Manchester City’s biggest upset of the tournament was caused by Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal, who had to pull the English giants out of the Club World Cup with a shock 4-3 victory in extra time.
At the conclusion of an emotional extra-time, Marcos Leonardo grabbed the winner and won one of Middle Eastern football history’s best games, ending the match 2-2 at full-time on Monday.
A non-European team will now advance to the quarterfinals against Brazilian side Fluminense, ensuring a Saudi club’s passage to the last four.
In a contentious ninth minute, Bernardo Silva put the ball past Rayan Ait-Nouri before completing the cross.
The goal was still in place despite Al Hilal players’ protests that Ait-Nouri had controlled the build-up with his arm.
Before the break, Man City had plenty of chances to increase their lead, but Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou’s poor finishing and inspired goalkeeping kept it at one goal.
Yassine Bounou, a Moroccan goalkeeper, was one of Al Hilal’s heroes as he blocked several chances for Manchester City, including one from Erling Haaland.
On the break, Al Hilal provided several reminders of their threat, but Man City had even more chances when Jeremy Doku volleyed straight at Bounou, who then superbly reacted to keep a Bernardo effort out of reach.
Within a minute of the resume, Man City was asked if they would regret not converting those chances.
Ederson parried out Joao Cancelo’s low cross for the former City full-back. Malcolm pounced, but Ruben Dias blocked his shot before Marcos Leonardo headed home the equalizer.
Six minutes later, Brazilian Malcolm raced onto the City’s top defensive line, displaying power and pace as he broke away before coolly slotting past Ederson, after a long ball from Cancelo.
Saudi fans in the crowd erupted in fury as City manager Pep Guardiola made a triple substitution starting with Rodri, Nathan Ake, and Manuel Akanji, respectively.
A shaky back line was provided with much-needed stability, but City also needed improvement, and it did so in clumsy circumstances.
A Bernardo corner was not handled by the Al Hilal defense, so Haaland pounced to score the winning goal.
City continued to press for the win as they searched for the winner, but Bounou once more proved to be their adversary, blocking Akanji and Ruben Dias, and even when Haaland defeated him, Ali Lajami made a magnificent goal-line clearance.
As the game entered extra time, Guardiola introduced Egyptian forward Omar Marmoush to Haaland.
Al Hilal had a strong source of spirit to draw on, despite the depth of the city. Al Hilal regained control with a brilliantly angled header from Kalidou Koulibaly just four minutes into the opening period.
When Rayan Cherki’s brilliantly floated ball toward the back post was masterfully fired home by Phil Foden at full stretch and from the most difficult of angles, City responded with a goal of real quality.
However, Al Hilal regained their lead when Marcos Leonardo followed in with a header over the line after Sergej Milinkovic-Savic’s header was saved by Ederson.
The Brazilian striker also let his emotions pour out as the cheering Al Hilal fans left the stadium.
In the past two months, I’ve had a difficult time. He claimed my mother spent 70 days in the ICU.
“Thank God, she’s fine today. I remember her when I scored those two goals. She was able to watch the game.
Bernardo Silva, the city’s skipper, claimed that his team had already paid the price for allowing Al Hilal to counterattack.
“We could have scored five or six,” the statement read. He said it was all about controlling when the ball was lost, controlling the transitions, and allowing them to run too frequently.
There was always a sense of danger coming from them with one or two passes, he said. We always suffer a lot when we allow teams to run this way, as did he today, he said.
At the conclusion of the game, Al Hilal players celebrate their victory over Manchester City [John Raoux/AP]
The administration of US President Donald Trump threatened to stop Harvard University from receiving any federal funding for its Jewish and Israeli students after it accused the school of violating their civil rights.
The Trump administration’s most recent action against the nation’s oldest university comes from the announcement made on Monday, which came after the institution had previously objected to changes to how it operates.
A federal task force’s investigation found that “Harvard has been a willful participant in anti-Semitic harassment of Jewish students, faculty, and staff,” according to a letter from Harvard president Alan Garber.
The letter continued, stating that the majority of Harvard’s Jewish students felt discriminated against on campus, and that a quarter felt physically unsafe.
If Harvard didn’t change its course, it also threatened to pursue additional funding initiatives.
Without going into specifics about the reforms required, it said, “Failure to implement adequate changes will result in the loss of all federal financial resources and continue to affect Harvard’s relationship with the federal government.”
Harvard refuted the allegations in a statement.
The university claimed to have made “significant strides” to combat anti-Semitism on campus and that it had “made significant strides” to combat “bigotry, hate, and bias.”
