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- League Cup — Tuesday’s 1st Aug fixtures
- FIFA president Infantino cancels controversial World Cup investment plan
- Beavers assist Indian Point Volunteer Fire Department with dry hydrant installation
- U.S. and Israel plan airstrikes on energy targets in Iran, sources say
- US conducts heavy air strikes on Iran in response to attacks on bases
- Wildfire prompts evacuation alerts and major response in Aspropyrgos
- FIFA COO Kevin Lamour claims staff misled about Infantino’s World Cup plan
- Canada and allies warn of insider threat from North Korean IT workers
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League Cup — Tuesday’s 1st Aug fixtures
1:00 am
Today’s matches include League Cup, Scottish Premiership, and MLS.
League Cup |
Scottish Premiership |
MLS
League Cup
Matchday 1
Tranmere Rovers 15:00 Rochdale
Scottish Premiership
Matchday 1
Falkirk 15:00 St. Mirren
Aberdeen 17:30 Heart of Midlothian
MLS
Matchday
New York City FC 11 Toronto FC
FIFA president Infantino cancels controversial World Cup investment plan
12:26 am
Get you up to speed: FIFA’s Infantino scraps controversial World Cup private investment plan
FIFA and its President Gianni Infantino have abandoned a proposal to sell a stake in its business empire following significant opposition from member associations. The decision comes after UEFA voted to boycott FIFA, expressing that the plan threatened the integrity of the sport.
FIFA’s Chief Operating Officer Kevin Lamour stated that the proposal was characterised as a “project of one person,” highlighting internal dissent within the organisation. The project had initially aimed to generate $4.2 billion through a 20% stake sale, but strong opposition from UEFA and concerns expressed by member associations culminated in its cancellation after just a few days.
FIFA has abandoned its $4.2 billion investment plan following strong opposition from member associations, particularly UEFA, which accused the body of jeopardising football’s integrity. British Prime Minister Andy Burnham stated that Gianni Infantino is “the wrong man to lead the organisation,” signalling potential leadership challenges as FIFA seeks to unify its members after this setback.
What remains unclear — FIFA has not disclosed whether it will revisit the investment proposal in the future.
FIFA president Infantino cancels controversial World Cup investment plan
BREAKINGBREAKING, Sport|World CupFIFA’s Infantino scraps controversial World Cup private investment plan
FIFA and its President Gianni Infantino faced fierce backlash from across football to plans to sell stake in World Cup.
Published On 31 Jul 202631 Jul 2026
World football’s governing body, FIFA, has said it will not proceed with its proposal to sell a piece of its business empire to outside investors after the project was met with fierce resistance from some of its member associations.
FIFA’s plan was to raise up to $4.2bn by selling about a 20% stake in a new unit that would run FIFA events including the World Cup, valuing it at $20bn.
The proposal, first announced on Tuesday, was strongly opposed by European football’s governing body, UEFA, which voted on Thursday to boycott FIFA and accused the Switzerland-based organisation of putting the sport’s “soul” up for sale.
“Having listened carefully to all the views, it has become clear that the project has created divisions of a nature that, regardless of the level of support, are no longer in the interest of the objective set out in the first place,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in a statement late on Friday evening.
“Our purpose has always been – and will always be – to unite and improve. As a result, this proposal will not proceed.”
Earlier on Friday, Infantino’s senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro resigned with immediate effect, calling the plan “a bad deal for football”.
FIFA’s Chief Operating Officer Kevin Lamour said staff were “deceived” by Infantino, describing the proposal as a “project of one person”.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, meanwhile, told reporters on Friday that Infantino was “the wrong man to lead the organisation”.
Beavers assist Indian Point Volunteer Fire Department with dry hydrant installation
12:00 am
Get you up to speed: Beavers and a Tim’s card: a very Canadian solution to a firefighting challenge
The Indian Point Volunteer Fire Department is in the process of installing a dry fire hydrant with assistance from local beavers. This initiative has been in consideration since the department’s founding in 1955.
The Indian Point Volunteer Fire Department is currently working towards installing a dry fire hydrant, a project long sought since its establishment in 1955. The involvement of local beavers has become a significant factor in this project, highlighting the interplay between wildlife and community efforts.
The Indian Point Volunteer Fire Department is moving forward with plans to install a dry fire hydrant, a goal they have pursued since 1955. Local authorities have noted the beavers’ unexpected role in aiding this initiative, contributing to ongoing discussions about community wildlife management.
What remains unclear — It is unknown how the beavers will affect the installation timeline of the dry fire hydrant.
Beavers assist Indian Point Volunteer Fire Department with dry hydrant installation
The Indian Point Volunteer Fire Department has wanted to install a dry fire hydrant since its founding in 1955. A group of busy beavers is lending a hand — or paw.
