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  • Australia embraces immigrants on World Cup squad with message that soccer is for everyone

    Australia embraces immigrants on World Cup squad with message that soccer is for everyone

    As Australia’s men’s national football team, the Socceroos, prepares to kick off its 2026 FIFA World Cup Group D campaign against Turkey in Vancouver, British Columbia this Saturday, the squad is using the global tournament spotlight to deliver a unifying message: soccer belongs to everyone, regardless of where you come from. This intentional stance comes as anti-immigrant rhetoric and hostility surges across Australia and much of the globe, creating a fraught backdrop for the team’s statement of inclusion.

    Central to the message is the team’s own diverse makeup, which is showcased in a new video released by Professional Footballers Australia (PFA). Multiple current squad members arrived in Australia as refugees, each carrying a unique journey to the world’s biggest football stage. For attacking player Awer Mabil, who is set to make his second World Cup appearance after growing up in a Kenyan refugee camp born to South Sudanese parents, representing Australia carries layered meaning. “There’s a lot of journeys behind the jersey, so to be a Socceroo has many different meanings, but with one purpose, and that is to do the country proud,” Mabil shared in the video.

    Mabil is not alone in his refugee background. Two of his teammates, both making their World Cup debuts this year, share similar origin stories. Mohamed Touré, a forward who currently plays club football for Norwich, was born to Liberian parents in a Guinean refugee camp before his family resettled in Adelaide. Nestory Irankunda, an attacker plying his trade at Watford, was born in a Tanzanian camp after his parents fled conflict in Burundi; his family first moved to Perth before ultimately putting down roots in Adelaide, where he and Touré became close friends. Even defender Milos Degenek’s story is shaped by refugee experience: his family fled Croatia when he was an infant, sought asylum in Serbia, and later resettled in Sydney to build a new life.

    The timing of the Socceroos’ celebration of immigrant team members is anything but accidental. Across the world, recent weeks have seen growing tensions stoked by anti-immigrant rhetoric. Earlier this month, a knife attack in Northern Ireland, fueled by anti-migrant speech, sparked two consecutive nights of violent rioting. In the United States, where the team has been training in Oakland, California, the Trump administration’s sweeping immigration crackdown has even spilled over into the World Cup: Somali referee Omar Artan was denied a visa to enter the country for the tournament, barring him from his officiating assignment. Within Australia itself, a series of anti-immigrant “March for Australia” rallies have been held across the country, with events resulting in multiple arrests on hate speech charges and violent clashes with counter-protesters who support inclusive immigration policy.

    PFA Chief Executive Beau Busch explained that the team’s public embrace of its multicultural roots is a deliberate rebuke to divisive rhetoric. “At a time when some seek to divide us and question who belongs, the Socceroos stand as a powerful reminder of who we truly are as a nation and as Australians,” Busch said. “The Socceroos highlight the profound impact of multiculturalism on our country. People who have come from all corners of the world have shaped football, our community and our sense of self in the world.”

    Off the pitch, the team’s final preparations hit a small bump earlier this week when Touré—one of 17 first-time squad members selected for the tournament—was absent from a Wednesday training session, causing minor concern among coaching staff. Teammates confirmed Thursday that Touré had returned to practice, clearing the way for him to be available for Saturday’s opener. This will mark Australia’s sixth consecutive World Cup appearance; the Socceroos have advanced to the knockout round of 16 twice in their tournament history, including during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

  • Palestine Action activists sentenced as terrorists

    Palestine Action activists sentenced as terrorists

    In an unprecedented decision that has sent shockwaves through Britain’s legal and activist communities, a British High Court judge has branded four Palestine Action protesters as terrorists and sentenced them to seven years in prison — an extraordinary move that comes even after a jury refused to convict the group on any terrorism-related charges.

    The case stems from a August 2024 direct action protest at an Elbit Systems UK facility near Bristol, where the four activists — Leona Kamio, Samuel Corner, Fatema Rajwani, and Charlotte Head — were found guilty by jurors only of criminal damage linked to the raid. Two additional co-defendants, Jordan Devlin and Zoe Rogers, were cleared of all charges entirely. Elbit Systems UK is a local subsidiary of the Israeli arms manufacturing giant that produces drones and military weapons deployed by the Israeli military in its ongoing military campaign in Gaza.

    Presiding Justice Jeremy Johnson formally added the controversial “terrorism connection” designation to the activists’ offenses during Friday’s sentencing hearing. The judge first flagged a potential terrorism link in a March 2025 preliminary ruling, arguing the protesters aimed to influence the Israeli government by disrupting arms supply chains. Crucially, this preliminary finding was never shared with the jury that ultimately convicted the group on non-terrorism charges.

