Sky-high FIFA World Cup Tickets Prices

The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off June 11 as the global spectacle takes place across North America. 

This edition will be the biggest in the tournament’s history, featuring 48 teams spread across 12 groups playing 104 matches over 39 days, all vying the for the coveted trophy. 

Eleven cities in the US, three in Mexico and two in Canada will play host but what sticks out like a sore thumb are the ticket prices. For sure, it will cost an arm and a leg for fans who want to experience it in person. 

And I'm pinpointing the United States. Ticket and hospitality prices in the country are significantly higher than in Mexico and Canada, with US-based matches setting records for the most expensive in tournament history. 

USA opening match tickets start around $560 to over $2,700, while Mexican openers range from $370 to $1,825, and Canadian openers are priced between $355 and $1,745. 

In fact, US President Donald Trump took a shot at the sky-high World Cup ticket prices, saying he would not pay $1,000 to watch the United States ⁠play its opening match against Paraguay on ⁠June 12 in Los Angeles, California.

On Tuesday, FIFA president Gianni Infantino defended World Cup ticket prices, arguing they reflect immense market demand in the US and maintaining that current costs align with premium US entertainment rates. 

On Thursday, FIFA on their sales site offer Front Category 1 seats for $32,970 for the final on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. 

If you don't know, prices for the best available tickets have TRIPLED!!! They previously had an already high price of $10,990 for the said seats. [FYI, the most expensive ticket for the 2022 World Cup final in Qatar was about $1,600].

And some final tickets are now listed for resale at almost $2.3 million each! 

Infantino responding to the astronomical price, says, "If someone wants to buy a ticket for $2m, I'll personally bring him a hotdog and a Coke to make sure he has a good experience!" 

World Cup die-hards had better start saving! 😅

US Soldiers Get Ready to Die for Israel

It is said that there are about 40,000 American troops scattered around at bases and on ships at any time around the Middle East region, including in Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and United Arab Emirates. 

But as Donald Trump escalates the war in Iran, that number has reached more than 50,000, according to a US military official, as reported by The New York Times on March 29, 2026.

It doesn't matter how many soldiers are being deployed to fight Iran because there will be a bloodbath. For sure, the ruby tide will rise on Iranian soil, where the fallen Americans turn the ground beneath them crimson in their final moments.

Here's the truth about the US involvement in Iran:

I betcha Temu have already received a massive order of body bags from the US Department of War. 😆😆😆

Donald Trump Rages at News Outlets Over War Coverage

US President Donald Trump threatened media organizations with treason charges, accusing them of knowingly colluding with Iran to cast doubt on Washington’s decisive “victory”. 

In a lengthy Truth Social post on Sunday, Trump alleged that “fake news” outlets had been spreading false information supposedly fabricated by Iran using artificial intelligence. 

“The fact is, Iran is being decimated, and the only battles they ‘win’ are those that they create through AI, and are distributed by Corrupt Media Outlets”, Trump derisively wrote. 

He implicated Tehran in circulating fabricated footage showing attacks on US military assets, including alleged strikes on refueling aircraft and naval vessels. According to the president, some of the images depicted non-existent “kamikaze boats” and the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier burning, which he dismissed as artificial intelligence-generated propaganda intended to portray Iran as militarily successful. 

He claimed that only one aircraft was damaged and remained out of service since the escalation of the conflict on February 28. 

Trump described the outlets that published the reports as “Corrupt and Highly Unpatriotic ‘News’ Organizations”, adding that media spreading “knowingly FAKE” information “should be brought up on Charges for TREASON for the dissemination of false information”. 

Over the weekend, Trump and Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr both threatened the media over stories and headlines they said were grossly inaccurate and painted the US in a poor light. Trump suggested criminal action against news outlets, while Carr floated not renewing broadcasters’ licenses. 

The US and Israel began by launching coordinated strikes on the Islamic Republic, triggering Iranian retaliatory attacks across the region. 

To be sure, US military assets have been on the receiving end too. As of March 14, 2026, reports have indicated that at least three F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jets were destroyed in a supposedly friendly-fire incident over Kuwait, while at least five KC-135 refueling aircraft were damaged in an Iranian missile attack on a Saudi base and eleven MQ-9 Reaper drones were downed during the ongoing conflict. Not to mention, at least four AN/TPY-2 radar systems, which were the "eyes" of the THAAD missile system as well as a $1.1B AN/FPS-132 radar in Qatar were wrecked.