It stated that it was “committed to making sure members of our Jewish and Israeli community are embraced, respected, and can thrive at Harvard” and that it was “recognizing that this challenge is not alone.”
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated at a White House briefing that Harvard and the Trump administration were having “behind closed doors,” but she did not provide more information.
protests against Israel’s occupation of Gaza
Since the alleged anti-Semitism on campus erupted last year amid widespread student protests against Israel’s occupation of Gaza, US universities have been in the spotlight.
Trump has accused those organizing these protests of anti-Semitism and called them “illegal.” However, protest leaders, including Jewish students, have defended their actions as peaceful responses to Israel’s actions, which have raised questions about genocide-related human rights violations.
Harvard has been barred from enrolling international students for some $ 2.5 billion in federal grant money, and the Trump administration has threatened to end its tax-exempt status.
It has urged Harvard to repeal all policies that promote what it calls harassment and criminal activity, as well as banning all forms of affirmative action in faculty hiring and admissions.
Additionally, it called for changes to the admissions procedure to “prevent admitting international students hostile to American values,” including “students supporting terrorism or anti-Semitism.”
Harvard filed a lawsuit against the administration, calling its actions “retaliatory” and “unlawful” after rejecting those demands.
Additionally, the Trump administration targeted prestigious universities like Columbia, Cornell, and Northwestern.
Columbia received $ 400 million in federal funding cut from its budget in early March, following a similar protest camp that students at colleges across the nation copied.
Following that, the school consented to a list of demands from the Trump administration. Changes to its disciplinary policies and Middle Eastern studies program were among those included.
James Ryan, president of the University of Virginia, also stated last week that as the Trump administration investigated the school’s efforts for diversity, equity, and inclusion, he opted to step down rather than fight the US government.
The University of California system, which enrolls nearly 300, 000 students, is the subject of a federal anti-discrimination law investigation launched by the Trump administration around the same time.
Harish Kurade, a resident of his village in southern Maharashtra state, looked at models as they sashayed down the runway at Milan Fashion Week last week in amazement while driving more than 7, 000 kilometers (4,350 miles) away.
Models were showcasing a new line of open-toe leather sandals, designed by Prada, the iconic luxury fashion house. The Italian giant’s failure to give credit to the ancient Maharashtra roots of its most recent design caused a stir among Indian artisans and politicians.
We are really happy that they stole and made up our crafty work, Kurade said in a chirpy voice. “Today, the world’s eyes are on our Kolhapuri ‘ chappals ‘]Hindi for sandals]”. The sandals are named after the city of Kolhapur in Maharashtra.
In a letter to the Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Prada acknowledged that its new sandal designs “are inspired by traditional Indian handcrafted footwear, with a centuries-old heritage.”
While Kurade is chuffed about the centuries-old sandal-making craft from his village potentially gaining global exposure, other artisans, politicians and activists are wary of cultural appropriation and financial exploitation by Prada.
What’s the cause of the controversy then? And what are Kolhapur’s artisans saying about Prada? Can it change anything for the workers behind the original sandals?
What entered Prada?
At Milan Fashion Week’s Spring/Summer 2026 men’swear collection, Prada unveiled the classic T-strapped leather flats.
In its show notes, the Italian brand described the new range of footwear only as “leather sandals”. Despite its odd resemblance to Kolhapuri sandals, which are wildly popular in India and frequently worn on special occasions like weddings and festivals, the notes made no mention of any Indian connections.
A delegation of Kolhapuri sandal manufacturers met Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday last week to express their outrage.
Showing his support for the delegation is Dhananjay Mahadik, a member of parliament from the state’s Kolhapur district, belonging to the governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Mahadik informed reporters that Prada’s sandal makers and their supporters are preparing to file a lawsuit against Prada in the Bombay High Court.
Mahadik also urged Fadnavis to “protect the cultural heritage of Maharashtra” by calling for “urgent attention to a serious infringement on Maharashtra’s cultural identity and artisan rights.”
In his letter, he noted that the sandals are reportedly priced at approximately $1, 400 a pair. In contrast, local markets sell authentic Kolhapuri sandals for about $12.
On June 22, 2025, a model walks the runway during Milan Fashion Week’s men’s spring and summer shows [Piero Cruciatti/AFP]
How has Prada responded?
The chairperson of Prada’s Board of Directors, Patrizio Bertelli, also received a letter from the Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Industry, and Agriculture (MACCIA) regarding the concerns of sandal manufacturers.
The company responded two days later, stating that the footwear’s design was influenced by ancient Indian sandals. “We deeply recognise the cultural significance of such Indian craftsmanship. Please take note that no confirmations of production or commercialization have been made for the entire collection as of yet, and that no projects have been made commercially or internally.
