss means they are now eliminated.“It’s truly incredible; we put down two high-level performances, making 65 shots towards the goal without being able to score. We didn’t concede much, but even that little was capitalised,” Montella said via Gazzetta.“Sincerely, something like that had never happened to me in 35 years of football. It is clear that, in these two matches, fate was not on our side. However, it cannot be said that the spirit, the soul or the will to fight was lacking. The team gave it their all until the last second. We tried every way, but it didn’t go.“I feel very sorry for the Turkish people, who had great expectations and great ambitions. I feel sorry for the Federation and the president, who have always been close to us and supported us at all times. And I’m especially sorry for the footballers, because they left everything on the pitch.”While Turkey have already faced elimination from Group D, Ancelotti’s Brazil secure a comfortable 3-0 win over Haiti, scoring all three goals in the first half.Matheus Cunha scored the opening two goals, with Vini Jr. netting the third for Brazil, his second at the 2026 World Cup.“I think that for this game Matheus Cunha’s position was a good one to create problems for the defence. He also filtered passes very well and moved into position really well. He can be an option. I don’t want a clear identity, because in the next game we may change,” Ancelotti said at full-time.EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – JUNE 13: Carlo Ancelotti, Head Coach of Brazil, reacts after the 1-1 draw during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group C match between Brazil and Morocco at New York New Jersey Stadium on June 13, 2026 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)“He came into the World Cup well, in excellent condition. We don’t expect it to be Vinícius’s World Cup; we expect it to be Brazil’s World Cup.“We moved Vini a little more inside, leaving the wide play more to Douglas Santos, who did very well. Vini is dangerous not only one-on-one, but also when attacking in behind. Attacking in behind through the centre of the pitch is more dangerous — he scored a goal and provided an assist.“We were much better in the first half, with more effectiveness up front. In the second half we had more control. We had many opportunities; we could have scored more goals. Overall it was a good game.”In the other Group C game last night, Morocco beat Scotland 1-0, so Brazil and Morocco are now the group leaders with four points, followed by Scotland with three and Haiti with none.

Panama vs Croatia Prediction: World Cup 2026 Preview & Best BetsPanama vs Croatia | Group L, Matchday 13 | Tuesday 23 June 2026, 19:00 local (23:00 BST) | BMO Field, Toronto, CanadaLive on BBC / iPlayer in the UKGroup L standings after Matchday 1:1. England — P1 W1 D0 L0 GD +2 Pts 32. Ghana — P1 W1 D0 L0 GD +1 Pts 33. Panama — P1 W0 D0 L1 GD -1 Pts 04. Croatia — P1 W0 D0 L1 GD -2 Pts 0Parimatch5.0Welcome BonusSports Welcome Offer Bet and Get for a £20 Free Bet BET NOWWhat’s at StakeBoth Panama and Croatia head into Matchday 2 with zero points after opening defeats, which transforms this fixture into something close to a knockout match. A defeat for either side would leave them needing a miracle combination of results on the final matchday; a win, by contrast, keeps realistic qualification hopes alive. With England and Ghana each claiming three points on Matchday 1, any side that loses in Toronto will almost certainly need to win and rely on favours elsewhere, making this one of the most consequential Group L games of the round.VerdictCroatia carry far greater World Cup pedigree into this fixture and, despite their opening loss to England, possess the quality to overcome a Panama side still searching for its first-ever World Cup point. Croatia to win at 4/7 is the headline selection, with the gap in squad depth and tournament experience between these two sides justifying backing the Croatians even at relatively short odds.Panama vs Croatia Match PreviewPanama are appearing at only their second World Cup, having exited at the group stage in 2018 without a point. Their defeat to Ghana in the opener, while disappointing, was narrow (0-1), and Thomas Christiansen’s side showed some defensive resilience before running out of ideas in attack. Captain Aníbal Godoy anchors a workmanlike midfield, but Panama’s attacking options are limited against quality European opposition, and they are yet to score a goal at this tournament.Croatia arrive at BMO Field in a very different kind of pressure. Zlatko Dalic’s side have been to the final in 2018 and claimed third place in 2022, so a group-stage exit would be a significant underperformance. Their 2-4 defeat to England on Matchday 1 was alarming in how open they were, yet they did manage two goals, suggesting there is still attacking intent in this squad even if the defensive shape remains unreliable. For a team containing Luka Modric, Mateo Kovacic, Ivan Perisic, and Andrej Kramaric, this is very much a match they should be capable of winning.The contest hinges on whether Panama can frustrate Croatia’s midfield engine long enough to stay in the game, or whether Dalic’s side find their rhythm quickly. Croatia’s qualifying campaign, which produced seven wins and one draw from eight matches, underlines that they are capable of efficient, controlled performances, even if their Matchday 1 display suggested some vulnerability at the back. Panama will look to stay compact and hit on the counter, as they did during a CONCACAF qualifying run of five wins and three draws without a defeat.Team FormPanama — last five results:Ghana (N): Lost 0-1 (FIFA World Cup)Bosnia and Herzegovina (N): Drew 1-1 (Friendly)Dominican Republic (H): Won 4-2 (Friendly)Brazil (A): Lost 2-6 (Friendly)South Africa (A): Won 2-1 (Friendly) Panama’s pre-tournament friendlies offered a mixed picture. The 4-2 win over Dominican Republic was encouraging, though the opposition was modest. A 2-6 thrashing by Brazil laid bare the gulf that can exist between Panama and top-level opposition, and the narrow 0-1 defeat to Ghana in their World Cup opener continued a pattern of battling but ultimately falling short against better-organised teams.Croatia — last five results:England (A): Lost 2-4 (FIFA World Cup)Slovenia (H): Won 2-1 (Friendly)Belgium (H): Lost 0-2 (Friendly)Brazil (N): Lost 1-3 (Friendly)Colombia (N): Won 2-1 (Friendly) Croatia’s recent form is inconsistent: wins over Slovenia and Colombia sandwiched defeats to Belgium and Brazil before the World Cup. The 2-4 loss to England on Matchday 1 was Croatia’s heaviest defeat in the group stage for some time, but it came against a strong England side. Dalic will demand a response against Panama, and the underlying quality of this squad suggests they are capable of delivering one.Team NewsPanama head coach Thomas Christiansen has a settled squad available. Ismael Diaz, the team’s most prolific recent scorer, is the key creative threat from midfield alongside Jose Luis Rodriguez and Adalberto Carrasquilla. Veteran midfielder Alberto Quintero and captain Godoy provide experience and leadership, and Christiansen is expected to stick with a defensive-minded shape after a disciplined if goalless performance against Ghana. Jose Fajardo and Cecilio Waterman are the primary attacking outlets, though Panama remain without a World Cup goal in 2026 so far.Croatia have no new injury concerns reported following the England match, though Dalic is likely to assess his defensive options after conceding four goals. Dominik Livakovic is expected to retain his place in goal. The experienced core of Modric, Kovacic, and Perisic is expected to start, with Andrej Kramaric leading the attack. Martin Baturina and Petar Musa both scored against England, so Dalic may be reluctant to change a forward line that showed goal threat despite the defeat. Josko Gvardiol at left back remains one of Croatia’s most reliable defensive figures.Predicted LineupsPredicted XI (4-4-2): Mejia; Murillo, Escobar, Cordoba, Harvey; Barcenas, Godoy (c), Carrasquilla, Diaz; Fajardo, WatermanPredicted XI – squads to be confirmed.Predicted XI (4-3-3): Livakovic; Stanisic, Caleta-Car, Gvardiol, Sutalo; Kovacic, Modric (c), M. Pasalic; Baturina, Kramaric, PerisicPredicted XI – squads to be confirmed.Key Tactical MatchupThe contest that is most likely to decide the result is Luka Modric and Mateo Kovacic against Panama’s midfield block of Aníbal Godoy and Adalberto Carrasquilla. Croatia’s central midfield pair