shailender – Texas Weekly Online

‘They gave their best’: Congolese reflect on historic World Cup run

Bunia, Democratic Republic of the Congo – DR Congo’s remarkable World Cup journey may have ended with defeat to England in the last 16, but for many Congolese, the Leopards have rewritten the country’s World Cup story. More than five decades after their only previous World Cup appearance, the Leopards united a country scarred by conflict, disease outbreaks and political uncertainty, mounting a fearless campaign that gave millions of Congolese a rare sense of unity. “It’s rare that I feel proud to be Congolese. During this World Cup, our national team made us proud, as if nothing were wrong. I believe I am witnessing the greatest generation in the history of the DRC,” Héritier Muyisa, a 28-year-old student in Bunia, told Al Jazeera. From Zaire in 1974 The contrast with 1974 could hardly have been sharper. Then playing as Zaire, the Leopards lost all three matches without scoring, suffering heavy defeats to Scotland, Yugoslavia and Brazil. “We were a great nation back then. Losing by such heavy score lines without scoring a single goal felt like a curse,” Lukambila Jacques, 65, who watched the Leopards’ first World Cup campaign, told Al Jazeera. No player embodied the Leopards’ revival more than Yoane Wissa. His three goals made him DR Congo’s first World Cup scorer and the country’s leading scorer in the tournament’s history. His towering header against Portugal ended a 52-year wait for a World Cup goal and convinced many supporters that the Leopards belonged on football’s biggest stage. Advertisement “I didn’t expect young people like them – like us – to make more than 100 million people proud,” Dorcas Mudimo, a 26-year-old resident of Bunia, told Al Jazeera after the defeat to England. “It’s a source of pride for the whole of Central Africa.” Making history The Leopards’ run was built on a series of milestones that steadily transformed hope into belief. The breakthrough against Portugal earned DR Congo a draw and sparked celebrations from Kinshasa and Goma to Bunia. In Bunia, since the start of the World Cup, many fans had been celebrating after every DR Congo match, but the game against England brought many streets to a standstill [Prosper Heri/Al Jazeera] “I thought we’d be content just to qualify for the World Cup. But our players showed we could compete with Portugal, Spain and other major nations,” Manassé Limbaya told Al Jazeera, describing the campaign as “stellar” from the qualifiers onwards. “We beat Cameroon and Nigeria before overcoming Jamaica in the intercontinental playoffs. That’s when we knew this team was capable of something special.” The Leopards drew with Portugal, beat Uzbekistan, and narrowly lost to Colombia before their dream ended against England in the round of 16. “My heart was racing throughout the match against England. They have world-class stars, but I knew we would give them a hard time,” Cephas Agbwabe, a resident of Bunia, told Al Jazeera. Final whistle Every DR Congo match drew packed crowds to Bunia’s viewing centres, where celebrations often spilled into the streets long after the final whistle. Against England, however, the mood shifted. As the match slipped away, the cheers faded. When the final whistle blew, many supporters stood silently, while others quietly walked home in their Leopards shirts, trying to absorb the end of a campaign that had exceeded almost every expectation. Despite ending the Leopards’ dream, England captain Harry Kane acknowledged the challenge posed by the Congolese side. “We spoke before about pounding the rock. That was our motto before the game. We knew there was going to be a tough rock to break down, and they proved it,” Kane said afterwards. DR Congo coach Sebastien Desabre focused less on the result and more on what his players had achieved. Every DR Congo match drew packed crowds to Bunia’s viewing centres, where celebrations often spilled into the streets long after the final whistle [Prosper Heri/Al Jazeera] “It’s true that we’re disappointed, because we believed we could do it,” the Frenchman told reporters. Advertisement “I think we played a good match. In the end, we conceded a few chances. One of the best players in the world scored two goals against us.” Desabre said the defeat reflected fine margins rather than a gulf in quality. “It’s time to give the players credit for what they’ve shown. We were perhaps beaten by a little bit of experience in the closing stages. That’s the nature of football. We learn, and we keep improving.” Pride endures For supporters in Bunia, elimination did little to diminish what the Leopards had achieved. Fifty-two years after leaving their only previous World Cup without a point or a goal, they returned to football’s biggest stage and showed they could compete with some of the world’s most established teams. “It was the first time I’d heard my country’s national anthem at a World Cup finals,” Agbwabe told Al Jazeera. “I hope, one day, I’ll tell my children I witnessed these glorious moments.” Adblock test (Why?)

