Salmonella Warning Issued for Jalapeños

On the heels of a nationwide surge in cyclosporiasis, US health officials are investigating a multistate outbreak of salmonella linked to jalapeños (medium-sized chili peppers of the species Capsicum annuum), which has sickened 345 people so far. 

Their illnesses began on dates ranging from June 19 to July 20, 2026 and reported in 27 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. At least 36 people have been hospitalized with the food-borne illness. 

In an August 05 food safety alert, the CDC identified the source of the outbreak: fresh jalapeño peppers distributed by Coast Citrus Distributors to wholesalers and restaurants nationwide. 

After Coast Citrus Distributors initiated a recall of their jalapeño peppers, Taylor Farms followed suit, recalling their prepared foods made with the recalled jalapeños, including salsa and guacamole, per the Food and Drug Administration. The affected products were distributed to Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s and Target, among other retailers. Some tainted jalapeños were served at Chipotle and Qdoba and have since been removed from stores. 

Salmonella is a type of bacteria found in the intestines of humans and animals that can cause food poisoning known as salmonellosis. People become infected by ingesting contaminating food or water. 

Infection with salmonella causes severe and sometimes bloody diarrhea, vomiting, fever and stomach cramps, per the CDC. In rare cases, salmonella can enter the bloodstream and cause life-threatening complications. 

Most people recover on their own, but some groups are at higher risk of severe illness. These include adults over 65, young children and people with weak immune systems. 

Salmonella is a leading cause of food poisoning in the US, and infections are more common in the summer because the bacteria thrive in warm conditions, per the CDC. 

However, the recent outbreak has stoked fears about the safety of US produce, especially after a summer of dodging the “diarrhea parasite” cyclospora linked to iceberg lettuce.

Following consecutive league wins against Dundee and Kilmarnock, an in-form Celtic launched their Scottish League Cup defense with a dominant 4-0 victory against Dundee United yesterday. 

The opening goal came when Auston Trusty headed the ball directly into the net from a corner kick in the 22nd minute. 

Two minutes afterward, Camilo Durán Marquez doubled the lead with a clinical strike, marking his debut goal for the club. 

Sebastian Tounekti scored Celtic's third goal in the 54th minute by collecting a through-pass from Benjamin Nygren and slotting a low finish into the bottom corner of the net. 

Nine minutes later, Mika Baur produced a lovely wee flick to Tounekti, who quickly fed the ball into Nygren; the Swede then arrowed a sweet shot high into the net from 18 yards.

The Brink of Dawn: Rewriting US Nuclear Strategy

The US military is drawing up a new nuclear weapons strategy that breaks with decades of established guidelines. ☢️☢️☢️

The strategy is being overseen by War Department policy chief Elbridge Colby (left) and breaks with guidelines followed for decades. Five people familiar with the plans say the update emphasises using shorter-range tactical weapons in regional conflicts. 

The new plan is designed to provide the US President with updated crisis-response options by seeking to deter adversaries from exploiting regional conflicts while preventing conventional warfare from escalating into a nuclear exchange.  

Colby made a scheduled visit and keynote speech at the US Strategic Command (STRATCOM) in Omaha, Nebraska, on August 05, 2026, where he addressed military leadership and attendees during the closed-door 2026 Deterrence Symposium. It came after the Pentagon previously warned that America faces two major nuclear rivals at the same time in China and Russia. 

On July 23, 2026, the Department of War designated three Chinese civilian research universities – Fudan University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and Shandong University (alongside the Aerospace Information Research Institute under the Chinese Academy of Sciences) – as national security threats. These institutions join a growing blacklist that now comprises 130 foreign entities.

Celtic faced Kilmarnock yesterday, seeking back-to-back wins, and they didn't disappoint as they steamrolled past the latter 5-1. 

The Scottish champions were quick to launch an attack down the left side. Kieran Tierney passed to Arne Engels, who delivered a high cross to the far post for Kasper Høgh to head into the net in the second minute, scoring his first goal for Celtic. 

In the 33rd minute, Camilo Durán intercepted a defensive pass, linked up with Benjamin Nygren, and fed Høgh on the left side of the box for a sharp finish. 