A F-35 fighter jet was forced to make an emergency landing on Thursday after it was struck by suspected Iranian fire on Thursday. 

And a March 16 post shared by RT on X cited “latest Chinese satellite intel” indicating the US nuclear aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln “has now retreated to roughly 1,000 km from Iranian shores” after being targeted by Iranian drones. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed their drones struck the carrier, forcing it to relocate. Of course, the US military denied the claim, stating that no Iranian missiles or drones had even touched the ship.

And news reports have highlighted that 2,200 US Marines, part of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, a rapid-response force based in Okinawa, Japan, are being deployed to the Middle East. The USS Tripoli, an America-class amphibious assault ship, which is said to be transporting the marines and accompanied by two escort ships, were spotted approximately 107KM northeast of Bandar Penawar, Johor, Malaysia on March 17.

Experts say the MEU would likely be used to conduct raids across the Iranian shoreline to gain a foothold in areas across the Strait of Hormuz, which has emerged as a contested point of the conflict. 

Asked Tuesday if he was afraid of the Iranian regime's assertion that US boots on the ground "will be another Vietnam", Trump replied, "No, I'm not afraid. I'm really not afraid of anything".

The move suggests Washington is not seeking to wind down its war on Iran anytime soon, despite repeatedly boasting of operational successes.

In fact, the Pentagon are seeking an additional $200 billion from Congress to fund the United States-Israel war with Iran, and on Thursday, War Secretary Pete Hegseth warns it has no “timeframe” for ending.

So, don't expect any off-ramp; only escalation.

Raging Mideast War is Escalating

Today is Day 13 of the US-Israel war on Iran! It has already outlasted the 12-day war initiated by Israel – as is this war, by the way – on June 13, 2025, with the US joining nine days later. 

In fact, US President Donald Trump affirmed on Monday the war against Iran will end “very soon” but not this week!

“We’ve wiped every single force in Iran out, very completely”, the Orange Man trumpeted the destruction of more than 50 Iranian naval ships, and decimation of its air force and anti-aircraft defenses. 

He also said that the war would be over when Iran no longer had the capacity to use weapons against the US, Israel and other allies for a long time, according to CNBC on March 09, 2026. 

In fact, Trump had blithely described the war on Iran as a “short-term excursion”, maintaining that the US is ahead of schedule and already achieved “tremendous success”, as per Al Jazeera on March 10.

But this time around, the conflict has engulfed neighboring Arab countries, entering an escalatory phase as Tehran unleashed its 37th wave of missile and drone attacks across the region. 

Oil, gas and fuel storage facilities in Israel’s Haifa were repeatedly targeted while Gulf states scrambled to intercept drones and missiles heading toward energy hubs. Sirens echoed from Bahrain and Kuwait to Dubai, UAE, as defenses raced to stop incoming threats. 

At the same time, Washington and Tel Aviv intensified airstrikes inside Iran, hitting key sites across the country. 

Already, oil production in Iraq has dropped by 70%, from 4.3 million bpd before the conflict to 1.3 million bpd. Saudi Arabia has lowered output by 2 million to 2.5 million bpd, while the UAE has cut 500,000–800,000 bpd, and Kuwait has cut 500,000 bpd.

On top of that, drone attacks have hammered key infrastructure, including the Ras Tanura refinery in Saudi Arabia and the Ras Laffan gas facility in Qatar, the latter responsible for 20% of global LNG supply. Already, QatarEnergy declared force majeure on LNG shipments yesterday.

Moreover, Iran has blocked the Strait of Hormuz, a global energy chokepoint, handling about a quarter of the world's seaborne oil and significant liquefied natural gas (LNG) and fertilizer.

Predictably, Trump threatened “death, fire and fury” if Iran keeps obstructing the only sea passage from the Persian Gulf to the open ocean. Tehran hit back, vowing it won’t allow “one liter of oil” to leave the Middle East until US and Israeli attacks cease. A top Iranian official even warned Trump to be careful not to be “eliminated” himself. 

With oil and gas facilities now at the center of the battlefield, the conflict is rapidly turning into a wider energy war.

And more. Yesterday, Iran identified new targets, i.e., offices and infrastructure run by top US companies with Israeli links whose technology has been used for military applications. Al Jazeera confirms this, saying the companies include Google, Microsoft, Palantir, IBM, Nvidia and Oracle, and those companies offering cloud-based services that are located in multiple Israeli cities, as well as in some Gulf countries. 

