Swedish defense firm Saab announced today that it had signed a contract to provide 16 Gripen E fighters to Ukraine. Once they arrive in the country, the jets will likely provide Ukraine with its most capable combat aircraft, and the development comes after Stockholm agreed to donate up to 16 of the previous-generation Gripen C/Ds to Ukraine. Handover of the Gripen C/Ds in Ukraine is slated to take place in early 2027, while the Gripen Es are scheduled for delivery starting in 2029.

The deal was signed between Saab and the Swedish Defense Materiel Administration (FMV), the governmental procurement agency acting under the Swedish Ministry of Defense. The order is valued at around SEK 24.6 billion (approximately $2.5 billion) and will be booked in the third quarter of this year.

Saab is scheduled to deliver the new jets to the FMV between 2029 and 2030, after which they will be transferred to Ukraine.

In addition to the 16 Gripen E fighters, the contract also includes spare parts and associated items and equipment.

“I am deeply proud that Sweden and Saab can now enable the provision of Gripen E to Ukraine, bringing a world-class fighter that will transform the Ukrainian Air Force’s capability. This will significantly strengthen Ukraine’s air defense and help ensure the nation can protect its people and safeguard its future,” said Micael Johansson, President and CEO of Saab, in a statement from the company.

The same statement also outlined particular features of the Gripen series that it says make it ideal for operations with the Ukrainian Air Force:

“Gripen is designed to address advanced threats in demanding environments. Operational flexibility and resilience enable operations from short stretches, temporary runways or roads, supporting dispersed operations and high availability. The software-based architecture facilitates continuous upgrades and adaptation to evolving operational requirements. With low maintenance requirements and fast turnaround, Gripen provides an advanced and cost-effective fighter capability that is easy to operate and maintain.”

These qualities, not restricted to, but notably baked into the Gripen design philosophy, are something we have explored as long ago as 2022, in the context of potential deliveries to Ukraine. In our previous coverage, we noted:

Designed during the Cold War to meet the Soviet threat, the Gripen was engineered for efficiency, durability, and ease of operation under wartime conditions. It was specifically designed to be serviced and rearmed by small teams — often including conscript personnel — while operating from dispersed locations such as roads and improvised airstrips instead of traditional air bases. The aircraft’s entire concept centers on maintaining combat operations in demanding environments, including prolonged cold-weather conditions.

Gripen – Always combat ready

Even with its existing fighters, the Ukrainian Air Force has developed tactics and equipment to operate these jets from dispersed locations around the country. Prior to the current conflict, Ukrainian fighters were training to make use of highways as alternatives to traditional runways.

Already, the Gripen C/D represents a significant advance, but, as noted, these are previous-generation jets, and they are secondhand aircraft drawn from Swedish stocks to expedite delivery.

Compared to the Gripen C/D, the Gripen E, as you can read about here, is a very different proposition, despite its superficially similar appearance.

In contrast to the older jet, the Gripen E has a bigger fuselage that accommodates approximately 30 percent more fuel and has a more powerful General Electric F414 engine, plus a total of 10 hardpoints for weapons and other stores. The cockpit is entirely revised, and the pilot is provided with a single Wide Area Display (WAD), replacing the three separate displays in the Gripen C/D.

The Gripen E can carry up to seven MBDA Meteor beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles, weapons also compatible with the Gripen C/D, although in the new aircraft these are integrated with the Leonardo ES-05 Raven active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, and the Leonardo Skyward G infrared search and track (IRST) sensor.

The ES-05 Raven is set to be the first AESA fighter radar for Ukraine. Arrays of this kind bring a significant boost to modern combat aircraft. In comparison with traditional mechanically scanned array technology, an AESA can find and track a target at a much greater range, more quickly, and with a greater degree of accuracy. This also applies to smaller threats, including those with limited radar signatures, or flying at very low levels, which older radars find much harder to detect. This makes it especially relevant to hunting drones and cruise missiles, which are small targets often encountered by Ukraine en masse.

One particular feature of the ES-05 Raven on the Gripen E is the fact that the radar is mounted on a rotating repositioner, also known as a swashplate. As you can read about here, this enables the electronically scanned antenna, which is normally fixed in a forward position on fighter aircraft, to be slewed to the left and to the right in order to increase its field of view.

As we have discussed in the past, the Meteor would provide Ukraine with a class of air-to-air weapon that it badly needs to redress the balance against Russian fighter jets.

The Meteor is among the most capable air-to-air missiles in operational service anywhere in the world. Thanks to its ramjet propulsion, which can be throttled during different phases of flight, the Meteor is generally considered to be effective against certain types of targets out to around 130 miles.

The Meteor also features an active radar seeker for the terminal phase and a two-way datalink that feeds it with in-flight updates as it flies out to its target and provides information to the pilot in the launch aircraft.

Meteor

All Gripens can also be armed with the AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) that arms Ukraine’s F-16 fighters as well as several of its ground-based air defense systems.

The jet also includes a new Saab Electronic Warfare System (EWS), featuring a 360-degree spherical Missile Approach Warning System (MAWS).

Less obvious is the Gripen E’s avionics architecture, which is designed to enable the rapid insertion of new hardware and updated software applications to take on new missions. Customers are also able to design and develop their own software to introduce new technologies and systems to keep pace with ever-evolving threats.

