Global Pulse

标签： South America

南美洲

  • Earthquake aid keeps flowing from Florida to Venezuela, with help from the U.S. State Department

    Earthquake aid keeps flowing from Florida to Venezuela, with help from the U.S. State Department

    Last June, two powerful back-to-back earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude struck just 39 seconds apart across central and northern Venezuela, leaving a trail of catastrophic destruction that upended thousands of lives. The disaster killed at least 4,500 people, left thousands more unaccounted for, damaged or destroyed more than 850 buildings, displaced 17,000 residents, and crippled critical infrastructure for power, clean water and public sanitation. Nearly three weeks after the tremors, a massive, community-led relief operation based out of South Florida is still working around the clock to get life-sustaining aid to vulnerable Venezuelan communities, a effort made possible by a dramatic shift in U.S.-Venezuela relations following the January U.S. military raid that led to the capture of former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.

    The operation is centered at the Doral, Florida headquarters of Global Empowerment Mission (GEM), a non-profit humanitarian organization where half the local population identifies as Venezuelan. For 18-year-old Alessandra Izaguirre, whose grandmother’s Caracas home narrowly escaped destruction in the quakes, volunteering here is personal. Currently based in the U.S., Izaguirre says the shock of seeing her family and so many other Venezuelans displaced pushed her to act, even from thousands of miles away. She has spent the past two weeks preparing meals for the hundreds of volunteers that report to GEM’s warehouses daily.

    Izaguirre is just one of thousands of participants in what has become one of the largest grassroots humanitarian mobilizations for South America in recent history. Every day, hundreds of volunteers sort through donated supplies curated to match the most pressing current needs, pack shipments, and prepare them for daily flights bound for Caracas. The effort draws donations from across the U.S., Canada, Mexico and beyond, and is facilitated through a formal partnership with the U.S. State Department, with logistical support from the U.S. military.

    This new operating model is a stark shift from years past, when Maduro’s government routinely blocked international humanitarian aid, labeling it an act of foreign interference. GEM founder and president Michael Capponi was even denied entry to Venezuela while attempting to deliver aid during Maduro’s tenure. Today, the entire supply chain remains under GEM’s full control: private planes carrying aid are unloaded by U.S. military personnel, transported on GEM-funded trucks, and stored in GEM-controlled warehouses, never passing through the hands of Venezuelan government officials. This independent structure has addressed widespread longstanding concerns among donors about corruption and theft of aid by Venezuelan officials, building trust that has supercharged donations.

    Within hours of the June 24 earthquakes, GEM activated its headquarters as an official donation collection point. After the organization completed its first successful, fully transparent aid delivery, donations poured in faster than Capponi, a veteran of decades of global disaster response, had ever seen. Major national brands including Goya, Walmart and Amazon donated bulk supplies, while professional U.S. sports teams contributed six-figure donations. But the bulk of the aid still comes from small, individual contributions: thousands of everyday people stopping at local supermarkets to buy a few cases of canned goods or packs of diapers, dropping them off at GEM’s warehouses.

    At times, lines of donors dropping off supplies stretched so long that local police were called in to manage traffic. Two brothers drove a fully loaded U-Haul of relief goods all the way from Canada, while other convoys arrived from as far as Nevada, California and Texas. Across GEM’s three Doral-area warehouses, up to 1,000 volunteers pack aid daily, building pallets of bulk essentials and assembling individual care packages that hold enough food, water and hygiene supplies to support two people for five days. Many volunteers tuck handwritten notes of encouragement into the packages, including messages like “Te queremos Venezuela” – “We love you, Venezuela.”

    Many volunteers have personal connections to disaster or to the Venezuelan diaspora. Twenty-five-year-old Mariela Vila, who survived Hurricane Maria’s devastating 2017 strike on her native Puerto Rico, has worked full-day shifts at GEM since the effort launched. “The Latino community gathered together to help Puerto Rico when we needed it, so I felt I had to give that same support to Venezuela,” she explained. Billy Richardson, GEM’s U.S. logistics director, added that volunteer enthusiasm is so high that staff often have to push people out at the end of the workday, with many taking paid vacation from their regular jobs to keep packing shipments.

    GEM’s long-term plan calls for delivering at least 100,000 care packages per month for the next three to six months, while also beginning to plan for longer-term recovery needs such as permanent housing for displaced families. To date, nearly one million pounds of supplies have been shipped from Florida to GEM’s newly leased Caracas warehouses, where the organization partners with trusted local nonprofits and community leaders to distribute aid twice daily in the hardest-hit regions. In a recent high-profile distribution, U.S. Marines landed an amphibious craft on a Venezuelan beach and unloaded hundreds of GEM packages directly to a line of 2,000 waiting residents.

    A State Department spokesperson explained that partnering with GEM and other independent nonprofits allows the U.S. to leverage existing community networks and the deep connections of the Venezuelan diaspora in the U.S. to deliver aid directly to those who need it. Multiple other U.S.-based humanitarian groups have also confirmed they are now able to operate independently in Venezuela without interference from government officials, a change unthinkable just six months ago.