bring an enormous amount of quality and experience at this level: Modric has 198 caps and 29 international goals, while Kovacic has 113 caps and offers relentless energy. Panama’s midfield worked hard to stay compact against Ghana, but Croatia’s technical quality in tight spaces is on a different level. If Modric and Kovacic are allowed to dictate tempo, Croatia should control possession and create the openings that their forward line needs to end Panama’s resistance.Best BetsBetfred5.0Welcome BonusBet and Get New Bettor Bonus of £50 in Free Bets BET NOWHighbet 4.9Welcome BonusBet £10 and Get a £20 Free Bet BET NOWParimatch4.8Welcome BonusSports Welcome Offer Bet and Get for a £20 Free Bet BET NOWMain Pick: Croatia to Win — 4/7 Croatia’s squad quality, World Cup experience, and motivation after a damaging opening loss make them clear favourites here. Panama are yet to score at this tournament and face a Croatian side that boasts some of the most experienced players in the competition. Even at short odds, Croatia to win is the most evidence-backed selection in this match.Goals Market: Under 2.5 Goals — 10/11 Panama are defensively organised and have conceded just once in this tournament. Croatia may dominate possession but, given the compressed defensive shape Panama will deploy, this could be a tight affair with goals at a premium. Under 2.5 goals is available at near-even money and represents a reasonable play if Croatia struggle to break down a stubborn Panamanian backline.Scorer Market: Andrej Kramaric Anytime Scorer Kramaric is Croatia’s most clinical forward with 36 international goals from 116 caps, and leads Croatia’s recent scoring charts. He is the most reliable goal threat in Dalic’s squad and should feature prominently against a Panama side that has shown defensive fragility at times during qualifying. His record makes him the standout pick in the scorer markets.Odds Across OperatorsThe following are the best available prices across leading operators at the time of writing.Panama Win — 6/1Draw — 3/1Croatia Win — 4/7 Over 2.5 Goals — 11/10Under 2.5 Goals — 10/11 How to Watch + How to BetHow to WatchPanama vs Croatia kicks off at 19:00 local time (23:00 BST) on Tuesday 23 June 2026 at BMO Field in Toronto, Canada. UK viewers can watch live on BBC / iPlayer. The match is also available via ITV in the UK, and internationally across CTV and TSN in Canada, Fox and Telemundo in the USA, and NOS in the Netherlands.How to BetTo get the best available price on Panama vs Croatia, follow these steps:Compare odds across leading operators to find the best available price on your chosen market.Check whether an enhanced odds or welcome offer applies to this fixture.Select your market: match result, goals line, or a scorer bet.Review the bet slip carefully before confirming your stake.Consider a bet builder combining match result with a goals market for a combined return.For an accumulator, combine Croatia to win with other Group L results on the same night.Set a budget for this fixture before placing any bets.Check kick-off time and confirm your bet is settled before the match begins.Responsible GamblingGambling should be enjoyed as entertainment, never as a means to make money. If you or someone you know is experiencing difficulties related to gambling, free and confidential support is available. In the UK, contact BeGambleAware or call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 (available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week). You can also visit GamCare for further guidance and support. Please bet responsibly and within your means.

Colombia vs DR Congo Prediction: World Cup 2026 Preview & Best BetsColombia vs DR Congo — World Cup 2026, Group KDate: Tuesday, 23 June 2026Kick-off: 20:00 local (UTC-6) | 02:00 BST (Wednesday)Venue: Estadio Akron, Guadalajara (Zapopan), MexicoStage: Group K, Matchday 2Where to watch Colombia vs DR Congo: ITV / BBC (UK)Betfred5.0Welcome BonusBet and Get New Bettor Bonus of £50 in Free Bets BET NOWWhat’s at StakeColombia sit top of Group K after a 3-1 win over Uzbekistan on Matchday 1, and three points here would put them on the verge of the last 16 with a game to spare. DR Congo, who held Portugal to a 1-1 draw, arrive on one point and know that a defeat could leave their knockout hopes reliant on the final matchday. With Portugal also on one point, the group remains wide open heading into this crucial second round of fixtures, and the Colombia vs DR Congo betting odds reflect a significant gap in expectation between the sides.VerdictColombia are the clear favourites at 8/15 and have the firepower, organisation, and tournament momentum to justify that price against a DR Congo side appearing at their first World Cup in over 50 years. A Colombia win to nil has genuine appeal given their defensive record in qualifying, though backing Colombia on the match result at 8/15 represents the most straightforward Colombia vs DR Congo prediction for a side that has already shown clinical edge at this tournament.Colombia vs DR Congo Match PreviewColombia arrive at Estadio Akron in confident form. Néstor Lorenzo’s side put three past Uzbekistan in their opener, with Luis Díaz, Daniel Muñoz, and Jaminton Campaz all getting on the scoresheet. That win maintained the momentum built through a strong qualifying campaign, and the return from Qatar 2022 exile has so far been handled with composure by a squad blending experience and energy across every line.DR Congo’s story is the more remarkable narrative. The Central African nation is back at the World Cup for the first time since 1974, when they competed as Zaire and exited at the group stage. That 52-year absence makes every minute on this stage historic, and the 1-1 draw with Portugal on Matchday 1, secured through Yoane Wissa’s goal, demonstrated they will not be passive participants. Chancel Mbemba leads a defensively disciplined squad capable of absorbing pressure and hitting on the counter.The game is likely to be decided by whether Colombia can break down a compact DR Congo block early enough to control proceedings. If the Leopards manage the first half well and stay within a goal, the final 20 minutes could become unpredictable. Colombia’s attacking depth, led by Díaz and James Rodríguez, should prove the difference, but DR Congo’s resilience means this may not be the comfortable evening some expect.Team FormColombia — last five results – Uzbekistan (N): Won 3-1 (World Cup) – Jordan (N): Won 2-0 (Friendly) – Costa Rica (H): Won 3-1 (Friendly) – France (N): Lost 1-3 (Friendly) – Croatia (N): Lost 1-2 (Friendly) Colombia’s three-match winning run coming into this fixture was built against progressively testing opposition. The friendly losses to France and Croatia were pre-tournament preparation against elite sides, and neither result has dampened confidence. The 3-1 victory over Uzbekistan in the World Cup opener confirmed that Lorenzo’s side carry a goal threat from multiple positions.DR Congo — last five results – Portugal (N): Drew 1-1 (World Cup) – Chile (N): Lost 1-2 (Friendly) – Denmark (N): Drew 0-0 (Friendly) – Jamaica (N): Won 1-0 (World Cup qualifying) – Bermuda (N): Won 2-0 (Friendly) DR Congo’s recent form shows a team that concedes sparingly but also finds goals hard to come by. The 0-0 against Denmark and 1-0 over Jamaica are representative of a side that defends first, and the Portugal draw underlined their capacity to stay organised against far more fancied opponents. The Colombia vs DR Congo head to head has no prior meetings to reference, making recent form the only reliable form guide available.Colombia vs DR Congo Head to HeadColombia and DR Congo have never met in an official international fixture. This is the first encounter between the two nations, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the match as both sets of coaches prepare without any historical data to reference. The absence of prior meetings makes form, squad quality, and tactical approach the primary tools for any Colombia vs DR Congo prediction.Team NewsColombia have no significant injury concerns reported heading into this fixture. The squad that began the tournament is fully available, and Néstor Lorenzo is expected to name a consistent XI after the confident 3-1 victory over Uzbekistan. James Rodríguez, operating in the number ten role at 34, remains central to how Colombia construct attacks, with Luis Díaz providing the most consistent direct threat from the left flank. Camilo Vargas is expected to continue in goal.DR Congo’s squad is similarly