Furthermore, Ukraine will be able to maximize the potential of its Gripens by operating them in conjunction with its two Saab 340 airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft equipped with Erieye radar that have been donated by Sweden.

The Saab 340 AEW&C can serve as an airborne fighter control platform by detecting and tracking Russian targets, prioritizing threats, and directing friendly fighters to intercept them. Using its datalink system, the aircraft can also provide mid-course guidance updates to missiles after launch. This allows fighter pilots to engage targets without necessarily activating their own radar. Instead, a missile can be assigned a target before launch, fired, and then receive continuous guidance updates from the AEW&C aircraft until it reaches the target. The Erieye radar is also notably effective when tracking ground and maritime targets.

Brazil was the first export customer for the Gripen E (also taking the two-seat Gripen F version), with its decision to buy the fighter influenced to a significant degree by the opportunity to establish a domestic production line. It was followed by Thailand, which secured a small batch of Gripen E/Fs to bolster its existing Gripen C/D fleet, and Colombia, which is also buying Gripen E/Fs. Meanwhile, Sweden has ordered 60 Gripen Es, the first of which was delivered to an operational unit last year.

Otherwise, the commonality between the aircraft will ensure that the Gripen E is easier for the Ukrainians to introduce.

According to Swedish officials, the training of Ukrainian pilots and technicians on the Gripen C/D is already underway and will be expanded this fall.

These Gripen Es could be just the start of a much bigger program.

The long-term ambition remains 100-150 Gripen aircraft. However, this transfer only exists as a statement of intent for now, as we have previously reported.

A similar letter of intent covers a plan for Kyiv to buy up to 100 Dassault Rafale F4 fighters from France over the next 10 years. These Rafales are at least as advanced as the Gripen Es, and superior in some respects, but there remain glaring questions about whether they can both be procured, especially in such numbers.

The Gripen E is an even bigger deal for Ukraine than the Gripen C/D. The Ukrainian Air Force has already received Western-supplied F-16s and a smaller number of Mirage 2000s, but still relies heavily on its Soviet-era fighters. The MiG-29 Fulcrum, in particular, has been continually adapted to carry new weaponry, both Western-supplied and locally developed, but these are all aging jets and the fleet overall has been steadily reduced by attrition.

Taken together, the Gripen C/D and Gripen E will provide Ukraine with a modern, networked fighter force unlike anything it has operated before. Combined with long-range Meteor missiles and Erieye AEW&C support, the aircraft will significantly enhance Ukraine’s ability to challenge Russian airpower and defend its airspace, and it will also be able to deliver precise attacks against surface targets.

Perhaps more importantly, these Swedish-made jets will bring the Ukrainian Air Force into a new era in which it is spearheaded by advanced, Western-made combat aircraft.

Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com

Dr Amir Khan has opened up about his own mental health, saying he has a “full-blown case”

A doctor has asked if “anyone else has this”, revealing he’s diagnosed himself with a form of anxiety. Doctor Amir Khan, who is known for his appearances on ITV, opened up about something called anticipatory anxiety.

In a video uploaded to social media platform Instagram, the medical professional shared more about his experience. Speaking to his more than one million followers, he said: “I’ve diagnosed myself with something called anticipatory anxiety and I need to know if anyone else has this.”

He explained how this phenomenon causes his brain to prepare for the “worst case scenario”, which in reality, doesn’t happen. “You know, when you’ve got like a meeting coming up or you’ve got an awkward conversation with someone you just don’t want to have,” Dr Amir said.

“It could be, I don’t know your boss at work, a friend, a family member, literally anyone – a meeting normally for me. Well then my brain decides we’re not just going to have one conversation in my head with these people, we’re gonna have 47, it just replays conversations in my head and what they’re going to go like.

“I’ll imagine them saying something awful. So I prepare my perfect comeback, then they say something even worse in my head, so I then prepare for that.

“Then I imagine myself calmly standing my ground, walking away with dramatic dignity, probably to a soundtrack that only I can hear. By the time I’ve finished, I’ve won an argument that never actually happened.

“Then the real conversation comes along and they’re lovely, they’re polite, we agree on things. The meeting lasts like just six minutes, so then it’s just a chat. And I come away thinking, ‘Why on earth did I spend two days emotionally preparing for that?’

“Well, that is anticipatory anxiety, and I have a full-blown case of it all the time.” He said this occurs when your brain starts worrying about something before it’s happened and because your brain’s threat system is trying to protect you, it “often throws in a bit of catastrophizing as well”.

Dr Amir said: “It’s trying to help me it, believes that if it rehearses every possible disaster, I’ll be ready for anything. But in reality most of those disasters, just don’t happen.

“So all that’s really happened is I put myself through stress, once in my imagination and then once again in real life, except the real life version usually turns out absolutely fine.” He added: “Please tell me this isn’t just me.”

He was met by support in his comment section with one person saying: “Omg Amir this is me! I drive myself mad doing it. Glad I’m not alone. Thanks.”

Another commented: “Yes! Amir you most definitely are not alone, this is so me.” And one person replied: “I do this too, it can be exhausting.”

Anticipatory anxiety is a recognised form of anxiety. On its website, Anxiety UK says: “Anticipatory anxiety is where a person experiences increased levels of anxiety by thinking about an event or situation in the future.