    Still, the new U.S.-led aid framework faces lingering questions over transparency and accountability. Critics note that the U.S. currently controls billions of dollars in seized Venezuelan oil export revenue, and there are unanswered questions about how much of that funding is being directed to earthquake recovery. Laura Cristina Dib, Venezuela program director at the Washington Office on Latin America, noted that “there are a lot of transparency questions that linger on the use of that fund at a moment when Venezuelans desperately need that money for protection and recovery.”

    U.S. officials have pushed back on these concerns. John M. Barrett, the U.S. charge d’affairs for Venezuela, told reporters that the current interim Venezuelan government has been “fully compliant” with all U.S. requests to advance the relief effort, and that oil revenue controlled by the U.S. Treasury is being made available for relief. A State Department spokesperson added that, separate from the oil revenue, the U.S. has committed more than $386 million in direct funding for earthquake response, and is working to support the interim government’s budget operations to improve liquidity for recovery.

    On the ground in the hard-hit coastal city of Maiquetía, recipients of GEM aid say the support is already making a life-changing difference. Last week, Yoniel Reyes sat in a temporary displacement tent unpacking his GEM care package – packed and sealed 1,300 miles away in Doral – which held instant meals, bottled water, canned food, hydration supplements and hygiene kits. “I never imagined I would be receiving aid from the U.S.,” Reyes said. “We Venezuelans are thankful, very thankful.”

  • US burrito giant Chipotle opening first outlet in Mexico

    US burrito giant Chipotle opening first outlet in Mexico

    U.S.-born fast-casual chain Chipotle Mexican Grill is preparing to open its very first restaurant in Mexico this week, marking an unprecedented milestone for the brand that built its global empire on Mexican-inspired cuisine. With more than 4,100 outlets operating across the world, the company frames this launch into the culinary birthplace of its core menu as one of its most significant strategic moves in recent years.

    Founded on the concept of customizable burritos, hand-crafted tacos, and build-your-own grain bowls, Chipotle has gained a loyal following across North America and beyond. But its new venture comes with major historical precedent: U.S. food chains that attempt to enter the origin countries of their signature dishes have a well-documented track record of failure. Most famously, Taco Bell, another U.S. fast food giant specializing in Mexican-inspired fare, has twice tried and failed to establish a permanent presence in Mexico, withdrawing its last location in 2010 after failing to resonate with local diners. Similarly, Domino’s Pizza exited Italy, the global birthplace of pizza, in 2022, shuttering all its outlets after seven years of struggling to compete against beloved local pizzerias.

    Chipotle’s leadership is leaning into a posture of cultural respect as it enters the market. Scott Boatwright, the company’s chief executive, emphasized in a statement Monday that the chain is entering Mexico with profound respect for the country’s centuries-old culinary heritage, and is committed to delivering a high-quality version of the signature Chipotle experience. “We look forward to serving new guests and earning a place in Mexico’s vibrant dining culture,” Boatwright said.

    The inaugural Chipotle location is situated in the northeastern Mexican state of Nuevo León, just along the border with Texas. The company says this launch site will serve as a critical proof-of-concept for its wider Mexican expansion strategy. In partnership with Alsea, a prominent Mexican restaurant operator that already manages major global brands including Domino’s Pizza, Starbucks, and Chili’s across the country, Chipotle plans to open additional outlets across Nuevo León before expanding into Mexico City in 2027.

    News of the launch has sparked a fierce divided debate across social media platforms, with many users poking fun at the brand’s decision to enter the market. On X (formerly Twitter), commenters have drawn sharp, humorous comparisons to other notorious failed chain expansions. One user joked that the move was analogous to “selling Mexico a corporate version of Mexico,” while another questioned why local consumers would choose Chipotle when Mexico already has abundant access to affordable, high-quality authentic Mexican food. Other comparisons included comparing the launch to opening a Pizza Hut in Naples, or even joking that the next step would be American Chinese food chain Panda Express opening its first location in mainland China.

    Not all reactions were critical, however. Some social media users noted that the move is a key test of Chipotle’s broader global expansion ambitions, while others suggested the chain could find success as a novelty attraction for international tourists visiting the country. For 2026 overall, Chipotle has plans to open as many as 370 new restaurants across the globe, with new market entries also planned for Singapore and South Korea as the brand works to grow its international footprint.

  • Argentina to wear ‘lucky’ blue away kit against England

    Argentina to wear ‘lucky’ blue away kit against England

    As the 2026 FIFA World Cup enters its final stretch, one of the tournament’s most storied international rivalries will take center stage on Wednesday, when defending champions Argentina face off against England in a hotly anticipated semi-final showdown at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 20:00 BST, with the match broadcast live to UK audiences via the BBC.

    Ahead of the game, Argentina’s kit choice has already sparked widespread discussion: the reigning world champions confirmed they will take the pitch in their navy blue away strip, while England will stick to their iconic all-white home kit. This darker alternate kit has only made one appearance for Argentina throughout this year’s tournament, when they secured a 3-1 group stage victory over Jordan.