The company continued to “commit to responsible design practices, fostering cultural engagement, and opening a dialogue for a meaningful exchange with local Indian artisan communities, as we have done in the past in other collections to ensure the rightful recognition of their craft.”
” Prada strives to pay homage and recognise the value of such specialised craftspeople that represent an unrivalled standard of excellence and heritage. “
Hyderabad-based fashion entrepreneur Srihita Vanguri described Prada’s actions as “depressing but not unexpected.”
She told Al Jazeera, “Luxury brands have a long history of borrowing design elements from traditional crafts without giving due credit until there is a backlash.” This is cultural appropriation if it stops at inspiration without attribution or benefit-sharing. “
Kolhapuris, as they are also known, are more than just a design, she resisted. They bear the remnants of Karnataka, a state that has existed for centuries, and Maharashtra’s craft communities. Ignoring that context erases real people and livelihoods, “she added.
What about Kolhapur’s artisans?
Kolhapur, a city in the southwest of Maharashtra, is renowned for its rich history, its spiritual significance, and its artisanal pride. Beyond its crafts, Kolhapur is also home to several revered Hindu temples and a rich culinary legacy – its food is spicy.
More than 20 000 local families still trade sandals, which are renowned as sandals, dating back to the 12th century.
Kurade’s family, who was pleased that Prada had chosen to show the sandals, has lived in Kolhapur and has been involved in this industry for more than 100 years.
But he said the business has taken a beating in recent years”. People in India aren’t really into this craft or want to invest any more money in it. Maybe it’s good for us if an international brand visits, steals it, and posts it on global platforms, he said.
He said that craftsmen like those in his family” still stand where they were years ago”.
The 40-year-old said, “We have the craft and the capacity to advance, but the government has not supported us.”
Kurade asserted that politics has worsened the situation.
Since 2014, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu majoritarian government came to power in New Delhi, cows have transformed from just symbols of reverence into a flashpoint for religious identity and social conflict. With vigilantes pursuing Dalits and Muslims, the communities that primarily transport cows and buffaloes to trading markets where they are traded for slaughter, cow protection, once largely cultural, has become violent.
That has resulted in a dependable supply of cow and buffalo hides, which are then tanned with vegetables to create Kolhapuri chappals.
” The original hide we use for quality is restricted in several states because of politics around cows, “said Kurade”. Due to politics surrounding cows, the supply has reached new lows, and we have been losing because it is so difficult to keep doing it with the same level of quality.
People will wear this because it has been cherished for centuries, according to craftsmen like Kurade who believe that if they can make the sandals less expensive and more accessible.
Still, Kurade said, while Prada can try and imitate Kolhapuri aesthetics, it cannot replicate the intricate hand-woven design patterns, mastered by the Dalit community in southern Maharashtra and some parts of bordering Karnataka. The most underrepresented group of India’s complex caste system has historically been the most marginalized.
He said, “The authentic design is something special and special. Even shops in Kolhapur city may not have them. “
Kurade claimed that traditional designs are still produced in villages using centuries-old craft.
Dalit sandal makers need assistance, he said because of the difficulty of obtaining high-quality hides and the unfamiliarity of an increasingly digital marketplace.
” People who know markets, who can sell it ahead, are the ones cashing in on this. We lack the marketing expertise because poor villagers like us cannot run a website, he said.
The government has a duty to look into this, bridge this gap, and say they should do so. The benefits never reached the real makers from the Dalit groups. “
[Adnan Abidi/Reuters] On display at a store in New Delhi, India, on June 27, 2025.
Has it already occurred?
Since 2019, after sustained advocacy by artisan groups, India has protected Kolhapuri sandals under its Geographical Indications of Goods Act (1999), preventing commercial use of the term” Kolhapuri Chappal “by unauthorised producers. However, national borders only allow for this protection.
Prada has previously faced significant criticism for its alleged cultural appropriation, most notably in 2018, when it released the “Pradhamalia” collection of keychains and figurines that immediately resembled racist caricatures with exaggerated red lips and with blackface imagery. After the backlash, Prada pulled the products from stores and issued a public apology.
Prada has also been criticized for its use of animal-based luxury materials like ostrich and exotic leathers, which have drawn criticism from environmental and labor rights groups.
Prada is not the only one.
In 2019, Christian Dior drew criticism for incorporating elements inspired by the traditional attire of Mexican horsewomen in its Cruise collection, without formal acknowledgement or collaboration.