During another fluid Celtic attack two minutes later, Nygren slipped the ball to the right for Durán, who sent in a cross that bypassed the goalkeeper, allowing Høgh to tap into an open net and complete his hat-trick. 

Nygren added to the tally in the 47th minute after intercepting a poor goal kick and firing a high shot straight into the top corner. 

While the Killies pulled one back in the 56th minute, Luke McCowan sealed the win with a 75th-minute volley after Kilmarnock failed to clear a looping corner kick.

Marco Rubio’s Hot Take

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (right) helpfully pointed out "... that China wants to become the most powerful country in the world, and they want to do so at our expense. Obviously, we are Americans; we're not going to allow that to happen". 

This was said in an interview aired on the Fox News Channel program "My View with Lara Trump" on July 28, 2026.

Cue the dramatic gasp. A classic case of stating the obvious.  

While China is undoubtedly a rising global superpower, it is not yet the most powerful country on the planet. However, it is closing in rapidly; it's simply a matter of time.

Get used to it, Rubio!

😂😂😂

A historic opening round of six top-flight Scottish Premiership matches wrapped up at Celtic Park yesterday with the Celtic-Dundee fixture. 

Of course, the Scottish champions won, albeit a narrow 1-0 victory over the Dees. After a drab first half, Sweden midfielder Benjamin Nygren met a magnificent cross from Kieran Tierney on 52 minutes for the game's only goal. 

As Celtic head honcho Martin O'Neill said: "The most important thing is to win the game".

$6B Budget for Next World Cup

🚨 FIFA are preparing a budget of around $6 BILLION for the 2030 FIFA World Cup. 💰 

The tournament will mark the 100th anniversary of the World Cup, with FIFA planning a landmark edition to celebrate a century since the inaugural tournament in Montevideo, Uruguay in 1930. 🏆🌍

And six countries have already secured their 2030 places after the global governing body for football officially confirmed the tournament’s unique hosting arrangement spanning three continents. Morocco, Portugal and Spain will serve as the main hosts of the expanded tournament, while Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay will stage special centenary celebration matches. 

A US official told The Intercept that recent attacks had wounded “far more” personnel than are reflected in the Pentagon’s current casualty count. They did not provide numbers but said “dozens” had received medical attention. 

According to ⁠Al Jazeera citing CENTCOM, the ongoing conflict with Iran has resulted in 17 confirmed US military deaths, one service member missing, and over 420 wounded. 

And reporting by The Intercept previously found that the Pentagon’s official tally of dead and wounded personnel is a gross undercount, stemming from what one US government official called a “casualty cover-up”. 

There's nothing new about this because it has always been the US practice!

On the Iranian side, at least 3,000 have been killed according to Iranian reports and Al Jazeera's live trackers, though independent monitors like the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) estimate around 3,684 fatalities, with more than 26,500 to 27,000 individuals injured. 

We should anticipate that devastating human losses across Iran will escalate under the weight of continuous US bombardments. CENTCOM already announced they finished their latest round of strikes on Monday, marking the completion of the tenth consecutive night of American air attacks on Iran. 

And US President Donald Trump warned Tuesday on Truth Social that the United States was "not finished" attacking Iran. 

I say it again! Iran should stop pussyfooting with the evil regime that is the US. It's time to declare war and go on the offensive. 💣💣💣

La Roja Crowned World Cup Champs

I registered for the "Final World Cup @ HQ Bersama" gathering yesterday and early this morning (i.e., 03:00 AM Malaysian time), I watched my first and only 2026 FIFA World Cup event!

[Psst... I lost interest after both Scotland and Iran exited, following the group stage].

The crowning clash pitted defending champions Argentina against Spain.

La Albiceleste entered with the tournament's highest goal count (19), while La Roja boasted the tightest defense, having ⁠conceded just a single goal all tournament. 

I picked Spain to triumph. And they did! They won their second FIFA World Cup title by defeating Argentina 1-0 after extra time. 

Substitute striker Ferran Torres scored the decisive winning goal in the 106th minute, breaking the deadlock after a grueling, highly physical match. The Argies were bullies on the field.

I had dinner first in the vicinity. Nasi Kandar Mamak Kitchen, located at No. 32-1, Jalan PP16/2, Perdana Industrial Park in Taman Putra Perdana, Puchong, Selangor. It was only about 750 meters from HQ Bersama, and therefore, it was convenient for me. 

