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☆ 'Bloody parcels' containing animal eyes mailed to Ukrainian embassies
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-03 | by ( Leila Sackur | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Bloody parcels containing the eyes of animals and explosives have been sent to several Ukrainian embassies and consuls across Europe, officials said late Friday. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oleg Nikolenko said in a statement on Facebook that embassies in Spain, Hungary, the Netherlands, Poland, Croatia and Italy had received packages containing the disembodied eyes of animals. Consulates in Naples, Italy, Krakow, Poland, and the Czech city of Brno had also been targeted, he said. Letter bombs were mailed to six addresses in Spain earlier this week, including the Ukrainian Embassy and the U.S. Embassy, as well as to Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, causing security to be tightened. Farther south, the Ukrainian consul in Naples, Maksym Kovalenko, told the AP that his office received two letters containing fish eyes at around 10:30 a.m. Thursday.

☆ World Cup 2022 Round of 16: qualified teams, schedule and how it works
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Dec 3 (Reuters) - With the World Cup knockout phase having begun, here is an overview of the teams advancing to the last 16 at the tournament in Qatar:HOW DOES THE KNOCKOUT STAGE AT WORLD CUP 2022 WORK? * In the knockout stage the teams will play each other once, with the winning team going to the next round. There are total of four rounds: Round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals and final, which will take place on Dec. 18. * Australia claimed a spot in the last 16 as Group D runners-up with 6 points from wins over Tunisia and Denmark. * Croatia joined the last 16 after two goalless draws with Morocco and Belgium and a 4-1 victory over Canada.

☆ England's Kane working on tapering form to peak in knockout rounds
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-03 | by ( Rohith Nair | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

"I think it probably goes back to 2018 in the World Cup. "As the tournament went on I felt like my performances maybe dipped in the latter stages. I was trying to make sure that, physically and mentally, I was in the best place for the knockout stages. I would love to be sitting here with two or three goals now, but I think the group stage has gone well. We know that they're African champions - very proud, great competitive spirit, a lot of belief in the team," Southgate added.

☆ World Cup starts from now, Japan's Asano says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-03 | by ( Irene Wang | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

DOHA, Dec 3 (Reuters) - Japan have already scripted one of the best stories of the World Cup with comeback victories over former champions Germany and Spain but Takuma Asano says they have not achieved anything yet. "Now I started feeling it's becoming a great World Cup. But we haven't achieved anything yet, so honestly speaking, I think everything starts from now." Of course, they have many good players, and they are a good team. Monday will be Japan's fourth last 16 clash at the World Cup finals but they have never yet been past the opening round of the knockout stage.

☆ Why are there so many shock results at this World Cup?
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-03 | by ( Ben Morse | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

We’ve seen plenty of World Cup shocks over the years, but this year’s edition has seen more than most. Lionel Hahn/Getty ImagesA World Cup like no otherThis World Cup is a first for many reasons. The World Cup’s natureGiven the nature of the World Cup – teams thrown together in a tournament setting from across the globe – fans often see clashes which they’re not accustomed to. This concoction has, over the 90 years of the World Cup, regularly led to shock results. From the US beating England in 1950 and North Korea upsetting Italy in 1966 to Senegal beating defending champion France in 2002 and Algeria – in its World Cup debut – beating West Germany in 1982, World Cup history is littered with surprises.

☆ World Cup 2022: which teams are out of FIFA tournament?
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( Alan Baldwin | Joel Dubber | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Dec 2 (Reuters) - With the World Cup in Qatar nearing its knockout phase, here is an overview of the teams that have been eliminated from the tournament, which ends on Dec. 18. They ended their campaign without a point after a 2-0 defeat to the Netherlands in their final group stage match. MEXICO* Mexico missed out on the knockout stages after finishing behind Poland on goal difference, ending a run of seven successive last-16 appearances at the World Cup. GERMANY* Germany were knocked out of the World Cup at the group stage for a second consecutive time, finishing third in Group E behind Japan and Spain. CANADA* Canada, making their first World Cup appearance since 1986, finished bottom of Group F with three losses.

☆ Ukraine says its embassies in countries across Europe have been receiving bloodstained packages with animal eyes in them
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( Natalie Musumeci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Ukrainian embassies in Europe have gotten packages with "animal eyes," in them, an official said. This comes after an apparent bomb inside an envelope exploded at the Ukrainian embassy in Madrid. "The packages contained animal eyes," Oleg Nikolenko, a spokesperson for Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said in a Facebook post on Friday. The gruesome packages were received by the Ukrainian embassies in Hungary, the Netherlands, Poland, Croatia, Italy, and Austria, Nikolenko said. "We have reasons to consider what's going on a well-planned campaign of terror and intimidation of embassies and consulates of Ukraine," Ukraine's Foreign Affairs Minister Dmytro Kuleba said.