Isabel Marant, a French designer, was accused of cultural appropriation in Mexico in 2015 for marketing a blouse that resembled the Mixe community’s traditional embroidery patterns.
The fashion entrepreneur, Vanguri, said that “the real respect would be Prada co-creating a capsule collection with Kolhapuri artisan clusters – giving them fair design credit, profit share, and global visibility.”
On Tuesday, July 1, 2018, this is how things are going.
Fighting
Leonid Pasechnik, the newly elected governor of the occupied Luhansk region in eastern Ukraine, claimed that Russian forces are now in complete control of the area.
If confirmed, Luhansk would become the first region in Ukraine to have been completely occupied by Russia after more than three years of conflict. One of Russia’s four regions, Luhansk, is currently regarded as its own.
Russian state media and bloggers also reported that Dnipropetrovsk, a first village in central Ukraine, has been under Russian control.
According to Moscow-appointed officials, Ukrainian forces attacked the Russian-occupied Donetsk region’s Donetsk city, killing at least one person, inflicting several property damage, and igniging a market.
According to Roman Pohorilyi, the creator of the open-source mapping project Deep State Map, Russian forces have occupied one of Ukraine’s most valuable lithium deposits close to the village of Shevchenko, according to The Kyiv Independent.
The Ukrainian Air Force, however, reported that overnight, it had discovered 107 Russian Shahed and decoy drones in its airspace, marking the first major aerial assault by Russian forces since 2022.
Two civilians were killed and eight were hurt in the northeast of Kharkiv, according to regional governor Oleh Syniehubov, who was wounded in addition to a 6-year-old child.
In the most recent unexplained explosion on a ship that had previously visited Russian ports, Bloomberg reported an explosion on an oil tanker close to Libya.
diplomacy and politics
After a top Republican senator claimed he had received US President Donald Trump’s consent to proceed with a bill introducing punitive measures against Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov urged the US to consider whether new sanctions on Russia would aid the Ukraine peace effort.
Peskov’s comments were criticized by US envoy Keith Kellogg, who described them as “Orwellian.” In a post on X, Kellogg wrote, “Russia cannot continue to stutter for time while bombing civilian targets in Ukraine.”
Johann Wadephul, the German minister for foreign affairs, claimed that Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, “made pure mockery” of peace talks while traveling to the Ukrainian capital.
According to Wadephul, “His apparent readiness to negotiate is only a facade right now,” adding that Germany was attempting to persuade Ukraine to “negotiate more strongly.”
In response to the most recent round of EU sanctions against Russia, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that Moscow was taking “reciprocal measures” to encroach on 15 media outlets.
According to the Reuters news agency, images of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on state television showed him draping coffins with the nation’s national flag in an apparent repatriation of soldiers killed fighting for Russia against Ukraine.
A day after Warsaw scrambled aircraft in response to Russian airstrikes on western Ukraine, close to the border, Norway announced it would send F-35 fighter jets to Poland to guard its important logistical hub for aid to Ukraine.
Economy
After conducting a routine review of its $15.5 billion four-year support program, the International Monetary Fund announced it would give Ukraine $500 million.
Washington, DC – More than six months after President Bashar al-Assad’s overthrow, US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to end a string of sanctions against Syria.
The US Treasury said in a statement that Trump’s decree on Monday provides sanctions relief to “entities crucial to Syria’s development, the operation of its government, and the rebuilding of the country’s social fabric.”
Prior to the start of the Syrian civil war in 2011, the Syrian government has been subject to severe US financial penalties.
The country’s reconstruction efforts have been hampered by the sprawling sanction program, which included provisions relating to the former government’s human rights violations. Additionally, it has contributed to al-Assad’s regime’s economic collapse.
Trump made the promise to ease sanctions against Syria during his May Middle East visit.
In a statement released on Monday, the US president said, “The United States is committed to supporting a Syria that is stable, unified, and at peace with itself and its neighbors.”
Regional security and prosperity will be supported by a united Syria that doesn’t provide a safe haven for terrorist organizations and protects the security of its ethnic and religious minorities.
Iran and its allies, ISIL, and al-Assad’s associates will continue to be subject to sanctions, according to the US administration.
Some Syria sanctions may not be revoked right away, even though the US Treasury claimed to have already removed 518 Syrian individuals and organizations from its list of sanctions.
For instance, Trump orders US agencies to check whether the requirements for the Caesar Act, which forbade the Syrian economy from pleading guilty to alleged war crimes against civilians, are met.
A bill that would legalize sanctions on Syria and provide long-term relief had been introduced earlier this week by Democratic US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar and Republican lawmaker Anna Paulina Luna.