I had my usual. With extra rice, double portions. And air sirap ais. Altogether RM13.50.

At HQ Bersama, I had the privilege of being up close and personal with Bersama's Rafizi Ramli as he broke down the realities of modern Malaysian politics. Especially the shenanigans of the "dinosaur" parties.

US Security Chief Gloats Over Iran’s World Cup Exit

US Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin (right), whose agency were responsible for enforcing controversial security measures targeting the Iranian football team at the World Cup, brazenly bragged that the job put him on cloud nine and that he was overjoyed Iran was eliminated. 

Iran exited the global football tournament, which the US is co-hosting with Canada and Mexico, after three draws against New Zealand, Belgium, and Egypt during the group stage. 

Iranian officials complained that, unlike other teams, Iranian players were not allowed to stay in the US and instead had to travel for training and games in Los Angeles and Seattle from Tijuana, Mexico. 

“I’m just glad they’re done, and they’re not coming back”, Mullin told an interagency meeting on Monday, as first reported by Sports Business Journal. 

He added that “there wasn’t a single team that we dealt with more than them”. 

“I was so happy when we were able to pull their visas and said they could leave US soil, and I might have sung a song or two, or maybe danced a happy dance”, the senior official crowed. 

Clearly, this is an American who is deplorable, detestable and despicable!

Mehdi Taremi Talks of Shit Treatment @ World Cup USA

Mehdi Taremi (left) lashed out at FIFA in an explosive post-match interview on Friday, following Iran's 1-1 draw against Egypt. Iran's national team captain spoke candidly and didn't mince words. 💩💩💩

He called this World Cup exactly what it is: A disaster. A sham. A calculated campaign to break the Iranian team before they ever step on the pitch. 

Taremi described the Iranian nightmare: "We can't stay in the country ...treated like criminals in the "land of the free". Immigration checks EVERY TIME they want to play ...psychological warfare disguised as bureaucracy. Forced to flee Seattle, return to Tijuana ...ping-ponging across borders while other teams sleep in luxury. They've done everything they can to eliminate us". 

And FIFA? WORTHLESS! Gianni Infantino ...that political prostitute who licks the boots of power ...strolled into Iran's locker room after the New Zealand match, promised to fix everything, then vanished. Did nothing. Said nothing. Let the abuse continue. 

When he was asked the question: "Do you feel the organizers would prefer Iran to be eliminated?" 

His answer? "YES. I think that's what they want. They want us out".

Plainly put, this is SPORTING TERRORISM. Not fair play. Not competition. Systemic sabotage. While European teams enjoy five-star treatment, Iran's players are trapped in a travel nightmare, exhausted before kickoff, harassed by immigration, denied basic dignity. 

Infantino promised solutions. Delivered LIES. The US organizers ...the same regime that bomb Iranian civilians ...now wage war on Iranian athletes. FIFA enable it. 

The "beautiful game" is reduced to ugly politics. 

There is an angry anguish in Taremi's defiance: "We have to fight against absolutely everything". 

And fight they must. Against FIFA corruption. Against US hostility. Against a system rigged to break them. The world is watching. And the world sees the conspiracy.

At the ongoing World Cup, the group fixtures all concluded yesterday, finalizing the 32-team bracket for the knockout rounds.

And Iran and Scotland are ranked the ninth and eleventh best third-place teams overall. Meaning, both teams finished outside the qualification spots and fail to advance to the ⁠2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 32.

Steve Clarke resigned as Scotland’s head coach, with the decision announced within an hour of confirmation the country had been eliminated from the World Cup. 

As for me, I'm done following this World Cup! 

I Support Team Melli Too

Besides Scotland, I am unabashedly rooting for Iran in the grandest stage in global football. 

Not because of goals. Not because of stars. But because I watched what Team Melli went through – and admired how they still showed up. Respect is earned in moments like these. 🧡🧡🧡

Iran is the ultimate underdog. Despite consistently holding a Top-20 spot in the ⁠FIFA Men's World Rankings, they've historically struggled to advance past the group stage. 

But more importantly, I'm backing them because they continue to fight and compete at an elite level, even while navigating unprecedented off-pitch hurdles and restrictive external conditions. [Read my post "The Most Oppressed Team at the World Cup" published Monday]. 