And banks too. Yesterday, state-owned Bank Sepah in Tehran which were reportedly responsible for processing salary payments for Iran's military and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, got hit by enemy missile(s). This presents Iran with the option to target economic centers and banks belonging to the US and Israel within the region. It's damn serious because Iran's military command (Khatam al-Anbiya) are warning civilians to stay at least one kilometer away from these establishments in the region.

The raging war is escalating, that's for sure. Yet, just hours ago, Trump is telling Axios in a 5-minute interview that there's "practically nothing left" to target in Iran! 🤣🤣🤣

As of March 11, the death toll has reached over 1,300 in Iran and at least 11 in Israel, with additional casualties reported among US troops in the region. 

Bombs, Missiles and Drones Cause Widespread Death and Destruction

Israel may have pulled the trigger first – but I blame US President Donald Trump! He, himself suggested on Tuesday that he may have “forced Israel’s hand” into a war with Iranian "lunatics" (The Times of Israel, March 03, 2026). 

It sure has been a very busy week so far for all parties involved. Yesterday, US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth touted as evidence of America's global reach in its war on Iran when he confirmed a US fast attack submarine had sunk an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean – the Pentagon released footage of the strike. FYI, the IRIS Dena, had participated in a naval exercise in India just weeks ago. And according to Sri Lankan authorities, 32 sailors have been rescued, 61 are still missing and 87 bodies have so far been found. 

Iran's navy are already almost decimated, if you believe the Americans. Trump declared Monday that the US sank 10 Iranian battleships. But, on the same day, CENTCOM had stated that in two days, the Iranian regime had 11 ships in the Gulf of Oman and now they have none left. 

Whether 10 or 11, that hadn't stopped Trump from gloating: “They’re at the bottom of the sea”. 

Oil tanker traffic in the Strait of Hormuz has plunged by 90 percent since the outbreak of the Middle East war, energy market intelligence firm Kpler said on X. Iranian forces, meanwhile, claimed "complete control" of the strait, a vital route for world oil and gas supplies, after Trump said Tuesday the US Navy were ready to escort oil tankers through the channel. 

The British are joining in. Their F-35s shot down Iranian drones over Jordan, marking the first time that one of the Royal Air Force's stealth fighter jets had destroyed a target in combat, the UK defense ministry shouted out on Tuesday.

The Israel Defense Forces said they dropped more than 4,000 bombs on Iranian targets in just four days and on Tuesday, even hit “Minzadehei”, a secret underground site on the outskirts of Tehran where Iran transferred much of its nuclear program after the 12-day war with Israel in June. 

The commander of CENTCOM – the forward headquarters of United States Central Command in Qatar – Admiral Brad Cooper claimed the US has struck more than 2,000 targets with more than 2,000 munitions and severely degraded Iran's air defences.

It's not all one-sided though. Three US fighter jets were downed over Kuwait. The Americans explained on Monday that the F-15s were "mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti air defences" and all six crew ejected safely. If you ask me, I don't believe this excuse of a "friendly fire incident".

A day earlier, Iran pounded a base housing US troops in Kuwait on Sunday, killing three service members. Since then, the death toll has risen to six, CENTCOM confirmed on Monday, an uptick that was forecasted by Trump and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, General Dan Caine. 

Still, Iran maintained that more than 650 US military personnel were killed and wounded in the first two days of Operation True Promise 4, while its military say they fired over 700 drones and hundreds of ballistic missiles in 48 hours exceeding the total firepower of the June 2025 war. 

Also, on Monday, Saudi Arabia’s largest oil refinery at Ras Tanura halted operations after a drone strike in the area. Iran accused Israel of carrying out the attack, describing it as a “false flag” operation.

And on the same day too, a Shahed-type unmanned aerial vehicle struck a runway at a UK military base in Akrotiri, Cyprus. Consequently, Greece is sending two frigates and a pair of F-16 fighter jets to Aphrodite's Isle.

Amazon Web Services reported Monday that two data centers in the United Arab Emirates were “directly struck” and another facility in Bahrain was also damaged after a drone landed nearby. 