    This ruling marks the first time in United Kingdom legal history that the terrorism designation has been applied to non-violent direct action protesters who were never convicted of terrorism offenses or intentional harm to people. Johnson justified his decision in court, stating the designation was grounded in findings that the group caused “serious property damage”, intended to pressure both the UK and Israeli governments, and intimidated members of the public, while acting to advance a clear political and ideological cause.

    A central point of contention in the sentencing phase has been the late submission of prosecution evidence used to quantify the damage from the raid. Prosecutors turned over a report from an independent forensic consultant just days before the hearing, which estimated total damage just over £1.2 million, covering harm to building infrastructure, IT systems, operational equipment and 40 separate military assets.

    Chief defense counsel Rajiv Menon KC lambasted the timing of the submission, calling it a last-minute move that came 20 months after the protest, long after Elbit finalized its insurance claim in March 2025. Menon argued that the delayed filing gave the defense no meaningful opportunity to review or challenge the report, which he dismissed as full of hearsay and unsubstantiated opinion. He further noted that the report included damage claims for sections of the factory the four defendants never even entered during the protest.

    Menon argued that relying on this unvetted evidence to increase the sentence and apply the terrorism designation would be a fundamental violation of the activists’ right to a fair trial. He criticized prosecutors for their inconsistent approach to evidence: “The Crown cannot have their cake and eat it. It can’t exclude evidence on the one hand and somehow bring it through the back door for sentencing.”

    Outside the courtroom, the ruling sparked immediate mass protest: hundreds of demonstrators gathered to demonstrate support for the activists, and police reported that more than 100 people were arrested simply for displaying signs in solidarity with Palestine Action, which has been proscribed as a terrorist organization in the UK.

  • US clears Paramount’s $111 bn Warner Bros. takeover

    US clears Paramount’s $111 bn Warner Bros. takeover

    After eight months of rigorous regulatory scrutiny, the U.S. Department of Justice has given unconditional approval to Paramount Skydance’s $111 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, a landmark media combination that reshapes the landscape of Hollywood and global streaming while drawing sharp criticism over potential political influence and antitrust harm. The department’s Antitrust Division concluded the tie-up would not undermine competition or harm U.S. consumers, even suggesting it could bolster competitive pressures in an increasingly crowded media space. The greenlight marks a defining victory for David Ellison, CEO of Paramount, whose father Larry Ellison—billionaire co-founder of Oracle and a close personal ally of former President Donald Trump—provided the bulk of the financing to seal the deal. The approval capped a contentious months-long bidding process that pitted Paramount against streaming giant Netflix, with Ellison’s personal financial guarantee ultimately winning over Warner Bros. Discovery’s board of directors after Netflix withdrew from the contest. Even as the federal government signed off, the merger faces significant remaining hurdles on multiple fronts. A coalition of 10 U.S. states, led by California, is preparing to file an antitrust lawsuit as soon as this month, with California Attorney General Rob Bonta confirming this week that the acquisition remains an active investigation. European Union regulators are also conducting their own parallel review of the combination, adding another layer of regulatory uncertainty. Critics of the merger have raised two core sets of objections. On one side, a group of Senate Democrats led by Senator Elizabeth Warren raised alarms that the deal could be tainted by political favoritism and corruption, calling on the Justice Department to base its decision solely on law and factual evidence rather than outside influence. On the other side, the Hollywood creative community has broadly opposed the combination, with hundreds of actors and directors signing an open letter warning the merger will further reduce production output in an industry already reeling from years of aggressive consolidation and widespread cost-cutting. The Justice Department directly rejected these industry concerns, stating that the evidence compiled during its eight-month review did not support claims that the merger would reduce media content production. The origin of the mega-deal stretches back to 2023, when Netflix and Paramount launched competing bids to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery and its vast, highly valuable catalog of classic film and television content. Many Hollywood stakeholders initially backed Netflix as a more favorable alternative to Paramount, but Paramount’s steadily rising offer—backed by the Ellison family’s deep financial resources—eventually pushed Netflix to abandon its bid, clearing the way for Paramount to lock up the board’s support. Once completed, the combined entity will control an unparalleled portfolio of media assets, including global news outlet CNN, Warner Bros. Pictures, one of Hollywood’s largest film studios, and the popular HBO Max streaming platform, creating a new media giant poised to compete with the largest streaming and entertainment companies in the world.