    While FIFA rules offer an official explanation for the switch, the decision has fueled speculation among Argentine media that the choice is rooted in long-held sporting superstition. This same navy blue kit was worn by Argentina for two of their most famous historic World Cup victories against England: the 1986 quarter-final clash and the 1998 last-16 knockout match.

    In the 1986 Mexico City quarter-final, Diego Maradona’s legendary two goals – including the infamous handball that became known as the ‘Hand of God’ – carried Argentina to a 2-1 win that remains one of the most talked-about matches in World Cup history. Twelve years later at the France 1998 tournament, Argentina again wore the navy blue kit when they knocked England out of the tournament in a dramatic penalty shootout, a match marred by the sending off of England star David Beckham following an altercation with Argentina’s Diego Simeone.

    The only time the kit combination was reversed came at the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup, when England donned their red away strip and Argentina wore their traditional light blue and white striped home kit. On that occasion, Beckham scored the match-winning penalty to secure a 1-0 group stage win for England, earning redemption for his 1998 sending off and writing another chapter into the decades-long rivalry.

    FIFA’s official kit regulations state that governing body prefers teams to wear their first-choice home kits where possible, but will mandate changes if there is a risk of uniform color clash. The organization also requires a clear dark-light contrast between the two teams’ kits to accommodate viewers with color vision deficiency, commonly known as color blindness.

    Both teams earned their spots in the 2026 semi-finals after hard-fought extra-time knockout wins. England booked their place in the final four with a 2-1 comeback victory over Norway on Saturday, while Argentina secured a dramatic 3-1 win over 10-man Switzerland 24 hours later to set up this latest chapter in their historic rivalry with England. Heading into the match, Argentina’s captain Lionel Messi has already notched eight tournament goals, while England’s rising star Jude Bellingham has tallied six goals as one of the tournament’s breakout performers.

  • Men disguised as police kill Ecuadorean drug lord’s brother

    Men disguised as police kill Ecuadorean drug lord’s brother

    On a Sunday morning in early local hours, a brazen targeted attack rocked an upscale residential neighborhood in the Pacific coastal Ecuadorian town of Olón, leaving a top regional leader of the country’s most dangerous criminal syndicate dead. David Macías, 35-year-old brother of infamous Los Choneros drug gang head Adolfo Macías—widely known by his alias “Fito”—was gunned down by assailants who had carefully disguised themselves as uniformed police officers to gain access to his rented home, according to local law enforcement.

    Officials confirmed David Macías held a senior regional command position within Los Choneros, the powerful criminal network that was led by his brother Fito until his extradition to the United States one year ago. Fito currently remains in U.S. custody, awaiting trial on a raft of drug trafficking and organized crime charges. The U.S. government has formally designated Los Choneros as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, linking the gang directly to the massive surge in homicide rates that has destabilized Ecuador in recent years.

    Witnesses to the attack report the fake police officers gained entry to David Macías’ residence before opening fire, then fled the scene immediately. As of the latest updates, no suspects have been apprehended, and investigators have not yet released formal information on a confirmed motive. Criminal violence analysts note targeted killings of mid-to-senior gang leaders are far from uncommon in Ecuador’s underworld: such attacks are frequently carried out by members of rival drug trafficking organizations, or sometimes by factions within a gang engaged in internal power struggles. This pattern played out just one month prior, when a local gang leader was assassinated by two teenage gunmen outside Guayaquil’s international airport. In that brazen incident, the attackers hid their weapons inside stuffed toys and a floral arrangement to avoid detection by security.

    David Macías had a long documented history with Los Choneros: he pleaded guilty to criminal conspiracy charges back in 2018. During his time incarcerated, law enforcement records indicate he actively recruited new gang members from the prison population, and ultimately brought the entire correctional facility where he was held under the full control of Los Choneros. The killing of David Macías marks the third major blow to the gang’s upper leadership in less than 12 months. Following Fito’s extradition last year, a second brother, Javier Macías, was captured by authorities just one month ago in neighboring Colombia.

    The attack underscores the ongoing wave of organized crime violence that continues to challenge Ecuador’s government and security forces, as criminal syndicates battle for control of key drug trafficking routes connecting South American cocaine producers to consumer markets in North America and Europe.

  • The Chinese graduate accused of being Mexico’s ‘fentanyl king’

    The Chinese graduate accused of being Mexico’s ‘fentanyl king’

    The US justice system is preparing to try a 39-year-old Chinese national identified by US authorities as Zhang Zhidong, who is accused of building the critical supply chain that funneled deadly fentanyl precursor chemicals from Chinese factories to Mexican cartel labs, fueling a public health crisis that has killed tens of thousands of Americans annually.

    Nicknamed “Brother Wang” in criminal circles, Zhang has entered a plea of not guilty to charges of large-scale drug trafficking and money laundering. For the first time, current members of Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel, one of the world’s most powerful transnational criminal organizations, and former colleagues of Zhang have spoken anonymously to the BBC, offering an unprecedented look at how a top Chinese university graduate pivoted from legitimate business to become one of the world’s most sought-after drug brokers.