“Rather than being a specific disorder in its own right, anticipatory anxiety is a symptom commonly found in a number of anxiety-related conditions, such as generalised anxiety. Anticipatory Anxiety can be extremely draining for people as it can last for months prior to an event.

“The worries people experience specifically focus on what they think might happen, often with catastrophic predictions about an event. The nature of negative predictions about the event will be the difference between an anxiety level that is incapacitating or merely uncomfortable.”

The NHS lists common symptoms of general anxiety as:

• Feeling tired, restless or irritable
• Feeling shaky or trembly, dizzy or sweating more
• Being unable to concentrate or make decisions
• Trouble sleeping
• Worrying about the past or future, or thinking something bad will happen
• Headaches, tummy aches or muscle pain
• Dry mouth
• Pins and needles
• Noticing your heartbeat gets stronger, faster or irregular, or you get short of breath when you start feeling anxious

It says that if you cannot tell if shortness of breath is from anxiety or if you are worried about any other symptoms, you should see a GP.

MEXICO CITY — Mexico once again enjoyed a night of celebration with its fans, this time after defeating an old nemesis — the knockout stage of the World Cup.

El Tri won its first knockout match at a World Cup since 1986, beating Ecuador 2-0 on Tuesday night at the majestic Azteca Stadium packed with 80,824 fans.

From 1994 to 2018, Mexico failed to win a World Cup knockout game and, in 2022, failed to advance past the group stage — its worst showing at a World Cup since 1978.

“Bringing joy to the fans is the best thing that can happen to us,” Mexico coach Javier Aguirre said after the win. “Our duty is to give it our all on the field. Our duty is to defend our crest and represent our country with dignity.”

Thanks to an expanded 48-team World Cup format with a knockout round of 32 teams and a formidable home-field advantage, Mexico achieved a goal that had seemed impossible.

Mexico players celebrate after the World Cup round of 32 win over Ecuador in Mexico City on Tuesday.

(Fernando Llano / Associated Press)

Ecuador, which finished second in the South American World Cup qualifiers, put up a strong fight, bombarding the Mexican team with crosses, albeit without much organization.

Fans roared their approval for the Mexican national team, which took a lap of honor after the match, as the crowd sang “El Rey” and other songs to express their love for their team.

Julián Quiñones scored the first goal for Mexico in the 22nd minute on a counterattack, while Raúl Jiménez added the second in the 31st minute, in a match where El Tri had numerous scoring opportunities against an Ecuador side that did not appear to be well-organized defensively despite having advanced after defeating Germany in the group stage. The victory over Germany helped Ecuador become one of the third-place finishers to advance to the knockout round.

Mexico will play one more match in Mexico City, facing the winner of the England versus the Democratic Republic of Congo match to be played Wednesday in Atlanta. Mexico’s round of 16 game is scheduled for Sunday. The team is one step away from matching its best World Cup performance — a run to the quarterfinals it achieved in 1970 and 1986 when Mexico hosted both tournaments.

El Tri is now 4-0 in World Cup matches and has yet to concede a goal, both firsts for the Mexican national team.

Tuesday night’s showdown with Ecuador was delayed by an hour because of lightning.

The Ecuadorian team complained before the match that their fans had not received the tickets required by FIFA and that Mexican fans made noise all night outside the Ecuadorian team’s hotel — a common practice in Latin America designed to prevent the opponent from getting a good night’s sleep the night before a decisive match. Finally, Ecuador’s coach, Argentine Sebastián Beccacece, complained about the logistics of the trip to Mexico, claiming it involved long journeys that were an undue burden for his team.

Frustration flared up throughout the match, with both teams briefly crowding the sideline after a hard foul.

When Ecuador could not earn shots on target and time was running out during the second half, Piero Hincapié ran toward forward Santi Giménez and covered his mouth while speaking.

The referee saw the exchange and stopped play, calling for video review. Once he confirmed Hincapié’s action, the referee issued a red card and the Ecuador player became the second player this World Cup for violating FIFA’s restriction against players covering their mouths during heated exchanges. Since Ecuador lost, Hincapié will serve his red-card suspension during the team’s next international match.

FIFA established the new rule to prevent players from trying hide use of offensive language.

Paraguay’s Miguel Almirón was the first player to get a red card for the infraction against Turkey earlier in the World Cup.

Other players have covered their mouths while speaking to opponents during the World Cup, but a red card is only issued if the conversation occurs during a confrontation or heated exchange.

June 30 (UPI) — The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday announced that it will decide if states and cities can bar people from owning semiautomatic weapons, including AR-15-style rifles.

The court had previously declined to hear this challenge in 2025 and other times previously, CNN reported. It includes an appeal from two Illinois residents who want to buy AR-15 rifles but cannot because of a county ordinance making it illegal to buy or possess some assault weapon types. The case will be combined with one involving Connecticut residents who challenged the state’s ban on the weapons.

The high court’s current 6-3 conservative majority often backs gun rights, NBC News reported. When the court declined to hear a similar case last year, conservative Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote in an opinion that the court “should and presumably will address the AR-15 issue soon,” CNN reported. He said most states do not ban the weapons and those that do are “something of an outlier.”

Fifteen states and the District of Columbia ban the weapons.

People have used assault weapons such as AR-15 rifles and other semiautomatic rifles in multiple mass shootings, including the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut. Twenty children and six adults died in that shooting, leading to the change in Connecticut’s laws to ban the weapons. Nineteen children and two adults died in a similar shooting involving semiautomatic weapons in 2022 at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas.