  • Warner Bros $111bn sale to Paramount approved by US Justice Department

    Warner Bros $111bn sale to Paramount approved by US Justice Department

    In a major turning point for the global media and entertainment landscape, the U.S. Department of Justice has granted formal approval to Paramount Skydance’s $111 billion acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery, clearing a critical regulatory hurdle that paves the way for one of the largest media mergers in Hollywood history. The green light allows the proposed takeover of the major Hollywood studio—home to leading media properties including global news outlet CNN and premium streaming platform HBO—to move forward after months of regulatory review.

    This high-stakes merger has been mired in controversy from its earliest stages, drawing scrutiny on multiple fronts. Early on, Paramount Skydance engaged in a high-profile bidding war with streaming giant Netflix for control of Warner Bros Discovery, while industry observers and policymakers have raised repeated alarms about the growing concentration of power in the entertainment sector. Political scrutiny has also centered on David Ellison, CEO of Paramount Skydance and son of billionaire tech entrepreneur Larry Ellison, a prominent donor to former President and 2024 presidential candidate Donald Trump.

    Despite the federal approval, the merger is far from finalized. Multiple state attorneys general, led by California’s top law enforcement official Rob Bonta, are currently conducting independent reviews of the deal, and legal action to block the transaction remains a distinct possibility. Back in late February, Bonta publicly stated that he feared a takeover of Warner Bros Discovery would accelerate industry consolidation and erode competitive conditions in the U.S. entertainment market. Earlier this June, the attorney general confirmed he was on the cusp of a decision on whether to file formal litigation to stop the merger, and his office declined to provide any additional comment when contacted by reporters last Friday.

    Opposition to the deal has also spread widely across the creative community in Hollywood. Back in April, more than 1,400 A-list actors, award-winning directors and established filmmakers signed an open letter publicly condemning the proposed merger. The signatories argued that the combined entity would squeeze independent creators out of the market, eliminate thousands of jobs across the film and television production ecosystem, drive up content distribution costs for consumers, and drastically reduce the range of programming choices available to audiences across the United States and around the globe. As state regulators wrap up their reviews, the future of the transformative media merger hangs in the balance, with implications that will reshape the entertainment industry for decades to come.

  • US deportation flight carrying Iranians lands in C.African Republic

    US deportation flight carrying Iranians lands in C.African Republic

    A U.S. deportation flight carrying dozens of migrants from Iran, Afghanistan, Turkey and Georgia has landed in the Central African Republic (CAR), lawyers and human rights advocates confirmed Friday, marking the latest controversial third-country deportation carried out by the Trump administration as part of its aggressive immigration crackdown.

    The policy of deporting migrants—even those granted limited legal protection in the U.S.—to third countries with which they have no personal or familial ties has become a core pillar of President Donald Trump’s expanded immigration enforcement push. Notably, this flight included Iranian nationals who had previously fled their home country, despite Washington being officially at war with the Tehran government that Trump has labeled a “terrorist regime.” Legal representatives confirmed at least two Iranian women were among those on board, a group that included people granted “withholding of removal” status. This designation, which offers weaker protections than full asylum, was still recognized as a legitimate form of legal protection for migrants facing danger if returned to their home countries under previous U.S. administrations.

    The flight departed from Alexandria, Louisiana, Thursday evening, according to tracking data from ICE Flight Monitor, a project run by the non-profit human rights organization Human Rights First. After a scheduled stopover in Ghana—already a well-established regional hub for U.S. third-country deportations—the plane touched down in Bangui, the CAR’s capital, around 21:00 GMT. Immigration lawyer Alma David, who is familiar with the details of the operation, said it remains unclear whether any migrants disembarked in Ghana or all passengers were brought on to the CAR. Ghanaian immigration officials did not respond to repeated requests for comment from AFP.

    The deportation destination itself raises immediate alarm, as the U.S. State Department currently maintains a level 4 travel advisory for the CAR, urging Americans “do not travel to Central African Republic for any reason.” Though years of intervention by a United Nations peacekeeping mission, Rwandan defense forces and Russian mercenaries from the Wagner Group have slightly reduced large-scale violence, armed rebel groups and anti-government factions still control large swathes of the mineral-rich, deeply impoverished country, leaving it one of the most unstable nations on the African continent.

    Emily Trostle, an attorney representing several of the deportees, warned that the migrants face extreme risk of being forcibly expelled onward to the countries they originally fled—a pattern that has repeated across other U.S. deportation operations in Africa. “These individuals are being removed from the United States and abandoned in a country where they have no status, no connection and no support network,” Trostle told AFP. “We fear they will ultimately be forced to return to the countries they originally fled.”