There is a modicum of good news though. Iran's football team have been given extra time in the United States to prepare for their last group fixture. The US Department of Homeland Security have come out to say that Iran has been allowed to travel to Seattle in Washington State two days before their match against Egypt on Friday – giving them an extra day beyond the 24-hour window they'd been granted for their first two games. 

But their players are still required to return to their base camp in Tijuana, Mexico, after the match. 

According to BBC on Tuesday, this change came after the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran (commonly abbreviated as FFIRI) said, on June 19, they planned to lodge an official complaint with FIFA over what they described as unfair treatment in the United States.

The above aside, Iran's football federation reported the following day that their team’s flight to Seattle was delayed by 25 minutes as star forward Mehdi Taremi and assistant coach Saeed Alhoei were held up for an undisclosed reason. 

As if the crises currently strangling the Iranian team were not catastrophic enough, today's fixture between Iran and the Pharaohs has drawn global attention and significant international tension as it overlaps with Seattle's annual Pride Weekend. 

Because homosexuality is criminalized in both competing nations, the matchup was branded by the city's local organizing committee as a "Pride Match" to promote inclusivity, sparking protests and raised concerns from the Iranian and Egyptian governments. 

In fact, FIFA have given the green light for fans to bring rainbow flags into the stadium, classifying the symbol as one of human rights rather than a political slogan.

The abject failure of the global governing body for football to protect Iran from relentless political distractions and unfair travel restrictions severely compromises the fundamental spirit of the game.

Shame on you, FIFA! 😡😡😡

The Most Oppressed Team at the World Cup

Head coach Amir Ghalenoei says Iran’s treatment by FIFA makes them “the most oppressed” team at the World Cup. Of course, we all know that this is primarily due to hostile US actions.

[Note that Iran blamed FIFA rather than pointing fingers directly at the US because, under FIFA’s tournament regulations, the governing body – not the host nation – are solely responsible for venue operations, scheduling, flag rules, and enforcing team logistics].

There had been severe logistical, travel, and administrative hurdles put in place by co-host the United States. Among them:

Visa Denials: Fifteen members of Iran’s coaching, support staff, and football federation executives were denied visas to enter the US, where all of Iran’s group stage games are taking place. That number was later reduced to eleven after some visas were approved.

Forced Base Relocation: Due to supposedly security precautions and visa complications, the team was forced to abandon their planned training base in Tucson, Arizona and relocate to Tijuana, Mexico.

Exhausting Travel Restrictions: Ahead of their opening match against New Zealand in Los Angeles, California, the Iranians were denied permission to stay overnight. Instead, they were forced to commute back and forth from their base in Tijuana, severely disrupting recovery and training schedules.

Revoked Ticket Allocations: The Iranian Football Federation reported that their designated 8% quota of tickets for group-stage matches against Belgium, Egypt, and New Zealand was withdrawn, leaving them unable to provide tickets to their fans through official channels. One can surmise that Iran residents who are subject to a travel ban by the US government since last year, are, therefore, unlikely to get entry visas for the World Cup, as well as their inability to make payments while financial sanctions are in force.  

WHO'S REALLY RUNNING THE WORLD CUP?!?! 😡😡😡

FYI, the 2026 tournament marks the seventh time the Iranian national team have competed on football's biggest stage. 

And Iran opened their campaign on June 16 with a 2-2 draw against New Zealand. And yesterday, they drew 0-0 against Belgium. 

Iran will finish out group play against Egypt on June 26.

I'm betting Iran will qualify for the Round of 32 knockout stage at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Scotland Wins WC Opener

I declared on June 05 that in the FIFA World Cup, I am cheering for Scotland.

And yesterday, Scotland had a great start when they battled past Haiti 1-0 and go top of World Cup Group C – ahead of Morocco and Brazil who drew 1-1 earlier in the day – with their first win in the tournament since 1990. 

John McGinn put them into the lead in the 28th minute when his shot took a double deflection to land in the back of the Haiti net. 

Group C's standings after Matchday One:

Malaysia remains in a relatively strong position with sufficient supplies of fuel, food and essential medicines, thanks to early intervention and coordinated crisis management efforts, says Prime Minister’s Economic Adviser Nurhisham Hussein. 