The court will hear the challenge in its next term, which starts in October.

Chinese stocks advanced after fresh manufacturing data pointed to sustained factory expansion and President Xi Jinping reaffirmed his commitment to promoting high-quality economic development. The upbeat market reaction reflected growing optimism over the resilience of China’s industrial sector and the continued strength of technology and innovation-driven industries.

However, investor sentiment remains tempered by concerns over uneven economic growth, with persistent weakness in consumer confidence, the labour market and the property sector continuing to weigh on the broader recovery.

Strong factory activity boosts market confidence

China’s manufacturing sector expanded for a seventh consecutive month, marking its strongest quarterly performance since late 2020. The data reinforced expectations that industrial production remains a key pillar of economic growth despite ongoing challenges in other parts of the economy.

The stronger-than-expected factory activity provided investors with reassurance that export-oriented manufacturing and industrial output continue to support China’s recovery.

Xi reiterates commitment to high-quality growth

President Xi Jinping renewed his pledge to pursue high-quality development, signalling that Beijing remains committed to an economic strategy centred on technological innovation, industrial upgrading and sustainable long-term growth.

The remarks reinforced expectations that policymakers will continue prioritising advanced manufacturing, strategic industries and innovation rather than relying solely on traditional stimulus measures to support the economy.

Technology sectors continue to outperform

Technology-related stocks led gains as investors increased exposure to sectors expected to benefit from China’s industrial and technological ambitions. Chipmaking equipment, biotechnology and software companies posted strong advances, reflecting continued confidence in industries viewed as central to China’s long-term economic transformation.

The rally highlights investors’ preference for sectors with stronger earnings potential and policy support.

Traditional sectors show signs of broader participation

Alongside technology stocks, gains also spread to agriculture and property-related shares, suggesting investor optimism is gradually broadening beyond high-growth industries.

Although these sectors continue to face structural challenges, their recovery indicates improving market sentiment and expectations that policy support could help stabilise weaker areas of the economy.

Economic recovery remains uneven

Despite encouraging manufacturing data, investors remain cautious about China’s broader economic outlook. Consumer spending continues to be constrained by weak confidence, labour market pressures and the prolonged downturn in the property sector, creating an uneven recovery across different parts of the economy.

The divergence between strong industrial performance and softer domestic demand continues to shape investment strategies and policy expectations.

Future Outlook

Chinese markets are likely to remain supported by resilient manufacturing activity, continued policy backing for innovation and expectations of further measures to sustain economic growth. However, the durability of the rally will depend on whether improvements in industrial production translate into stronger domestic consumption and broader economic recovery.

Investors will closely monitor upcoming economic data and government policy announcements for signs that Beijing can address persistent weaknesses in the property market, employment and consumer confidence while maintaining momentum in high-value manufacturing and technology sectors.

With information from Reuters.

NE-YO and Akon fans have been left feeling furious after their concert started two hours late – and the stage was still being built as they arrived.

The Grammy award-winning hitmakers are undertaking their global tour but some fans said it was past their bedtime before one of their gigs even began.

The much anticpated Nights Like This concert in Calgary was advertised as starting at 8pm but at 10pm the organisers were still testing the equipment and setting up the stage.

Hundreds of ticket holders were not allowed into the lower floor while the organisers were lifting heavy speakers for health and safety reasons.

Posting to TikTok an audience member said: “The Ne-Yo and Akon concert is 2 hours late and they’re still setting up the stage. It’s currently 10pm.”

Fans flocked to comment and one wrote: “10pm, the full lights on, and still setting up? Oh absolutely not.”

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Another added: “And their audience is definitely 30-45, we are going to bed.”

A third said: “Right it’s past my bedtime already. Lol.”

A fourth wrote: “I’d be going home.”

A fifth explained: “I’d ask for a refund!”

While a sixth exclaimed: “How disrespectful. You pay for a show to be at a specific time. I’d want a refund!”

A seventh wrote: “Ye-No I’m leaving.”

However, another fan posted an update shortly afterwards and explained that the show eventually started at 10:45 and ended at 12:45.

She said: “People were on the floors. 100s were not allowed to sit until the stage was completely set up (safety).”

A fan replied: “My best friend had surgery 2 weeks ago and was so sore from having to stand for so long.”

Another said: “Oh heck no, I would have raged having to wait that long to be let in! Would have left honestly.”

While a third said: “Yeah i was kind of p***ed cause i wasn’t allowed to my floor seat until 10:45!!! It was a good show.”

“We have the chance to do the impossible.”

After Mexico brushed aside Ecuador to reach the last 16 of the World Cup, some of their celebrating fans already had an eye on their potential next opponents.

England face a difficult test in their last-32 tie with DR Congo later on Wednesday but, should they overcome that, it will not get any easier.

That is because next up would be a match with Mexico at the iconic Azteca Stadium – a mouthwatering fixture for many football fans, but a daunting one for England supporters.

Mexico have never got beyond the quarter-finals of the World Cup, but their impressive displays at this tournament – four games, four wins, eight goals scored and no goals conceded – have their fans dreaming of what could be.

“England have the Ballon d’Or favourite Harry Kane leading that team,” one fan said.

