Ball

• Nepal and Hong Kong, China, are facing off in the final of the Asian Games Men's T20I Qualifier for 2026. • The match is being broadcast with live scores, ball-by-ball commentary, and highlights via Cricbuzz for viewers in the USA and Canada. • This high-stakes final determines which team secures a qualifying spot for the 2026 Asian Games.

More than 158,000 items of fake kit seized featuring World Cup semi-finalists England, France and SpainMore than 158,000 fake football strips have been seized in an operation targeting World Cup counterfeit kit and blocking criminals from trying to “cash in on fan demand”.Edinburgh’s trading standards team confiscated 9 tonnes of Scotland, England and other nations’ fake kits, worth an estimated £5.5m. Continue reading...

Konstantin Sokolov, who gave undisclosed sum and has not held government job before, to chair Tripp+ trade project Konstantin Sokolov, a Russian-born private equity investor in Chicago, will serve as chairman of a new state department enterprise fund overseeing more than $200m designated for a central Asia trade corridor, including investments in transportation, energy infrastructure and critical minerals, the Guardian has learned. The state department confirmed his appointment on Friday.Sokolov was one of 36 donors, including 21 corporations and 15 individuals and family foundations, who Trump said contributed over $350m to Donald Trump’s ballroom project. Continue reading...

Ukraine and nine other countries including UK issue joint statement as leaders meet Volodymyr Zelenskyy in ParisUkraine and nine other countries including the UK, Germany and France are to build a shared protection programme for Europe against ballistic missiles, using Kyiv’s experience in fighting Russia’s full-scale invasion for more than four years.“Our goal is to build a shared ballistic missile defence capability for Europe,” the 10 nations said in a statement on Monday as leaders met the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, for talks in Paris. Continue reading...

• The Singapore men's tchoukball team won their first-ever Asia Pacific Championship title, marking a historic milestone for the sport in the country. • In the same tournament, the Singapore women's team delivered a strong performance to secure the bronze medal. • These results highlight Singapore's growing dominance and competitive edge in tchoukball within the Asia Pacific region.

• Several high-profile transfer stories are emerging, including Mohamed Salah's high financial demands deterring Saudi clubs and Bayern Munich rejecting Real Madrid's interest in Michael Olise. • Barcelona has reportedly agreed to sign Karim Adeyemi, while Arsenal and Liverpool are competing for RB Leipzig defender Lutsharel Geertruida. • Manchester City and Tottenham are considering hijacking Francisco Trincao's €50m (£42.6m) move from Sporting to Saudi side Al-Ahli.

Political leaders in both countries rebuke Mariano Rajoy after he writes team ‘does not have any French players’The former Spanish conservative prime minister Mariano Rajoy is facing growing accusations of racism after writing in a World Cup newspaper column that the French national team “does not have any French players”.Rajoy, who was in office from 2011 to 2018, pondered Spain’s looming semi-final showdown with France in an article for the online newspaper El Debate on Friday. Continue reading...

Government to launch consultation after Everton’s deal with Stake.com went ahead amid warnings from Gambling CommissionMinisters are poised to launch a crackdown on unlicensed casinos sponsoring British sports teams, amid criticism that a delay to the proposals has opened the door for offshore gambling firms to strike lucrative deals with Premier League clubs.Progress with plans to kick unlicensed gambling operators out of football has stalled since February, when the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) said a review would begin in spring. Continue reading...

• The World Cup 2026 quarter-finals commence this Thursday, featuring matchups between France vs Morocco, Spain vs Belgium, Norway vs England, and Argentina vs Switzerland. • France enters the knockout stage as the tournament favorite according to the Opta Supercomputer, following three group stage wins and a dominant 3-0 victory over Sweden in the round of 32. • Despite their strong start, France's momentum is under scrutiny after a less convincing round-of-16 win against Paraguay.

• New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon detailed the strategic partnership between India and New Zealand in an exclusive interview with The Indian Express. • Luxon identified economic, defense, security, and people-to-people ties as the three primary pillars supporting the relationship between the two nations. • The Prime Minister highlighted a global geopolitical "inflection point," noting a shift from a rules-based multilateral system to a power-based multipolar system.

• Journalist Ari Berman discussed with NPR's Fresh Air how the rules for midterm elections are being rewritten through redistricting and changes to campaign finance. • Berman highlights President Trump's focus on voting mechanics and analyzes a Supreme Court decision that he describes as the "final blow" to the Voting Rights Act. • The conversation examines the potential impact of the SAVE Act, which Berman warns could disenfranchise thousands of eligible voters.

• OpenAI will globally release its most advanced AI model, GPT-5.6, this Thursday following a limited preview for select partners. • The wide rollout follows the lifting of restrictions by the Trump administration, which had previously pressured the company to stagger the release. • An OpenAI spokesperson confirmed that the launch now has the official "green light" from U.S. government leadership.

• South Korea's ruling Democratic party has announced it will consider a recount of 2.47 million ballots from the June 3 local elections in Seoul. • In separate developments, Naver, Naver Cloud, and Korea Aerospace Industries are partnering to develop sovereign defense AI for drones and combat systems. • A catastrophic tornado in China resulted in 11 deaths and over 300 injuries, with reports of a man being sucked from a 12th-story apartment.

• Belgium advanced to the World Cup quarter-finals after defeating the USA 4-1 in Seattle, with goals from Charles De Ketelaere (2), Hans Vanaken, and Romelu Lukaku. • The victory secures Belgium a high-stakes quarter-final matchup against Spain. • The match was overshadowed by controversy surrounding U.S. President Donald Trump's reported intervention regarding a red card given to Folarin Balogun.

