Belgium fight back to draw with Egypt in World Cup group game

Belgium and Egypt drew 1-1 in their World Cup opener on Monday after a second-half Belgian equalizer spoiled Mohamed Salah's 34th birthday.

By Afp 9 hrs ago

Uruguay frustrated by dogged Saudi Arabia in World Cup draw

Uruguay dominated but had to settle for a 1-1 draw against Saudi Arabia in the sweltering heat of Miami on Monday to leave an intriguing Group H wide open.

By Afp 9 hrs ago

Iran begin fraught World Cup with 2-2 New Zealand draw

Iran twice battled back for a 2-2 draw with New Zealand in their frenetic opening match of a World Cup campaign that has been utterly overshadowed by war, politics and protests.

By Afp 7 hrs ago

What to know about seismic UK by-election that imperils PM Starmer

Britain holds a special vote on Thursday that is expected to set in motion an attempt to oust Labour leader Keir Starmer as prime minister.

By Afp 4 hrs ago

Heavyweights Argentina and France start World Cup quests

Lionel Messi's Argentina and Kylian Mbappe's France, the two teams who contested a thrilling World Cup final four years ago, roar into the 2026 tournament on Tuesday.

By Afp 4 hrs ago

French spies drop AI giant Palantir over US overreliance fears

France's domestic intelligence agency will stop working with American AI giant Palantir, as European nations increasingly doubt the dependability of the United States.

By Afp 1 hr ago

At least 2,300 killed this year in Haiti gang violence: UN

Gang violence has killed at least 2,300 people in Haiti this year, while nearly 100 have been kidnapped, the United Nations said Monday.

By Afp 1 day ago

EU welcomes US-Iran deal to end 'costly war'

"Weapons must now fall silent," Antonio Costa, the president of the European Council urged.

By Afp 1 day ago

Japan fight back in 2-2 Dutch thriller at World Cup

Japan scored an 88th-minute equaliser as they twice fought back to rescue a 2-2 draw with the Netherlands in front of 69,285 in Texas on Sunday to open their World Cup campaigns.

By Afp 1 day ago

Diallo strikes late as Ivory Coast stun Ecuador at World Cup

Manchester United's Amad Diallo struck in the 90th minute as Ivory Coast stunned Ecuador and their huge support to edge a tight affair 1-0 in their World Cup opener on Sunday.

By Afp 1 day ago

Sweden demolish Tunisia 5-1 to seize control of World Cup group

Sweden crushed Tunisia 5-1 on Sunday to leave the North African nation's defensive reputation in tatters and seize control of World Cup Group F.

By Afp 1 day ago

UK PM announces ban on social media for under-16s

The ban will not affect messaging services such as WhatsApp.

By Afp 1 day ago

Spain held by tiny Cape Verde at World Cup as Iran make bow

Spain held to a shock 0-0 draw by tiny World Cup debutants Cape Verde on Monday as Iran prepared to make their long-awaited entrance at the tournament after a build-up engulfed by uncertainty.

By Afp 17 hrs ago

Qatari delegation in Tehran for Middle East war talks

An adviser to Qatar's foreign minister had been dispatched to the Islamic Republic,

By Afp 2 days ago

Qatar earn first ever World Cup point with late goal

Qatar's Boualem Khoukhi stunned Switzerland with a late equaliser as the sides played out a 1-1 draw in their opening match at the World Cup on Saturday.

By Afp 2 days ago

Vinicius earns Brazil 1-1 draw with Morocco in World Cup opener

Vinicius Junior scored a brilliant equaliser for Brazil in a 1-1 draw with Morocco on Saturday as the five-time World Cup winners made an uncertain start to the tournament in New Jersey.

By Afp 2 days ago

McGinn gives Scotland win over Haiti on World Cup return

A scrappy finish by John McGinn allowed Scotland to mark their return to the World Cup after a 28-year absence with a nervy 1-0 win over outsiders Haiti on Saturday.

By Afp 2 days ago

Australia stun Turkey 2-0 in World Cup after selection gamble pays off

Australia produced an inspired peformance to beat Turkey 2-0 in the group phase of the World Cup on Saturday.

By Afp 2 days ago

Trump says US-Iran deal to be signed Sunday, Hormuz to open after

A Pakistani foreign ministry statement also said the signing was planned for Sunday.

By Afp 2 days ago

Middle East fuel crisis keeps Mozambique fishermen ashore

Dozens of low fishing boats lay anchored in flat waters off Mozambique's capital, stranded for days as surging fuel costs kept their owners from heading out to sea.