intact. Cédric Bakambu, the most experienced attacking option with 21 goals across 70 caps, leads the forward line alongside Yoane Wissa of Newcastle United, who scored against Portugal. Chancel Mbemba, the captain and most-capped player in the squad with 109 international appearances, anchors the defence alongside Dylan Batubinsika. Aaron Wan-Bissaka of West Ham United provides options at right back.Predicted LineupsColombia Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Vargas; Muñoz, Davinson Sánchez, Jhon Lucumí, Johan Mojica; Jefferson Lerma, Richard Ríos; Jhon Arias, James Rodríguez (c), Luis Díaz; Jhon CórdobaPredicted XI — squads to be confirmed.DR Congo Predicted XI (4-4-2): Lionel Mpasi; Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Chancel Mbemba (c), Axel Tuanzebe, Arthur Masuaku; Théo Bongonda, Charles Pickel, Samuel Moutoussamy, Meschak Elia; Cédric Bakambu, Yoane WissaPredicted XI — squads to be confirmed.Key Tactical MatchupThe central contest is likely to be Luis Díaz against the DR Congo right side, where Aaron Wan-Bissaka will be tasked with containing a player who has 22 international goals from 74 caps and scored in Colombia’s opener. Díaz’s directness and ability to cut inside from the left creates problems that a back four sitting deep will struggle to manage over 90 minutes. DR Congo will look to funnel him towards Chancel Mbemba in the middle, but if Díaz and Jhon Arias operate in combination, the spaces behind a high press will open quickly.Best BetsBetfred5.0Welcome BonusBet and Get New Bettor Bonus of £50 in Free Bets BET NOWHighbet 4.9Welcome BonusBet £10 and Get a £20 Free Bet BET NOWParimatch4.8Welcome BonusSports Welcome Offer Bet and Get for a £20 Free Bet BET NOWMain Pick: Colombia to Win — 8/15 Colombia are the stronger, more cohesive side at every position. They won 3-1 on Matchday 1, have experienced players across the pitch, and face opponents making their modern World Cup debut. The 8/15 is not a generous price, but it reflects genuine probability. DR Congo’s defensive organisation is real, though Colombia’s creative depth through Rodríguez, Díaz, and Jhon Arias should be enough to find a winning margin.Goals Market: Under 2.5 Goals — 4/6 DR Congo shipped just five goals in nine qualifying matches, winning seven of them with some narrow margins. Their compact structure, displayed again in the 1-1 against Portugal, makes a low-scoring contest a real possibility. The 4/6 available for under 2.5 goals is consistent with a game where Colombia are expected to win but may not run riot against a disciplined low block.Scorer Market: Luis Díaz to Score Anytime Díaz already has one goal in this tournament, and his overall output of 22 international goals underlines his reliability in front of goal. Playing against a side without a Premier League-level left back, he will receive quality service from Rodríguez in behind him. He is Colombia’s primary threat and the most logical anytime scorer pick in this fixture.Bet Builder: Colombia to Win and Under 3.5 Goals Combining a Colombia victory with under 3.5 goals accounts for DR Congo’s defensive solidity while backing the likely outcome. A 1-0 or 2-0 Colombia win fits comfortably within that range and aligns with the pattern of both sides’ recent performances.Odds Across OperatorsThe following Colombia vs DR Congo betting odds are sourced from leading operators and reflect the best available prices at time of writing.Colombia Win — 8/15Draw — 10/3DR Congo Win — 13/2Over 2.5 Goals — 5/4Under 2.5 Goals — 4/6 The 13/2 for a DR Congo win reflects how widely the market views the gap between the sides, though their draw with Portugal on Matchday 1 suggests they are capable of a result when set up correctly. The draw at 10/3 is not without value if you expect DR Congo to frustrate, though Colombia’s firepower makes that difficult to sustain for a full 90 minutes.How to Watch and How to BetHow to Watch Colombia vs DR CongoColombia vs DR Congo is available to watch live in the UK on ITV and BBC, with free-to-air coverage of this Group K fixture confirmed. Kick-off is at 02:00 BST in the early hours of Wednesday, 24 June 2026, at Estadio Akron in Guadalajara (Zapopan), Mexico. Streaming options are available through ITVX for viewers who cannot access broadcast television at that hour.How to Bet on Colombia vs DR CongoFor those looking to place a wager on the Colombia vs DR Congo odds, here is a straightforward guide to getting on.Choose a licensed UK betting operator regulated by the Gambling Commission.Create or log in to your account and complete any identity verification required.Navigate to the football section and search for World Cup 2026, Group K.Select Colombia vs DR Congo from the Matchday 2 fixtures.Choose your market — match result, goals, anytime scorer, or bet builder.Enter your stake and review your potential returns before confirming.For accumulators or Colombia vs DR Congo acca options, combine this selection with other World Cup fixtures to build a multi.Check that the bet builder tool is available on your chosen platform if selecting the Colombia to Win and Under 3.5 Goals combination.Responsible GamblingBetting should always be approached as entertainment, not a source of income. Set a deposit limit before you start and never chase losses. If you are concerned about your gambling behaviour or that of someone you know, free confidential support is available through the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 (free, 24 hours), via BeGambleAware.org, or through GamCare. Please gamble responsibly.

Jamie Carragher makes early Premier League title race predictionLiverpool Backed to Challenge Under Andoni IraolaJamie Carragher has made clear that Liverpool cannot afford to treat Andoni Iraola’s arrival as the start of some long, patient rebuild.After finishing fifth last season, 25 points behind champions Arsenal, Liverpool enter 2026/27 with plenty to prove. Arne Slot’s first campaign brought the Premier League title, but the collapse that followed was sharp enough to cost him his job on May 30 2026.Now Iraola has arrived, and Carragher believes expectations must rise immediately.“Them days are gone from when I played when managers came in and it was like a four or five year project to try and win the league or come close to winning the league,” the pundit told Sky Sports when asked if he expects Liverpool to challenge for the Premier League title.Iraola Must Deliver QuicklyCarragher’s point is rooted in modern football reality. Elite clubs no longer get four seasons to find themselves. Liverpool have resources, pedigree and enough quality in the squad to demand a rapid response.“Them days are gone and I said that when Arne Slot came in, you know, Jurgen Klopp’s team finished third, you’ve got to go for the league and he won the league, and it’s the same with Iraola.“Liverpool finished fifth last season, nowhere near good enough,” Carragher added.That is the key phrase. Nowhere near good enough. Not unlucky. Not transitional. Not merely underwhelming. Liverpool’s drop-off was too severe for soft excuses, especially after winning the league the year before.Summer Spending Could Shape Title HopesCarragher is not tipping Liverpool to win the Premier League immediately, but he does expect them to be in the conversation.“So, I’m not expecting Liverpool to win the league next season, but we are Liverpool, we’re going to spend big in the summer, we’ve got a lot of great players and yeah, we’re gonna challenge.”That feels like the sensible middle ground. Iraola is walking into a squad that needs work, particularly in defence, with right-back and centre-back obvious areas to address. Yet Liverpool are not starting from scratch.There are still elite-level players at Anfield. There is still a strong recruitment department. There is still a fanbase that expects ambition, not managed decline.Newcastle Opener Will Test LiverpoolThe fixture list gives Iraola no gentle introduction, with Newcastle away on the opening weekend. That will be an early measure of whether Liverpool have rediscovered structure, intensity and belief.Iraola’s Bournemouth sides were aggressive, energetic and brave. At Liverpool, those qualities will need to be allied with control, consistency and the ability to manage expectation.Carragher’s message is blunt because it has to be. Liverpool cannot spend a year admiring the idea of a project. The Premier League moves too quickly for that.The title may be a stretch in Iraola’s first season, but a serious challenge should be the baseline.