Who are the rogue bishops defying Pope Leo XIV?

NewsFeed A rebel group of Roman Catholics has ordained its own bishops in direct defiance of Pope Leo XIV and the Vatican order. The Society of Saint Pius crisis has caused fears the Church could rupture. Soraya Lennie breaks it down. Published On 3 Jul 20263 Jul 2026 Click here to share on social media share-nodes Share googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Adblock test (Why?)

Iran warns ships against using unapproved routes in Strait of Hormuz

Military command issues threat a day after Qatari mediators hailed ‘positive progress’ in indirect US-Iranian talks. Published On 3 Jul 20263 Jul 2026 Iran’s military command has threatened ships that attempt to cross the Strait of Hormuz using unapproved routes with a “forceful response,” casting new doubt over trade flows in the critical conduit for global energy supplies. Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters issued the threat on Thursday, a day after Qatari mediators hailed indirect negotiations between US and Iranian officials as making “positive progress” towards a peace deal. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list “Any failure to comply with and depart from the designated route or disregard for the navigation protocols of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the Strait of Hormuz will be met with an immediate and forceful response from the armed forces, and will endanger the security of the offending vessels,” the military command said in a statement carried by the country’s semi-official Tasnim news agency. While Tehran did not specify what prompted the warning, it came after US Central Command (CENTCOM) on Wednesday said it had presided over a security dialogue in Bahrain during which regional leaders expressed their commitment to the “free flow of commerce” in the strait. Iranian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Kazem Gharibabadi hit out at CENTCOM’s statement on Thursday, saying the forum “cannot establish legal order and security for the Persian Gulf”. “The region’s security will be ensured through the end of interventions and the US withdrawal from the area, respect for countries’ sovereignty, and acceptance of new geopolitical realities – not under the military umbrella of America,” Gharibabadi said in a post on X. Advertisement The Strait of Hormuz, which facilitated about one-fifth of the global trade in oil and liquefied natural gas before the US-Israel war on Iran began in late February, has become a major sticking point in Washington and Tehran’s talks aimed at turning their fragile ceasefire into a lasting peace. While Iran agreed to make its “best efforts” to arrange the safe passage of ships in the strait in the memorandum of understanding it signed with the US on June 17, Tehran has repeatedly threatened to attack ships that do not use its preferred route close to the Iranian shoreline. At least 49 attacks on commercial vessels have been recorded in the strait since the start of the war on February 28, according to MarineTraffic. Most of those incidents, including drone attacks on a Singapore-flagged cargo ship and Panama-flagged merchant vessel on Thursday and Saturday, respectively, have been blamed on Tehran. While transits through the waterway have risen since US President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed their MoU on June 17, they remain far below the roughly 130 daily crossings that took place before the conflict. At least 45 vessels crossed the strait on Wednesday, up from 34 on Tuesday, according to MarineTraffic data. After dropping to pre-war levels on Thursday on reports of productive talks in Doha, oil prices largely held steady as markets opened in Asia on Friday. Brent futures for August delivery stood at $72.07 per barrel as of 02:30 GMT, after dropping below $71 for the first time since the war the previous day. Adblock test (Why?)

