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?)
FIFA condemns fan’s racist attack on IShowSpeed at Argentina World Cup match
An Argenitna supporter told Speed to ‘go cry at the zoo’ on his livestream at the match against Cape Verde in Miami. Published On 8 Jul 20268 Jul 2026 FIFA has condemned the racist abuse hurled at social media influencer IShowSpeed during his livestream at a World Cup match in the United States. Football’s global governing body issued a statement on Tuesday saying it “strongly condemns racism, hate, and discrimination in all forms” after an incident involving the American social media celebrity and a fan at Argentina’s last-32 match against Cabo Verde last week. “FIFA was made aware of an incident involving a supporter and #IShowSpeed at Miami Stadium during the Argentina vs Cabo Verde match on 3 July 2026 and immediately initiated an investigation,” the statement said. Speed, whose real name is Darren Watkins Jr, has attended and streamed several World Cup matches under a deal with FIFA, US-based host broadcaster Fox Sports and YouTube that lets him simulcast official match feeds. During his livestream of Argentina vs Cabo Verde in Miami, Speed turned towards a fan leaning over the railing of her stand to catch his attention. When he asked her what she was saying, the fan apparently told Speed in Spanish to “go cry at the zoo”. The American celebrity boasts a social media following of over 150 million – 57 million subscribers on YouTube, 50 million followers on Instagram, 47 million on TikTok and 4.1 million on X – and is a crowd-puller at World Cup stadiums. Last month, Al Jazeera saw Speed being mobbed by fans at a World Cup match in New Jersey as he exited the stadium, surrounded by security. FIFA said the World Cup was a celebration of “unity, diversity, and respect” and the organisation would not welcome anyone “who acts in a manner that undermines these values”. Advertisement Adblock test (Why?)
Experts warn Trump is playing politics with US intelligence
NewsFeed Former officials warn that Trump’s intelligence overhaul risks politicising national security. Acting Director of National Intelligence Bill Pulte, who replaced Tulsi Gabbard, has already dismissed 19 officers accused of being part of the ‘deep state’. 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?)
IOC eases restrictions on Russian athletes ahead of 2028 games
NewsFeed The International Olympic Committee has lifted some of the restrictions on Russian athletes, allowing them to compete in some team events and qualifying competitions ahead of the Los Angeles games in 2028. But the IOC has kept a ban on Russian flags and its national anthem at all IOC events for now. 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?)
Is NATO at breaking point as it meets in Turkiye?
NATO leaders gather in Ankara to tackle US-Europe tensions, defence gaps and support for Ukraine’s military resilience. The war in Ukraine and the fall out from the Iran conflict are high on the NATO summit’s agenda this week. But well before Secretary General Mark Rutte takes to the stage on Tuesday, NATO’s most powerful individual had already set the tone. “Ridiculous for the U.S.A. to continue along this one sided path when the relationship is not reciprocal,” US President Donald Trump wrote late last week. “They were not there for us!!!” Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list As 32 leaders of the transatlantic body gather in Ankara for their two-day summit starting on Tuesday, the frosty relationship between the military alliance’s members and the United States has emerged as the single biggest challenge overshadowing its future. NATO says the summit will focus on three priorities: increasing defence investment, expanding Europe’s defence industrial base and ensuring long-term military support for Ukraine. The meeting comes after allies pledged last year to spend the equivalent of five percent of GDP on defence, with European allies and Canada increasing defence investment by $139bn in nominal terms in 2025 alone. But talks will be overshadowed by Trump’s threats to pull the US out of NATO and his plan to move troops and weapons out of Europe. On May 1 , the Pentagon announced the withdrawal of about 5,000 troops from Germany, following a “thorough review of the Department’s force posture in Europe”. “I don’t think the alliance is at a breaking point,” said Ian Lesser, distinguished fellow at the German Marshall Fund of the United States. “But it is entering a period of profound adjustment.” Advertisement Trump’s scepticism towards NATO is not new, but the recent conflict with Iran has deepened tensions within the alliance. He has repeatedly criticised European allies for refusing to back Washington militarily, particularly by declining to participate in efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Another major source of friction is military spending. On Thursday, Trump again criticised the defence alliance saying it was “ridiculous” that Washington spends more money on NATO than any other country to protect them “without getting any benefit from doing so”. Experts say that while the US has changed its posture towards NATO, a US pullout from it is unlikely considering the legal and political challenges in doing so, especially as the country is preparing for key midterm elections which will determine who retains control of Congress. To formally withdraw, Trump would need a two-thirds majority in the US Senate or an act of Congress – scenarios that are unlikely to come to pass any time soon, with NATO still enjoying broad support among many legislators in both major parties in Washington. “It’s in the US interest to stay engaged in Europe’s security and maintain a key role in NATO – and this is a view shared on both aisles in Washington,” said Lesser. Europeans have given up on restoring the alliance-based trust of decades past, but hope this summit will be an occasion for some planning, said Sophia Besch, a senior fellow in the Europe Programme at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. “The one thing they still dare hope for is greater predictability. They have accepted that the American commitment to Europe is changing; what they want is a more orderly version of the transition,” said Besch. “The fear behind this is well-founded: A botched handover from a US-led to a Europe-led NATO opens up a deterrence and defence gap.” Despite concerns over the potential reduction in US support, European allies would not be left defenceless. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine exposed both the fragility of Europe’s defence industrial base and the extent to which many NATO members depend on Washington for critical military capabilities. At the same time, repeated strains in transatlantic relations – from disputes within NATO to Trump’s threats to seize Greenland – have reinforced the push for greater European strategic autonomy. As a result, defence spending among European allies rose by 62 percent between 2020 and 2025. Yet major capability gaps remain. According to the International Institute for Security Studies (IISS), European countries continue to rely heavily on the US for long-range strike capabilities, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, satellite-based assets, logistics and integrated air and missile defence. Advertisement Closing those gaps will be a long-term challenge. The IISS estimates that replacing the most critical US conventional military capabilities would require roughly $1 trillion and could take a decade or more. Europe’s defence industry also faces difficulties expanding production fast enough, while many armed forces continue to struggle with recruitment and retention. Adblock test (Why?)