Arsenal winger rejected but deal expectedArsenal’s first bid for Leicester City’s Jeremy Monga has been rejected, but the expectation is that the two clubs will ultimately reach an agreement.Photo by Michael Regan/Getty ImagesSam Wallace reports for The Telegraph that Arsenal’s initial bid to sign Jeremy Monga from Leicester City has been rejected, with the Gunners placing the offer on Thursday.Wallace writes that Leicester will ultimately be forced to sell Monga, given their relegation to League One and their need to remain complaint with EFL cost controls.As a result, it’s expected that the two clubs will eventually reach an agreement on a fee. But they haven’t reached that agreement just yet.Photo by Jess Hornby/Getty ImagesWallace adds that Monga may still need a loan to get him ready to compete for first-team football at Arsenal. The plan is reportedly for the winger to do a full pre-season with Arsenal, and then for Mikel Arteta and the club to make a decision.Fabrizio Romano had broken the news of Arsenal’s first bid for Monga on Thursday, reporting that the deal is now moving quickly, with optimism that they can get it done.The journalist reiterated his previous reports that Arsenal view Monga and Christos Tzolis as market opportunities and extra options, with Morgan Rogers of Aston Villa remaining the club’s primary target on the wingers. At 16 years old, Monga is one for the long term.Photo by Cameron Howard/Getty ImagesArsenal’s first bid being rejected is obviously a setback, but hopefully the deal will still go through in the end.Monga made 10 starts for Leicester in all competitions in 2025/26, scoring one goal and assisting two more. He’s also an England u19 international, making 10 appearances for the side this season and playing alongside Dowman on a couple of occasions.Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images

Panama vs Croatia Prediction: World Cup 2026 Preview & Best BetsBoth sides are staring down the barrel after Matchday 1 defeats, meaning this Group L clash in Toronto is already a must-win fixture for one of European football’s most decorated sides and a Concacaf nation desperate to prove their 2018 World Cup debut was no fluke…Match: Panama vs CroatiaDate: Tuesday, 23 June 2026Kick-off: 19:00 local time (23:00 BST)Venue: BMO Field, Toronto, CanadaStage: FIFA World Cup 2026 – Group L, Matchday 2TV/Streaming (UK): BBC / iPlayer POPULARBest World Cup 2026 Welcome Bonus 10 EXCEPTIONAL HighbetHighbetBet £10 and Get a £20 Free bet BET NOWWhat’s at StakeWith England top of Group L on three points and Ghana a point behind them after Matchday 1, both Panama and Croatia find themselves rooted to the bottom with zero points and must-win pressure already bearing down. A defeat here for either side would leave their World Cup 2026 last-16 hopes hanging by a thread, while a win keeps the door ajar ahead of a final group-stage match. Panama need their first competitive World Cup victory to have any hope of progressing; Croatia, a side that reached the final in 2018 and claimed third place in 2022, cannot afford to slip further behind in the group.VerdictCroatia to win is the call here, with the best available price of 4/7 reflecting a side that, despite their opening loss to England, carry vastly superior technical quality and World Cup pedigree over a Panama side that failed to score against Ghana. At 4/7, the price still represents fair value given the gulf in class and Croatia’s absolute need for three points in Toronto.Panama vs Croatia Match PreviewThis is a World Cup 2026 fixture born from desperation on both sides, but the pressure weighs differently. For Croatia, a side managed by Zlatko Dalić who oversaw their runners-up finish in Russia and their bronze medal in Qatar, losing this game could spell the end of their latest campaign within six days. Their 4-2 defeat to England on Matchday 1 was chastening, but they did score twice and showed attacking intent, suggesting the firepower is there when the result demands it.Panama, under Thomas Christiansen, are contesting only their second-ever World Cup. They earned their place by winning their qualifying group in the CONCACAF third round, going unbeaten across eight matches, but the step up to competitive World Cup football has already been stark. A 1-0 defeat to Ghana left them without a goal and sitting third in the group. Christiansen’s possession-based identity gives Panama a footballing framework, but converting that into goals at this level is the critical question.The stylistic contrast is significant. Croatia’s midfield, anchored by Luka Modrić and supported by the likes of Mateo Kovačić and Mario Pašalić, is built around control and creativity. Panama’s strength lies in their defensive organisation and transition play, with Aníbal Godoy providing experience and discipline in the middle of the park. If Croatia can establish midfield dominance early, they have the individual quality in forward areas, through Andrej Kramarić, Ivan Perišić and Nikola Vlašić, to punish a Panama side that needs to score to stay alive.Team FormPanama – Last 5 Matches– Ghana (A): Lost 0-1 (FIFA World Cup)– Bosnia And Herzegovina (N): Drew 1-1 (Friendly)– Dominican Republic (H): Won 4-2 (Friendly)– Brazil (A): Lost 2-6 (Friendly)– South Africa (A): Won 2-1 (Friendly)Panama’s form coming into the World Cup 2026 was mixed at best. The 6-2 friendly thrashing by Brazil exposed clear defensive frailties against elite opposition, and that vulnerability was confirmed in their tournament opener against Ghana, where they failed to register a single goal. Their 4-2 win over Dominican Republic flatters the record slightly, given the opposition level. Christiansen will need his forwards, José Fajardo and Cecilio Waterman in particular, to find a way through against a far sterner European backline.Croatia – Last 5 Matches– England (A): Lost 2-4 (FIFA World Cup)– Slovenia (H): Won 2-1 (Friendly)– Belgium (H): Lost 0-2 (Friendly)– Brazil (N): Lost 1-3 (Friendly)– Colombia (N): Won 2-1 (Friendly)Croatia’s pre-tournament friendlies raised some eyebrows, with defeats to Belgium and Brazil suggesting a side that can be vulnerable when opponents press with intensity. However, the 2-4 loss to England still saw Croatia net twice, and their qualifying campaign was dominant: seven wins and a draw from eight matches, scoring 26 goals and conceding only four. That underlying quality is what makes them strong favourites here against a Panama side that has yet to score in this tournament.Panama vs Croatia Head to HeadPanama and Croatia have no recorded competitive head-to-head meetings, making this fixture a first between the two nations at the World Cup level. There is no historical data to draw on in terms of results or patterns, which only adds to the intrigue. What history does tell us is that Croatia have the tournament pedigree, having appeared at multiple World Cups and reaching the podium twice in recent editions, while Panama are still building their record at this stage. This meeting in Toronto