The Democratic socialists are no longer on the fringe

No one will struggle to keep warm amid an historic heat wave gripping the eastern U.S. But how about keeping “your comrade warm?” No. You’re not back in the USSR. But you might be in the Democratic party. SOCIALISTS SWEEP NYC AS AMERICANS BALK AT MOVEMENT’S BRUTAL CATCH: ‘TALK TO IMMIGRANTS’ “You deserve to make sure that your international comrades are actually working with you and getting the benefits that you that you all deserve,” said Democratic New York House nominee Darializa Avila Chevalier at a union rally in New York City. “Half of the people here are strangers to you all. But now you have comrades,” said Colorado Democratic Congressional nominee Melat Kiros who defeated Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO) Tuesday. “I’ve got to give a shout out to my comrades,” said Missouri Democratic Congressional candidate Hartzell Gray on a podcast interview. To Democratic Socialists, you don’t know how lucky you are. “You have the solidarity of the entire labor movement. And you have my solidarity, too,” said Democratic New York House nominee Claire Valdez. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) didn’t endorse either Avila Chevalier nor Valdez. However, he did congratulate them. Jeffries naturally needs Avila Chavalier, Valdez and Democratic New York House nominee Brad Lander to win. They probably will this fall. But when asked about progressives who prevailed in the New York primary – who he didn’t endorse – Jeffries delivered a nuanced answer. “I will support every single Democratic incumbent in the New York Congressional delegation and beyond,” said Jeffries. CNN resuscitated a set of old tweets from Avila Chevalier. Some praised communism. Others called for more Marxist literature in libraries. Yours truly pressed Jeffries about whether he should call out Avila Chevalier for some of her old social media postings. “Should she apologize or clarify some of these very inflammatory tweets that she sent?” I queried. “That’s a question you’re going to have to ask her,” answered Jeffries. “But as Leader, is that a problem?” I followed up. “I’ve spoken to this issue. I’ve expressed my position as it relates to many of the things that she has said in the past over Twitter. my statement speaks for itself,” answered Jeffries. Then the 29-year-old Melat Kiros whipped 29-year House veteran Diana DeGette in Colorado. Kiros’s victory demonstrated that the Democratic Socialist message didn’t just resonate in the urban canyons of lower Manhattan. But in the Rocky Mountains, too. “What we are fighting for is Medicare for all. Universal child care. Abolishing ICE. And ending the genocide in Gaza,” said Kiros. These are core subjects for the left. “They’re winning on platforms like Medicare for all. Universal health care. Universal childcare. Raising the minimum wage,” said Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA). “These ideas, whether you call it socialism or not, they are very popular across the country.” Progressive influencer Hasan Piker believes victories by these candidates in New York and Colorado are just the beginning. “Progressive politics, left populism. It can work in every district in every state. That’s why I kept saying over and over again, it’s coming to a city near you,” said Piker. But not everyone is on board. “Will Democrats continue to defend crazypants?” asked Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) on Fox. Rep. Greg Landsman (D-OH) is another. He’s a moderate, pro-Israel Democrat in a battleground district in which President Trump carried in 2024. HAKEEM JEFFRIES CONFRONTED ON ‘YOU’RE NEXT’ CHANTS FOLLOWING NY DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST VICTORIES “My folks want really normal folks. Democrats, Republicans, just people who are going to get things done. And so they see this because this is what gets attention,” said Landsman. “I hope the party doesn’t go in that direction. Having a diversity of opinions is one thing. But some of what some of them think is beyond the pale. It’s just outrageous.” Landsman wished Democratic leaders would speak out against controversial candidates and nominees. “The fact that they won’t even call it out, I think is an underlying current within the Democrat Party that they’re scared of their own base,” said Rep. Russell Fry (R-SC). Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-NY) is retiring after 32 years in Congress. She’s not aligned with her likely successor, Claire Valdez. “So what do you make of some of the controversy about your prospective successor? And is that driving a wedge through the party?” yours truly asked Velazquez. “Look, we are celebrating the outcome of this Supreme Court decision that reaffirm the fundamental principle of the Constitution that anyone born in this country is an American citizen,” answered Velazquez, trying to change the subject. “But do you have but did you not see things eye to eye with your prospective successor here?” I followed up. Velazquez sighed. “Look, she won and I wish her well. And I offered myself to sit down with her and discuss the transition. But this is how democracy works,” said Velazquez. Still, other Democrats believe the party can operate under a “big tent” and court voters. “There’s room for conversations about where we go. But we’re not the party of one person or coalition and there’s going to be those discussions about where we move forward,” said Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-FL). Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI) asserted that wins by Democratic Socialists in New York City carried outsized weight. She also said that it was natural for the press corps to capitalize on possible divisions in the party. “I think that you all try to stir it up. Stir up this language. Try to pit people against each other,” said Dingell. I asked Dingell about “controversial things” which Avila Chevalier peddled over the years. “I don’t have to agree with everything that she said. The Republicans are putting kerosene on the fire,” said Dingell. “Didn’t she pour kerosene on it to start with?” I asked. “Look, I wouldn’t have said some of the things that she said. But I don’t vote in New York. They do,” answered Dingell. SOCIALISM GOES WEST AS DSA-BACKED CHALLENGER OUSTS LONGTIME DEMOCRAT Republicans are

Ketan Agarwal murder case: Siya Goyal appears upset in old viral video, says ‘First he cheats on me…’

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Why do monsoon rains claim so many lives in India every year and what’s making them deadlier?

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Ram Mandir donation case: Congress slams PM Modi, says ‘biggest theft happened and you are mum’

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Author: shailender