Zelenskyy seeks NATO support as Russia continues attacks

NewsFeed Overnight Russian strikes on Ukraine’s capital caused major damage at several locations, leaving one person dead. At the NATO summit just hours earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had urged European allies to build a strong anti-ballistic missile defence system. Published On 8 Jul 20268 Jul 2026 Click here to share on social media share-nodes Share googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Adblock test (Why?)
FIFA World Cup: Quarterfinal brackets, match schedule and game previews

Forty teams are already at home, or on their way, leaving just eight in the United States to contend for the ultimate prize in football at the FIFA World Cup 2026. The top four seeds have all made it through – just – but who will remain standing after 100 of this tournament’s 104 matches are complete? Morocco defender Jawad El Yamiq (#18) reacts after losing a semifinal match against France during the 2022 World Cup at Al Bayt Stadium, Doha, Qatar [Yukihito Taguchi/USA TODAY Sports] Atlas Lions seek revenge against France Quarterfinal 1: France v Morocco – Thursday, 20:00 GMT – Boston Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list This will be a hotly-anticipated rematch of the semifinal in Qatar in 2022 when Morocco’s fairytale run was ended by the then defending champions. After topping a group featuring Croatia and Belgium, stunning Spain on penalties in the round of 16 and then overcoming Portugal 1-0 in the quarterfinal, Morocco came into the game full of momentum and confidence but also fatigued and nursing key injuries. It felt like a bonus match at the time, but their uphill task became a mountain to climb when they fell behind after just five minutes. To their credit the Atlas Lions found their feet, enjoying 60% of the possession in the game, winning more corners than the French, having 10 shots at goal and hitting the woodwork, but only one of those efforts was on target and France made the game safe with a crucial second 11 minutes from time. Four years on and things are very different. Only nine of the 2022 squad made this one, just four of the starting eleven which faced France last time started against Canada and Mohamed Ouahbi was installed as head coach in March after the departure of Walid Regragui, who led Morocco in Qatar and to the ill-fated AFCON Final against Senegal earlier this year. Advertisement After edging past the Netherlands on penalties in the round of 32 having grabbed a stoppage-time equaliser in normal time, Morocco made hard work of their last-16 tie against Canada, weathering plenty of first-half pressure and losing star forward Ismael Saibari to injury. However, they showcased their clinical edge in the second half with a well-worked set-piece to break the deadlock before two devastating counterattack goals to seal a 3-0 win. France did struggle against the counter in the first half of their opening match against Senegal, but were not punished, and it has been pretty plain sailing since, sealing a 3-1 win which they followed with victories against Iraq, a much-changed Norway, Sweden in the last 32 and then grinding out a difficult win over Paraguay in the last-16 courtesy of a late penalty. While Soufiane Rahimi deputised ably for Saibari after coming on after 21 minutes against Canada, the Bayern Munich-bound forward scored in each of Morocco’s group games, though he and his side might have had more goals and topped the group. The quartet of Kylian Mbappe, Michael Olise, Ousmane Dembele and either Desire Doue or Bradley Barcola are undoubtedly the best in the world and Morocco’s hopes will lie squarely on their defence and keeper Yassine Bounou standing strong while their forwards take advantage of any opportunities they can create on the break. Spain’s Unai Simon has kept five straight clean sheets to begin the tournament [Kirby Lee/Reuters] Belgium can’t rely on Spanish generosity Quarterfinal 2: Spain v Belgium – Friday, 19:00 GMT – Los Angeles It’s fair to say not many would have expected Belgium to be lining up in the quarterfinals after their opening two group games. The Red Devils came from behind to draw against Egypt before playing out a stalemate with Iran with 10-men and only qualified by thrashing New Zealand, the lowest ranked team in the competition. Belgium were then staring elimination in the face against Senegal, trailing 2-0 with four minutes remaining, only for Romelu Lukaku to take advantage of some slack defending to pull one back and then Youri Tielemans to head an equaliser three minutes later after goalkeeper Mory Diaw missed a cross. Belgium completed the turnaround five minutes from the end of extra time with Tielemans converting from the penalty spot after a contentious VAR decision. They then benefitted from facing an out-of-sorts USA team in the last-16, running-out 4-1 winners amid the distraction of Folarin Balogun’s suspension being overturned by FIFA, and took advantage of more poor defending to make it 12 goals in three games. Advertisement Their luck might be up, however, as they are unlikely to receive the same generosity from FIFA World No 3-ranked Spain, who have yet to concede at this tournament and have six straight World Cup clean-sheets overall – the longest run in history. La Roja have allowed just two shots on target before half-time across their five matches, both coming from Cristian Ronaldo in the cagey 1-0 win over Portugal in the last 16, which Mikel Merino settled with a stoppage-time winner. Red Devils coach Rudi Garcia shuffled his pack against the USA, leaving Jeremy Doku out and Kevin De Bruyne on the bench for the first time in 38 Belgium games, but they will need an awful lot to go right if they are to emulate their fabled 1986 side and oust the European Champions again at this stage. Norway’s forward #09 Erling Braut Haaland celebrates scoring his team’s second goal with teammate midfielder #21 Andreas Schjelderup during the 2026 World Cup round of 16 match against Brazil [AFP] Golden boys face-off in Golden Boot race Quarterfinal 3: Norway v England – Saturday, 21:00 GMT – Miami For the first time in this tournament two of the leading contenders for the Golden Boot race go head-to-head on the same pitch. Norway coach Stale Solbakken denied us that opportunity in the group stage when despite scoring two goals in each of the opening wins over Iraq and Senegal, he left Erling Haaland on the bench against
Man sets wheelchair user in flames with Molotov cocktail