“You have players like Jude Bellingham, and it is scary, but with the momentum we have there is the chance to do the impossible.”

Based on their performances at this World Cup and their record at the Azteca, Mexico going far should not feel like an impossible target.

Their competitive record at this stadium is 69 wins from 88 games, with 17 draws and only two defeats. They are also unbeaten in 10 World Cup games there.

Admittedly, the opposition they have faced at he Azteca is not always of the highest quality but, nevertheless, it will be a daunting task for whoever faces them in the last 16.

“The whole nation is behind them – we’ve seen the scenes,” former Australia and Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou said on ITV.

“If it will be England going down to Mexico, it’s going to be like stepping into a different World Cup for them.”

June 30 (Asia Today) — Major Washington lobbying firms are ending their relationships with Alibaba, Tencent and other Chinese companies as a new U.S. defense-contracting restriction takes effect Tuesday.

Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, Mercury Public Affairs and MO Strategies were among the influential firms that recently terminated contracts with the Chinese technology companies, Bloomberg reported Monday.

Public lobbying disclosures showed Alibaba had lost five lobbying firms and Tencent had lost four over the past week. MO Strategies said it would comply fully with the new Defense Department requirements.

The shift follows the implementation of Section 851 of the fiscal 2025 National Defense Authorization Act.

The provision prohibits the Defense Department from awarding contracts to a company, including its parent companies and subsidiaries, if that company retains a covered lobbyist who also lobbies for a Chinese business on the Pentagon’s Section 1260H list.

The law does not directly prohibit lobbying firms from representing Chinese companies. In practice, however, it forces firms to choose between Chinese clients on the list and U.S. companies seeking Defense Department business.

The Pentagon established the Section 1260H list under the fiscal 2021 defense authorization act to identify companies it considers affiliated with China’s military or contributors to Beijing’s military-civil fusion strategy.

The Defense Department added Alibaba and dozens of other companies to an updated list published June 8. The latest version includes 188 entities operating directly or indirectly in the United States, according to the department.

Tencent appeared on an earlier version of the list and remained designated in the June update.

A company’s inclusion on the list does not by itself impose comprehensive economic sanctions. Other U.S. laws, however, increasingly connect the designation to federal contracting, procurement and funding restrictions.

Alibaba filed a federal lawsuit last Tuesday seeking removal from the list. The Chinese e-commerce company said the Pentagon lacked sufficient evidence to classify it as a Chinese military company and failed to adequately consider evidence disputing the alleged ties.

Alibaba has denied that it works with the Chinese military or participates in China’s military-civil fusion strategy. Tencent has also denied military links.

Alibaba said in its lawsuit that the new lobbying restriction had already prompted several firms and individual lobbyists to indicate that they would end their relationships with the company.

The Pentagon’s expanded list and the new contracting rule are likely to increase compliance reviews among Washington lobbying firms, law firms, consultants and defense contractors.

Companies seeking Pentagon contracts may need to determine whether outside advisers represent any listed Chinese entities, even when those advisers’ work for the U.S. company is unrelated to national defense.

The development also narrows Chinese companies’ access to experienced lobbyists as they seek to challenge expanding trade, investment and national security restrictions in Washington.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260630010010558

Adverse weather does not dampen Mexico’s party as the cohosts storm into the last 16 by beating Ecuador.

Mexico turned on the style at their iconic Azteca Stadium on Tuesday, brushing Ecuador aside 2-0 to break their FIFA World Cup knockout curse dating back 40 years.

The round-of-32 match was delayed for an hour due to stormy weather, and when it started, the co-hosts flew out of the blocks, mounting wave after wave of attacks.

In a supercharged atmosphere, Julian Quinones gave Mexico a deserved lead midway through the first half with a thunderous strike, and then turned provider for Raul Jimenez.

Ecuador desperately needed to wrest back the momentum after the break but struggled to shift through the gears, with the home side largely in control.

Mexico had not won a World Cup knockout game since 1986, when it last hosted the tournament.

Tuesday’s win means Mexico are now unbeaten in 10 World Cup games at the Azteca and will fancy their chances against England or the Democratic Republic of Congo in the round of 16.

Mexico were one of only three teams in the group phase to win all three of their matches, alongside title favourites France and reigning champions Argentina, and did not concede a single goal.

Ecuador finished third in their group, scoring just two goals.

Gilberto Mora, 17, was named in the starting line-up for Mexico, becoming the second-youngest player to start a knockout match at the World Cup finals behind Brazil legend Pele in 1958.

The home team started on the front foot, refusing to allow a shell-shocked Ecuador to settle.

Jimenez wasted a glorious headed chance in the seventh minute, and Mora flashed just wide.

At the other end, John Yeboah muscled his way into the penalty area in a rare foray forward for the visitors, clipping the outside of the near post.

Mexico took the lead in the 22nd minute when Saudi-based Quinones received the ball from Roberto Alvarado and tore down the left before driving into the box and unleashing an unstoppable shot past goalkeeper Hernan Galindez, raising the roof.

The first hydration break failed to change the script, and Mexico doubled their lead after half an hour when Quinones fed Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Jimenez, who fired a rocket into the top corner.

Raul Rangel produced a fine save to keep out another Yeboah effort, as Ecuador got a foothold in the match, but chances kept flowing at the other end.