    Zhang’s path to international infamy began in 2010, when he graduated from Peking University, China’s most elite higher education institution, with a degree in Spanish. Just one year later, he relocated to Mexico to take a senior role at a Chinese-owned iron ore mining firm. Former university classmate and mining colleague Alex, who requested anonymity for security reasons, described Zhang as a sharp, adaptable young professional with a knack for negotiation. Fluent in Spanish with a keen grasp of local street slang, Zhang quickly built connections with both government officials and criminal groups that control large swathes of Mexican territory, Alex said. Drawn to risk, Zhang showed little fear of consequences, Alex recalled, sharing anecdotes of reckless behavior including crashing his boss’s car and shooting at road signs on empty late-night highways.

    When the mining company collapsed in 2013, Alex returned to China, but Zhang chose to stay. Within a few years, he began offering below-market currency exchanges to alumni on a Peking University WeChat group, activity Alex believes was a front for early money laundering operations. US court documents allege Zhang launched his full-scale global narcotics trafficking enterprise in June 2016. According to Sinaloa cartel coordinator Enrique, also speaking under a pseudonym, Zhang solidified his position in the cartel’s inner circle through a romantic relationship with a female relative of a top cartel leader.

    Luis, a former cartel fentanyl cook who also requested anonymity, recalled a 2019 meeting where Zhang first offered to supply the cartel with the chemical precursors required to manufacture fentanyl — a synthetic opioid 50 times more potent than heroin, with a lethal dose equal to just a few grains of salt. Luis described Zhang as the catalyst that launched the cartel’s large-scale fentanyl production, and he later became a cook himself, witnessing at least five colleagues die from accidental chemical exposure that seeped through their inadequate protective gear.

    Per Enrique’s account of the supply chain Zhang built, the cartel would place precursor orders with Zhang, who used his extensive industry connections in China to source the chemicals. The ingredients were then shipped thousands of miles by air or sea to Mexico, where the cartel distributed them to clandestine labs across Sinaloa for processing into finished fentanyl, most of which was eventually trafficked across the border into the United States.

    When asked about the thousands of deaths tied to the illicit fentanyl trade, Enrique acknowledged the trade weighs on his conscience — a relative of his died from a fentanyl overdose — but said he has no other way to earn a living. For Luis, leaving the lab was not an option: he was given a choice between continuing to cook fentanyl or joining armed cartel patrols, a near-certain death sentence.

    By the time of his capture, Mexican security agencies allege Zhang ran illegal operations spanning the Americas, Europe, China and Japan. US authorities accuse him of moving more than 1,000 kilograms of cocaine, 1,800 kilograms of fentanyl and 600 kilograms of methamphetamine into the US, while laundering more than $150 million in criminal proceeds annually. To move illicit funds, the US Department of Justice says Zhang recruited individuals to open bank accounts for more than 100 shell companies, who collected cash across the US, deposited it into the accounts, then wired the funds overseas to complete the laundering process.

    Victoria Dittmar, a senior researcher at think tank InSight Crime who has spent years investigating precursor chemical flows to Mexico, said Zhang occupied a uniquely critical role in the global drug trade. As a broker connecting Chinese chemical producers, Mexican cartels, and US distribution networks, Dittmar noted that few individuals can operate across all three regions, making Zhang’s position key to the entire fentanyl supply chain. “He was a broker that connected Mexican trafficking organisations with Chinese suppliers of precursor chemicals, a world that is incredibly hard for outsiders to navigate,” Dittmar explained.

    The case also shines a light on longstanding debates around chemical regulation in China, the world’s largest producer and exporter of the industrial chemicals used to make fentanyl. A 2025 US State Department report argues that while Chinese authorities have implemented some controls, the country’s massive 160,000-firm chemical industry lacks sufficient staffing and resources for effective oversight. However, the Chinese Embassy in Washington told the BBC that China is “one of the world’s toughest countries on counternarcotics”, noting that all fentanyl-related substances were placed under strict government control in 2019. The substances are not fully banned, the embassy explained, because many have widespread legitimate industrial uses, and added that China’s “extensive and in-depth” counternarcotics cooperation with the US has been “highly productive”.

    Zhang’s run as a top drug broker came to an end in October 2024, when he was first arrested in Mexico. A controversial court decision ordered him placed under house arrest, but Zhang staged a dramatic escape, cutting a hole through a wall and fleeing via private jet to Cuba, then on to Russia. Russian border officials detected his forged travel documents and sent him back to Cuba, which returned him to Mexican authorities, who extradited him to the US in 2025. The arrest shocked Zhang’s Peking University alumni network, former colleague Alex said: “It was such a shocking story and he’s probably one of the most famous people Peking University produced.”

    In Sinaloa, cartel members felt Zhang’s absence immediately. Enrique said that with Zhang gone, the cartel lost its primary Chinese connection, making it far harder to source precursors and forcing the group to rebuild its supply network from scratch. This disruption aligned with US Drug Enforcement Administration observations that fentanyl purity dropped significantly after Zhang’s arrest, consistent with widespread shortages of key precursor chemicals among Mexican producers.

    However, experts and cartel members agree that the disruption is likely temporary. Dittmar describes the global drug trade as a “constant game of cat and mouse”: when key brokers are arrested or chemicals are regulated, producers quickly adapt by switching to alternative chemical inputs and developing new manufacturing processes. Even well-connected brokers like Zhang can be replaced, cartel members say. Enrique confirmed that a new broker has already stepped into Zhang’s role, and another senior cartel coordinator noted that Zhang left behind an extensive network of connections that will keep the trade running. “If he’s gone, someone else will step in… the business will not stop,” the coordinator said.

  • What to know about new rules and technology behind the World Cup’s most contentious calls

    What to know about new rules and technology behind the World Cup’s most contentious calls

    The 20XX World Cup has become defined not just by on-pitch brilliance and historic underdog runs, but by a string of controversial officiating decisions enabled by new rules and video technology that have directly altered the outcome of knockout-stage matches, leaving ousted teams furious and sparking widespread debate about the role of technology in soccer.

    The latest flashpoint came in Saturday’s quarterfinal clash between Argentina and Switzerland, where Swiss forward Breel Embolo was sent off just five minutes after his side had leveled the score at 1-1. The incident, which swung the momentum firmly in Argentina’s favor, has centered on a newly implemented regulation often called the “mistaken identity” rule – a name that has added to widespread confusion among fans and teams alike.

    In the moment of the challenge, on-field referee Joao Pinheiro did not catch Embolo’s simulation of a foul by Argentina’s Leandro Paredes, and initially issued a yellow card to Paredes instead. Under existing FIFA protocols, when a card is issued to the wrong player for an offense, the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) is permitted to intervene and ask the on-field official to review the play on the sideline monitor. After reviewing the replay, Pinheiro ruled Embolo had committed clear simulation, issued him a second yellow card, and dismissed him from the match. Argentina went on to secure a 3-1 victory in extra time, advancing to the semifinal.

    Switzerland’s head coach Murat Yakin did not mince words after the elimination, saying, “The referee made the wrong decision. I know they will protect their referee but this rule destroyed our game today, and it’s very painful, and to be eliminated in that way hurts a lot.”

    This incident is far from an isolated case at this tournament. Multiple high-profile exits have been tied to strict applications of new regulations and VAR checks, leaving eliminated sides and their fans questioning consistency and fairness.

    Germany became one of the first major teams to exit under controversial circumstances, ousted in the round of 32 following a disallowed game-winning goal. Jonathan Tah’s late extra-time strike against Paraguay was chalked off after VAR ruled a foul by German defender Waldemar Anton on Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill. Replays showed only minimal contact between the two players, drawing sharp criticism of the decision. FIFA’s referees chief Pierluigi Collina defended the call, noting that officials had been instructed to penalize any contact where players block opponents without making an attempt to play the ball, particularly when goalkeepers are involved. Germany ultimately lost the match in a penalty shootout, with Tah missing the decisive spot kick. The early exit has already triggered major upheaval in German soccer: head coach Julian Nagelsmann has resigned, with former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp widely tipped to take over the role.

    Elsewhere, cutting-edge connected ball technology – fitted with advanced sensors that capture ball movement data 500 times per second – has already changed the course of one nation’s tournament. The high-tech system cost Croatia a dramatic late equalizer against Portugal in the round of 32, when Josko Gvardiol’s 90th-minute strike to level the score at 2-2 was ruled out for offside. The sensors detected the slightest touch from Croatia’s Igor Mantanovic in the build-up to the goal – a contact too subtle to be seen by the naked eye or even standard video replays. FIFA has defended the technology, saying it provides officials with an unprecedented level of accurate data to make faster, more precise calls. But Croatia head coach Zlatko Dalić, who stepped down from his role after the tournament exit, pushed back on the change, saying “All these decisions take the joy out of football.”

    A similar VAR-related controversy saw Egypt fall short of a historic upset against defending champion Argentina in the round of 16. The African side held a 1-0 lead in the second half and looked set to extend their advantage when Mostafa Zico finished off a sweeping counter-attack to score. Wild celebrations were cut short when VAR confirmed a foul on Argentina’s Lisandro Martinez earlier in the build-up – deep in Egypt’s own half, hundreds of yards from the goal – and disallowed the strike. Argentina went on to stage a stunning late comeback, winning 3-2 and eliminating Egypt. Egyptian head coach Hossam Hassan launched a fierce attack on the officiating, saying “We have suffered injustice.” The Egyptian Football Association released a formal statement echoing that anger, noting “Several key incidents raised serious concerns and left profound questions about the consistency and fairness of decisions that directly influenced the course of the game.” Collina responded to the criticism by confirming that FIFA does not set any limit on how far back an incident can be reviewed to overturn a goal, and defended the integrity of match officials at the tournament.

    The high-tech in-ball sensor was called into question again during England’s 2-1 quarterfinal victory over Norway. Norwegian players and staff insisted that Jude Bellingham’s first-half equalizer came after the ball hit an overhead camera suspension cable, which would have resulted in a stopped play and disallowed goal. But FIFA released a statement saying the sensor showed no change in the ball’s trajectory that would indicate contact, leaving Norway’s claim unaddressed. The side also had a late equalizer ruled out after VAR spotted a foul by Erling Haaland on England’s Elliot Anderson before a corner was taken. Under new rules designed to curb pre-corner fouls by attacking teams, VAR is permitted to intervene on incidents that occur before the ball is even put into play, a regulation that Norway’s camp has criticized as overly harsh.