is, for all practical purposes, a fresh chapter for both.Team NewsPanama’s squad is built around experienced campaigners. Michael Amir Murillo brings European club experience from Beşiktaş at right-back, while veteran midfielder Aníbal Godoy, with extensive MLS experience at San Diego FC, provides the leadership spine in midfield. Yoel Bárcenas adds dynamism in wide areas, and the forward line features José Fajardo and Cecilio Waterman as the primary goal threats. Ismael Díaz has been in productive form in the recent scoring charts and could be key to unlocking Croatia’s defence.Croatia’s squad depth is considerably greater. Goalkeeper Dominik Livaković, who was outstanding in the 2022 World Cup knockout rounds, provides a solid last line of defence. In midfield, the combination of Luka Modrić, Mateo Kovačić and Mario Pašalić gives Croatia outstanding technical quality and experience. Up front, Andrej Kramarić has been the standout scorer in recent form, while Ivan Perišić brings World Cup experience and the hunger of a player who knows this may be a final chance to add to his legacy on the biggest stage. There are no confirmed suspensions or significant injuries reported for either side ahead of this fixture.One area of note for Croatia is the balance between their experienced core and emerging younger talents such as Luka Sučić, Martin Baturina and Petar Sučić, with both Baturina and Petar Musa having already scored in this World Cup campaign. Dalić may look to use the urgency of this fixture to get the best out of both the veterans and the next generation at the same time.Predicted LineupsPanama (4-4-2): Mejía; Murillo, Escobar, Miller, Harvey; Bárcenas, Godoy (c), Carrasquilla, Díaz; Fajardo, WatermanPredicted XI: squads to be confirmed ahead of kick-off.Croatia (4-3-3): Livaković; Stanišić, Šutalo, Gvardiol, Erlić; Kovačić (c), Modrić, Pašalić; Vlašić, Kramarić, PerišićPredicted XI: squads to be confirmed ahead of kick-off.Key Tactical MatchupThe central battle that is likely to define this match is Croatia’s midfield control against Panama’s defensive structure. Luka Modrić and Mateo Kovačić, both of whom play at Manchester City and Milan respectively at club level, give Croatia the ability to dictate the tempo and pick passes into the channels. If Aníbal Godoy, Panama’s midfield anchor with 159 caps, is forced to chase the ball rather than set the defensive shape, Croatia will find the space to thread Kramarić and Perišić into dangerous positions. Panama’s best chance of causing an upset lies in winning the ball high up the pitch and using the pace of Ismael Díaz to hit Croatia on the counter, but sustaining that against a side with Croatia’s technical quality across 90 minutes will be a significant ask.Best Bets POPULARBest World Cup 2026 Welcome Bonus 10 EXCEPTIONAL BetfredBetfredBet and Get New Bettor Bonus of £50 in Free Bets BET NOW 9.9 EXCEPTIONAL HighbetHighbetBet £10 and Get a £20 Free bet BET NOW 9.8 EXCEPTIONAL ParimatchParimatchSports Welcome Offer Bet and Get for a £20 Free Bet BET NOWMain Pick: Croatia to Win @ 4/7Croatia are the class act in this fixture and simply cannot afford to drop more points if they are to progress. Their qualifying record of seven wins from eight matches, scoring 26 goals, underlines the attacking quality available to Zlatko Dalić, and a Panama side that failed to score against Ghana look vulnerable. The price of 4/7 is short, but the gap in quality and the weight of Croatia’s World Cup experience makes this a selection worth backing.Goals Pick: Over 2.5 Goals @ 11/10Croatia have shown in this tournament that they can score, netting twice against England even in defeat, and their qualifying campaign was free-scoring throughout. Panama, meanwhile, will be forced to attack having gone behind in their opening fixture, which opens up space for Croatia on the counter. With both sides needing goals, the Over 2.5 line at 11/10 looks a compelling Panama vs Croatia betting tip.Scorer Pick: Andrej Kramarić to Score AnytimeKramarić has been Croatia’s most productive forward in recent form, heading the recent scoring charts with seven goals in recent matches. With Panama likely to leave space in behind as they push for a result they desperately need, the Hoffenheim striker looks well placed to add to his tally. Seek the best available price with leading operators on Kramarić anytime scorer.Bet Builder Suggestion: Croatia Win and Over 2.5 GoalsCombining a Croatia win with Over 2.5 Goals offers a stronger return than taking either leg individually and reflects what the form and context of this fixture points towards. Panama’s inability to keep the ball and Croatia’s attacking depth across the front line make a multi-goal Croatian victory the most likely outcome here. This Panama vs Croatia bet builder combination is one of the picks that looks best supported by the evidence.Odds Across OperatorsHere are the best available Panama vs Croatia betting odds from leading operators at the time of writing.Odds are subject to change and were correct at the time of publication. Always check for the best available price before placing your bets.How to Watch and How to BetHow to WatchPanama vs Croatia is live and free-to-air in the United Kingdom on BBC and available to stream via BBC iPlayer. Kick-off is at 23:00 BST on Tuesday, 23 June 2026, from BMO Field in Toronto, Canada. No subscription is required for UK viewers.How to BetIf you are looking to back our Panama vs Croatia picks, here is a straightforward guide to placing your bets responsibly with a leading operator.Choose a licensed and regulated betting operator available in your region.Register for an account or log in if you already have one.Navigate to the football or World Cup 2026 section of the sportsbook.Search for Panama vs Croatia in the match listings.Select your preferred market, such as match result, Over 2.5 Goals, or anytime scorer.Enter your stake and review your bet slip carefully before confirming.Check the best available price across operators to maximise value.Confirm your bet and follow the match live on BBC or BBC iPlayer.Responsible GamblingBetting should always be enjoyable and within your means. Set a deposit limit, take regular breaks, and never chase losses. If you are concerned about your gambling, free and confidential support is available at BeGambleAware. You can also contact the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. [morestories category=8]

Scotland hopeful despite narrow defeat by Morocco as Brazil awaitCan Steve Clarke's side make it through to knockout phase?Poll: Are Scotland good enough to progress?Turkey and Arder Guler out of World Cup after loss to Paraguay as Almiron sent off for covering mouthFriday's results: Turkey 0-1 Paraguay; Brazil 3-0 Haiti; Scotland 0-1 Morocco; USA 2-0 AustraliaWatch video highlights hereTry BBC Sport's World Cup 3D ExperienceBuild-up to Saturday's games, including Netherlands v Sweden and Germany v Ivory Coast World Cup: Defeat for Scotland but can they still reach knockout phase?

