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World Cup Golden Boot: Messi leads Mbappe, Haaland before quarterfinals

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  Messi is the top goal scorer after tallying his eighth against Egypt, with Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe next best. Argentina superstar Lionel Messi has, once again, taken the lead in the race for the World Cup’s Golden Boot award after scoring his eighth goal in his country’s thrilling 3-2 win over Egypt in the round of 16 on Tuesday. Messi’s goal brought Argentina back on level terms after they were 2-0 down in the match in Atlanta, and also helped him break away from the rest of the pack. For three days, French talisman Kylian Mbappe and Argentinian great Lionel Messi rubbed shoulders as the joint leaders – with seven goals apiece – in the race to be the tournament’s top goal scorer, but Haaland’s double in Norway’s round of 16 win against Brazil put him level with both on Sunday. When the World Cup’s knockout stage began, Messi became the first to reach seven goals when Argentina beat Cape Verde on Friday, and Mbappe matched him a day later as France beat Paraguay. Englan...
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Syria in tough balancing act as it tightens security after Damascus blasts

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  Authorities increase security measures after back-to-back deadly explosions rattle residents. Authorities have tightened security across Damascus following a series of bomb blasts that have shaken the Syrian capital and tested the limits of the country’s transitional government. The Ministry of Interior implemented a series of precautionary protective measures, including heavily armed patrols, following a deadly explosion at a cafe on July 2 and a twin bombing on Tuesday during a visit by French President Emmanuel Macron. Checkpoints have been re-established at critical intersections across the city, while key government buildings, judicial institutions and foreign diplomatic sites have been granted extended exclusion zones, reinforced by concrete blast walls and mandatory vehicle searches. In the latest attack , two improvised explosive devices – one hidden in a roadside rubbish bin and another rigged inside a parked car – detonated at approximately 10:15am (07:15 GMT) while b...
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Syria says one killed, 36 wounded after Damascus blasts during Macron visit

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  Macron, who continued his visit after the blasts, said Syria must not be ‘destabilised’ by the attacks. Syrian authorities say one person has died after explosions rocked Syria’s capital Damascus on Tuesday as French President Emmanual Macron visited the city. Syria’s state news agency, citing the Ministry of Health, reported the updated toll on Wednesday and said at least 36 people were wounded in the blasts. The ministry said 31 of those wounded had “minor injuries”, while five others were hospitalised in “stable condition”. The blasts struck central Damascus near the Ministry of Tourism and the Four Seasons Hotel, a day after Macron had stayed the night there, reported Al Jazeera’s Obaida Hitto from the Syrian capital. Syria’s Ministry of Interior said one bomb had been placed inside a car parked on the side of a road, while a second device was planted in a rubbish container. It said they exploded “while preparations were under way” to dismantle them. Macron, the first Europ...
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European Parliament condemns Zelenskyy for naming military unit after UPA heroes

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  A resolution on Ukraine’s accession to the EU defines the choice as an “unnecessary and unprovoked escalation” by the Ukrainian president, reigniting Warsaw–Kyiv tensions. The European Parliament on Wednesday approved an amendment that criticised Volodymyr Zelenskyy's decision to rename an elite Ukrainian military unit after the World War II-era Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), a move that has sparked a diplomatic dispute with Poland. A large majority of MEPs voted in favor of the amendment, which expressed regret over the "recent unnecessary and unprovoked escalation" by the Ukrainian president, while recalling Poland's steadfast support for Ukraine in its fight against Russia's invasion. It was tabled by a Polish MEP from the European People’s Party, Andrzej Halicki, together with his German colleague Michael Gahler, and included in a report assessing Ukraine's path to EU membership. In Ukraine, the UPA is widely commemorated for its role in opposing Soviet...
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Can Trump cut trade with Spain? What his threat really means

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  US President Donald Trump has ordered an immediate halt to trade with Spain. But as trade policy is an exclusive EU competence, could Washington go beyond tariffs to target the country? US President Donald Trump called for an end to trade with Spain at the NATO summit in Ankara on Wednesday. Speaking about Spain's refusal to commit to NATO's new defence spending target of 5% of GDP, Trump said that “Spain is a terrible partner in NATO” at a joint press conference with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. The president added that "Spain is a wasted cause and we don't want to do any business with them", instructing Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on the spot to halt commerce with Spain. "I don't want to do any trade with them, alright?" Trump said, turning to Bessent, who replied: "Yes, sir." Trump ‌then added, "Take care of ⁠it immediately. Don't even talk to them. They're hopeless. They're bad people ... They make so much ...
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Gulf states brace again for fiery US-Iran showdown as tensions spiral

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  From the front lines of the US-Iran confrontation, the Gulf nations have again urged both sides, with strategic restraint, not to abandon their negotiations, while Tehran is telegraphing that the Strait of Hormuz is now Iran's. The Gulf countries are bracing for a rapidly deteriorating security situation following the new military escalations over the last 24 hours, after the US and Iran exchanged fire and Tehran attacked Kuwait and Bahrain and issued fiery warnings, culminating with US President Donald Trump’s stark announcement at the NATO summit in Ankara that he thinks the US-Iran ceasefire is "over". The Gulf has once again issued rapid-fire statements condemning Iran for the latest escalations, but with a reasoned approach that should leave the door open to the difficult diplomatic path ahead. The new round of US-Iran negotiations, as part of the framework deal to end the war, was scheduled for Thursday, and the Gulf nations’ unified approach to the latest flare-u...
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US President Donald Trump arrives in Turkey to attend NATO summit

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  The two-day gathering in Ankara comes a year after NATO members pledged to ramp up security-related spending to 5% of GDP under pressure from the US leader. Yet, the US President has lashed out at European allies over Iran. US President Donald Trump has landed in the Turkish capital Ankara to attend a two-day NATO summit. NATO allies showcased surging defence spending with new arms contracts worth billions at a summit in Turkey on Tuesday as they sought to placate US President Donald Trump's fury over Europe's response to the war with Iran. The two-day gathering in Ankara comes a year after NATO members pledged to ramp up security-related spending to 5% of GDP under pressure from the US leader. NATO chief Mark Rutte has insisted European countries are "delivering" by bolstering military budgets and moving to take more responsibility for the defence of their continent in the face of Russia. In bid to impress Trump before he touched down, NATO kicked off with a string...
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