    As the tournament advances to the semifinal stage, the debate over how technology and new rules shape the outcome of matches is only expected to intensify, with fans and stakeholders divided on whether the changes improve officiating accuracy or erode the spontaneous, human element that has defined soccer for more than a century.

  • Several people killed in Chile after car driven by navy officer crashes into an open-air market

    Several people killed in Chile after car driven by navy officer crashes into an open-air market

    On a crowded Sunday in the popular Chilean coastal resort city of Vina del Mar, a devastating traffic incident left the nation in mourning: an off-duty Chilean Navy member driving a private vehicle plowed into the city’s iconic Caupolican open-air market, leaving multiple people dead and dozens more injured. The Chilean Navy confirmed the crash in an official statement shortly after the incident unfolded, confirming the driver’s affiliation with the service.

    Security camera footage shared widely across social media captured the harrowing moment the vehicle crashed through crowded market stalls, while subsequent clips showed onlookers chasing and shouting at the driver as authorities transported him to a nearby police vehicle for processing. The Navy’s initial statement confirmed the crash caused multiple fatalities and a range of injuries among those affected, and said the branch was fully cooperating with local law enforcement and government investigators to unpack the full sequence of events leading to the tragedy. While official Navy communications did not release an exact fatality count early on, local Chilean media outlets have reported at least six people were killed in the incident.

    Medical officials at Vina del Mar’s Gustavo Fricke Hospital confirmed that five injured people — including two infants — were admitted for treatment of traumatic injuries that are not considered life-threatening. Two additional injured people were treated and released from the facility shortly after the crash. Emergency first responders including local police, fire crews, and paramedics provided on-site triage and treatment to dozens of affected market-goers. “At this stage of the evaluation, they are stable and out of life-threatening danger, but of course they are still awaiting the completion of all the examinations required in these cases,” said Denise Cataldo, the hospital’s deputy director, in a press briefing.

    Interior Undersecretary Máximo Pavez confirmed that the driver, who remains the only person detained in connection with the incident, tested negative for alcohol consumption in a mandatory breathalyzer test. Vina del Mar Police Prefect Col. Jorge Guaita told reporters that the driver claims he has no memory of the incident, and that the root cause of the crash remains undetermined as of Sunday evening.

    Initial witness accounts paint a clearer picture of the incident’s sequence: Col. Guaita shared that witness statements confirm the vehicle was traveling in the correct traffic lane at a high rate of speed before mounting the adjacent sidewalk and spinning out of control. “Fortunately, the bus stop brought it to a halt. Otherwise, it might have continued forward and caused even more damage,” Guaita told reporters. Other witnesses told local media the driver may have lost control after a minor prior collision with another vehicle.

    Chilean President José Antonio Kast shared his reaction to the tragedy on the social platform X, writing that the incident had plunged “the entire country in mourning.” Kast also confirmed that all state institutions were coordinating to support affected families and clarify full accountability for the crash: “All state institutions are working to assist those affected and to establish with complete clarity the responsibilities for this painful event,” he said.

    The Caupolican open-air market, where the crash occurred, is a longstanding weekly fixture in Vina del Mar, operating every Thursday and Sunday on the city’s upper outskirts. The market hosts more than 1,000 registered stalls alongside hundreds of informal vendors in surrounding blocks, and regularly draws large crowds of both local residents and tourists visiting the coastal city.

  • One Extraordinary Photo: Argentina’s Lautaro Martinez in the stands celebrating his goal with fans

    One Extraordinary Photo: Argentina’s Lautaro Martinez in the stands celebrating his goal with fans

    For award-winning Associated Press photographer Ashley Landis, the 21-year veteran of visual journalism based in Houston, Texas, capturing those once-in-a-tournament split-second moments is what makes sports photography unforgettable. Over six of her two decades in the industry, Landis has built her career covering everything from breaking hard news to intimate human interest features, with a core focus on sports storytelling. In a behind-the-scenes breakdown, Landis has opened up about how she captured one of the most vivid images from the 2022 FIFA World Cup: the celebration of Argentina’s match-winning goal against Switzerland.

    It was a decisive overtime contest that would send Argentina through to the next round of the tournament, and when Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez slotted the game-winning goal past the Swiss defense, he reacted in a way few players do in the heat of the moment. Rather than immediately running back to join his teammates on the pitch, Martinez lept over the sideline’s LED advertising boards to share his joy with the Argentine fans packed into the front row of the stands. Recognizing that this unscripted, emotional moment would not come again, Landis made the split-second call to keep her lens locked on Martinez rather than panning back to the rest of the team’s celebration. As she recounts, Martinez stopped to share high-fives with the cheering fans in the front row before turning back to the pitch to join his squad, creating a candid frame that blends player joy and fan passion into one iconic shot.