On Tuesday, two ballistic missiles were aimed at Qatar's Al Udeid Air Base. Air defenses intercepted one, while the second struck the base southwest of Doha without causing casualties. Al Udeid is the backbone of US military airpower in the Middle East, housing the Combined Air Operations Center that direct American and coalition missions across the region. The strike marks a direct hit on one of Washington’s most critical strategic assets there. 

There's been so many claims made by all sides; it's been difficult to establish the veracity of every claim. What is certain is the trail of death and destruction left behind! 

And then there's this widely-circulated story which according to Israeli journalist Nahum Barnea, Trump through Italy had sought an immediate ceasefire upon seeing that the Iranian government did not collapse after the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, along with senior figures in the country’s leadership – but Iran rejected it outright.

They should fear Khamenei as a martyr, more than Khamenei alive!

This ambitious American-Israeli project targeting Iran envisioned a massive bombing campaign to last only 4-5 days and expecting Iran to surrender thereafter. 

Today is Day 6! 

IRAN HAS NOT SURRENDERED! 😂😂😂😂😂😂

And on Tuesday, parents in Minab, Iran held a mass funeral for the 165 students – most of them girls aged between 7 and 12 – as well as staff killed in the attack on the Shajareh Tayyebeh all girls' school by the evil Israel-US axis. 

The IRNA news agency had cited a local prosecutor as saying that 96 people had been wounded in Saturday’s strike. 

Ali Farhadi, spokesperson for Iran’s Education Ministry, said Sunday that three attacks struck the school, which he said had 264 students. 

Some social media accounts linked to Israel claimed the site was “part of an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps base”. However, an analysis by Al Jazeera’s digital investigations unit of satellite imagery compiled over more than a decade, as well as recent video clips, published news reports and statements from official Iranian sources, tells a very different story. 

The findings reveal that the school had been clearly separate from an adjacent military site for at least 10 years. The investigation also shows that the strike pattern raises fundamental questions about the accuracy of intelligence information on which the bombing was based.

The Minab massacre is a war crime.

Iran's official IRNA news agency said Wednesday Israel and US had killed 1,045 military personnel and civilians since the start of the war. Elsewhere, Al Jazeera reported at least 11 dead in Israel as well as six US soldiers and eight civilians killed in the Gulf states. And the death toll from Israeli military action in Lebanon has risen to 72, with 437 injured since this front of the war ignited on Monday.

Iran Attacked Again

A return to armed conflict. Truth be told, there's just no way to avoid it. It's gonna happen, sooner or later!

And so, on February 28, Israel in cahoots with the US attacked Iran! 

US President Donald Trump himself confirmed "major combat operations" had been under way, and he openly called for regime change. 

The office of Iran's supreme leader, and the presidential office in Tehran, were targeted, as well as military sites across the country. Innocents too were sacrificed when children were cold-bloodedly murdered – initial kill numbers were said to be at least 57 – and scores more were injured. A missile had hit an all-girls' elementary school in Minab, southern Iran. 

Iran promptly launched retaliatory strikes on Israel. And it wasn't just confined to this illegitimate state. Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan, which hosted US assets, all admitted they had intercepted missiles fired from Iran at US military bases on their territory. 

Of course, they wouldn't acknowledge it but they were left battered and bruised. 

Defence Security Asia affirmed that an Iranian Shahed drone took out a key US-operated $1.1 billion early warning radar system, the AN/FPS-132 stationed in Qatar. And the Guardian reported that the 5-star Fairmont The Palm hotel in Dubai was struck by an Iranian missile. Social media videos showed smoke rising from the building and four people were injured. And I'm sure there was destruction and devastation in other places too.

Then the claim by Trump in his Truth Social post that Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had been eliminated. 

Today, at 08:38 AM GMT+8, Reuters citing Iranian state media reported that Khamenei has indeed been killed, along with his daughter, grandchild, daughter-in-law and son-in-law in the Israeli-US strikes.

And Trump openly urged Iranians to "take over" the government, saying: "This will be probably your only chance for generations".

Naked aggression must not go unanswered. Iran is not Venezuela. Or Cuba. 

I expect Iran will not spare the Americans nor the Israelis and Netanyahu knows it. One report is claiming he has hightailed out of Israel. Another report says he has fled to Berlin, Germany.

I anticipate Iran to unleash its full military might and punish and crush Israel. Once and for all, I hope. 

And I pray that the citizens of the US vassal states in the Middle East will have the courage to rise up, overthrow their puppet leaders and set their country back on the right side of history. Only then, can they say their nations are truly sovereign.