Nurhisham (left), who also heads the Secretariat of the National Economic Action Council (MTEN) Crisis Management Task Force, said the government’s immediate priority since the crisis began has been ensuring uninterrupted supplies of critical goods and services. 

He told Bernama this week after the conflict in West Asia entered its 100th day on June 07.

Ukraine War Outlasts World War One

The ongoing war in Ukraine has often been compared to the first World War for its brutal infantry assaults and heavy casualties. 

Yet the idea that it could, by any measure, surpass a conflict so long and bloody that French soldiers hoped it would be “the last of the last” once seemed unthinkable. 

That is just what happened on Thursday. The war in Ukraine – which reached 1,569 days, or more than four years and three months – has now outlasted the first World War. 

The war is still very much raging on, and, with peace talks stalled, it shows no sign of ending soon. 

Finally, yesterday, Celtic Football Club, officially announced the appointment of Martin O’Neill (left) as Football Manager on a one-year contract with a one-year option. 

In his connection with Celtic, Martin has already brought nine major honours to the club, including Celtic’s fifth consecutive league title as part of the most memorable league and Scottish Cup double just last month. 

Among his many achievements, Martin was the first manager to deliver a domestic Treble for Celtic in 32 years, when he did so in his first season in charge back in 2001, while he also took Celtic to a European final in Seville in 2003. 

Last season, he drove the club to their 56th Premiership title, by winning the last seven league matches and rounding off one of the most amazing climaxes in Scottish football history by securing his fourth and Celtic’s 43rd Scottish Cup victory.

Scotland at the 2026 World Cup

For the 2026 World Cup, I SUPPORT SCOTLAND!

Scotland are back at the World Cup after a 28-year absence.

And they have been drawn into a tough group with five-time winners Brazil, Morocco and Haiti as the Scots attempt to reach the knockout stages of a World Cup for the first time in their history.

Scotland's 2026 World Cup fixtures are as follows:

GROUP STAGE 

Scotland vs. Haiti on Sunday, June 14 

Scotland's first game is certainly their easiest on paper, against the 83rd-ranked Haiti. The game, which kicks off locally on Saturday night, provides a great chance for a strong start.

Scotland vs. Morocco on Friday, June 19 

Morocco, now eighth in the world, are dark horses for the tournament after reaching the semis four years ago. Even a point from this game would be a bonus for Steve Clarke and Co. 

Scotland vs. Brazil on Wednesday, June 24 

Scotland's next test will be against the iconic Seleção, another side they faced in their last World Cup group stage in 1998. Back then, Brazil won 2-1 to kick off their tournament. 

ROUND OF 32

1st in Group C: Monday, June 29 vs. Group F runners-up 

2nd in Group C: Tuesday, June 30, vs. Group F winners 

3rd in Group C: Depends on third-place seeding

Just over a week until Scotland's World Cup campaign begins, tickets for the opening match are being sold on third-party resale websites. This is a shambolic situation because US travel bans mean that fans traveling from countries such as Haiti won’t be able to attend the World Cup to support their teams. If this is not discrimination, I don't know what is.

The situation highlights a disgraceful disconnect between FIFA’s global inclusive ethos and strict, localized US immigration policies.  

Football aside, Malaysian women's doubles pair Pearly Tan-Thinaah Muralitharan advanced to the Indonesia Open Badminton quarter-finals on Thursday after defeating Taiwan's Hsu Ya Ching-Sung Yu Hsuan. 

The world No. 2 beat the Taiwanese world No. 15 duo 21-18, 21-19 in a close second-round match in Jakarta. This will be their first quarter-final appearance since Pearly returned from a back injury at last week's Singapore Open, where they were eliminated in the second round.

And in squash, Sivasangari Subramaniam's challenge at the British Open ended in the third round on Wednesday. 

The world No. 5 was tipped to overcome England's world No. 8 Georgina Kennedy for a place in the quarter-finals but instead went down 11-9, 11-9, 11-13, 11-5 in 52 minutes. It was the Malaysian's fifth defeat to Kennedy in six meetings. 

She had received a first-round bye and on Monday, she defeated England's world No. 30 Lucy Turmel in the second round, rallying back from a game down to win 10-12, 11-2, 11-8, 11-9.