• The ACLU and ACLU Foundation have launched the “Firewall for Freedom” campaign, marking the organization's largest-ever electoral investment for a midterm cycle. • Working with 54 affiliates, the initiative aims to defeat ballot measures that seek to overturn reproductive freedom and voting rights. • The campaign focuses on protecting state courts from politicized judicial selections to ensure the legal system remains independent.

• Analysts warn that three materials stocks—Sonoco Products (SON), Ball (BA), and Crown Holdings—may experience a price drop this quarter due to being overbought. • The stocks have seen significant short-term gains over the past month, with Crown up 22%, Sonoco up 21%, and Ball up 20%. • High Relative Strength Index (RSI) values—80.5 for Crown, 78.4 for Sonoco, and 77.8 for Ball—indicate strong upward momentum that often precedes a correction.

• K-pop group BTS returned to London for their first UK performance since 2019, playing a show at Tottenham. • During the event, the group jokingly claimed to be a "good luck charm" for the England football team following a recent victory. • The performance incorporated Korean cultural elements, including the sound of the sacred bell of King Seongdeok, a treasure cast over 1,200 years ago.

Concrete-based cricket pitches, like that on which Nathan Fitzgerald received fatal blows to the head, are ‘totally unsafe’, concussion advocate saysGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAustralia must finally deal with a deadly risk that has plagued its native football code for more than 120 years, sports safety advocates say, after the death of a suburban Aussie rules footballer.Nathan Fitzgerald, a 27-year-old school teacher, died in a Melbourne hospital on Monday after a horror accident on Saturday in which it is believed the Epping reserves grade footballer clashed heads with another player while tackling an opponent and received a second blow to the head as he fell, before striking his head a third time on a concrete-based cricket pitch in the middle of the ground. Continue reading...

• Real Madrid is reportedly preparing a significant deal to sign Michael Olise, while Tottenham Hotspur is exploring a potential move for Rafael Leao. • Tottenham has also added Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo, 27, and Manchester City winger Savinho, 22, to their list of summer transfer targets. • Newcastle United is targeting Angelo Stiller, and Juventus, Fiorentina, Brentford, Brighton, and RB Leipzig are all tracking 20-year-old midfielder Christ Inao Oulai.

Mernda school community in mourning after Nathan Fitzgerald, 27, dies in hospital Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA Melbourne teacher who died following a horror head clash during an Australian football game has been remembered for the profound impact he left on his school community.Nathan Fitzgerald, 27, was taken to the Royal Melbourne hospital after he fell to the ground and hit his head on a covered cricket pitch during an Australian rules football game in Lalor in Melbourne’s north on Saturday. Continue reading...

• Real Madrid is reportedly preparing a massive deal to sign Michael Olise, while Tottenham Hotspur is exploring a move for Rafael Leao. • Tottenham has also added Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo, 27, and Manchester City winger Savinho, 22, to their list of summer transfer targets. • Other notable movements include Newcastle United targeting Angelo Stiller and several clubs, including Juventus and RB Leipzig, tracking 20-year-old midfielder Christ Inao Oulai.

Organisation says objects consistent with ‘debris from a foreign rocket body that recently re-entered the atmosphere’ The Australian Space Agency has said the six so-called “space balls” found in north Queensland were likely from a “foreign rocket body” that had recently re-entered the atmosphere after being in orbit.The six mysterious objects were found by the public washed ashore in the Forrest Beach area, north of Townsville, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday and were suspected of containing hazardous chemicals. Continue reading...

• Football experts are analyzing the systemic challenges that prevent Asian national teams from achieving significant breakthroughs in the FIFA World Cup. • The discussion highlights critical deficiencies in squad depth and the need for a fundamental shift in the competitive mindset of players and coaches. • This analysis matters as Asian nations seek to close the performance gap with elite European and South American teams to become genuine title contenders.

• Only two of the nine Asian teams that competed in the World Cup managed to advance to the knockout stages. • The results highlight a persistent struggle for Asian nations to achieve deep tournament runs despite increasing participation. • This outcome suggests that football's "Asian century"—the era where the region dominates the global game—remains unrealized.

Epping footballer Nathan Fitzgerald, 27, remains in hospital after hitting his head during a game in Lalor on SaturdayA suburban Melbourne footballer is receiving “end-of-life” care in hospital after a horror head clash saw him fall to the ground and hit his head on a covered cricket pitch, his club says.High school teacher Nathan Fitzgerald, 27, was taken to Royal Melbourne hospital on Saturday after the incident occurred during an Australian rules football game in Lalor, in Melbourne’s north. Continue reading...

Australian Space Agency working to confirm origin of objects as space archaeologist says they may be connected to a rocket launchGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastSix pieces of suspected space debris found washed up on north Queensland beaches could be “space balls” that are often left over from rocket launches, according to one expert.The Australian Space Agency confirmed on Sunday it was working to determine the nature and origin of the mysterious objects, which police said were suspected of containing hazardous chemicals. Continue reading...

• Police and fire authorities have launched an investigation into an online community following threats to install explosives at a baseball team's facility. • The security threat emerges amidst an ongoing controversy surrounding the team's connection to the May 18 pro-democracy movement. • Authorities are conducting searches to identify the suspects and ensure public safety at the venue.

• FIFA has released the fixture schedule for the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted across Mexico, the USA, and Canada. • The expanded 48-team tournament will feature a total of 104 matches, culminating in the Final on Sunday, July 19. • Key Round of 16 matchups include high-profile clashes such as Mexico vs England in Mexico City and Portugal vs Spain in Arlington.