Ronaldinho: Brazilian legend signs with Serie C side RavennaBrazilian legend Ronaldinho, 46, has signed with Italian Serie C side Ravenna, but it’s still unclear whether he’ll actually play a competitive match in Italy’s third division.Former Milan and Barcelona striker Ronaldinho has signed a contract with Italian Serie C side Ravenna.Gazzetta reports that the 46-year-old will be unveiled at a special event in Miami on June 23.Ronaldinho signs with Italian club at 46: ‘Same smile’“New colours, same smile,” Ronaldinho said.“I can’t wait to be able to dance on the ball again to write a new story together with Ignazio and the whole Cipriani family. Football has always been a source of joy for me, I want to bring the same spirit to Ravenna.”Ravenna’s owner Ignazio Cipriani added: “I spent 24 years of my life in the United States, but I still consider Ravenna my home. Acquiring Ronaldinho is something absolutely extraordinary for the club; he was my idol, and his impact on football goes beyond what he did on the pitch.”Ravenna will play the 2026-27 campaign in Italy’s third division under head coach Andrea Mandorlini, who also has Serie A experience in the dug-out.CARACAS, VENEZUELA – JUNE 6: Former Brazilian football star Ronaldinho takes part in an exhibition match as part of the Liga Monumental tournament on June 6, 2026 in Caracas, Venezuela. Hundreds of children and teenagers attended the event in the Mesuca sector of Petare, one of Venezuela’s largest informal settlements. (Photo by Jesus Vargas/Getty Images)It’s still unclear, however, whether Ronaldinho will actually play a competitive match in Serie C.The club’s vice-president, Ariedo Braida, a former Milan sporting director who already signed Ronaldinho at Milan in 2008, told Nicolò Schira (via Corriere Romagna): “Ronaldinho will do a marketing event with us but will not play for Ravenna in Serie C next season. Also because he’s 46, I wish he could still play.“Dinho was a phenomenon and was a wonderful player. I’ve had a wonderful relationship with him since his time at Milan, but he won’t play in Serie C with us.”CAGLIARI, ITALY – JANUARY 06: AC Milan Sporting Director, Ariedo Braida during the Serie A match between Cagliari and Milan at Stadio Sant’Elia on January 6, 2011 in Cagliari, Italy. (Photo by Enrico Locci/Getty Images)Braida, however, later gave another interview to ANSA, refusing to rule out the possibility that Ronaldinho will actually play in Italy’s third division: “Ronaldinho is a timeless champion. He has signed with Ravenna and, for a club like ours, it’s an extraordinary coup,” he said.“Over the next few days, there will be an event to unveil this extraordinary character. Will he play? We’ll see, but it’s not ruled out. As I already said, he is a timeless champion.”BARI, ITALY – NOVEMBER 07: Ronaldinho (L) and Alexandre Pato of Milan after the Serie A match between Bari and Milan at Stadio San Nicola on November 7, 2010 in Bari, Italy. (Photo by Maurizio Lagana/Getty Images)Ronaldinho made his last competitive appearance with Fluminense in 2015, over ten years ago. A former PSG, Barcelona and Milan star, the ex-Brazil international scored 26 goals in 95 appearances with Milan, where he played for two and a half years, from the summer of 2008 until January 2011.Ronaldinho won the Champions League with Barcelona and the 2002 World Cup with the Brazil national team.

Adam Azim beat Steve Claggett to move closer to a world title shot [Getty Images]2026 scheduleThe BBC is not responsible for any changes to dates and fixtures.20 JuneSouthampton, EnglandRyan Garner v Michael Magnesi (super-featherweight) - live on DAZN24 JuneBrisbane, AustraliaLewis Crocker (c) v Liam Paro (IBF welterweight world title) - live on DAZN27 JuneBrooklyn, USAXander Zayas (c) v Jaron Ennis (WBO & WBA light-middleweight world titles) - live on DAZN4 JulyOhio, USAAbdullah Mason (c) v Joe Cordina (WBO lightweight world title) - live on DAZNBruce Carrington (c) v Rene Palacios (WBC featherweight world title)11 July Moscow, RussiaMurat Gassiev (c) v Tony Yoka (WBA 'regular' heavyweight world title)Joe Joyce v Artem Suslenkov20 JulyTokyo, JapanShokichi Iwata (c) v Erik Badillo (WBO light-flyweight world title)Kenshiro Teraji v Israel Gonzalez (WBO super-flyweight world title)25 JulyRiyadh, Saudi ArabiaAnthony Joshua v Kristian Prenga (heavyweight) - live on DAZN PPV26 JulySyndey, Australia Errol Spence Jr v Tim Tszyu (middleweight) - live on Amazon Prime1 AugustDublin, IrelandPierce O'Leary v Mark Chamberlain (light-welterweight) - live on DAZNLas Vegas, USALamont Roach v William Zepeda (WBC lightweight world title)Raymond Muratalla v Robson Conceicao (IBF lightweight world title) 8 AugustFlorida, USACherneka Johnson (c) v Dina Thorslund (WBO, WBC, WBA & IBF bantamweight world titles) - live on Sky SportsDesley Robinson v Tamm Thibeault (WBO & IBF middleweight world titles)Leeds, EnglandTroy Williamson (c) v Callum Simpson (British & Commonwealth super-middleweight titles) - live on DAZN29 AugustBirmingham, EnglandMikaela Mayer (c) v Chantelle Cameron (c) (WBO, WBC & WBA light-middleweight world titles) - live on DAZNCaroline Dubois (c) v Amelia Moore (WBC & WBO lightweight world titles)London, EnglandMoses Itauma v Filip Hrgovic (heavyweight) - live on DAZN PPV5 SeptemberDublin, IrelandKatie Taylor (c) v Flora Pili (WBO, WBA, IBF & vacant WBC light-welterweight world titles) - live on DAZN12 SeptemberRiyadh, Saudi ArabiaCanelo Alvarez v Christian Mbilli (WBC super-middleweight world title)19 SeptemberLas Vegas, USAFloyd Mayweather v Manny Pacquiao 2 - live on Netflix*(c) denotes defending championWatch every Born to Brawl episodeLISTEN: 5 Live Boxing with Steve Bunce podcast2026 results3 JanuarySan Juan, Puerto RicoAmanda Serrano retains world titles in homecoming win (WBA & WBO featherweight world titles)Stephanie Han retains title after beating Holly Holm (WBA lightweight world title)10 JanuaryBrooklyn, USADalton Smith stops Subriel Matias to claim maiden world title away from home (WBC light-welterweight world title)23 JanuaryLas Vegas, USACallum Walsh beats Carlos Ocampo on Zuffa Boxing's opening night (middleweight)24 JanuaryLas Vegas, USARaymond Muratalla retains the world title by beating Andy Cruz on points (IBF lightweight world title)31 JanuaryNewcastle, EnglandJosh Kelly rips world title from Bakhram Murtazaliev (IBF light-middleweight world title)Elif Nur Turhan retains belt with points win over Taylah Gentzen (IBF lightweight world title)London, EnglandFrancesca Hennessy narrowly beats Ellie Bouttell on points (bantamweight)Gradus Kraus stops Boris Crighton in two rounds (light-heavyweight)New York, USAShakur Stevenson outclasses Teofimo Lopez in become four-weight champion (WBO light-welterweight world title)Bruce Carrington knocks out Carlos Castro to claim title (WBC featherweight world title)6 FebruaryGuadalajara, MexicoChristian Medina cruises past Adrian Curiel in points win (WBO bantamweight world title)7 February Liverpool, EnglandNick Ball stopped in 12th round by Brandon Figueroa (WBA featherweight world title) 10 FebruaryMichigan, USACaroline Veyre beat Delfine Persoon on points (WBC super-featherweight world title)21 FebruaryNottingham, EnglandLeigh Wood defeats Josh Warrington on points in rematch (super-featherweight)Sandy Ryan outmuscles Karla Ramos Zamora to become two-weight champion (WBC light-welterweight world title)Las Vegas, USARyan Garcia drops and beats Mario Barrios (WBC welterweight world title)Sonora, MexicoCamila Zamorano, 18, retains world title against Claudia Veronica Ruiz (WBC atomweight world title)22 FebruaryDetroit, USAClaressa Shields beats Franchon Crews-Dezurn on points (undisputed heavyweight world championship)28 FebruaryArizona, USAEmanuel Navarrete defeats Eduardo Nunez to unify division (WBO & IBF super-featherweight world titles)8 MarchLas Vegas, USAJai Opetaia's IBF title in doubt after winning Zuffa belt (cruiserweight)14 March Dublin, IrelandAnthony Cacace defeats James 'Jazza' Dickens to land second world title (WBA super-featherweight world title)California, USAGabriela Fundora stops Viviana Ruiz Corredor in six rounds (undisputed flyweight world championship)Oscar Collazo retains title with sixth-round stoppage of Jesus