Cape Verde qualify for World Cup Round of 32, set up date with Argentina
Cape Verde’s third draw gives them second-place finish in Group H and pits them against world champions in knockouts. Published On 27 Jun 202627 Jun 2026 World Cup debutants Cape Verde will face reigning champions Argentina in the knockout rounds after drawing 0-0 with Saudi Arabia to extend their fairytale journey. The stalemate in Houston and Spain’s 1-0 win over Uruguay, both on Friday, meant the team ranked 67th coming into the tournament finished runners-up behind Spain in Group H. Unbeaten in their three group matches, the archipelago nation of just over 500,000 will play Lionel Messi’s Argentina in Miami on July 3 in another chapter of their remarkable story. Spain, held 0-0 by Cape Verde in the first round of games, finished with seven points, with the debutants on three and Uruguay and Saudi Arabia both on their way home with two. Spain face the team that comes second in Group J, which will be either Algeria or Austria. With history beckoning, Cape Verde coach Bubista changed half his starting side, some of it enforced, but retained his heroic goalkeeper Vozinha. The 40-year-old stopper single-handedly kept Cape Verde in it as they held out for a famous point against European champions Spain in their first-ever World Cup match. Cape Verde, which is off the west coast of Africa, then claimed a brave 2-2 draw with two-time former champions Uruguay. That gave them a scarcely believable shot at the knockout rounds coming into the encounter against Saudi Arabia, who themselves were still alive. At the same time, in Guadalajara, Spain and Uruguay met as an unexpectedly tight group that went down to the wire. Cape Verde had slightly the better of the first half in Houston against a Saudi side who drew 1-1 with Uruguay before being thrashed 4-0 by Spain. Advertisement The Saudis suffered a blow in the 33rd minute when experienced defender Hassan al-Tambakti was stretchered off injured. Cape Verde players celebrate their knockout stage qualification [Troy Taormina/Reuters] Spain took the lead towards the end of the first half in Mexico, the news greeted by cheers from Cape Verde fans in Houston. Willy Semedo fired not too far wide of the Saudi post, but neither side seriously threatened in a tense first half. At that point, Cape Verde were going through at Uruguay’s expense. Three minutes after the break, Jamiro Monteiro had a major chance from close range, but his finish was weak. Then Kevin Pina had an effort from distance that whistled just off target. The tension went up a notch as they entered the final quarter, but Saudi Arabia were strangely lacking in invention even though they were chasing the game. In the 75th minute, goalkeeper Mohammed al-Owais kept them in it with a vital stop from Laros Duarte. A point was enough for Cape Verde, but if anything, they were the more likely to score as the match ticked into the dying minutes. Adblock test (Why?)
Spain beat Uruguay 1-0 to clinch World Cup Group H top spot
Spain wins World Cup group, beating Uruguay 1-0 as Muslera’s error sends two-time champions home. Published On 27 Jun 202627 Jun 2026 Uruguay bowed out of the World Cup as goalkeeper Fernando Muslera’s howler gifted Spain a 1-0 win in Guadalajara to secure top spot in Group H. Alex Baena’s weak shot slipped through Muslera’s grasp for the only goal as Spain avoided a last 32 showdown against Argentina. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list The European champions will instead face Austria or Algeria next in Los Angeles on Thursday. Uruguay’s defeat allowed debutants Cape Verde to secure second place and a meeting with Lionel Messi and the defending champions, thanks to a 0-0 draw against Saudi Arabia. Two-time winners Uruguay become the highest-ranked side to crash out in the group stages as the defeat rounded off a miserable tournament for Marcelo Bielsa and his squad. After draws against Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia, reports of a revolt in the Uruguay camp emerged, with leading players, including Real Madrid’s Federico Valverde, clashing with Bielsa over his tactics. Spain’s King Felipe was among those in attendance, but the only clash between two former winners of the World Cup in the group stages was a huge disappointment. Lamine Yamal in the starting lineup had sparked the Spanish attack into life in a 4-0 thrashing of Saudi Arabia after La Roja began in underwhelming fashion with a goalless draw against Cape Verde. But another laboured attacking performance leaves Luis de la Fuente with plenty to ponder before the knockout stages begin on Sunday. A hero of Uruguay’s run to the semifinals in 2010, Muslera was at fault for both Cape Verde’s goals in a 2-2 draw. Advertisement And in Guadalajara, Spain had barely threatened the Uruguay goal before the 40-year-old allowed Baena’s shot to dribble over the line from Marcos Llorente’s cross on 42 minutes. To rub salt into Uruguayan wounds, Manchester United midfielder Manuel Ugarte was injured in the buildup to the goal and stretchered off with what appeared to be a serious knee injury. Bielsa replaced Muslera at half-time with Sergio Rochet, and the Uruguay boss made an even bolder call when Valverde was taken off on the hour mark. De la Fuente also turned to his bench, and the introduction of Dani Olmo and Fabian Ruiz finally injected some life into the Spanish performance. Olmo should have done better when he spooned a shot over from a rare flash of Yamal’s brilliance to tee up his Barcelona teammate. Yamal was replaced 15 minutes from time as his minutes continue to be managed after a hamstring injury ended his club season prematurely. His replacement, Ferran Torres, should have doubled the lead five minutes from time but hit the bar with just the goalkeeper to beat. Uruguay’s miserable tournament was summed up when Agustin Canobbio was shown a straight red card in stoppage time for a wild lunge on Pau Cubarsi. Hyped as one of the pre-tournament favourites, Spain are now 34 competitive games unbeaten and are yet to concede a goal at the World Cup. But in stark contrast to some of the scintillating attacking play on show from the likes of France, Argentina and the Netherlands, La Roja are yet to convince in their quest for a second World Cup triumph. Adblock test (Why?)
Rescue efforts turn to recovery as aftershocks shake Venezuela
NewsFeed Rescue workers in one Caracas neighbourhood say no help has arrived, two days after twin quakes tore through the city. Al Jazeera’s Noris Soto says aftershocks are making the search for survivors harder and rescue efforts are turning to the recovery of bodies. Published On 27 Jun 202627 Jun 2026 Click here to share on social media share-nodes Share googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Adblock test (Why?)
Morocco jails 29, including politicians and sports figures, in drug trial
Casablanca court delivers landmark verdict in ‘Escobar of the Sahara’ case: up to 12 years for top figures. By AFP and AP Published On 26 Jun 202626 Jun 2026 A Moroccan court has handed prison sentences of up to 12 years to 29 individuals – including prominent politicians and sports figures – concluding a major international drug trafficking and corruption trial. The verdicts, delivered late on Thursday in Casablanca following a two-year trial, mark one of the largest anti-corruption operations in Morocco’s history. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list Among those convicted were Abdennebi Bioui, a construction tycoon and former regional council president, Said Naciri, former president of Casablanca’s Wydad AC football and sports club and former MP Belkacem Mir – all senior members of the governing PAM party. Naciri received 10 years, Bioui 12 and Mir 10. Besides the three main defendants, sentences for the remaining ranged from two to nine years, depending on their individual role in the network. The wide-ranging case was triggered by courtroom testimony from El Hadj Ahmed Ben Brahim, a notorious Malian drug trafficker nicknamed the “Pablo Escobar of the Sahara”. Currently serving a 10-year sentence in Morocco, Ben Brahim told judicial investigators that his former Moroccan political and business associates had betrayed him, seizing millions of dollars worth of his luxury real estate and vehicles following his arrest in 2019. The trial involved more than 20 defendants, 18 witnesses and two civil parties which centred on a sophisticated network that transported tonnes of Moroccan cannabis resin across North Africa to Europe, alongside Latin American cocaine shipments. Family members of Moroccan public figures Said Naciri and Abdennabi Bioui react as they are given 10 and 12 year prison sentences for a major drug trafficking scheme [Abdel Majid Bziouat/AFP] Defendants were convicted on charges including drug and gold trafficking, corruption, forgery and money laundering. Advertisement The court also ordered the seizure of assets and levied hundreds of millions of dollars in customs and exchange fines against the principal ringleaders. Moroccan media reported that families of the convicted, present without legal representation due to a lawyers’ strike, were left in shock, with some collapsing in the courthouse. The scandal reached the highest levels of state, prompting King Mohammed VI to demand a legally binding code of ethics aimed at “moralising” parliamentary life. Adblock test (Why?)
EU targets Somalia with visa curbs as president pushes back on returns
President says his country will readmit genuine nationals but insists Europe must first verify deportees’ identities. Published On 26 Jun 202626 Jun 2026 Mogadishu, Somalia – The European Union has imposed visa restrictions on Somali citizens, escalating a dispute with Mogadishu over the return of Somalis living in Europe illegally. The bloc’s member states approved the measures on Thursday, acting on a report that Somalia was not doing enough to take back nationals who had been refused the right to stay. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud pushed back, saying his government would readmit its citizens, but said that many returnees were not Somali nationals. “We haven’t rejected our people; they own this country. And we cannot reject them,” the president said at an Independence Day event on Thursday, adding that Somalia had “questions about how those people would be returned.” People across the Horn of Africa share a similar appearance, he said, and some present themselves as Somali to claim asylum in Europe. He pointed to past cases in which individuals sent back as Somalis turned out not to be, including some who “don’t know the Somali language.” “If they are Somali, then we’ll take them. If they aren’t, we’ll help you find out where they are from, and you can send them there,” Mohamud said. The pressures driving people to leave are rooted in decades of upheaval. Somalia is still rebuilding after the collapse of its central government in 1991 and the long civil war that followed. Recovery efforts have been stifled by the ongoing armed rebellion of al-Shabab, an al-Qaeda-linked armed group that has waged deadly attacks since 2006. Advertisement Those conditions have pushed many young Somalis to attempt the dangerous journey to Europe, often through Libya, where migrants have faced detention, extortion and violence. The prime minister regularly handled such cases, Mohamud said, adding that Somali embassies had been instructed to help citizens return. Magnus Brunner, the bloc’s migration commissioner, said countries of origin had to meet their commitments “otherwise, there can be consequences.” A European Commission assessment concluded that Somalia’s cooperation on readmission was insufficient. Under the new rules, member states can no longer issue multiple-entry visas to Somalis, and the fee waiver for holders of diplomatic passports has been removed. The standard processing time for visa applications has also been extended from 15 to 45 days. The suspension has no fixed end date and is intended as leverage to push Mogadishu towards closer cooperation. Somalia now joins a short list of countries hit with such measures. The EU imposed similar restrictions on The Gambia in 2021 and Ethiopia in 2024, lifting the Ethiopian curbs in May after deciding cooperation had improved. The visa restrictions add to a run of setbacks for Somali travellers. The United States imposed a sweeping travel ban in 2025, after President Donald Trump returned to office, covering citizens of a dozen countries, including Somalia. The policy drew attention this month when Omar Abdulkadir Artan, named Africa’s referee of the year in 2025, was denied entry to the US and couldn’t officiate at the World Cup, despite holding a valid visa. The standoff comes as the EU tightens its wider approach to migration, pursuing return centres beyond its borders and faster deportations for people refused the right to stay. Adblock test (Why?)
Why has the UN paused plans to evacuate sailors from the Strait of Hormuz?