NewsFeed US police have released video showing the moment a man set a wheelchair user on fire with a Molotov cocktail outside Oklahoma’s police headquarters, causing minor injuries to the victim. The suspect was arrested and faces multiple felony charges. Published On 8 Jul 20268 Jul 2026 Click here to share on social media share-nodes Share googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Adblock test (Why?)
KDMC Hospital Violence Explained: Shiv Sena corporator Ramesh Mhatre’s assault on women doctor, nurses; what happened next

The assault against women doctors and nurses at a KDMC hospital in Maharashtra has triggered outrage among the medical fraternity and political circles. Know full details here.
Pune: 16 feared trapped as building collapses in Pimpri Chinchwad amid heavy rain

The building that came down is situated on the premises of legacy waste dumping yard, Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Commissioner Vijay Suryawanshi said. It was being used as an administrative office of a private company processing waste on behalf of the civic body.
Delhi terror plot busted: Pakistan-based ISI handler Shahzad Bhatti behind conspiracy; Know the complete plan

The Delhi Police Special Cell interrogated the six suspected operatives after their arrests and revealed the alleged conspiracy to carry out petrol bomb attacks at key locations in the national capital on the directions of Pakistan-based alleged ISI handler Shahzad Bhatti.
‘Satluj’ pulled out off OTT platform: Who was KPS Gill? ‘Supercop’ of Punjab, one of most controversial IPS officers

KPS Gill, IPS officer and former DGP of Punjab, led Operation Black Thunder and anti-militancy drives in the 1980s-90s. Hailed as a ‘supercop’, he faced human rights allegations.
KDMC hospital assault case: Police arrest Shiv Sena corporator Ramesh Mhatre

The incident had occurred on Monday at the Shastri Nagar Hospital, run by the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) in Dombivli area. Police had registered a case against Mhatre and five others on Tuesday.
NIA conducts pan-India raids over online ISIS-AQIS radicalisation plot

NIA conducted nationwide searches in a case related to an online terror radicalisation conspiracy aimed at establishing an Islamic state in India through violent jihad.
ED freezes Trinamool Congress bank accounts with Rs 440 crore deposits amid money laundering probe

The action has been taken under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The central probe agency has alleged that large-scale suspicious financial transactions were carried out from party funds.