Ecuador coach Sebastian Beccacece made several changes after the break in an effort to find a way back into the match. But Mexico, largely content to sit back, still looked the more threatening team, with Cesar Montes twice going close.

Ecuador substitute Kevin Rodriguez poked just wide with just over a quarter of an hour remaining, but their chances ran out. Piero Hincapie was sent off in stoppage time after covering his mouth during a confrontation with an opposition player to cap a miserable night for Ecuador.

Mexico will hope the Azteca, which hosted the World Cup final in 1970 and 1986, works its magic again in the last 16 on Sunday.

From the quarterfinals onwards, all the matches at the World Cup will be taking place in the United States.

BROOKS Nader almost suffered an awkward wardrobe malfunction in her latest sizzling snaps.

The Baywatch beauty nearly spilled out of a plunging top in photos shared on her Instagram stories this week.

The stunning actress, who will be taking on the role of Selene in the upcoming Baywatch reboot, looked beautiful as she rocked a black plunging halter-neck style top.

The top had gaping arm holes and it appeared that Brooks ditched her bra for the occasion.

She could have suffered a wardrobe blunder due to the daring nature of the garment.

She later rocked a strapless red bathing suit, which again could have risked a major malfunction because it was held up by luck alone.

BLING-KINI

Baywatch beauty Brooks Nader looks sensational as she poses in bejewelled bikini

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Brooks Nader channels inner Pamela Anderson on runway ahead of Baywatch reboot

The red garment was very renunciant of what she’ll be donning when starring in Baywatch.

She has already been hailed as the ‘next Pamela Anderson‘ as she prepares to slip into the iconic red bathing suit on the small screen.

Brooks’ sizzling snaps come just mere weeks after it was revealed that a Brit broadcasting company has bought the reboot of Baywatch to air in the UK.

The show stars Brooks and several TikTok stars, as well as returning Baywatch icons such as Erika Eleniak.

The all-new Baywatch series is co-produced by Fremantle and Fox and is due for release later this year in the US, with it now set to grace UK screens via Sky.

The broadcasting giant has taken exclusive UK and Ireland rights to the upcoming series.

Lucy Criddle at Sky has spoken of the move, saying: “Baywatch is one of the most iconic television franchises of all time, and this bold new reimagining will deliver the sun, sea and high-stakes drama audiences know and love, while introducing a dynamic new cast for a new generation of fans.

“We’re thrilled to partner with Fremantle and couldn’t be more excited to bring the series exclusively to Sky audiences across the UK and Ireland.”

12 brand new episodes will soon air, with viewers likely to be glued to the screen as the lifeguards go about their duties in their iconic red swimsuits.

The all‑new cast of lifeguards will see Stephen Amell in the lead role of Hobie Buchannon, alongside Jessica Belkin as Charlie Vale, Shay Mitchell as Trina, and Hassie Harrison as Nat.

Thaddeus LaGrone will play Brad and Noah Beck will be at the helm of Luke.

In recurring roles, David Chokachi reprises his original role as Cody Madison, while Livvy Dunne portrays Grace.

Erika Eleniak will also reprise her original role as Shauni McClain as a guest star.

Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda celebrates after the Dodgers beat the Montreal Expos to win the NL pennant in 1981.

(Associated Press)

Years as manager: 1976-1996

Record: 1,599-1,439, .526 win pct

After serving as the team’s third base coach for four seasons, Lasorda took over as manager late in the 1976 season when Alston announced his retirement. He led the Dodgers to the National League pennant in his first two full seasons, losing both times to the Yankees in the World Series. He won his first World Series in 1981, knocking off the Yankees, and rallied his team to a surprise title in 1988 in which the Dodgers beat the heavily favored Athletics. Lasorda was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1997, his first year of eligibility.

A fiery and vibrant presence who spent 71 years with the Dodgers, Lasorda managed nine players who won the NL rookie of the year award. The Dodgers also opened the Japanese player pipeline on his watch. Hideo Nomo, the first Japanese big leaguer to permanently relocate to the U.S., joined the Dodgers in 1995. Three decades later, the team features Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto on its star-studded roster.

June 30 (Asia Today) — “Have you eaten?”

The National Museum of Korea’s new special exhibition, “Our Table,” begins with a familiar Korean greeting that reflects the central role food plays in everyday life and personal relationships.

The exhibition invites visitors to consider how an ordinary meal represents a record of culture and daily life stretching back about 3,000 years. Archaeological objects, historical documents, paintings and folk materials trace how Koreans have grown, prepared and shared food over the centuries.

“Our Table,” which opens Wednesday and runs through Oct. 25, is the museum’s first special exhibition offering a comprehensive examination of Korean food culture.

Fifty-one institutions and private collectors contributed 684 objects grouped into 488 entries. The display includes five state-designated Treasures and two items recognized as National Folklore Cultural Heritage.

The exhibition is divided into two sections: “Our Table Through Life” and “Our Table Shaped by Nature.”

Visitors first encounter charred rice grains excavated from Heunam-ri in Yeoju, a Bronze Age site southeast of Seoul. The grains provide evidence of early rice cultivation on the Korean Peninsula and serve as a starting point for understanding the development of Korea’s rice-centered food culture.

The exhibition continues with a spoon and chopsticks excavated from the tomb of Baekje King Muryeong, a late 19th-century diagram explaining traditional table-setting rules and cookbooks from several historical periods.