    The Trump administration has defended its third-country deportation policy, arguing that it is only prohibited from sending people with “withholding of removal” status directly to their country of origin, where they face verified danger. The administration claims this legal framework allows it to send such migrants to any other nation, even if those countries then choose to deport them onward to their original home. Past cases have already documented widespread abuse: deportees and their legal teams have reported unsanitary, overcrowded holding conditions in Ghana and prolonged, indefinite detention in Eswatini. In some cases, migrants deported to African hubs including Ghana and Equatorial Guinea have already been sent back to home countries where U.S. immigration judges previously ruled they would face persecution or harm.

    This landing in Bangui is believed to be the first U.S. deportation operation carried out under a new opaque deportation agreement between Washington and the CAR, one of several non-transparent deals the Trump administration has struck with African governments in recent months. Local civil society leaders say CAR authorities have refused to share any details about the agreement or the status of the incoming migrants. “We don’t know if these migrants who are coming to and will be received on Central African soil are in transit or if they are entitled to apply for asylum,” said Paul Crescent Beninga, a Central African political scientist and civil society leader. “The government doesn’t want to provide any answers, the government isn’t communicating.”

    A U.S. State Department spokesperson reiterated the administration’s hardline stance on immigration but declined to answer questions about the terms of the deal with the CAR, saying only: “we remain unwavering in our commitment to end illegal and mass immigration.” CAR authorities also did not respond to requests for comment.

    The controversial operation comes just one week after a landmark lawsuit was filed against the U.S. and Equatorial Guinea at the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, Africa’s top regional human rights body. The suit seeks to halt U.S. deportations to Equatorial Guinea, which has become another key transit hub for U.S. third-country deportations, and block the Equatorial Guinean government from expelling migrants onward to their high-risk home countries.

  • King Charles appoints actor Helen Mirren to a select group in his birthday honors list

    King Charles appoints actor Helen Mirren to a select group in his birthday honors list

    LONDON – Acclaimed British actor Helen Mirren, 80, has been appointed a Companion of Honour by King Charles III as part of the monarch’s 2026 birthday honors, a distinction reserved for only 65 living recipients at any time for extraordinary long-term contributions to British national life. One of the highest honors bestowed by the British Crown across the United Kingdom and Commonwealth, the Companion of Honour places Mirren in an exclusive circle that already includes prominent figures such as legendary environmental broadcaster David Attenborough, celebrated Canadian author Margaret Atwood, and former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown. Mirren’s appointment stands as one of the most high-profile recognitions in the annual mid-year honors, a twice-yearly tradition – held each New Year and June to mark the ruling monarch’s official birthday – that honors extraordinary contributions from celebrities, public figures and ordinary members of the public alike. Nearly 1,200 recipients are recognized in the 2026 birthday round of honors. Mirren’s latest honor specifically recognizes her decades of outstanding service to drama. A decorated veteran of stage and screen, she has long been a leading advocate for equal representation and opportunity for female actors, building her career starting in the 1960s with classical roles at the National Youth Theatre and Royal Shakespeare Company before breaking into film. Her early iconic big screen credits include *The Long Good Friday*, *Excalibur*, and *The Madness of King George*, and she captivated British television audiences for seven seasons as the sharp, trailblazing Detective Chief Inspector Jane Tennison in the landmark series *Prime Suspect*. The career highlight that cemented her global stardom came in 2007, when she won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her searing portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II in *The Queen*, a drama exploring the British royal family’s response to the 1997 death of Diana, Princess of Wales. First established in 1917 by King George V, the Companion of Honour was created to recognize major sustained contributions to the arts, sciences, medicine, or government. Membership is held for life, with new appointments only made when existing members pass away. Mirren fills the vacancy created by the recent death of David Hockney, one of the most influential British artists of the 20th century, with the next potential new appointment expected at the 2027 New Year honors. Beyond Mirren’s historic appointment, the 2026 birthday honors recognized a wide range of achievement across sectors. Beloved children’s author Julia Donaldson, whose total global book sales have surpassed 50 million copies to make her the top-selling author of all time in the UK, outranking *Harry Potter* creator J.K. Rowling, was appointed a dame – the highest female equivalent of a knighthood, an honor Mirren herself received in 2003. “Receiving this honor has been a very happy surprise,” said the 77-year-old author of *The Gruffalo* and *The Highway Rat*. “It’s really gratifying to have children’s books recognized in this way.” The sports world also saw multiple prominent honorees. Rugby league legend Kevin Sinfield was knighted for his decorated playing career and groundbreaking fundraising work for motor neuron disease (MND) research and family support. Since his close friend and former teammate Rob Burrow died from the neurological disorder in 2024, Sinfield has raised more than £11 million (nearly $15 million USD) to back the cause. Two-time Ryder Cup-winning captain Luke Donald was awarded an Order of the British Empire, as he prepares to make history next year when he leads Team Europe against the United States in Ireland, aiming to become the first captain ever to secure three consecutive Ryder Cup victories. Chloe Kelly, who scored the match-winning penalty for England’s women’s national football team at Euro 2025, was appointed a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire alongside six of her Euro-winning teammates. In the arts, Black Sabbath founding guitarist Tony Iommi received honors for his contributions to music and charity, coming just under a year after the death of the band’s iconic frontman Ozzy Osbourne. Welsh musician and broadcaster Cerys Matthews, former lead singer of Catatonia, was also recognized for her service to music. Unlike many high-profile public recognitions, the UK honors system intentionally centers ordinary people as well as household names. All recipients are selected by independent civil service committees from public and government nominations, and medals and titles are usually presented by King Charles or a senior royal, most often at Windsor Castle where the monarch resides full-time. One notable non-celebrity honoree is Debbie Lewis, who founded the bereavement support organization COVID-19 Families U.K. after losing her father to COVID-19 in 2020, just four months after her mother’s death. After Lewis posted a public message on Facebook saying she was grieving alone and hoping to connect with others who shared similar loss, 40 people reached out to her within the first week. Six years later, her support network now serves more than 4,500 people navigating pandemic-related bereavement. “I’m still a little bit in shock,” the 56-year-old said of her honor. “I know it’s a huge achievement and I’m just a little bit overwhelmed at the moment.”