Some laws must be repealed in order for the Syrian people to truly find solace.
The sanctions are permanently lifted by my bill and @RepLuna give Syria post-Assad a chance to fight. https://t.co/gExbLiKS7z
Secretary of State Marco Rubio was given the order by Trump to review the designation of interim Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa as a “Specially Designated Global Terrorist.”
Additionally, the US president ordered a review of al-Sharaa’s organization, al-Nusra Front, which is now Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) as a designated “foreign terrorist” organization. Al-Nusra was al-Qaeda’s Syrian affiliate, but al-Sharaa cut ties with it in 2016.
Al-Nusra later merged with HTS and became known as Jabhat Fath al-Sham before becoming known as that name.
Before leading the offensive that overthrew al-Assad in December 2024, Al-Sharaa was the de facto ruler of a rebel-enclave in northwest Syria.
Trump praised the Syrian president as “attractive” and “tough” after meeting with him in Saudi Arabia in May.
The interim Syrian president, known as Abu Mohammed al-Julani, previously maintained his nom de guerre and promised to address all concerns over his prior ties to al-Qaeda.
Some rights advocates are concerned about the violence and kidnappings of Al-Assad’s sect members by former rebel fighters in recent months.
In a touching video farewell address to US Agency for International Development (USAID) staff, former US Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush delivered a eminently open rebuke of the Donald Trump administration.
Obama referred to the Trump administration’s failure to dismantle USAID as “colossal mistake.”
The six-decade-old humanitarian and development organization, founded by President John F. Kennedy as a soft power, peaceful way to advance US national security by strengthening goodwill and prosperity abroad, had its last day as an independent agency on Monday.
USAID will be absorbed into the US State Department on Tuesday, according to Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
In a videoconference that was intended to be a closed-press event, the former presidents and U2 singer Bono  spoke with members of the USAID community, who cried as he recited a poem.
They expressed gratitude for the thousands of lost their jobs and daily lives to USAID employees. Their organization was one of Trump’s and his billionaire ally Elon Musk’s initial and most aggressively targeted for government cuts, with staff members abruptly locked out of offices and systems and sent mass emails terminating.
Trump asserted that the organization was plagued by “radical left lunatics” and rife with “tremendous fraud.” It was described as “a criminal organization” by Musky.
Obama gave assurances to the aid and development workers, some of whom were overseas, in a recorded statement.
He declared, “Your work has mattered and will matter for generations to come.”
Obama avoided criticizing Trump’s profound changes to US priorities and programs both domestically and abroad, largely retaining a low public image during Trump’s second term.
It’s tragic and a travesty to be a fugitive to USAID. Because it is among the most significant projects currently being done around the world,” Obama said. He attributed USAID’s role in rescuing lives as well as being a major contributor to the growth of the US economy, which has helped some aid-receiving nations become US markets and trade partners.
Leaders on both sides of the aisle will soon realize how much you are needed, according to the former Democratic president.
The State Department announced this week that it would introduce its foreign assistance successor to USAID, known as America First, when it was contacted for comment.
Every tax dollar spent will benefit our national interests, according to the department, thanks to the new process.
In addition to funding the “Green Revolution,” which revolutionized modern agriculture and ended starvation and famine, USAID oversaw programs around the world that provided water and life-saving food to millions of refugees who had been displaced by conflict in Sudan, Syria, Gaza, and elsewhere. The organization aimed to stop disease outbreaks, promote democracy, and support development that made it possible for people and countries to escape poverty.
Bush, who also made a recorded message, immediately addressed the cuts to his Republican administration’s landmark AIDS and HIV program, which is credited with saving 25 million lives worldwide.
Significant funding for the program was saved by the popular President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, PEPFAR, which received bipartisan support from Congress. However, less people are receiving the life-saving care because of regulations and cuts.
Bush addressed USAID staffers, “You’ve demonstrated the great strength of America through your work. Are 25 million people who would have passed away now living in our country’s best interests? He said, “I believe it is, and I think it is,” and so do you.
A third of the world’s most vulnerable, including young children, are likely to pass away as a result of the Trump administration’s actions, according to a study released on Tuesday in the Lancet journal.
The resulting shock, according to study co-author Davide Rasella, a researcher at the Barcelona Institute for Global Health, would be “comparable in scale to a major armed conflict or a global pandemic,” according to a statement from the report.
Bono, a seasoned humanitarian advocate in Africa and other countries, was named the “surprise guest.”
he recited a poem about the agency’s gutting that he had written. He made reference to the millions of people who Boston University researchers and other analysts believe will die as a result of US funding cuts for health and other programs abroad.