One display places a wooden cutting board excavated from a third- or fourth-century site in Gochon-ri, Busan, beside Park Soo-keun’s 1952 painting “Dried Yellow Corvina on a Cutting Board.”

By presenting objects separated by about 1,700 years, the exhibition illustrates the continuity of everyday work involved in preparing a meal.

Genre paintings offer another view of Korean dining customs.

In Kim Hong-do’s “Tavern,” a traveler wearing a traditional horsehair hat raises a bowl and scrapes up the final grains of rice. Kim’s “Midday Snack” and Kim Deuk-sin’s “Gathering to Eat and Drink by the River” portray people sharing food in fields and along a river during the Joseon Dynasty.

Seong Hyeop’s “Grilling Meat” depicts diners gathered around an iron griddle, presenting a scene that resembles modern Korean group dinners.

The second section examines how Korea’s seasons and natural environment shaped its cuisine.

Heo Gyun’s 17th-century book Domundaejak, written while he was in exile, records regional delicacies from across the country.

Other exhibits include a jar containing seafood excavated from the Seobongchong tomb in Gyeongju, bird eggs discovered at the Cheonmachong tomb and Byeon Sang-byeok’s painting “Hen and Chicks.” Together, the pieces document the history of seafood, meat and foods traditionally consumed for nourishment and health.

Charred soybean clusters dating from the third to fifth centuries are presented as possible early forms of meju, the fermented soybean blocks used to make soybean paste and soy sauce.

Charred perilla seeds from the Bronze Age and a Goryeo Dynasty celadon maebyeong vase that once contained honey further illustrate the long history of fermentation, seasonings and sweeteners in Korean cuisine.

The museum uses sounds of rice cooking, food-preparation videos and Korean words that imitate sounds and movements to create a multisensory exhibition without serving actual food.

Audio commentary by actor Ryu Soo-young and video interviews with food culture specialists are also available.

“Choosing the dining table as a museum exhibition subject is an invitation to reconsider both the roots of K-food and the scene closest to our everyday lives, which we have often taken for granted,” museum Director Yoo Hong-jun said.

“I hope the exhibition helps visitors recognize that our table was created through the natural environment of this land and the efforts of earlier generations who regarded food as something as precious as heaven,” Yoo said.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260630010010708

Footage shows two NASA astronauts stepping outside the International Space Station to replace a malfunctioning wrist joint on a robotic arm. The joint failed during normal operations and did not move as expected. It took 7 hours and 20 minutes.

MADONNA is being lined up to make a superstar appearance at London Pride on Saturday.

She has long been a celebrated figure in the LGBTQ+ community, and kicked off Pride Month with a surprise showing in New York last month.

London Pride, which is expecting 1.8million people, will take place at locations across the centre of the capital, with acts including Beth Ditto and MNEK booked to play the main stage in Trafalgar Square.

And my music moles have told me that is where they are expecting Madge to pop up.

My insider explained: “Madonna is a passionate advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and has been a very vocal campaigner for decades.

“Pride means so much to her and the London event happens the day after Confessions II is released.

MUM MODE

Madonna speaks out on ‘rift’ with ‘standoffish’ daughter Lourdes Leon

AT LONG GLAST!

Madonna, 67, gives huge hint she’ll FINALLY perform at Glastonbury

“Organisers are playing it by ear in case of any last-minute changes but as it stands, Madonna is primed to come out on the main stage.

“She isn’t going to be performing like she did in New York. It’s more her coming out, speaking to the crowd and then heading off.

“They’re expecting absolute pandemonium if they pull it off.

“But it would be incredible for everyone going to the Pride event in London.”

Madge’s surprise 20-minute set in the Big Apple just weeks ago went down a storm with the crowds, who watched her sing Get Together live for the first time in two decades.

And fans don’t have long to wait until they can hear Confessions II, her latest album with producer Stuart Price.

Madonna has signed a huge new deal with TikTok, with the app streaming tracks from the record live tomorrow night from her VIP album launch party.

The hour-long broadcast will also see Madonna being interviewed about the making of the record, as well as playing a handful of her favourite songs from Confessions II.

It’s a big move for Madonna, after she revealed this week that she can’t stand social media, branding it “mesmerising and also soul-destroying”.

She told Vogue Italia: “Algorithms and artificial intelligence are the opposite of taking risks and to me that is the opposite of making art.”

Anything for us fans eh, Madge?

NICOLE’S PUSSYHAT DOLL

NICOLE SCHERZINGER is brimming with happiness in this sunhat as she celebrates her 48th birthday.

The Pussycat Dolls singer posed for a selfie at the beach on Monday.

Nicole is with her British fiancé Thom Evans in Hawaii, where she was born.

She said: “Last day at this age and she was feeling cute at sunset, back home at her fave beach.”

Nicole will begin rehearsals later this summer for the Pussycat Dolls reunion tour. UK arena shows start on September 29 in Birmingham.

BAD BUNNY COURTS OLD FLAME AT WIMBLEDON

BAD BUNNY has hopped back into his ex’s good books.

He has rekindled his romance with jewellery designer Gabriela Berlingeri, who was with him before fame arrived.

The Puerto Rican rapper played to more than 100,000 fans during two sell-out shows at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium at the weekend.

There in support was Gabriela, who has quietly been accompanying him on tour.