U.S. and Israel plan airstrikes on energy targets in Iran, sources say
10:00 pm
Get you up to speed: U.S., Israel preparing to bombard energy-related targets in Iran, sources say
The United States and Israel are planning significant bombing campaigns against energy infrastructure targets in Iran over the weekend. Coordination is ongoing between the two countries, but President Trump has not yet issued final orders for the strikes.
The U.S. and Israel are coordinating on a bombing campaign that could extend through the weekend, with discussions focusing on concluding operations before financial markets reopen on Monday. While military targets include energy infrastructure in Iran, no final decision has been made regarding the implementation of specific strikes.
The United States plans significant military strikes against Iran’s energy infrastructure, with coordination confirmed between U.S. and Israeli officials. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt reiterated President Trump’s commitment to preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, while discussions regarding potential targets, including electricity cut-offs in Tehran, remain ongoing.
What remains unclear — The specific targets and timing of the planned bombing campaign against Iran have not been definitively established.
U.S. and Israel plan airstrikes on energy targets in Iran, sources say
Washington — The United States and Israel are planning what would be one of the harshest bombing campaigns to date against energy infrastructure targets in Iran, multiple sources told WTX US News, with strikes possible throughout the weekend.
There was some discussion about trying to conclude by the time financial markets open Monday because of concern about how the bombings will affect the U.S. and global economy, but an end point wasn’t locked in.
The Israelis have been notified and are coordinating with the United States, according to multiple U.S. sources. The president has yet to give the final ‘go’ orders for the strikes, the sources said.
A joint operation would mark Israel’s return to combat operations which it had halted during the U.S.-brokered truce. Iran has not hit Israel since the memorandum of understanding fell apart and the U.S. restarted combat operations in early July.
An Israeli official told WTX US News: “Israel is unaware of a decision to restart full military operations, nor has been requested of Israel to join any military actions against Iran.”
The military strike plan came up during President Trump’s cabinet meeting at Camp David on Friday, according to sources briefed later. Some White House aides who focus on politics were strongly opposed, one of the sources said.
While reporters were in the room, Mr. Trump said: “We’ll be hitting them very hard. At some point, they’re going to say, ‘We just can’t take it anymore.'”
“I think we just want to win,” he told the press when asked about reviving diplomacy.
Energy infrastructure including power plants and refineries would likely be targeted, two of the sources said.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement to WTX US News, “As President Trump said at his cabinet meeting today, the United States will win, and Iran will not have a nuclear weapon under his watch.”
Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said the Pentagon would not comment on targets before the president makes a final decision.
“The Department of War is locked and loaded, ready to execute the President’s directives at a moment’s notice,” Parnell said in a statement.
A former U.S. military official told WTX that the value of hitting energy infrastructure would be to impact the Iranian military’s ability to provide services and effectively govern.
When Mr. Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met earlier this week, Netanyahu briefed him on three options for the war, including military strikes focused on land resupply routes, a senior Israeli official said. Netanyahu also met with Defense Secretary Hegseth.
The U.S. has already struck bridges in this conflict that were dual-use — used by the military and civilians — a U.S. official said.
There were high-level U.S. discussions Friday about cutting electricity across Tehran, but no decision had been made as of Friday afternoon.
Last week, Mr. Trump posted on Truth Social that he would bomb and destroy an Iranian bridge or power plant for every attack on a ship in the Strait of Hormuz.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
US conducts heavy air strikes on Iran in response to attacks on bases
9:00 pm
Get you up to speed: US launches heavy strikes on Iran after Trump vowed to ‘beat the s***’ out of them | News World
The US conducted a two-hour bombing raid on Iran, targeting military command centres and drone facilities in response to prior attacks on US bases in the Middle East. Iran’s official news agency reported that three people were killed and two were wounded in a strike on the island of Qeshm.
US Central Command reported that the latest strikes targeted numerous military facilities over a two-hour period. Investigations are ongoing regarding the drone attack on a US-owned gas storage tanker in Egypt, although responsibility has not been confirmed.
US Central Command confirmed that the latest strikes targeted multiple military sites in Iran in response to increasing aggression, with President Donald Trump reiterating a commitment to retaliate decisively against Iranian provocations. The recent flare-ups in conflict have raised oil prices significantly, with Brent crude futures exceeding $90 a barrel, reflecting heightened market anxiety over potential further escalations in the region.
What remains unclear — It is not known how many additional casualties have resulted from the recent strikes on Iran.
US conducts heavy air strikes on Iran in response to attacks on bases
The US has carried out another ‘heavy wave of strikes’ on Iran in response to attacks on its bases in the Middle East.
US Central Command (Centcom) said the ‘powerful’ two-hour bombing raid hit ‘dozens’ of military command centres, missile and drone facilities, and surveillance and defence sites.
The new strikes came hours after President Donald Trump vowed to strike back ‘very hard’ after it targeted a US base in Jordan.
Speaking yesterday, he vowed to ‘beat the f***ing s**t’ out of Iran for firing on American troops days after he halted air strikes.