I'm not a Shi'ite and I’m not neutral. I firmly stand with Iran. 

Long live Iran! Zendeh baad Iran! (زنده باد ایران)! 

Israel and Iran Suddenly Stop Fighting

The Iranian retaliation – my Monday's post "Sunday's Bombings of Iran's Nuclear Sites" refers – came soon enough. Iran attacked United States forces stationed at the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar on Monday – but the bombardment was very modest. Almost as if it was staged. 

No deaths nor injuries. In fact, US President Donald Trump called Iran's response "very weak". And he even thanked the country for giving early notice! 😮😮😮

Meanwhile, Israel resumed bombing Iran’s capital, Tehran, and Iran sent waves of missiles and drones into Israel, with blasts heard in multiple cities. 

And just as suddenly, Trump announced on social media that Israel and Iran have agreed to a complete ceasefire, which would, on Tuesday, lead to an end to the 12-day conflict. 

I don't know about everyone else but it seems to me that Trump started the war, just so, he can end it. And for which he wanted to get credit for.

Note the conflict between Israel and Iran began June 13, when Israel launched its first strikes against Iranian military and nuclear targets. The strikes – which killed a number of top Iranian military officials and nuclear scientists – prompted Iranian counterattacks on Israel. [My post "Israel Attacks Iran" published June 16, 2025]. 

And I think Iran is making a mistake accepting the ceasefire.

Sivasangari Subramaniam's hopes of reaching the semi-finals of the PSA Squash Tour Finals are over after suffering a second straight Group B defeat yesterday. 

The world No. 8 went down 10-11, 11-9, 11-7 in 40 minutes to Egypt's world No. 14 Fayrouz Aboelkheir – her first loss to the 19-year-old in three meetings. 

With two defeats, Sivasangari is now out of contention for the last four of the season-ending event.

Starbucks Under Siege

On May 15, 2020, Luckin Coffee were kicked off the Nasdaq after the buzzy Chinese coffee chain admitted that they had inflated their sales by over $300 million. 

 

The resulting scandal helped to spark a crisis that threatened $1.3 trillion worth of stock, as regulators decided to put the screws on auditing practices for US-listed Chinese companies. 

 

For US-based observers, the story ended there. But Luckin refused to surrender and they worked hard to restore their discredited reputation in their home market of China. 

 

By 2022, Luckin stores had overtaken the number of Starbucks outlets in China. Then in 2023, Luckin reported annual revenue of 24.9 billion yuan ($3.48 billion), surpassing Starbucks’ China revenue of around $3.16 billion. (Luckin’s revenue includes 30 outlets in Singapore).

 

It's a fact that Luckin Coffee have already and successfully challenged Starbucks' dominance in China. They recently reported a strong third quarter with sales rising 41% year over year to nearly $1.5 billion. And their operating margin came in at 15.3% in Q3 2024 compared to 13.4% in the same period last year.

 

And Chinese media reported in August that Luckin are considering further expansion into Southeast Asia, as well as the US. 

 

Hot on Luckin’s heels are another discount coffee chain, Cotti Coffee. Cotti were founded by Lu Zhengyao and Jenny Qian, also the founders of Luckin Coffee, who were ejected after the accounting scandal. 

 

Cotti have proved to be more aggressive in their global expansion, with outlets in 28 countries and regions including South Korea, Indonesia, and Hong Kong. Cotti opened their 10,000th outlet in October in Doha, Qatar.

 

Luckin and Cotti’s gain is Starbucks’ loss. China has been a key growth market for the US coffee chain as Chinese urban consumers flocked to buy their (relatively expensive) coffee. Yet Starbucks’ China sales have stagnated. 

 

In Malaysia, local brand ZUS Coffee needed just over four years to become No. 1. 

 

They quickly expanded to surpass US giant Starbucks in a market with over 3,300 branded coffee outlets, a figure expected to grow 4-5% this year, according to global coffee industry research platform World Coffee Portal. 

 

ZUS launched at the end of 2019 with a 200-square-foot (18-square-meter) kiosk in the Kuala Lumpur City Center area, according to Malaysian newspaper The Star, positioned themselves in the mid-priced segment, which was largely untapped at the time, aiming to make specialty coffee a daily necessity rather than a luxury.