UN discusses prevention of genocide: Six times it failed to do just that
The United Nations General Assembly is holding a plenary session on Monday to discuss nations’ responsibility to prevent genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity. But the meeting on Monday at UN headquarters in New York comes amid Israel’s genocide in Gaza, the Rapid Support Forces’ and allied militias’ ongoing genocide in the Darfur region of Sudan, and other humanitarian crises around the world, which many critics say the international community has done very little to address. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list While the UN meeting may result in protocols that countries need to follow to prevent future genocides, observers are sceptical that these will make much difference to victims on the ground. What is the UN’s definition of genocide, and which are some of the genocides the UN has ultimately failed to act on? Here, Al Jazeera takes a look. How does the UN define genocide? In 1944, Polish lawyer Raphael Lemkin used the term “genocide” for the first time in his book Axis Rule in Occupied Europe. The prefix of the word is “genos” and means “race” or “tribe” in Ancient Greek. The suffix “cide” is Latin and means “killing”. In 1946, the UN General Assembly recognised genocide as a crime for the first time. According to the world body, the term genocide was then “codified” as an independent crime in the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, or the Genocide Convention, which came into effect in 1951 and has been ratified by 196 countries. The UN’s Geneva Conventions define genocide as any act committed “with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group”. Advertisement This includes “killing members of the group, causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group, deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part, imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group, [and] forcibly transferring children of the group to another group”. Which are some of the genocides the world has failed to act on? Genocide in Rwanda In 1994, members of the majority Hutu ethnic group in Rwanda massacred an estimated 800,000 minority Tutsis, moderate Hutus and members of a third ethnic group, the Twa, in one of the darkest episodes in world history. A combination of colonial-era favouritism towards the Tutsis, which had angered other groups, a media landscape that was ripe for spreading hate, and the slowness of the international community to respond to the crisis all combined to fuel the genocide, which began in April 1994 and continued for 100 days. Before the genocide, the 1991 census counted the Tutsi population at 657,000, or 8.4 percent of the overall population, although some have alleged without proof that Rwandan President Juvenal Habyarimana’s government undercounted Tutsis to limit their access to education and other opportunities. Human Rights Watch estimated at least 500,000 Tutsis – 77 percent of their 1991 population – were killed. Global leaders were aware of the genocide, but did not intervene. For a long time, the UN actually avoided using the word “genocide” under pressure from the United States, which had been reluctant to send troops to Rwanda. Former UN chief Ban Ki-moon said on the 20th anniversary of the killings that the organisation was still “ashamed” of its failure to prevent the genocide. The UN did, however, establish the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda in November 1994 in Arusha, Tanzania. The court has since tried several high-profile leaders of the massacres, including caretaker Prime Minister Jean Kambanda, who was handed a life sentence for inciting, aiding, abetting and failing to prevent genocide. He was also sentenced on two counts of crimes against humanity. The tribunal has convicted 61 people so far. A bouquet of flowers tied with a ribbon showing the message ‘Genocide Never Again’ is pictured in the Kigali Genocide Memorial grounds in Kigali, Rwanda [File:Noor Khamis/Reuters] Israel’s genocide in Gaza It has been more than 1,000 days since Israel launched its genocidal war on Gaza in October 2023, killing at least 73,066 Palestinian people in the enclave following the Hamas-led assault on southern Israel in which more than 1,100 people were killed. Since then, more than 90 percent of the Gaza Strip has been destroyed, with infrastructure and healthcare facilities almost completely obliterated, and Israeli forces remain in control of 80 percent of the besieged territory, authorities in the enclave have said. Advertisement The genocide began in response to attacks on southern Israel by fighters from the Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, and other Palestinian groups, during which 1,139 people died and about 240 were taken into Gaza as captives. While a ceasefire came into effect in October 2025, Israeli attacks on Palestinians in the enclave have continued. According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, Israeli army violations of the ceasefire have killed over 1,000 people and wounded over 3,000 others since the truce took effect. Under the ceasefire deal, the parties were also expected to move to a second phase after Hamas released the remaining captives covered by the first-stage deal in exchange for Palestinians held in Israeli prisons. That phase was meant to include disarmament by Hamas and a gradual Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza. However, negotiations remain stalled. As during the war itself, world leaders have done little to prevent Israel from continuing its attacks in Gaza. Furthermore, each time the UN Security Council has held a vote to enable a ceasefire in Gaza, the US has vetoed and blocked all ceasefire resolutions. In March 2024, the UN Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese, said there were clear indications that Israel was violating three of the five conditions listed under the UN Genocide Convention. She said she had found “reasonable grounds to believe that the threshold indicating the commission of … acts of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza has been met”. “The overwhelming nature
US president Trump defends FIFA’s Balogun red card reversal
NewsFeed US President Donald Trump defended FIFA’s decision to overturn Folarin Balogun’s red card suspension, saying the striker’s dismissal was unfair and describing the referee as ‘suspect.’ FIFA suspended the one-match ban after a call from Trump, allowing the striker to face Belgium in the World Cup last 16. Published On 6 Jul 20266 Jul 2026 Click here to share on social media share-nodes Share googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Adblock test (Why?)