    Landis explains the technical choices that allowed her to nail the shot from her position across the pitch. She had already captured the moment of the goal from her vantage point, and kept Martinez tracked through the celebration with a long 400mm f/2.8 telephoto lens — the go-to tool for sports photographers needing to isolate action from a distance. With crowds of players and fans swarming around the striker, Landis deliberately kept her camera’s focus locked on Martinez to ensure he stayed sharp amid the chaos.

    Looking at why the image resonates so strongly with viewers, Landis notes that Martinez’s unfiltered, explosive reaction was so clear it read even from her distant position across the field. Even with dozens of fans and teammates all clad in Argentina’s iconic albiceleste jersey filling the frame, Martinez stands out sharply thanks to his overjoyed facial expression and raw, peak emotion. The surrounding fans, their arms thrown high in celebration as they surround the striker, create a natural frame that draws the viewer’s eye directly to Martinez in the bottom center of the composition, anchoring the moment’s energy. This shot, which captures both the elation of a star player and the joy of the fans who supported him, stands as a perfect example of how sports photography can distill the raw emotion of global football into a single, unforgettable frame. More of The Associated Press’ full coverage of the World Cup is available to view on their official platform.

  • ‘Animals’, Hand of God and Beckham – Argentina and England’s World Cup rivalry

    ‘Animals’, Hand of God and Beckham – Argentina and England’s World Cup rivalry

    For more than six decades, the World Cup rivalry between England and Argentina has stood as one of the most storied, contentious, and culturally significant matchups in global football. Woven through with iconic individual moments, fiery on-pitch confrontations, and deep-seated geopolitical tension, the fixture has produced memories that still define generations of football fans on both sides of the Atlantic. This Wednesday in Atlanta, the two nations will meet for the sixth time at a World Cup, with defending champion Argentina facing off against England for a spot in the 2026 World Cup final – a matchup that marks Lionel Messi’s first ever career appearance against the Three Lions.

    The origins of this bitter rivalry trace back to the 1962 World Cup group stage, where goals from Ron Flowers, Bobby Charlton, and Jimmy Greaves secured England a 3-1 win. While both nations finished the group with one win and one loss, England advanced to the knockout round at Argentina’s expense thanks to a superior goal difference. This early result laid the groundwork for what would become one of the most infamous matches in football history four years later, on home soil for England at the 1966 World Cup.

    In that 1966 quarter-final, controversy erupted just 33 minutes in when Argentine captain Antonio Rattin was sent off for a trip on Bobby Charlton and repeated dissent toward referee Rudolf Kreitlein. Rattin refused to leave the pitch for nearly eight minutes, delaying the match and inflaming tensions that boiled over off the pitch too. England manager Alf Ramsey famously labeled the Argentine side “animals” and refused to let his players swap shirts after they held on to a 1-0 win secured by Geoff Hurst’s controversial winner, which Argentina still claims was an offside. The match was so chaotic that it directly prompted the introduction of the red and yellow card system, which debuted at the 1970 World Cup to replace referees’ informal verbal warnings. Rattin, who led Argentina through the 1962 and 1966 tournaments, passed away at the age of 89 just days before this 2026 semi-final clash.

    The rivalry reached a new peak of intensity at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, played just four years after the two nations fought the Falklands War. Political tensions spilled onto the pitch, with Argentine media and fans framing the quarter-final clash as a chance to avenge the military defeat, while British outlets leaned into nationalistic rhetoric to stoke animosity. That match produced two of the most iconic moments in World Cup history: Diego Maradona’s “Hand of God” – an illegal hand punch that beat England goalkeeper Peter Shifton to open the scoring, unseen by officials – and just four minutes later, a 60-yard solo goal that saw Maradona dribble past half the England team to double Argentina’s lead. Gary Lineker pulled a late goal back for England, but Argentina held on to advance, eventually going on to win the tournament. Maradona would not apologize for the Hand of God until 2005, an apology Shilton never accepted.

    The 1998 World Cup in France delivered another chapter of drama, this time centered on a young David Beckham. After Gabriel Batistuta and Alan Shearer traded early penalties, 18-year-old Michael Owen scored one of the greatest goals in England’s World Cup history – a blistering solo run past the entire Argentine defense to put England up 2-1. Javier Zanetti equalized before half-time, but the match turned when Beckham, provoked by Argentine midfielder Diego Simeone, lashed out with a kick and was sent off. A late Sol Campbell header that would have won the match was ruled out for a foul, forcing the game to penalties. Argentina advanced after misses from Paul Ince and David Batty, and a year later Simeone admitted he had intentionally gone down to trick the referee into issuing a red card when only a yellow was deserved.

    The most recent World Cup meeting between the two sides came in 2002 in Korea-Japan, and it marked redemption for Beckham. Now England’s captain, Beckham scored the only goal of the game from the penalty spot shortly before half-time, after Michael Owen was fouled by Argentine defender Mauricio Pochettino – now a top club manager. The 1-0 win saw England advance to the knockout round, while Argentina were eliminated in the group stage for the first time since 1962. That result remains the last England win over Argentina at a World Cup, and with the last meeting 24 years in the rearview mirror, much of the younger generation of fans on both sides have no first-hand memory of the historic rivalry.