Haro (WBO minimumweight world title)15 MarchYokohama, JapanShokichi Iwata becomes the new champion after beating Thammanoon Niyomtrong (WBC flyweight world title)Anthony Olascuaga retains title after beating Jukiya Iimura (WBO flyweight world title)20 MarchBelfast, Northern IrelandMick Conlan suffers shock points loss to Kevin Walsh (featherweight)Hamburg, GermanyNina Meinke outpoints Dyana Vargas (IBF featherweight world title)21 MarchLondon, EnglandGeorge Liddard beats Tyler Denny by points to retain titles (British & Commonwealth middleweight titles)28 MarchManchester, EnglandMoses Itauma stops Jermaine Franklin in five rounds (heavyweight)Las Vegas, USASebastian Fundora retains world title by stopping Keith Thurman in the sixth round (WBC light-middleweight world title)3 AprilTokyo, JapanRene Santiago (c) defeats Masataka Taniguchi by unanimous decision (WBO & WBA light-flyweight world titles)4 AprilCardiff, WalesLauren Price defeats Stephanie Pineiro despite suffering bad cut (WBC, IBF & WBA welterweight world titles)Rhys Edwards and Gully Powar fight to draw (British featherweight title)London, EnglandDeontay Wilder beats Derek Chisora on points in wild fight (heavyweight)Viddal Riley outpoints Mateusz Masternak to stay unbeaten (European cruiserweight title)5 AprilLondon, EnglandCaroline Dubois defeats Terri Harper to unify division (WBC & WBO lightweight world titles)Ellie Scotney comes through gruelling test with Mayelli Flores Rosquero to become undisputed (undisputed super-bantamweight world championship)Chantelle Cameron dominates Michaela Kotaskova (WBO light-middleweight world title)Irma Garcia stops Emma Dolan after three knockdowns (IBF super-flyweight world title)9 AprilMontreal, CanadaOsleys Iglesias stopped Pavel Silyagin in the eighth round (IBF super-middleweight world title)11 AprilLondon, EnglandTyson Fury outclasses Arslanbek Makhmudov in comeback bout (heavyweight)Conor Benn beats Regis Prograis over 12 rounds (10st 12lb catchweight)17 AprilGlasgow, ScotlandNathan Collins loses to Cristobal Lorente in WBC eliminator rematch (featherweight)Royston Barney-Smith defeats Conor McIntosh with second round stoppage (British & Commonwealth super-featherweight titles)New York, USAAlycia Baumgardner (c) defeats Bo Mi Re Shin by unanimous decision (WBA, IBF and WBO super-featherweight world titles)Lani Daniels defeats Shadasia Green (c) by ninth round stoppage (IBF & WBO super-middleweight world titles)18 AprilLiverpool, EnglandBritish light-heavyweight Ben Whittaker stops Braian Suarez in Liverpool (light-heavyweight)2 MayTokyo, JapanNaoya Inoue outclasses Junto Nakatani to stay unbeaten (undisputed super-bantamweight world championship) - live on DAZNTakuma Inoue beats Kazuto Ioka on points (WBC bantamweight world title)Las Vegas, USADavid Benavidez stops Gilberto Ramirez to become three-weight world champion (WBO cruiserweight world title)9 MayManchester, EnglandDaniel Dubois survives two knockdowns to stop Fabio Wardley (WBO heavyweight world title)16 MayDoncaster, EnglandDave Allen stopped in three rounds by Filip Hrgovic (heavyweight)23 MayGiza, EgyptOleksandr Usyk stops Rico Verhoeven in 11th round (WBC heavyweight world title)Hamzah Sheeraz destroys Alem Begic in two rounds (WBO super-middleweight world title)Mizuki Hiruta outclasses Mai Soliman on points (WBO super-flyweight world title)29 MayLondon, EnglandSikho Nqothole beat Charlie Edwards on points (super-flyweight) 30 MayLondon, EnglandAdam Azim dominates and stops Steve Claggett in three rounds (light-welterweight) Texas, USAAmanda Serrano equals knockout record by beating Cheyenne Hanson (WBA & WBO featherweight world titles)Stephanie Han beats Holly Holm in rematch to retains title (WBA lightweight world title) Desley Robinson beats Mary Spencer by unanimous decision (IBF & WBO middleweight world titles)Lourdes Juarez outpoints Yokasta Valle (WBC strawweight world title)Yekaterinburg, RussiaRussian Dmitry Bivol drops and outclasses Michael Eifert (IBF, WBO and WBA light-heavyweight world titles)6 JuneBournemouth, EnglandChris Billam-Smith stops Ryan Rozicki in Zuffa Boxing's UK debut (cruiserweight)Aichi, JapanMasamichi Yabuki defeats Rene Calixto by unanimous decision (IBF flyweight world title)Andrew Moloney defeats Willibaldo Garcia by split decision (IBF super-flyweight world title)13 JuneArizona, USAJesse 'Bam' Rodriguez stops Antonio Vargas in sixth round to become a three-weight world champion (WBA bantamweight world title)Florida, USAOshae Jones retains title after split-decision draw with Elia Carranza (IBF light-middleweight world title)Estefany Alegria Osorio beats Evelin Nazarena Bermudez on points to become unified champion (WBO & IBF light-flyweight world titles)Tiara Brown outpoints Hannah Noelle Rapp to retain belt (WBC featherweight world title)Nataly Delgado beats Jasmine Artiga on points to become world champion (WBA super-flyweight world title)2025 boxing results More boxing from the BBC Notifications, social media and more with BBC Sport

The most expensive teenagers in football history as Liverpool prepare improved Diomande bidLiverpool have had an opening offer of €100m (£86.7m) rejected for RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande.Leipzig have turned down the proposal, worth an initial €90m with a further €10m in add-ons, for the Ivorian teenager.Liverpool are expected to return for the Bundesliga breakout talent, and a transfer could take the 19-year-old Diomande into the list of the most expensive teenagers in football history.The expensive teenage transfers in football history5. Joao Neves - Benfica to Paris Saint-Germain (£50.5m)Benfica have raked in a fortune for their academy talents in recent seasons, but Paris Saint-Germain will feel they got a bargain with Neves.The French side signed Neves for an initial £50.5m in 2024 and the midfielder made an immediate impact in Paris. Neves was an integral figure as PSG won a historic Ligue 1, Coupe de France and Champions League treble in his debut campaign, before helping Luis Enrique's side to back-to-back European crowns in 2026.4. Matthijs de Ligt - Ajax to Juventus (£77m)Matthijs de Ligt was named Ajax captain while still a teen and led the Dutch side to a domestic double, alongside a remarkable run to the Champions League semi-finals, in 2018/19.Juventus won the race for his signature, beating Europe's top teams to a deal. De Ligt won the Serie A title in his debut campaign and spent three seasons in Italy, before another high-profile move to Bayern Munich.The Dutch defender added another league title in Germany, but was sold on to Manchester United in 2024.3. Jude Bellingham - Borussia Dortmund to Real Madrid (£88.5m)Jude Bellingham signed for Real Madrid in a deal that could reach £115m including add-ons. The midfielder took the transfer in his stride, with a remarkable first-season impact.Bellingham scored 23 goals from midfield as Real Madrid won a La Liga andChampions League double, earning him La Liga's Player of the Season prize.Things haven't run quite as smoothly since, during a turbulent time at the Bernabeu, but Bellingham remains recognised as one of the world's top talents.2. Joao Felix - Benfica to Atletico Madrid (£113m)Atletico Madrid paid a monumental fee for Joao Felix in 2019, breaking the bank to land the teenager after only one season of senior football.Felix has starred in Portugal, but he struggled to hit those same heights in Madrid. An up-and-down period with Atletico saw the forward score only 34 goals in 131 games and depart on loan for Chelsea and Barcelona.Now 26, Felix is in the Saudi Pro League with Al-Nassr.1. Kylian Mbappe - AS Monaco to Paris Saint-Germain (£166m)A mega-money move and an undoubted hit.Kylian Mbappe's electric emergence in a swashbuckling Monaco team saw Paris Saint-Germain make the French forward the second-most expensive player in history.Mbappe justified his huge fee by becoming PSG’s all-time top goalscorer, netting 256 goals in 308 appearances in all competitions. He was Ligue 1's leading scorer in a record six seasons, and won six league titles and five Player of the Season awards.His time in Paris ended under a cloud, however, as Mbappe departed for Real Madrid on a free transfer in 2024.