Bellingham inspires 10-man England in 3-2 last-16 thriller to beat Mexico
England hands Mexico their first World Cup loss at Estadio Azteca, winning 3-2 to reach the 2026 quarterfinals. Published On 6 Jul 20266 Jul 2026 Jude Bellingham’s double inflicted a rare defeat on Mexico at their Estadio Azteca as 10-man England won a nerve-racking World Cup classic 3-2 to reach the quarterfinals. Harry Kane also scored from the penalty spot as the Three Lions overcame Jarell Quansah’s red card, high altitude, and a fervent home support on Sunday to keep their quest for a first major tournament win in 60 years alive. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list England have relied on Bellingham and Kane throughout the tournament, and the duo has carried them into a last-eight showdown with Erling Haaland’s Norway. Bellingham struck twice in 98 seconds in the first half to condemn Mexico to just a third defeat in 90 matches at the Azteca. Julian Quinones and Raul Jimenez reduced the Mexican arrears, but they fell short of a place in the quarterfinals. Victory also helped to erase some of England’s nightmarish memories at the Azteca in the quarterfinals of the 1986 World Cup, when Diego Maradona scored a double for Argentina, including the infamous “Hand of God” goal. Sunday’s match was delayed by an hour after a thunderstorm and heavy rain lashed the Mexican capital for hours before the planned 6pm (00:00 GMT) kickoff time. Despite the sodden conditions, more than 80,000 fans crammed into the stadium to create a deafening noise. England coach Thomas Tuchel was wary of a fast start from Mexico as his side adjusted to the altitude of 2,240 metres (7,350 feet) above sea level. Mexico had flown out of the traps when they won a World Cup knockout game for the first time in 40 years against Ecuador 2-0 on Tuesday. Advertisement This time, England managed to keep Javier Aguirre’s side at bay, but they did need a crucial intervention from Jordan Pickford to deny Jimenez opening the scoring with a diving header that was headed for the bottom corner. Tuchel made three changes to the side that needed a heroic performance from Kane to prevent an embarrassing early exit to DR Congo. Quansah was forced to deputise at right-back with Reece James not fit to start for a third consecutive game, opening up Tuchel to criticism over his decision not to select more specialist cover in the position. Anthony Gordon and Bukayo Saka also started out wide, and both made telling contributions. Saka’s cross picked out Bellingham to power in a header for the first goal Mexico conceded in five World Cup games. The hosts failed to compose themselves, as within two minutes, the Real Madrid midfielder had doubled England’s lead. Kane’s ball across fell perfectly for Bellingham to power in his fourth goal of the tournament. Yet what should have been a comfortable lead was nearly wiped out by half-time. Quinones blasted in his fourth goal of the tournament to spark the Mexico rally after England failed to clear a free kick. Jimenez drilled wide and saw another header saved by Pickford before Bellingham made a last-ditch intervention to deny Cesar Montes a certain equaliser. Nico O’Reilly nearly restored England’s two-goal cushion as his deflected shot cannoned off the post. Quansah was shown a straight red card on 54 minutes after a VAR review for a mistimed lunge on Jesus Gallardo. But just six minutes later, the 10 men had added to their lead when Gordon was wiped out by Mexico goalkeeper Raul Rangel and Kane emphatically dispatched the penalty. The England captain’s sixth goal of the tournament puts him just one behind Haaland, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe in the race for the Golden Boot. The game took another huge momentum swing when, this time, Kane was penalised for a foul inside his own box and Jimenez slotted home the penalty to set up a frantic final 20 minutes. England, though, stood tall, defending at times frantically to resist the Mexican wave during 11 minutes of additional time, and have reached a third consecutive FIFA World Cup quarterfinal. Adblock test (Why?)