Author: admin

World Cup 2026 qualifying is in full swing and several teams – including England and holders Argentina – have already booked their place at the expanded tournament.The 2026 World Cup takes place across three host nations – USA, Canada and Mexico – from June 11 to July 19. It will be the biggest yet, with 48 nations taking part – 16 more than in Qatar 2022.The three host nations qualify automatically, while nations from the confederations of UEFA (Europe), CONMEBOL (South America), CONCACAF (North/Central America and Caribbean), AFC (Asia), OFC (Oceania) and CAF (Africa) stage their own qualifying campaigns.UEFA is…

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A tanker transiting through the narrow Strait of Hormuz suddenly changed course into Iranian territorial waters Friday, with the British military warning a possible “state activity” affected it.The warning from the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center comes as a private security firm said small vessels had intercepted the ship earlier.Iran has not acknowledged the incident, which happened off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. However, Tehran in the past has seized ships amid tensions with the West.Details offered by the UKMTO and the private security firm Ambrey corresponded to a…

BEIJING (AP) — China’s leader Xi Jinping and Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn pledged closer ties on Friday during the first-ever visit to China by a reigning Thai monarch.Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, greeted Vajiralongkorn and his wife, Queen Suthida, at Beijing’s vast Great Hall of the People. The visit was intended to mark the 50th anniversary of the countries establishing diplomatic ties. Xi described China and Thailand as “truly good relatives, good friends and good partners,” according to the state-run Xinhua news agency.Beijing was looking forward to boosting agricultural imports from Thailand and advancing cooperation in fields such as…

BANGKOK (AP) — China began sea trials of its most advanced amphibious assault ship on Friday, only a week after commissioning its latest aircraft carrier as part of the rapid modernization of its navy, which is already the world’s largest. The Sichuan Type 076 vessel, which set sail from Shanghai’s Hudong-Zhonghua Shipyard, combines some of the attributes of an aircraft carrier and earlier amphibious assault ships, with the ability to launch both aircraft and landing craft loaded with troops.It is about half the size of the Fujian, the latest aircraft carrier commissioned by China on Nov. 7, with a displacement…

NEW DELHI (AP) — Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling coalition is headed to win a key state election in a vote seen as a crucial test of Modi’s popularity in one of the country’s poorest yet most politically influential states.Partial results Friday from the Election Commission of India, the country’s election watchdog, showed the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance, or NDA, expected to take 208 seats of the 243-member legislature in the eastern state of Bihar.A simple majority to form the government is 122. Modi’s party alone is forecast to take 95 seats.A victory in Bihar, the country’s…

DENPASAR, Indonesia (AP) — A minibus carrying Chinese tourists sped out of control and crashed Friday morning on the Indonesian resort island of Bali, killing five of the passengers and injuring eight others.The minibus was traveling from the southern side to the northern side of the island on a winding, downhill road. The driver lost control and the vehicle veered off the road and into a garden, striking a tree, said Ida Bagus Widwan Sutadi, police chief in the Buleleng regency.“Due to the driver’s lack of caution when turning and descending, he veered off the asphalt road and into a…

The latest corruption scandal that has engulfed Ukraine could not have come at a worse time or in a more delicate sector of the economy for the increasingly embattled government of Volodymyr Zelensky. Ukraine’s military is now clearly on the back foot in several key sectors of the frontline. Meanwhile, Russia’s campaign to devastate Ukraine’s energy sector is putting enormous pressure on the country’s infrastructure and bringing increasing hardship for ordinary Ukrainians as winter approaches. The fact that the latest corruption scandal involves the energy sector is, therefore, particularly damaging to the government and public morale. Ukraine’s independent anti-corruption agencies…

Thomas Tuchel said top countries take qualification for major tournaments “for granted” after England extended their perfect World Cup campaign by beating Serbia 2-0 at Wembley on Thursday.Goals from Bukayo Saka and substitute Eberechi Eze ensured the Three Lions have now won all seven matches in Group K with Sunday’s finale in Albania to come.Editor’s Picks2 RelatedEngland have scored 20 goals without conceding, keeping seven consecutive clean sheets in qualifying, in front of a crowd of 74,289, a respectable figure, but still their lowest Wembley attendance since September 2024.England already booked their place in next summer’s finals last month after…

Thomas Tuchel would have “no problem” playing Phil Foden as England’s central striker should Harry Kane be unavailable after the Manchester City forward’s surprise ‘false nine’ appearance against Serbia.Just after the hour mark, Foden replaced England captain Kane and impressed as the No 9 – setting up Eberechi Eze’s 90th minute goal in the 2-0 win, while creating another chance for the Arsenal forward, who hit the bar. Much was made about England’s lack of back-up striker options to record goalscorer Kane in this Three Lions squad for the November international break, but Tuchel believes he has another option in…

CHIŞINǍU, Moldova — When big nations fail, the pressure can be intense, and another FIFA World Cup nightmare is threatening to engulf Italy. The Azzurri haven’t even missed out on the 2026 World Cup yet, but discontent is already boiling over.Federico Dimarco couldn’t wait to get off the pitch at the end of a late, but meaningless, 2-0 win against Moldova and his Italy teammates and coach Gennaro Gattuso weren’t far behind, none of them acknowledging the 400 Italy supporters who had made the trip to Chișinău.Protests against the Italian Federation and chants directed at the players and Gattuso, who…