Frenkie de Jong (Netherlands) looks on during Group F FIFA World Cup 2026, Netherlands and Japan, Dallas Stadium, Arlington, United States on June 14 2026. (Photo by Ulrik Pedersen/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images Netherlands boss Ronald Koeman says that Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong is a doubt for his team’s World Cup clash with Sweden due to injury.The midfielder played all 90 minutes of the 2-2 draw with Japan but the Netherlands may have to cope without him on Saturday.“But Frenkie also has minor complaints about his physical condition. He also did practice with other players. But let’s see how he will be tomorrow. It is not clear. It is a question mark. I’m not sure, I don’t know. It is below his belly, his injury,” he told reporters.Koeman also revealed how he spoke to De Jong after the opening game about how he needs to improve.“I spoke to Frenkie after the game and I think he is doing a lot things right,” he added.“Tactically he is a very clever player. I’ve also discussed with Frenkie that when we are in the offence, he needs to get out there.“Sometimes he stays too low on the pitch and sometimes he could perform an action forward because then he is really fast. That’s the part where I think for himself and the team he has room for improvement. However, it would be going way too far to say ‘leave him out.’”Barcelona will be hoping it’s only a minor problem for De Jong, particularly after seeing Raphinha and Ronald Araujo struggle with injury at World Cup 2026.

Scotland fans have 'restored faith in men' -Credit:Visionhaus, Visionhaus/Getty ImagesBoston is preparing itself for a baby boom of little Scots in nine months after American women declared their "faith in men has been restored" by the city's wave of celebrating Scotland supporters. The Tartan Army flooded into the Massachusetts capital to witness Scotland's first World Cup appearance in 28 years. And their impact extended far beyond the field. While the squad delivered their part with a 1-0 triumph over Haiti, the supporters were equally busy making waves in the city's nightlife venues.Hundreds of Boston women took to TikTok with clips of themselves drinking, dancing, and partying alongside kilt-wearing Scots. One blonde arranged a date night, encouraging Scots to head to a bar where 100 single American women were waiting to meet them.• Australia fans avoid sky-high World Cup ticket prices for USMNT game via unique program• Thomas Tuchel complaint following England win prompts FIFA World Cup rule changeAnother, who posted a video of herself in a Scotsman's embrace, wrote on the platform: "I may not be happily married but at least I'm single while the Scottish are in town for the World Cup.", reports the Irish Star.A different clip, which received more than 70,000 likes, showed a fan carrying a woman on his back through Boston's streets, captioned: "If he won't, a Scottish man will."Another TikTok user highlighted the "kindness" of the visiting Brits, encouraging American men to pay attention. She said: "If I was a single girly living in Boston right now... you need to go by the bars.Scotland won 1-0 against Haiti"If you don't go you're doing something wrong because you could find a nice Scottish man. They seem very nice. They wanted to pet my dog. So I'm just saying, you should all go."One woman posted on Reddit: "Seeking out some cultural exchange as a group of single ladies in our 30s." Another commented: "Great legs and great accents. The kilt is superior."A third user added: "I got nothing to add except kilts are sexy AF. You all wear them well." Yet another shared she was "loving being surrounded by kilts literally any time I step outside to walk anywhere - bagpipes too - glorious'".Scotland fans have been taking over Boston -Credit:FRANCK FIFE, AFP via Getty ImagesOne more declared: "Oh I'm out on the hunt tonight....will update if I find a Scottish man that whisks me away." Additional posters praised the Scots for 'bringing the vibes' to Boston as World Cup fever gripped the typically understated city.Over 50,000 fans flooded the region, with the vast majority staying throughout the week leading up to Scotland's second fixture against Morocco. Devon Savage, owner of the company operating the local bar Samuel Adams Taproom, disclosed the Scots had "drunk them dry" - driving lager sales to quadruple their normal volume.This is Scotland's first time at the World Cup in 28 years -Credit:Mark Smith/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images"For perspective, from Thursday to Sunday, the Tartan Army drank four times as much Boston Lager as we run through on a typical four-day holiday stretch like July 4," she explained. "We had to schedule an emergency delivery on Saturday morning."We sold over 3,000 pints of lager over the weekend with our teams picking up 70 empty kegs on Monday." Numerous other Boston bars, taverns, and entertainment venues reported record-breaking sales numbers.Despite the staggering levels of alcohol consumed, the Scots were responsible for zero incidents and won over locals with their boisterous, good-humored revelry. They donated $30,000 to local community groups as a token of gratitude to their hosts, which prompted the mayor to forge a sister-city relationship with Glasgow.Following Morocco, the Tartan Army will head to Miami for what promises to be a thrilling final group stage showdown against five-time World Cup champions Brazil.

2026-06-20T08:00:45Z PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — Two roadside bombs in restive northwestern Pakistan killed at least seven people on Saturday, authorities said.The first targeted a vehicle, while the second went off as rescuers responded to the blast in Bannu, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan, senior police official Yasir Afridi said, adding both were controlled remotely.Afridi said five people were killed in the first blast and two in the second. Three people were also wounded, he said. A search operation to find those responsible is underway.No group immediately claimed responsibility, but suspicion is likely to fall on the Pakistani Taliban, who have been blamed for similar attacks in the past.President Asif Ali Zardari strongly condemned the bombings. In a statement, he conveyed condolences to the families of those killed and prayed for the speedy recovery of the wounded. Without naming any group, Zardari issued a warning to “internal and external handlers of terrorism” who provide safe havens, logistical support and financial assistance to militant networks.Pakistan has experienced a surge in militant violence in recent years, much of it claimed by the Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP. The group is separate from, but allied with, Afghanistan’s Taliban, who seized power in Kabul in 2021. Pakistani officials say many TTP leaders and fighters have found sanctuary across the border in Afghanistan. 获取更多RSS：https://feedx.net https://feedx.site