    Heading into Wednesday’s 2026 semi-final, the stakes could not be higher. Argentina is defending its 2022 World Cup title, aiming to book a second consecutive trip to the final, while England is looking to end a 60-year drought since its 1966 world title, led by manager Thomas Tuchel. For Messi, the game will be a historic first: the 39-year-old Argentine great has never faced England in his storied career, adding an extra layer of narrative to a clash that already carries six decades of drama, tension, and history.

    In the lead-up to the match, Three Lions manager Tuchel has publicly expressed frustration with his side’s recent performances, calling them lucky and sloppy, leaving fans to question whether England’s legendary big-match mentality will be enough to overcome the defending champions.

  • ‘We should all be excited’ – Messi set for first England meeting

    ‘We should all be excited’ – Messi set for first England meeting

    For 20 years of senior international football, across more than 200 appearances and 125 goals for his country, Lionel Messi has never shared a pitch with England’s men’s national team. That long-awaited gap in the 39-year-old’s legendary career will finally close this Wednesday, when Argentina and England lock horns in a 2026 FIFA World Cup semi-final at Atlanta, kicking off at 20:00 BST and airing live on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. The historic showdown became possible only after a hard-fought quarter-final against Switzerland, where Argentina clawed their way to a 3-1 extra-time victory despite the Europeans holding momentum for large stretches of regular play.

    Though Messi went goalless against Switzerland – his first scoreless match of this tournament – he still remains tied with France’s Kylian Mbappe for the tournament’s Golden Boot lead with eight strikes, and retains his status as the men’s World Cup’s all-time leading goalscorer. Ahead of the unprecedented meeting, football pundits have weighed in on what England can expect from the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, and just how much of a threat the Inter Miami forward poses.

    BBC pundit Micah Richards called the matchup one that all football fans should be excited for, noting that England’s biggest challenge will be containing an otherworldly talent who cannot be marked through traditional means. “Marking him is impossible because he doesn’t run back. He goes into little spaces where he shouldn’t really be. He switches on at the right times [and] he’s got the best technique. His spatial awareness is fantastic. He’s got a great shot,” Richards said. He added that Messi, like England’s own Jude Bellingham, carries an unmatchable on-pitch personality and aura, calling Messi’s aura “next level” among all active footballers.

    Former England striker Chris Sutton offered a more tempered perspective, telling BBC Radio 5 Live that England should view the matchup as an exciting opportunity rather than a daunting one. “I think Thomas Tuchel and the England players will be relishing the prospect of playing this Argentina team in its current guise, its current form, because this isn’t a great Argentina team but they do have a habit of finding a way,” Sutton explained. Ex-England forward Wayne Rooney echoed that take, pointing out that Messi offers little defensive output for Argentina, which could be an exploitable weakness – but warned that the captain can single-handedly change a match with moments of unrivaled quality. “He doesn’t run back, but he has big moments a bit like with Jude Bellingham. He has big moments and moments of quality. The thing with Messi is his decision-making – he comes to life in moments of the game and he makes the right decision,” Rooney said, adding that consistent concentration and communication between England defenders will be key to limiting the Argentine icon.

    South American football expert Tim Vickery emphasized that this semi-final is the matchup Argentina has been waiting for. “Lionel Messi couldn’t possibly end an international career, over 200 matches, without playing the team that Argentina fans see as their biggest rival,” Vickery told 5 Live, recalling that Argentine fans already chanted “he who doesn’t jump is an Englishman” during the Switzerland quarter-final, a taunt that will likely echo through Atlanta on Wednesday.

    The England-Argentina rivalry is one of the most storied and dramatic in international football, with decades of iconic moments shaping the feud. From Diego Maradona’s infamous “Hand of God” goal that knocked England out of the 1986 World Cup quarter-final, to David Beckham’s controversial red card at the 1998 World Cup, every encounter between the two sides has delivered high-stakes drama. What makes this semi-final even more historic is that it will be the first meeting between the two nations in nearly 21 years, and the first ever for Messi in a senior Argentina shirt.

    Messi made his senior Argentina debut in 2005 at 18, after leading the nation to a World Youth Championship title earlier that year. Just months after his debut, England and Argentina met in a friendly in Geneva – but Messi was forced to watch from the sidelines, suspended after being sent off just 30 seconds into his senior debut against Hungary. In that goalless (for Messi) contest, Argentina twice took the lead before Michael Owen scored two late dramatic goals to hand England a 3-2 victory under manager Sven-Goran Eriksson. That friendly remains the only senior meeting between the two nations since Messi entered the international scene, leaving the Wednesday semi-final as a completely new milestone for both sides.

    Messi’s career goal record against other nations shows his consistent dominance across every level of opposition. He has scored 11 goals in 12 matches against Bolivia, his favorite opponent, seven goals against both Venezuela and Ecuador, and five and six against South American giants Brazil and Uruguay respectively. Against European opposition, he has scored three goals each against Croatia, Switzerland, and France – including a memorable double in Argentina’s 2022 World Cup final victory over France. Of all the nations Messi has faced more than once, only Qatar has managed to keep him off the scoresheet across two meetings.