(1) FIFA World Cup enters the semi-finals
Over the last week, the round of 16 stage in the FIFA World Cup 2026 competition came to an end, leaving eight teams in the game. Prominent football countries like Brazil, Portugal and Mexico were eliminated, along with the U.S., Egypt, and Colombia. The quarterfinals stage followed, eliminating Norway, Belgium, Morocco and Switzerland.
However, one match stood out for both its dramatic finish and an alleged ‘conspiracy’ favouring Argentina. This was the match between the Round of 16 match between Argentina and Egypt. As per Reuters, Egypt’s 2-0 lead for most of the match would’ve resulted in one of the biggest upsets, if it had lasted. However, in the last nail-biting 11 minutes, Argentina turned the tables and scored three goals, wresting the game back.
However, Argentina’s victory was controversial. Egypt’s football association raised a complaint with FIFA, opposing key decisions that the referee took, which limited Egypt’s score and led to its defeat. According to the match report, there were six yellow cards given for Egypt, and zero for Argentina, while Egypt committed 11 fouls and Argentina 13.
(2) Wayanad debris slip: Death toll rises to eight
Eight people were killed after a massive heap of excavated mud buried the portal of an under-construction road tunnel in Kerala’s Wayanad district on Tuesday (July 7, 2026).
Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan and Agriculture Minister T. Siddique said heavy rain had rendered the “precariously piled” heap of excavated earth at the entrance to the Anakkampoyil-Kalladi-Meppadi tunnel unstable, causing it to collapse with a deafening roar. They described the incident as a disaster caused by human error, disregard for safety precautions, and sheer negligence, noting that government warnings had been ignored.
Security camera footage captured the moment a torrent of mud engulfed the area around 11 a.m., sweeping away construction workers, passersby, parked earth-moving equipment, and a multi-axle container lorry in its path. Local residents told reporters they heard a loud crash, followed by a fast-moving wave of debris that appeared to swallow everything in its way. The mudslide occurred near the Meenakshi Bridge entrance to the ambitious tunnel road project.
(3) US-Iran strikes resume
The United States launched dozens of strikes on Iran early on Wednesday (July 8, 2026) in what it said was retaliation for Tehran’s attacks on commercial ships in the highly contested Strait of Hormuz.
President Trump on Friday (July 10, 2026) formally notified Congress that the U.S. has resumed military strikes against Iran after peace negotiations between the two sides faltered.
The escalatory strikes on Iran came as peace talks were ongoing between the two countries amid the days-long funeral of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in the early minutes of the US-Israel war on Iran back in February. They represent the largest such attacks since April, when both sides initially agreed to ceasefire talks.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it had responded to the strikes by targeting US assets in neighbouring countries as sirens went off in Bahrain and Kuwait early on Wednesday. One of its members was killed by “enemy drones”, the IRGC said.
(4) IOC lifts Russia suspension
The International Olympic Committee provisionally lifted its suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee on Tuesday (July 7, 2026), marking a significant step towards Russia’s reintegration into the Olympic fold ahead of the Los Angeles 2028 Games.
Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the ROC was suspended in October 2023 for recognising regional Olympic councils in Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine — Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.
The IOC said its executive board had lifted that suspension but had not decided yet on whether Russia could display its flag, colours or have its anthem played at the Games.
It insisted it would continue supporting Ukraine. There was no immediate reaction from Ukraine.
(5) French far-right chief Marine Le Pen cleared to run for President
French far-right leader Marine Le Pen said she would run for president in the 2027 election in an interview with broadcaster TF1 on Tuesday (July 7, 2026), her first public remarks since a French appeals court upheld her conviction for misusing EU funds.
Many believed Le Pen’s presidential hopes were dead until a Paris appeals court on Tuesday shortened her electoral ban for having embezzled European Parliament funds to pay staff at her anti-immigrant National Rally (RN) party in France. The ruling cleared her to stand in the 2027 election, even as it upheld her conviction. Le Pen said she plans to appeal the guilty verdict while also running for the top office.
Here’s a look at key milestones in the careers of Le Pen and Bardella, and the transformation of the National Rally party into one of France’s major political forces:
Published – July 14, 2026 04:31 pm IST