The United Nations’ International Maritime Organization (IMO) has suspended plans to evacuate more than 11,000 sailors stranded in the Strait of Hormuz after a cargo ship transiting the waterway was struck by a projectile. IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said several crews had already been evacuated, but the agency had decided to pause the operation until there were “necessary safety guarantees” for those involved. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), a Royal Navy maritime security agency, said on Thursday that a cargo vessel had been struck by “an unknown projectile” about 7.5 nautical miles (14km) southeast of Dahit, Oman. No casualties were reported. The incident comes despite a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed by the United States and Iran last week that ended hostilities and included provisions aimed at reopening the strategic waterway. Iran had restricted passage through the strait in early March after the US and Israel attacked it on February 28. In April, the US imposed a naval blockade on Iran-linked vessels trying to pass through the waterway. Since the MoU was signed, commercial traffic has restarted through the strait, but key disagreements remain over which shipping routes vessels should use — and whether Iran gets to charge a toll or fee. Oman and the IMO have proposed a new shipping corridor that would partially bypass waters under Iran’s direct control. Tehran has rejected the plan, saying it was announced without consultation and raises safety concerns while demining operations are still under way. While Iran has not claimed responsibility for Thursday’s attack on the ship off Oman, it has not denied any role, either. Advertisement The latest attack has heightened concerns that tensions over navigation through the strait remain unresolved. Here’s what we know. Why is the UN evacuating sailors? Following the outbreak of the US-Israel war on Iran on February 28, Tehran and Washington imposed counter restrictions on the passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, leaving thousands of seafarers unable to leave vessels trapped in the waterway. More than a dozen sailors have also been killed in attacks on ships — some from American missiles, others from Iranian projectiles. Most of those killed were from India. Even with last week’s agreement between Washington and Tehran to end the conflict, more than 11,000 sailors remain stranded in the strait. Announcing the evacuation plan on Tuesday, the IMO’s Dominguez said the operation would be conducted in “close cooperation with Iran, Oman, all other coastal states in the region, the United States and the maritime industry”. Oman’s Ministry of Defence said the operation, which had been under discussion for months, would be carried out in phases. Denmark also announced on Tuesday that it would join a multinational maritime mission led by France and Britain to help restore safe navigation through the strait. Why was the ship attacked? The Singapore-flagged cargo vessel Ever Lovely was struck by what authorities described as an “unknown projectile” while transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday. Ship-tracking data from MarineTraffic showed the vessel had been following the southern shipping route proposed by the IMO earlier that day, a corridor that passes closer to Oman’s coastline and has been rejected by Iran. Singapore’s Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) said the vessel had since completed its transit through the strait and was continuing its voyage, adding that all 21 crew members were safe. The authority said it was “deeply concerned” by an attack it described as “unprovoked, unjustifiable, and a breach of international law”. “All actions affecting international shipping must fully comply with international law, in particular the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and not endanger the safety of seafarers and ships at sea,” the MPA said. The incident prompted the IMO to suspend its planned evacuation of stranded sailors. Dominguez said the Ever Lovely “did not transit under IMO’s evacuation framework”. “I have always reiterated that the safety of the seafarers remains paramount. Therefore, to ensure a coordinated approach and navigational safety, the evacuation plan will be paused until further clarity is obtained,” he said. Advertisement What has Iran said? While it remains unclear if the attack was carried out by Iran, the country’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had criticised the new shipping corridor announced by Oman and the IMO, while also warning that passage through the strait, “is only possible via routes announced by Iran,” the state broadcaster IRIB reported. Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister, has said safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz cannot be guaranteed for vessels transiting “with ambiguous arrangements, parallel routes, or decision-making outside of Iran’s considerations as the coastal state”. “Any credible framework must be based on coordination with Iran and the provisions of paragraph five of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding,” he said in a statement on X. “Otherwise, the outcome will be the suspension of the designated parallel route.” Iran first published its own map of approved navigation routes in April, directing ships to sail much closer to the Iranian coastline than before the conflict. The IRGC’s latest warning came after a Liberian-flagged oil tanker transited the strait on Thursday using a route closer to Oman’s coast. On Friday, a further three foreign oil tankers that attempted to cross the Strait of Hormuz “without authorisation” were turned back after a warning from the IRGC, Iranian state TV reported. Analysts say control over the Strait of Hormuz has long been one of Tehran’s most important sources of strategic leverage, allowing it to exert pressure on the US, whose economy is inextricably tied to global markets. Why was the evacuation suspended? Reporting from Tehran, Al Jazeera’s Resul Serdar Atas said the attack appeared to show Iran was prepared to enforce its warnings over navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, after Tehran insisted vessels using either the Iranian or Omani route must coordinate with its authorities. “Yesterday, Oman announced new routes for the passage of the ships. But then the IRGC released a statement, saying that
Venezuela quake leaves La Guaira in almost total devastation
NewsFeed La Guaira, the region hardest hit by two earthquakes in Venezuela, has been left devastated. Families are searching for loved ones trapped beneath collapsed buildings. Residents say rescue efforts are too slow and resources are insufficient. Published On 25 Jun 202625 Jun 2026 Click here to share on social media share-nodes Share googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Adblock test (Why?)