  • England crush Sri Lanka in Women’s T20 World Cup as Wyatt-Hodge’s 105 powers record total

    England crush Sri Lanka in Women’s T20 World Cup as Wyatt-Hodge’s 105 powers record total

    BIRMINGHAM, England — Host nation England got its 2024 Women’s Twenty20 World Cup campaign off to a historic, electrifying start on Friday, cruising to an overwhelming 87-run victory over Sri Lanka in front of a sold-out-feeling crowd of 14,865 cheering fans at Edgbaston.

    The story of the match was written by England’s batters, who delivered a tournament record-breaking performance to post the highest total in Women’s T20 World Cup history: 219 runs for the loss of just one wicket at the close of their 20 overs. The standout of the innings was opening batter Danni Wyatt-Hodge, who recently returned to international cricket after maternity leave, finishing an unbeaten 105 runs off 62 deliveries.

    Wyatt-Hodge shared the crease for a game-changing opening stand with Amy Jones, who was promoted up the batting order to open the innings. The pair put on 135 runs together, a new record for England’s highest opening partnership in T20 World Cup history, hitting 100 runs inside the first 10 overs. Jones survived two dropped catches on 12 and 48 before finally being dismissed for 53 runs off 38 balls, cementing her role in the dominant opening display.

    England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt, who only recently made her return to competitive cricket after suffering a torn calf injury in April, also made history during the innings. She survived a dropped catch when she was on 14, and went on to score an unbeaten 46 runs off just 22 deliveries. This knock pushed her career T20 World Cup run total to 784, overtaking former captain and current England head coach Charlotte Edwards’ previous record of 768 to become the nation’s all-time leading run-scorer in the tournament.

    In the final over of England’s innings, Sciver-Brunt gave the final two deliveries to Wyatt-Hodge, who was stuck on 97 runs at the time. The opener wasted no time, hitting the first of the two behind square for a boundary to bring up her century — just the seventh hundred in Women’s T20 World Cup history, and only the second ever scored by an English player. She followed that with another four off the final delivery, closing her innings on 105 not out with 13 fours, marking her third career T20 century.

    After reaching the milestone, Wyatt-Hodge punched the air in celebration before re-creating the iconic baby-rocking celebration first made famous by Brazilian soccer star Bebeto at the 1994 men’s FIFA World Cup. The celebration was a tribute to her newborn daughter Daisy, who was born on May 20 to Wyatt-Hodge and her wife. “It was great fun out there,” Wyatt-Hodge told reporters after the match. “My century celebration was for my daughter Daisy. I hope TV got it.”