☆ Ukrainian embassies receive 'bloody packages' containing animal eyes - Kyiv
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

KYIV, Dec 2 (Reuters) - Several Ukrainian embassies abroad have received "bloody packages" containing animal eyes, the foreign ministry said on Friday, after a series of letter bombs were sent to addresses in Spain including Ukraine's embassy in Madrid. An embassy source in Rome said human faeces were left in front of the door. Nikolenko also said that the embassy in Kazakhstan had received a bomb threat, which was subsequently not confirmed. The embassy in the United States received a letter containing an article that was critical about Ukraine, he said. Reporting by Pavel Polityuk in Kyiv; additional reporting by Philip Pullela in Rome; writing by Tom Balmforth; editing by Timothy HeirtageOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Masks at World Cup: Why are South Korea star Son Heung-min and others wearing them?
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( Ben Morse | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

You’d be forgiven for mistaking Son for a masked vigilante as he’s been wearing a superhero-like mask at the 2022 World Cup. Son is wearing the mask – which covers his eyes and nose – as a protective measure. After playing in Korea’s opening game of the World Cup against Uruguay – the first in the mask – Son said he felt “comfortable.”“I’m just happy that with the mask, I can play,” Son told reporters, per Reuters. But Son is not the only player to be playing at the World Cup wearing a protective mask. Gvardiol looks at the ball during Croatia's game against Canada at the 2022 World Cup.

☆ Japan reaches World Cup knockout stages with hotly debated goal after ball appeared to go out of play
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( George Ramsay | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Japan reached the World Cup knockout stages for the fourth time on Thursday – by what appeared to be a matter of millimeters. But it’s Japan’s second goal that has been a topic of fierce debate in the aftermath of the game, specifically regarding whether the ball crossed the goal line before Kaoru Mitoma’s cutback pass to Ao Tanaka. Tanaka’s bundled goal was initially ruled out after the linesman flagged that the ball had gone out of play. 🧐 pic.twitter.com/cVXur9vMJ1 — FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) December 1, 2022“That Japan goal almost defied physics. pic.twitter.com/mzF7YXnQiX — Nick Levett (@nlevett) December 1, 2022The goal means Japan will play Croatia in the knockout stages on Monday, while Spain plays Morocco on Tuesday.

CNN —Ukraine’s foreign minister has accused Russia of being behind a series of more than a dozen letters containing explosives or animal parts that were sent to Ukrainian diplomats around the world. “This campaign is aimed at sowing fear,” Dmytro Kuleba told CNN’s Matthew Chance in an exclusive interview in Kyiv on Friday. CNN was shown an image of one of the letters containing what officials said was the eyeball of a pig inside a padded envelope. ‘Who benefits?’Kuleba earlier urged foreign governments to guarantee maximum protection of Ukrainian diplomatic institutions in accordance with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. Nikolenko also stated that the Ukrainian Embassy in the United States received a letter with a photocopy of a critical article about Ukraine.

☆ This Spanish city is the No. 1 place to live and work abroad―and it's about to get easier to become a digital nomad there
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Jennifer Liu | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Valencia, Spain, is the No. 1 city for expats to live and work abroad in 2022, according to a survey of more than 12,000 respondents from InterNations, an online expat community with more than 4.5 million global members. Among expats, Valencia earns the top spot for being "a safe place with an excellent climate, a vibrant nightlife and culture, a pleasant urban environment and great travel opportunities" while still being "fairly affordable," says InterNations founder Malte Zeeck. It could become the next big hotspot for non-European digital nomads to relocate, too. The Spanish parliament recently passed the so-called Startups Act, intended to boost entrepreneurship and diversify the economy, which includes creating a new type of visa for digital nomads expected to launch in January 2023.

☆ Belgium goalless with Croatia at halftime
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Nick Said | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/3] Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 - Group F - Croatia v Belgium - Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan, Qatar - December 1, 2022 General view as the Group F statistics are displayed during half time REUTERS/Albert GeaAL RAYYAN, Qatar, Dec 1 (Reuters) - Belgium went into the break locked at 0-0 with Croatia in their decisive Group F clash at the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium on Thursday. Morocco lead Canada 2-1 at halftime in the other match in the pool and as it stands the African side and Croatia are heading into the last 16. Belgium made four changes to their side, dropping skipper Eden Hazard and playing with Dries Mertens as a ‘false nine’, a change in tactics from manager Roberto Martinez. Mertens had a good opportunity when he was set up by Kevin De Bruyne, but shot well over the crossbar. Reporting by Nick Said; Editing by Ken FerrisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

In earlier matches they had tied with Croatia and scored a surprise win over Belgium, the second-ranked team in the world. "This team can go all the way in this World Cup!" In Qatar, where the home team along with Saudi Arabia and Tunisia have already been knocked out, Morocco now carries the mantle for an Arab world that has cheered victories by Arab teams against some of the tournament favourites. FIFA and Qatar's World Cup organisers, the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on the crowding outside the stadium. Morocco's last World Cup appearance, four years ago, ended in the group stage.

☆ Belgium’s golden era ends in a World Cup whimper
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Nick Said | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

It was a meek end for a group of players who had taken the country to the top of the world rankings, but have no silverware to show for it. With 11 of their players in the squad over the age of 30, and a new World Cup cycle on the horizon, change is inevitable. Coach Roberto Martinez has also yet to sign a new contract, with his current deal expiring soon. Too many players fell short of their usual standards, not least De Bruyne, whose poor form in the first two games robbed them of their usual cutting edge. Reporting by Nick Said, editing by Ed OsmondOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Germany crash out of World Cup despite 4-2 win over Costa Rica
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Karolos Grohmann | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/7] Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 - Group E - Costa Rica v Germany - Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor, Qatar - December 1, 2022 Germany's Thomas Muller and Antonio Rudiger look dejected after the match as Germany are eliminated from the World Cup REUTERS/Wolfgang RattayAL KHOR, Qatar, Dec 1 (Reuters) - Four-time champions Germany sensationally crashed out of the World Cup despite a 4-2 victory over Costa Rica in their last Group E match on Thursday, tumbling out at the first hurdle for the second consecutive time. Germany finished third in the standings, behind Spain on goal difference, with Japan top following their 2-1 win over the Spaniards. It was the first time in their illustrious World Cup history that Germany had failed to win any of their first two group matches and despite bagging a win on their last attempt, they will be departing Qatar with dropped heads. Germany were eager to make amends for their bad tournament start with teenager Musiala repeatedly taking on the entire Costa Rican defence. They were almost punished when Keysher Fuller benefitted from a double defensive blunder but his shot was tipped over the bar by Neuer, whose 19th appearance at the tournament was a World Cup record for goalkeepers.

☆ Uruguay and Ghana set for epic rematch 12 years after controversial World Cup quarterfinal clash
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Matias Grez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Uruguay and Ghana’s quarterfinal meeting at South Africa 2010 is widely viewed as one of the most iconic World Cup matches in history. It was a goal that would have put Ghana into the World Cup semifinal, making it the first African team in history to reach the final four. READ: Belgium knocked out of World Cup after goalless draw with CroatiaLuis Suárez blocks the shot on the line with his hands. “I don’t apologize about that … but the player is gonna miss a penalty,” Suárez told reporters in the buildup to the rematch, per Reuters. READ: Lionel Messi has penalty saved but Argentina progresses to World Cup knockout stages with winAsamoah Gyan is consoled following the penalty shootout defeat in 2010.

The breathtaking win for Japan meant they topped Group E, followed by Spain in second who finished ahead of third-placed Germany only on goal difference. Japan fans were in tears at the end of the match which gives them a chance to go further than they ever have before at a World Cup. "There were many fans who came all the way from Japan, as well as those that stayed behind in Japan," coach Moriyasu said. "We didn't have any danger in the first half, then in the second half, I told them during halftime to be cautious, because they would attack in the second half, they don't have anything to lose," he said. Japan defender Kou Itakura was shown his second yellow card of the tournament and will be suspended for the Croatia match.

☆ Analysis: Streetwise Croatia ride their luck into last 16
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Martyn Herman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The 37-year-old Modric pulled the strings early on as Croatia went for the goal that would have spared their nerves later in a subdued Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium. GOOD FORTUNEGoing deep in a World Cup requires good fortune, but Croatia used up a large dollop of it against a misfiring Belgium side. Had Modric, Marcelo Brozovic and Kovacic taken chances to kill off Belgium in the second half, Croatia would have won Group F rather than finish second behind Morocco. And then there is the fact that when Croatia do make it out of the group stage at a World Cup they tend to go far. This is their sixth World Cup and on the two other occasions they avoided a group exit they finished third in 1998 and second in 2018.