Florida Sues OpenAI and Sam Altman

Florida has officially become the first US state to sue OpenAI and their CEO, Sam Altman, accusing the company of misrepresenting the safety of ChatGPT and prioritizing profits over public safety. 

The 83-page lawsuit was filed on Monday by Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier (right), who accuses OpenAI of deceptive and unfair trade practices, negligence and violating product liability laws. It also seeks to hold Altman “personally liable for the harm he has caused Floridians”, including his alleged “utter disregard for the risk to human life caused by his firms’ conduct”. 

The lawsuit lists a litany of accusations against ChatGPT, including helping mass shooters, encouraging suicide, causing “public humiliation,” getting minors addicted to a tool with “no parental oversight” and causing users to lose “critical thinking skills”.

The question for the court is whether OpenAI can be held liable when users lean on ChatGPT for dangerous, delusional, or violent plans. The company will argue that their models are general-purpose tools with safeguards. Florida is arguing that the tool was built and sold in a way that made predictable harms inevitable. 

According to reports by Politico and Ars Technica, Florida is pushing the courts to mandate: 

• Strict parental control mechanisms
• Robust age-verification protocols for free accounts
• Data-collection restrictions on minor users
• Automated shutdowns for conversations exploring violence or self-harm  

All eyes are on Celtic once again, this time to celebrate the women's team lifting the Scottish Cup trophy. 

They had defeated their arch-rivals Rangers 1-0 in the final on Sunday.

Celtic rock!!!

Liverpool Sack Arne Slot

Liverpool’s fairytale turned nightmare is officially over. Following an abysmal title defense, the club have sacked Arne Slot with immediate effect. 

The club announced the news of the 47-year-old’s departure on Saturday afternoon, less than a week after the final day of the Premier League season and Slot’s assertion that he was part of the plans to come. 

The decision came after an end-of-season review that saw the club suffer 19 defeats across all competitions and fall from 84 to 60 points. And Champions League qualification secured only on the final day. 

Slot is just not good enough for Liverpool!

👏👏👏

Expensive or Not?

“Takeaway like this costs RM12. Is it too expensive?” the user wrote. 

A simple takeaway meal from a popular Penang restaurant has triggered debate online after a customer questioned whether RM12 was too much to pay for a packet of rice with a piece of fried chicken. 

[I came across this news story in The Sun on Friday]. 

The post quickly attracted mixed reactions from netizens, drawing more than 250 comments, with some agreeing that the price was steep while others defended the eatery, saying the fried chicken from the restaurant was worth the cost.

One commenter joked: “I dare not comment because someone will tell me to cook it myself”. 

Another compared it with prices abroad, saying: “I can get something even cheaper than this in Singapore”. 

Some users attempted to break down the estimated cost of the meal. 

“The chicken is RM6 and the rice is RM2, so it should only be RM8”, one commenter wrote. 

Others pointed out that the cafe’s fried chicken is known to be popular despite the pricing. 

“No choice, their fried chicken is really good. But RM12 for one piece of chicken and rice; maybe they calculated it wrongly. You can ask them”, another netizen said.

All I can say is that one of my favourite nasi kandar places that I patronise pretty regularly is Nasi Kandar Pelita – and their prices are very reasonable! At least, the one at Jalan SS15/4C in Subang Jaya.

The May 17 bill I attached has almost the same items, i.e., white rice with "kuah campur banjir" and one piece of chicken. Plus an extra portion of rice and a glass of iced plain water. And it is only RM9.75!

Need I say more? 😜😜😜

Liverpool had their last Premier League match of the season yesterday, and they could only draw 1-1 against Brentford. 

The Reds scored first when Mohamed Salah picked out Curtis Jones to tap it home in the 58th minute. The Bees replied six minutes afterward.

Until the final whistle, neither team could find a winning goal. I suppose we should take comfort in knowing that the Reds secured the single point they needed to seal fifth spot – and Champions League qualification. 

And so, we can finally say goodbye to this absolutely cursed season. TBH, I'm not looking forward to 2026-27 because we lacked a clear tactical identity and we suffered from poor game management. I don't expect us to do well if Arne Slot remains in charge.