    Wyatt-Hodge’s impact extended far beyond her batting performance. In the fourth over of Sri Lanka’s chase, she ran from deep square leg, dove over her shoulder, and pulled off a spectacular one-handed catch to remove Chamari Athapaththu — Sri Lanka’s dangerous captain and biggest batting threat — for just 4 runs. Though she dropped two subsequent catching chances, neither miscue proved costly for England.

    Left-arm fast bowler Freya Kemp turned in a career-defining performance with the ball as Sri Lanka’s chase collapsed. Kemp finished with career-best figures of 4 wickets for just 21 runs, including three wickets in a single over that crumbled Sri Lanka’s batting order and reduced them to 92 runs for 8 wickets. Sri Lanka was eventually bowled out for 132 runs, sealing England’s 87-run opening win.

    The tournament continues Saturday with three group-stage matches: Ireland faces Scotland, Australia takes on South Africa, and defending champion New Zealand meets the West Indies.

  • David Beckham gets Hollywood star as World Cup begins in US

    David Beckham gets Hollywood star as World Cup begins in US

    As the 2026 FIFA World Cup prepared to kick off its first match on U.S. soil, global football icon David Beckham received one of entertainment’s most prestigious honors – a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The 51-year-old former Manchester United and England captain, who cemented his legacy as one of football’s most recognizable global ambassadors, received the honor on a sun-drenched Los Angeles boulevard Friday, with A-list friends, family and adoring fans in attendance.

    Hollywood legend and Beckham’s close personal friend Tom Cruise took to the stage to celebrate the English footballer’s transformative impact on soccer in the United States, an achievement he said deserves far more recognition than a star on a sidewalk. Reflecting on Beckham’s 2007 move to LA Galaxy, where he spent six seasons raising the profile of Major League Soccer (MLS), Cruise noted how the star’s arrival shifted American public perception of the sport forever.

    “When David arrived, Major League Soccer had just 13 teams. Today, it has 30. That’s the impact we’re celebrating today: not just an extraordinary playing career, but a legacy that changed the trajectory of a sport across North America,” Cruise told the gathered crowd. “People who had never watched soccer suddenly had a reason to tune in. Beckham changed this game in this country.”

    For his part, a humbled Beckham called the honor a surreal moment that he never could have imagined as a working-class kid growing up in England. “I’ve always been a dreamer, but I could never have imagined that an honor like this would come to a working-class English soccer player like me,” he said. “How fitting then that I am here today as we prepare to celebrate the opening here in the US of the 2026 World Cup. It’s a powerful moment to recognize how the sport I love so much has grown in this country over the past three decades.”

    Beckham also paid tribute to Cruise, who first welcomed him to Los Angeles nearly 20 years ago, calling the opportunity to be honored by one of Hollywood’s biggest stars “mind-blowing.” “To stand here in front of my friend Tom Cruise, the greatest movie star of our time, is quite frankly overwhelming,” he said. “You welcomed us to LA 20 years ago, and you have been a loyal friend and an inspiration to me ever since.”

    Victoria Beckham, David’s wife, former Spice Girls member and now successful fashion designer and entrepreneur, emphasized that the honor comes at a pivotal moment for American soccer. “Soccer in America is entering one of the most exciting chapters in its history, which makes this incredible honor feel all the more timely,” she said, echoing the widely held view that the 2026 World Cup will cement the U.S.’s status as a major global soccer market.

    This year’s World Cup is co-hosted by the U.S., Mexico and Canada, marking the second time the U.S. has hosted the tournament after its debut as host in 1994. The U.S. men’s national team was set to play its opening match of the tournament against Paraguay in Los Angeles later the same day Beckham received his star.

    After retiring from professional playing in 2013 following a 20-year career stints with global powerhouses including Real Madrid, AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain, Beckham has continued to shape the growth of American soccer. He co-founded Inter Miami CF, which shocked the global sports world in 2023 when it signed Argentine megastar Lionel Messi, leading the expansion club to its first-ever MLS title last season. Beyond sports, Beckham has also built a successful career in media and entertainment, launching content production company Studio 99 in 2019.

  • Elon Musk becomes world’s first trillionaire as SpaceX soars in stock market debut

    Elon Musk becomes world’s first trillionaire as SpaceX soars in stock market debut

    On a historic Friday that reshaped global business and inequality dynamics, Elon Musk crossed an unprecedented financial threshold to become the world’s first trillionaire, driven by a roaring market debut of his aerospace and artificial intelligence firm SpaceX that went down as the largest initial public offering in stock market history.

    SpaceX opened trading on the New York-based Nasdaq exchange with a total market valuation of $2.2 trillion, after pricing its initial shares at $135 apiece. Buoyed by overwhelming investor enthusiasm for Musk, the commercial space sector, and emerging AI, opening trades jumped to $150 per share, and the price briefly peaked at $176.50 before closing the session at $160.95. The blockbuster IPO raised $75 billion in fresh capital for the company, which earmarked the funds to accelerate development of reusable rocket technology and advance its artificial intelligence projects.

    Musk’s 42% ownership stake in SpaceX alone closed the day valued at roughly $884 billion, when combined with his 12% stake in electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla, his total net worth pushed just over the $1 trillion mark, cementing his position as the world’s wealthiest individual by a wide margin. For context, Musk’s on-paper net worth is roughly equivalent to the entire annual gross domestic product of European nations Poland and Switzerland.

    This unprecedented milestone for a private individual immediately ignited fierce global debate over skyrocketing wealth concentration. High-profile progressive U.S. politicians Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren were quick to condemn the development, with Warren arguing that Musk’s new trillionaire status should serve as a urgent ‘wake up call’ that reinforces the urgent need for targeted wealth taxation on the world’s ultra-wealthy.

    It is important to note that Musk’s new status is based on the valuation of his equity holdings, not liquid cash reserves, and he is bound by a lock-up agreement that bars him from selling any of his SpaceX shares for at least 12 months. Beyond Musk, the IPO has delivered life-changing windfalls for more than 4,400 current and former SpaceX employees, who received company equity as part of their compensation packages and are now set to become millionaires from the listing.

    The historic listing also renewed public scrutiny of Musk’s increasingly high-profile political engagements in recent months. Musk, who currently leads U.S. President Donald Trump’s Department for Government Efficiency (DOGE), oversaw the shutdown of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) as part of the department’s cost-cutting agenda. Researchers publishing in *The Lancet* medical journal have warned that the cuts to USAID could lead to more than 14 million additional preventable deaths globally by 2030. He has also had repeated public clashes with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, most recently over the murder of 18-year-old British student Henry Nowak. He has also drawn sharp criticism for his stances on immigration policy from governments on both sides of the Atlantic.

    Unlike many established public companies, SpaceX’s $2.2 trillion valuation is rooted overwhelmingly in investor optimism about its long-term future potential rather than proven consistent profitability. Recent regulatory financial filings show the company has recorded cumulative losses of more than $9 billion across 2025 and the first half of 2026, driven by massive upfront spending on AI development, rocket infrastructure, and other capital projects. The company did not provide a clear timeline for when it expects to turn a profit in its pre-IPO filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

    Today, SpaceX already operates a leading commercial rocket launch business, manages the growing Starlink satellite internet constellation, and owns xAI, the artificial intelligence firm behind the controversial chatbot Grok. Its long-term ambitions outlined in its IPO prospectus far exceed its current operations: the company states its core mission is ‘To build the systems and technologies necessary to make life multiplanetary, to understand the true nature of the universe and to extend the light of consciousness to the stars.’ Musk has long publicly championed the goal of colonizing Mars and has also floated plans to build cloud data centers in orbit.

    Ahead of the Nasdaq listing, protesters gathered in New York’s Times Square to demonstrate against Musk and the company, echoing widespread public criticism of his wealth and political actions. Market analysts hold mixed views on the company’s post-IPO trajectory. Susannah Streeter, chief investment strategist at asset manager Wealth Club, noted that the outsized jump in share price reflects how deeply investors have bought into Musk’s ambitious long-term vision. ‘He has long been reaching for the stars with his extra-terrestrial ambitions, and it appears plenty of investors share his enthusiasm for the future,’ Streeter said. However, she also warned that Friday’s rally is ‘being driven as much by hype and scarcity as fundamentals.’

    Industry observers have also raised concerns about unintended exposure to SpaceX’s expected volatility for ordinary savers. Many pension funds and retail savings products invest in broad market index funds that automatically include shares of the largest public companies, meaning millions of ordinary savers will be exposed to any future swings in SpaceX’s share price. Samuel Kerr, who leads equity capital markets research for Mergermarket, emphasized that the real test for SpaceX will not be its first-day trading performance but its ability to sustain its valuation over the long term. ‘The question on SpaceX is less about the immediate trading after IPO,’ Kerr said. ‘It’s more about how the price holds over the longer term.’