 

As their popularity and presence grew over the years, ZUS Coffee became the largest coffee chain operator in Malaysia. They have 566 stores as of September 2024, surpassing Starbucks, which are in second place with 411 outlets.

 

And their revenues jumped from RM15.7 million ($3.5 million) in 2021 to over RM200 million ($45.3 million) in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, while their net profit surged from RM134,000 to RM10.2 million during the same period.

 

They're already eyeing the international market. They have opened more than 40 stores in the Philippines since entering the market last year. They've opened their first store in Singapore in October and launched in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam late last month. And it'll be Pakistan's turn in the first half of 2025, it is reported.

 

It sure looks like Starbucks are under siege. And not only in China or Malaysia. 

 

America's largest coffee chain which have long reigned as the top coffee chain in America and beyond, are even now in major trouble in America.

 

In fact, for three quarters now, Starbucks' global same-store sales have been on the decline. 

 

On September 09, Chipotle's Brian Niccol stepped into Starbucks, replacing Laxman Narasimhan, who was the CEO for a year and a half since he succeeded Howard Schultz at the coffee chain, and thereby ending a rocky stint marked by slowing sales and a slumping stock price.

Dubai is Flooded

Torrential rains began on the night of April 15, flooding the United Arab Emirates with more than half a foot (6.26 inches) of water in 24 hours, according to the Dubai Meteorological Office and cited by ABC News. That is more than two years' worth of rain in one day, the media outlet noted.

 

Highways and malls have been flooded, schools have been closed, and flights disrupted at one of the world’s busiest airports after the country experienced what the government described as their largest amount of rainfall in 75 years. 

 

Heavy rains also drenched Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Oman.

US Vetoes Palestinian Membership in UN

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The United States on Thursday vetoed a widely supported resolution at the UN Security Council that would have paved the way for the state of Palestine to gain full membership at the United Nations.

 

Twelve members out of the 15-member Security Council voted in favor of the resolution, while the UK and Switzerland abstained and of course, the US voted against it.  

 

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas (right) condemned the move as a display of the US’s defiance of Palestine’s “rights, history and land”, as well as the “sanctities of the Palestinian people”.

 

This is the second Palestinian attempt at full membership: Abbas first delivered the application in 2011 but failed due to not enough support from UN Security Council members.

 

Is this not proof that the US is anti-Palestine?

Food & Wine, an American magazine that claims to be the global authority on food and drink culture, had looked at the world’s best airports for food and drink – and it's no surprise that Singapore’s renowned Changi Airport has been declared No. 1. 

 

Changi has more than 200 food vendors from which to choose, as well as a hawker street market, robot bartenders and an outpost of Raffles where you can drink a signature Singapore Sling.

 

As one of the world's busiest airports by international passenger and cargo traffic, it has been rated as the "World's Best Airport" by Skytrax a dozen times, and was the first airport in the world to hold the accolade for eight consecutive years. Not this year though. For 2024, the recognition is awarded to Doha’s Hamad International Airport in Qatar.

St George's Cross Turns Purple and Blue; Union Jack Gets a Rebrand

There was general unhappiness on Thursday over England’s controversial new shirt which features an altered version of the St George’s cross on the collar where it sported a red, navy blue and purple design.

 

In case you didn't know, the St George's cross featuring a white background with a red cross is the national flag of England (right). 

 

The Football Association and manufacturers Nike have doubled down on the design, insisting they have no plans to recall the jersey. Nike describe the navy, light blue and purple colors as a "playful update" on the nation’s flag and as they say "to unite and inspire"(!).

 

Many fans and commentators disagree and have reacted angrily since the release of the kit – which England will wear at Euro 2024 this summer – branding it "woke" and "dumb".

 

And then, there is the new Team GB look.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Designers behind Team GB's new Union Jack look say they wanted to make it more "inclusive" after a British Olympic Association appeal to attract younger fans. 

 

Design and marketing agency Thisaway are facing a backlash for their dizzying rebrand incorporating pink and purple – as well as meaningless graffiti-like squiggles.

 

It must be noted that Team GB athletes will still wear the traditional Union Jack (right) on their official kit. And the redesigned flag is to be only on merchandise ahead of the Olympic Games (July 26–August 11, 2024) in Paris, France.

 

Fans first spotted the rebranded design at the World Aquatic Championships in Qatar last month.

 

Again, abundant critics have voiced out their unhappiness.

