Marjorie Baylis has added a photo to the pool:

Ukrainian strikes continue to shut down Russian oil refineries and starve Crimea of gasoline and power; Belarus relay stations silenced. What we know on day 1,584

Continue reading...

China’s leader wants to promote his alternative to the current world order, and his efforts are being assisted by a capricious US

Xi Jinping meets Bangladesh’s new prime minister on Friday, the latest in a wave of world leaders to visit Beijing this year as the Chinese leader builds his influence and economic ties, and seeks to “shift the balance of power” away from the west.

Xi’s meeting with Tarique Rahman comes less than two weeks after the Chinese leader welcomed Myanmar’s military chief-turned-president, Min Aung Hlaing, in Beijing.

Continue reading...

It was a result that served everybody but, even though the mutual convenience of a draw became evident rapidly, at least this game conjured up two moments to cherish. Japan guaranteed the runners-up spot that always seemed likely to be theirs and will face Brazil in Houston on Monday; a point was enough for third-placed Sweden to run the gauntlet of some head-spinning round-of-32 permutations that could pair them with France or their local rivals Norway.

Graham Potter and Hajime Moriyasu could have been excused shaking on the outcome after a featureless first half. But this is Dallas, not Gijón; the crowd were served a marvellously-worked goal by Daizen Maeda, quickly cancelled out by Anthony Elanga’s spectacular long-range strike. Potter had wanted his team to manage the fine margins after Sweden’s wildly fluctuating start to the tournament and could, by the end, embrace his staff knowing the job was done.

Continue reading...

Toeschouwers die de hitte en het late tijdstip trotseerden, kregen afgelopen nacht een winnend Nederlands Elftal te zien. De ploeg van bondscoach Ronald Koeman won met 3-1 van Tunesië en werd daarmee groepswinnaar. In de volgende ronde wacht een ontmoeting met Marokko.

Curaçao is donderdagavond uitgeschakeld op het WK voetbal. In de Maassilo leefden duizenden supporters mee met de nationale ploeg, die met 2-0 verloor van Ivoorkust. Toch overheerst de trots. "Deze avonden laten alleen maar positieve vibes zien."

Het serieuze werk begint nu voor het Nederlands elftal na de eenvoudige overwinning op het zwakke Tunesië. In de zestiende finales wacht het geslepen Marokkaanse collectief.

Vanillasludge posted a photo: