Squad

• Scotland has qualified for the 2026 World Cup in North America, marking the nation's first appearance at the tournament in 28 years. • Manager Steve Clarke secured an automatic group stage spot after a dramatic 4-2 victory over Denmark last November, which allowed Scotland to leapfrog them in the standings. • While Scott McTominay is highlighted as a star of the roster, the squad is currently facing challenges due to poorly timed injuries.

• The Athletic is tracking and listing the official 48-team rosters for the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. • The publication is providing detailed squad breakdowns, including specific player lists such as the defenders for Côte d'Ivoire, featuring athletes like Evan Ndicka and Odilon Kossounou. • This comprehensive tracking serves as a primary resource for fans and analysts to monitor team selections and player eligibility as nations finalize their lineups.

• South Korea coach Hong Myung-bo named a 26-man squad on Saturday, with Son Heung-min set for his fourth World Cup appearance as the team’s leading star. • ESPN reported that the veteran forward will again anchor South Korea’s attack, underlining his central role in the national side’s tournament plans. • The squad announcement matters because South Korea are expected to rely heavily on experienced players as they prepare for the global showpiece.

Melbourne man stabbed twice in chest, with remains found in field near his campervan in 2021. Family argue police prematurely assumed he’d killed himselfFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe New South Wales coroner has recommended the mysterious death of Jackson Stacker near Byron Bay be investigated by the homicide squad, with Teresa O’Sullivan finding “some aspects of the early [police] investigation raised concerns”.Stacker had been travelling from Melbourne to Queensland in his Toyota Hiace van in 2021 when the borders closed due to Covid. Continue reading...

Critics say exemption exploits White House’s ‘self-made gas crisis’, and could doom the rare Rice’s whaleSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxA US government panel on Tuesday exempted oil and gas drilling in the Gulf of Mexico from the Endangered Species Act (ESA), a move which critics say could doom a rare whale species and harm other marine life.The Endangered Species Committee – which had not convened in more than three decades – voted to approve the request for the ESA exemption at the request of the defense secretary, Pete Hegseth. Continue reading...