  • World Cup kicks off in Canada with Alanis Morissette and Michael Bublé performing in opening ceremony

    World Cup kicks off in Canada with Alanis Morissette and Michael Bublé performing in opening ceremony

    The historic 48-nation 2026 FIFA World Cup, the largest edition of the global football tournament in history, officially entered its North American co-host phase on Friday, as Canada stepped into the international spotlight with a vibrant, diversity-focused opening ceremony in Toronto ahead of its opening group stage match against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

    A day earlier, the tournament kicked off in Mexico City with its own star-studded opening ceremony featuring global superstars Shakira and Nigerian Afrobeats icon Burna Boy. Later Friday, the United States will play its first match of the tournament in Los Angeles, with a pre-game performance lineup headlined by pop star Katy Perry and Atlanta rapper Future, plus additional sets from Brazilian hitmaker Anitta, South African Grammy winner Tyla, and Blackpink alumna LISA.

    The 2026 World Cup marks the first time the tournament has been split across three host nations: Canada, Mexico, and the United States. The expanded format, which grew from 32 to 48 competing teams, has already cemented its status as the most expansive World Cup ever staged.

    For Canadian football fans, Friday’s opening match in Toronto represented a long-awaited milestone in the country’s sporting history. Thousands of supporters flooded the streets and stadium stands, turning the area around Toronto Stadium into a sea of Canadian red, with fans breaking into an impromptu, heartfelt performance of *O Canada* as they entered the venue. Two local fans, Peter Giacobbe and Robert McIntosh, planned to attend all three of Canada’s group stage matches across the country’s two host cities, Toronto and Vancouver. “We’ve very excited. This is a long time coming,” Giacobbe told reporters, with McIntosh adding, “We woke up this morning realising that this is making Canadian history together.”

    Bosnia and Herzegovina fans brought just as much enthusiasm to the match, marking the team’s first World Cup appearance since 2014. Hundreds of supporters marched to the stadium separately from Canadian fans, with some traveling all the way from the Balkans to cheer on their team, while others with dual roots embraced the unique moment of competing in North America. Layla Mesic, a Bosnian-Canadian who attended the game with her Canadian mother (who wore a Canada jersey), proudly wore Bosnia’s iconic yellow and blue kit. “To even qualify to the World Cup, it’s a big point of pride for us,” Mesic said. “Today I’m 100% Bosnian. It might have cost an arm and a leg, but I’m here, and this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

    Canada’s opening ceremony lineup leaned heavily into homegrown talent and the country’s commitment to cultural diversity, as highlighted by organizers. Iconic Canadian artists Alanis Morissette and Michael Bublé headlined the event: Morissette delivered a powerful, crowd-pleasing performance of the Canadian national anthem, while Bublé joined a local choir to lead fans in a rousing rendition of Sam Cooke’s *Bring It on Home to Me*. Additional performers included Grammy-winning singer Alessia Cara, Palestinian singer-songwriter Elyanna, Toronto-born artists Jessie Reyez and Nora Fatehi, and William Prince, an acclaimed Indigenous artist from Manitoba. Organizers noted the curated lineup was intentionally designed to reflect Canada’s diverse communities and rich cultural tapestry. Before kickoff, the stadium announcer invited the entire crowd to join in a round of applause for peace, a quiet moment of unity ahead of the match.

    For fans unable to secure the high-priced match tickets, Toronto offered a free alternative fan zone located just across the street from the stadium, open to attendees on a first-come, first-served basis. Many local fans gathered there to watch the ceremony and match, embracing the energetic atmosphere even with heavier-than-usual traffic disruptions across the city. “Getting tickets for the actual game wasn’t even a consideration for us because of the high cost,” said Torontonian Angela Aco, who attended the fan zone to cheer on Canada. “It’s great to see people from all over the place. We just roll with the punches,” she added, noting that Michael Bublé’s performance was her favorite part of the opening ceremony.

    Notably, top political leaders from all three host nations are skipping their respective countries’ opening matches. U.S. President Donald Trump will not attend the Los Angeles match, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio attending in his place. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is currently on a working trip to France ahead of next week’s G7 summit, where he is scheduled to meet with French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday. Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum also skipped her country’s opening match on Thursday, announcing she was staying away in protest of the tournament’s exorbitant ticket prices.

    Looking ahead to the end of the tournament, FIFA has planned a historic first for the World Cup: a Super Bowl-style halftime show during the July 19 final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, the first of its kind in the tournament’s nearly 100-year history. The closing ceremony and halftime show will feature an all-star lineup headlined by Coldplay’s Chris Martin, Madonna, and Shakira, capping off the month-long global sporting event.