Iran’s official IRNA news agency said three people were killed and two were wounded in a strike on the island of Qeshm, which lies just off the Iranian mainland in the Strait of Hormuz.
The latest barrage came after the US partnered with Saudi Arabia to strike Iran-backed militias in neighboring Iraq, killing at least 20 fighters and six Iranian advisers on Wednesday.
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Smoke rises following an explosion at an unknown location, during what US Central Command (Centcom) says are strikes on Iran (Picture: Centcom via Reuters)
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The new strikes came hours after President Donald Trump vowed to strike back ‘very hard’ after it targeted a US base in Jordan (Picture: EPA)
The flare-ups on multiple fronts after several days of relative calm raised the risk of a return to all-out war.
It also underscored the difficulty of winding down a five-month conflict that has jolted the world economy and is unpopular among Americans.
The fighting was likely to fuel concerns that the US is further drawing down already diminished stockpiles of sophisticated munitions needed to defend its bases and allies.
Earlier on Wednesday, US and Saudi forces launched strikes against Iran-aligned groups in eastern Iraq, in retaliation for drone attacks on Saudi oil targets launched from Iraq.
The joint attack marked the first time Riyadh has publicly joined strikes alongside Washington.
In Egypt, a drone hit a US-owned gas storage tanker at Egypt’s Mediterranean port of Damietta, British maritime security firm Ambrey said in an initial assessment on Wednesday.
A plume of smoke rises after reported strikes in Qeshm, Iran (Picture: Reuters)
A statement from Egypt’s Petroleum Ministry confirmed a fire at the port but made no mention of a drone attack. It was not immediately clear who was responsible.
Egypt, a close US ally and regional mediator, is one of the only countries in the Middle East to have been spared direct military action during the war.
A strike by Iran or its allies, if confirmed, would mark a significant widening of the conflict.
Asked during an Oval Office event if Iran was responsible for the strikes on the natural gas vessels, Trump responded: ‘It’s a little more of the same.’
He added: ‘In the meantime, we’re going to be hitting them very hard because it’s our turn to hit them.’
Oil prices shot up on Wednesday in one of the sharpest spikes of the five-month war.
Brent crude futures rose more than 8% to push the benchmark well above $90 a barrel, reversing much of a plunge earlier this week when Trump had unexpectedly halted U.S. strikes.
On Thursday, prices retreated slightly.
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Wildfire prompts evacuation alerts and major response in Aspropyrgos
7:00 pm
Wildfire prompts evacuation alerts and major response in Aspropyrgos
Wildfire outbreak
A wildfire began at 15:29 on the slopes of Mount Poikilo in Aspropyrgos, west of Athens, prompting evacuation alerts and a major firefighting response.
A wildfire began at 15:29 on the slopes of Mount Poikilo in Aspropyrgos, west of Athens, prompting evacuation alerts and a major firefighting response.
Mobilisation Efforts
Firefighting operations involve 108 personnel, 27 vehicles, and five aircraft, underscoring the substantial resource commitment to managing the active wildfire risk.
Firefighting operations involve 108 personnel, 27 vehicles, and five aircraft, underscoring the substantial resource commitment to managing the active wildfire risk.
Firefighting Efforts
“A total of 108 firefighters are operating at the scene with six ground teams and multiple aerial support units deployed.”
“A total of 108 firefighters are operating at the scene with six ground teams and multiple aerial support units deployed.”
Wildfire breaks out near Athens, prompting evacuation alerts
By Konstantinos Tsellos & EU News with ΑΠΕ ΜΠΕ
Published on
A wildfire has broken out in a forested area in Aspropyrgos, west of Athens, prompting evacuation alerts and a major firefighting response.
According to the fire service, the blaze broke out at around 15:29 in forest land on the slopes of Mount Poikilo, in the Aspropyrgos area, and is moving south.
Firefighting forces have been reinforced. A total of 108 firefighters are operating at the scene with six ground teams from the 1st EMODE special wildfire unit and 27 vehicles. Five aircraft and six helicopters have also been deployed for aerial firefighting, one of them for coordination.
Water tankers from the municipalities of Aspropyrgos, Fyli, Petroupoli and Peristeri are also assisting. In total, two messages have been issued via the 112 emergency alert system: the first at 16:03 informing people in the wider area about the fire, and the second at 16:22 calling on those in Afaia Haidariou and Ano Dasos Haidariou to move towards Peristeri via Athinon Avenue.
An earlier alert issued via the 112 emergency alert system had called on people in the wider area to remain on standby.
The fire service said the area is classified as Category 4 today, indicating a very high risk of wildfires, while the Western Attica Arson Crimes Investigation Unit has been activated to investigate the cause of the blaze.
Throughout the operation, the Fire Service’s Operations Coordination Centre (ESKEDIK) has been receiving continuous imagery from a drone equipped with thermal and optical cameras.
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