 

England's most-capped footballer Peter Shilton, declares: "It feels that nothing is held sacred these days in the UK. Our national flag has been symbolic for many years and should never be changed". 

 

Malcom Farrow, president of the Flag Institute, a UK flag promotion charity, agrees: "I don’t approve of our national symbol of unity being defaced".

 

UK's The Sun says "the Union Jack does not need a trendy multi-colored 'rebrand' – leave our flag alone". After all, the red, white and blue emblem is instantly recognisable worldwide.

 

And I'm certain some would even describe it all as woke madness!

On Sale: Blood-soaked "Spare"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Copies of UK’s Prince Harry's memoir smeared with real human blood are set to go on sale – with a five-figure price tag. 

 

Conceptual artist Andrei Molodkin says he has daubed 25 copies of “Spare” with Afghan blood, which he put on display at a Windsor shop in Berkshire, England on Saturday.

 

It comes after the anti-war artist filled an acrylic royal coat of arms with 1,250ml of human blood donated by Afghan refugees and had the image projected onto the historic St Paul's Cathedral in London on March 29, in a protest over the Duke of Sussex's remarks about his number of kills in Afghanistan. 

 

Molokin had said: "Prince Harry boasts of killing Taliban like they're baddies in a video game, 'otherising' human life then cashing in on the sorry tale to sell books about his drug binging, sexual exploits and killing conquests". 

 

Harry (right) faced criticism for revealing in his memoir that he killed 25 Taliban fighters while serving with the British Army in Afghanistan. 

 

He wrote that it "wasn't a number that gave me any satisfaction... but neither was it a number that made me feel ashamed". He also admitted that he did not think of those he killed as "people", but instead as "chess pieces" that had been taken off the board. 

 

Molodkin said some of the blood donated for the “Royal Blood” artwork was used to create his "alternative Spare" books, which will be available to buy from May 02 at a/political, an arts organisation in Kennington, London, for a princely sum of £8,000 ($10,000) for each blood-soaked copy.

 

The artist says any money raised from the sale will be donated to Afghan charities. 

 

If you don’t know him, he’s one controversial dude who uses blood and oil to make his point. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To coincide with the World Cup in Qatar last December, Andrei Molodkin unveiled a replica of the World Cup trophy that slowly filled with crude oil. It had a symbolic price of $150m – a figure that matched the amount of money allegedly spent on bribes and kickbacks to FIFA officials. 

 

Last August, Molodkin presented a sculpture of the White House that reportedly contained the radioactive blood of Nagasaki-born men to commemorate the 77th anniversary of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombs.

 

And in May last year, Molodkin showcased a glass portrait of Vladimir Putin which was filled with the blood of Ukrainian soldiers. An image of the artwork was said to have been live-streamed near Moscow's Red Square as the Russian president oversaw the Victory Day parade.

[V]olodymyr [Z]elensky Wants to Show Up at World Cup Final

Ukraine President [V]olodymyr [Z]elensky (left) had wanted to show up at the World Cup final to broadcast his BS propaganda – only to be obstructed by football’s governing body, FIFA, according to a report Friday. 

 

A source told CNN that [Z]elensky had asked to appear via video link at Sunday’s event in Qatar to address the worldwide audience of millions. 

 

But the offer was rebuffed, the source said, shocking the office of the president who has delivered many similar addresses, including at the Grammys and the Cannes Film Festival. 

 

I am glad that FIFA don't allow the football game to be politicized. No good will come of it.

 

Ukraine has not given up, however, and talks are still underway, the source has claimed. 

 

I’m confident FIFA will stick to their guns. Besides, no [Z]elensky means no politics of deceit and lies! 

 

In the Scottish Premiership game between Celtic and Aberdeen today, the former secured three points when they beat the latter 1-0. 

 

Callum McGregor fired the winner in the eighty-seventh minute.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In truth, Celtic should have had the game sewn up long before – but the Dons goalie had been brilliant, denying Liel Abada, Reo Hatate, Jota, and others. Kyogo Furuhashi had the best chance of the lot, but somehow side-footed Abada's cross wide from a few yards out. 

 

As Tom English, BBC Scotland's chief sports writer said: “Lots of teams in Scotland have had a real go at Celtic. St Mirren beat them and other teams have pushed them close, but none have been as one-sided as that. Celtic had 33 shots to Aberdeen's two”.