By Afp 2 days ago

Indonesian economy comes up for air but struggles to win back investors

Indonesia's economy faces a perfect storm wrought by high energy prices, and while the currency has rebounded slightly, critics warn government policies are unnerving investors at a critical moment.

By Afp 2 days ago

Trump turns 80 with cage fight at the White House

Donald Trump celebrates his 80th birthday in typically forceful style on Sunday, as the oldest US president ever to take office holds a bloody cage match on the White House lawn.

By Afp 2 days ago

Tiny Curacao tackle Germany at World Cup as Iran arrive in US

The smallest nation by population in the tournament comes face-to-face with the four-time winners on Sunday when tiny Curacao play Germany in a true World Cup fairytale.

By Afp 1 day ago

Germany thrash Curacao 7-1 in World Cup group match

Four-time winners Germany thrashed World Cup debutants Curacao 7-1 in their first group game on Sunday.

By Afp 1 day ago

Uganda slams 'unfair' Ebola air travel restrictions

Besides the US, Canada, and the UAE are among the countries to have imposed entry bans on travellers from Uganda, the DRC, and neighbouring South Sudan as a result of the outbreak.

By Afp 3 days ago

Iran's late supreme leader Ali Khamenei to be buried July 9: state TV

Iran's slain supreme leader Ali Khamenei, killed by Israeli and US airstrikes on February 28, to be buried on July 9 state TV reports; he ruled the nation for 37 years.

By Afp 2 days ago

USA beat Paraguay 4-1 in dream start for World Cup co-hosts

The United States could scarcely have scripted a better start to their World Cup as a Folarin Balogun brace and Gio Reyna curler fired the co-hosts to a 4-1 drubbing of Paraguay

By Afp 3 days ago

Lebanon reports Israeli strikes in south after evacuation warning

The Israeli army last month declared all areas south of the river "combat zones", and has since been striking the area.

By Afp 2 days ago

US says downed multiple Iran drones as both insist deal closer

US Central Command (CENTCOM) posted on X that Iran had "launched multiple one-way attack drones in an attempt to strike commercial ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz".

By Afp 2 days ago

US-Iran deal could be sealed within 24 hours, mediator Pakistan says

"We are closer to a peace deal than ever before," Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, whose country has played a crucial role in peace talks, wrote on X on Saturday.

By Afp 2 days ago

Kylian and Neymar top South America football naming boom

Across South America, a legion of pint-sized Kylians and Neymars will be following the fortunes of the stars to whom they owe their names after the World Cup kicked off yesterday.

By Afp 4 days ago

Mexico beat South Africa to kick off World Cup

South Africa, meanwhile, never looked like spoiling the opening day fiesta, and finished with only nine men after Sphephelo Sithole and Themba Zwane were sent off.

By Afp 4 days ago

South Korea beat Czech Republic 2-1 in World Cup

South Korea gets World Cup campaign off to a winning start after beating the Czech Republic 2-1. Substitute Oh Hyeon-gyu scored the decisive goal in a Guadalajara stadium.

By Afp 4 days ago

Crime reporter shot dead in Mexico

"Lopez Valdez was killed early Thursday morning in (the city of) Poza Rica, after being intercepted by armed men while driving," an article published on its website stated.

By Afp 4 days ago

Pochettino rallies USA fans ahead of Paraguay encounter

Argentinian coach Pochettino kicks off a public training session by grabbing the microphone and leading 5,500 fans in “USA! USA” chants at the team’s training base in Irvine, California.

By Afp 4 days ago

South Korea's ex-president gets 30 years over North Korea drone incident

Ex-South Korea President Yoon Suk Yeol jailed for 30 more years for sending drones into North Korea; he is already serving life sentence over his failed 2024 martial law bid.

By Afp 4 days ago

Nigeria killed 13,000 'terrorists' in past year: president

Africa's most populous country is fighting the long-running conflict across its northern regions, complicated by inroads made by militants from the Sahel, and non-ideological "bandit" gangs.

By Afp 4 days ago

Shakira and protests as World Cup kicks off in Mexico

A crush to get into an overcrowded fan zone in the centre of Mexico City and protests near the stadium made for a chaotic day that contrasted with the festive atmosphere inside the Azteca.

By Afp 3 days ago

Ebola spreading into new areas in northeast DR Congo: WHO

Since the outbreak was declared on May 15, there have been 676 confirmed Ebola cases, including 136 deaths in the DRC, according to the latest figures from the WHO.

By Afp 3 days ago

Nigerians fleeing xenophobic attacks in South Africa head home

Foreign nationals have reported being intimidated and beaten by mobs going door to door, families forced from their homes, and many have left in the face of the threats.

By Afp 5 days ago