☆ Morocco cruise into knockout stage with 2-1 win over Canada
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Gabrielle Tétrault-Farber | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Morocco, who needed a win or a draw in their final Group F match to reach the knockout rounds, took advantage of a weak clearance by goalkeeper Milan Borjan that landed on the foot of Hakim Ziyech. With Croatia drawing with Belgium 0-0 in the other Group F game, Morocco finish first in the group and will face the second-place finishers in Group E, which is made up of Japan, Spain, Germany and Costa Rica. Moroccan manager Walid Regragui predicted his side will prove capable of challenging a mighty opponent in the stage. Why shouldn't we dream of winning the World Cup?" Canada, who are exiting their first World Cup since 1986 without a point, automatically qualify for the 2026 tournament as co-hosts along with the United States and Mexico.

☆ Belgium knocked out of World Cup after goalless draw with Croatia
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Ben Morse | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Belgium was knocked out of the 2022 World Cup on Thursday after a goalless draw with Croatia left it third in Group F.In what was a frustrating evening for the Red Devils, both Romelu Lukaku and Yannick Carrasco spurned good opportunities to score the goal which would have sent Belgium through. For Belgium, it is another disappointing end to an international tournament, but manager Roberto Martínez said afterward that Belgium can go home with its “heads held high.”“It’s not easy to win games in the World Cup. We’re out, but we can leave with our heads held high.”Belgium's Timothy Castagne looks dejected after being eliminated from the World Cup. After the break and following the introduction of Inter Milan striker Lukaku, Belgium increased the tempo as it pressed for a vital goal – Lukaku heading straight into the arms of Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livaković. In the previous World Cup, we won three games in the group stage, we wanted to go all the way.”

"There is a big solidarity between us, Morocco, Tunisia, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. "Look at what Saudi Arabia and Morocco have done. We hope that it will be crowned with a Tunisian and Saudi victory today," he said. "It's a good feeling, the first time (a World Cup is hosted) in an Arabian country," said Ali Abbas Moussa, a 30-year-old pharmacist from Iraq. Some Arab leaders attending the World Cup have echoed the sense of pan-Arab solidarity during matches.

☆ Croatia, heading to enter euro zone, adopts first budget in euros
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SARAJEVO, Nov 29 (Reuters) - Croatia, which will enter the euro zone on Jan. 1, passed its first budget in euros on Tuesday, targeting a general deficit of 2.3% of gross domestic product based on the projection of 0.7% economic growth for 2023. The budget was adopted with 77 votes in favour and 50 against in the 151-seat parliament. "This is Croatia's first budget denominated in the euro," Finance Minister Marko Primorac said as he presented the budgetary plans. The total budget revenue is forecast at 24.9 billion euros ($25.86 billion), up 9% from this year and fuelled primarily by direct and indirect taxes projected at 13.3 billion euros. Expenditures are set at 26.7 billion euros, up 2.1 billion euros from this year, due to an increase in government social and development programmes.

This is the first World Cup tournament held in the Middle East, and the last before the World Cup expands to 48 teams in 2026. How to watch the 2022 World CupYou can watch the 2022 World Cup on Fox and Fox Sports 1 in the US. 2022 World Cup scheduleWe'll be updating our World Cup schedule every week with more upcoming matches, so be sure to check back for the latest details. ET Fox Sports 12022 World Cup groupsGroup AQatarEcuadorSenegalNetherlandsGroup BEnglandIranUnited StatesWalesGroup CArgentinaSaudi ArabiaMexicoPolandGroup DFranceAustraliaDenmarkTunisiaGroup ESpainCosta RicaGermanyJapanGroup FBelgiumCanadaMoroccoCroatiaGroup GBrazilSerbiaSwitzerlandCameroonGroup HPortugalGhanaUruguaySouth KoreaWhat's the tournament format for the 2022 World Cup? Where is the 2022 World Cup?

☆ Croatia show quality to dispatch Canada 4-1
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-27 | by ( Steve Keating | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

After Davies had scored with a bullet header just over a minute into play, Croatia showed their class with Kramaric levelling in the 36th minute and Marko Livaja putting the 2018 finalists ahead just before the break. Croatia got two more after the break, with Kramaric getting his second in the 70th minute and Lovro Majer scoring in stoppage time. Croatia join Morocco at the top of the Group F standings on four points and now need only a draw in their final game against Belgium to progress. Canada, in the World Cup for just the second time, are bottom of the table and still looking for their first ever win. Reporting by Steve Keating in Doha; editing by Clare FallonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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