Economic losses mount as Venezuela earthquake death toll grows
The series of powerful earthquakes that struck Venezuela on Wednesday could cause economic losses equal to as much as 7 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), according to preliminary estimates from the United States Geological Survey. Initial assessments released on Thursday estimate that the damage could amount to between 1 and 7 percent of Venezuela’s $111bn GDP after twin earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 struck about 160 kilometres (100 miles) west of the capital, Caracas, on Wednesday afternoon, leaving at least 188 dead. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list Interim President Delcy Rodriguez has said that there will be a $200m fund from the International Monetary Fund that will be used to help rebuild infrastructure, hospitals and housing. “Significant reconstruction will likely be necessary, and this will likely require foreign support, including from the US, regional actors, and international financial institutions. The government appears to have moved quickly to announce a reconstruction fund with support from the IMF [International Monetary Fund],” Rachel Ziemba, economist and senior adjunct fellow at the Center for a New American Security, told Al Jazeera. “Other adjustments to the sanctions regime may be necessary to facilitate remittances, capital flows, and greater flexibility for imported material.” The US is sending resources to assess the damage and provide aid. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the US has deployed rescue operations, and it should have a better understanding of what is needed in the next 48 hours. Advertisement “We will have a whole government response,” Rubio said on Thursday to reporters in Bahrain amid logistical challenges as Simon Bolivar international airport, the country’s main airport, remains closed. Experts are watching closely how the US response will impact diplomatic ties. “I think this could be an opportunity, perhaps a catalyst, to compel or propel the relationship to develop in a positive economic direction,” John Deal, managing director of capital markets at the Post Oak Group investment bank, told Al Jazeera. “The administration has been very interested in securing oil and gas assets, and it doesn’t appear that Venezuela’s oil infrastructure was significantly damaged. Meanwhile, the country has sustained massive damage in the most psychologically sensitive location in Venezuela: its capital city,” Deal said. The United Nations has also “fully mobilised” humanitarian efforts, the group’s humanitarian chief said, and Switzerland has sent 18 tonnes of rescue equipment to help elevate pressure on local authorities. Al Jazeera’s Noris Soto reported from Caracas that private companies have been asked to help remove rubble. The challenges for aid come amid an already sensitive economic situation. Of the country’s 31.7 million people, more than 20 million were already living in poverty with insufficient access to food and medicine, and many hospitals lack even reliable running water or power supplies. At Caracas’s Hospital de Clinicas, staff were asked to double up on the night shift to help treat the injured, a worker there said. Classes were cancelled for the rest of the week as authorities began to take stock of the damage. The destruction comes on top of existing challenges to both the country’s healthcare and housing infrastructure. Healthcare data from Venezuela is limited. The government has not published any epidemiological bulletins since 2016. Roughly 10 percent of the country’s population pre-quake had been living in vulnerable situations because of inadequate housing, according to the National Survey of Living Conditions report published by researchers at Andres Bello Catholic University in Caracas as of 2023. The home-buying market has been frozen amid heightened inflationary pressures as purchasing power has dropped. Oil impacts The quakes had a limited impact on the country’s oil and gas sector, which typically produces 1.2 million barrels per day of crude oil. The El Palito refinery in central Carabobo state near the epicentre did not sustain damage, according to preliminary reports shared with the Reuters news agency. Advertisement Meanwhile, at the Moron Petrochemical Complex, the country’s second-largest petrochemical plant, production restarted on Thursday after a brief shutdown. Workers were told not to come as initial assessments found a leak in a storage tank on Wednesday. It was not immediately clear if the leak was repaired since the order to reopen, according to Reuters. Chevron told Al Jazeera that it remains operational. “As a longtime employer and partner in Venezuela, we stand in solidarity with the country and its people during this difficult time. We remain committed to supporting our employees and the communities surrounding our facilities and ensuring the continued safe operation of our assets,” a Chevron spokesperson told Al Jazeera. Other companies, including Shell, Eni and Repsol said that all workers are accounted for. “The human toll is likely to be greater than economic, especially if, as it seems, the energy infrastructure does not appear to have been damaged significantly. Most of Venezuela’s revenues come from oil, even if the US sanctions limit the inflow of these funds into the country,” Ziemba, the economist, added. Adblock test (Why?)
UN agency pauses Hormuz ship evacuation initiative after vessel attacked
Iran warns vessels to use only Tehran-approved routes as IMO halts Hormuz evacuation after ship struck. By AFP and Reuters Published On 25 Jun 202625 Jun 2026 The United Nations’ International Maritime Organization (IMO) has paused its Strait of Hormuz evacuation initiative after a vessel was attacked in the Gulf of Oman. A cargo ship reported a suspected attack as it attempted to pass through the Strait of Hormuz close to the coast of Oman on Thursday, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list The ship reported being struck on its starboard side by a projectile 14km (7.5 nautical miles) southeast of Oman’s port of Dahit, the British navy agency added. Another maritime security source told the Reuters news agency that the vessel was likely targeted by a drone, although it was not clear yet who carried out the strike. The IMO on Tuesday began evacuating 600 ships and around 11,000 mariners stranded by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz during the US-Israeli war on Iran, helping them leave the Gulf through two routes – one via Iranian waters and another via Omani waters with US oversight. On Thursday, the head of the IMO said the plan to move stranded ships out of the Gulf will be put on hold. “I have decided to temporarily pause [the evacuation plan’s] implementation in order to reconfirm that the necessary safety guarantees continue to be in place for the ships on our evacuation list and all those in the region,” IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said in a statement. He said the agency had secured the necessary safety guarantees and verified conditions for safe navigation before the plan began. But the latest suspension came after they were informed of the attack on a vessel that had passed through the strait. Maritime security reporting identified the vessel as the Singapore-flagged container ship, Ever Lovely. The ship was not operating under the IMO evacuation framework. Advertisement The report of a strike on the ship came hours after Iran told vessels to stop using the route through the strait without Tehran’s permission. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) ordered two Panama-flagged ships to change course earlier on Thursday, British maritime security company Ambrey said After the incident, the Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA), a body set up by Iran to manage the Strait of Hormuz, said that transit outside its own designated routes “will not be covered by the guarantee of safe passage”. “Consequences arising from passage through unauthorised routes shall be the responsibility of the owner, operator, and vessel commander,” the PGSA added on X. ‘Moving cautiously’ The evacuation effort by the IMO comes against the backdrop of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed last week between the United States and Iran to work towards ending the US-Israeli war on Iran. After the war began on February 28, Tehran had effectively closed off the strait, leaving vessels stranded on both sides. MarineTraffic confirmed 70 verified crossings on Wednesday and 31 on Tuesday by commercial and energy-laden vessels. “Operators are still moving cautiously rather than returning to fully normal traffic patterns,” the ship tracking firm said. That compares to pre-war levels of around 120 vessels per day. Oman’s Defence Ministry said the evacuation would be phased, warning that the current environment creates an elevated collision risk and requires gradual, controlled movement of ships. Denmark has also said it will join an international maritime mission led by France and the UK to help reopen the waterway. Oil tankers and cargo vessels anchor off the coast of Oman after being stranded for days near Muscat, Oman [File: Elke Scholiers/Getty Images] Adblock test (Why?)
Venezuela rescue teams race to find earthquake survivors
NewsFeed Rescue teams raced to find survivors and recover bodies after twin earthquakes rocked Venezuela on Wednesday. The death toll has climbed to 188 with thousands more reported missing and injured. Al Jazeera’s Maria Alesia Sosa reports from the scene of the devastation in Caracas. Published On 25 Jun 202625 Jun 2026 Click here to share on social media share-nodes Share googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Adblock test (Why?)