She was also by his side at Wimbledon on Monday.

They met in 2017 and dated until 2022. She even appeared as a bride in the video to his 2022 single Titi Me Pregunto.

But he later got together with Kendall Jenner and they dated for 18 months.

Bad Bunny has had quite the glow-up in the past few years and he’s become one of the most-streamed acts in the world.

I’m sure Gabriela will now be the envy of millions.

BRITISH girl group Flo have found a superfan in K-Pop sensation Taemin.

Jorja Douglas, Stella Quaresma and Renee Downer met Taemin backstage at BST Hyde Park where they played on Sunday, after he requested an audience with them.

A source said: “Taemin absolutely loves FLO and thinks they’re brilliant. They talked about working on a collaboration together, which made Taemin’s day.

“They were laughing and joking around for ages before the girls offered to teach him the dance routine to their song, Leak It.”

LILY’S SITTING PRETTY

SULTRY Lily Allen actually has plenty to smile about despite her very public divorce from Stranger Things actor David Harbour.

The singer and actress wore satin lingerie and tiny black shorts when she brought her West End Girl tour to London’s O2 Arena at the weekend – and will return to the capital next week for a third gig at the venue.

Despite looking moody while sitting in a chair on stage, Lily found her smile again as she clutched a bouquet of flowers.

Lily has spent much of the year on the road and was back on stage in Dublin last night.

After a summer of festivals, she will fly to North America in September to play arenas there.

It’s clear Lily is chuffed with the show she has created, which sees her perform her West End Girl album in full.

She wrote on X: “Everyone on this tour is really working very hard to give people the best show we possibly can, and I’m extremely proud of it.”

SAM: I’M HOOKED ON FISH

SAM SMITH has revealed a yearning to be a fishmonger.

The Promises singer told the Dish from Waitrose podcast: “I’m still gutted I’m not a fishmonger. Honestly, I’m not just saying this.

“I was lucky as a kid. We used to go to Waitrose a lot – and the fish section, I just loved. I just like to handle fish. I don’t know, it felt very calming.”

Earlier this year I told that Sam had launched a TikTok account called Sam Served, which documents favourite meals.

And it’s all part of a ploy to get closer to the fish counter.

Sam said: “I was in San Francisco on tour and I was bored, so,I filmed myself eating and it’s just reignited the fishmonger in me.”

I’VE got a sneaky suspicion there may soon be a song featuring pop girls Zara Larsson and Jade Thirlwall.

The pair secretly had a studio session in Paris last week, after the Solidays Festival, where they were both set to perform, was cancelled due to bad weather. I have high hopes for whatever it is they come up with.

BOWIE TREASURE ON TOUR

DAVID BOWIE fans are in for a treat as the V&A Museum has announced today that his incredible archive of outfits, handwritten lyrics and photographs are going on tour for the first time.

David Bowie: On Tour opens at V&A Dundee in November, before heading to Blackpool, County Durham, Hull and Bristol, with more locations to follow.

The collection on Bowie features never-before-seen items including Polaroids for his make-up and costume fittings, a Ziggy Stardust-era acoustic guitar, unreleased projects, lyrics, performance notes and costumes from the singer’s final albums The Next Day and Blackstar.

WILL’S BRIEFS ENCOUNTER

SEEING Will Ferrell playing golf in his underpants wasn’t on my wish list.

But Kim Kardashian signed the actor to model her Skims men’s undies – and it has certainly got us all talking.

Will appears in blue briefs for the new ad campaign, though he was in character as golfer Lonnie Hawkins from his new Netflix comedy series, The Hawk, out July 16.

Kim said of Will: “His body says retired, his Skims say one more round. Built for men who still know they’ve got it.”

If you say so, Kim.

SHAGGY IS THE RIO DEAL

THEY say never meet your heroes, but Shaggy has spent a lifetime doing exactly that.

He has no shortage of famous fans and everyone from Nelson Mandela to Michael Jackson has sung his praises.

In a chat with showbiz reporter Freya Fraser at Rock In Rio Lisboa festival in Portugal, he said of meeting the former South African president: “We were at an award show in South Africa and we’re at the same table.

“He just kind of says, ‘You’re doing really great stuff’.

“We had a great conversation. I’ve met a lot of other people. Michael Jackson was also a super-big Shaggy fan.

“That’s documented on YouTube, everybody sees that. I have actually performed twice for Pope Francis. Queen Elizabeth, we performed for her Jubilee. I met all my heroes, to be honest with you.”

Shaggy is not modest when it comes to his achievements, and he is pretty flashy with his lifestyle too, even if he reckons he isn’t.

He said: “I’m a very practical person, so I’m not buying cars I don’t drive because I’m always on tour. I never drive anywhere, somebody’s always driving me around.

“I’m not buying homes I don’t live in. I have two homes. I’m not buying five of them, you know, I’ll rent them when I need them.”

But he is humble when it comes to his career, which has seen 16 Top 40 hits including four No1s.

He said: “I’m not a genius, God gave me those. If I wrote them, I’d be writing one every week.”

CAUGHT LIVE

Central Cee @ Rock In Rio Lisboa

★★★★☆

CENTRAL CEE ticked Lisbon off his bucket list as he took over the World Stage at Rock In Rio Lisboa before headliner 21 Savage.

On what was the most rap-focused line-up in the festival’s 22-year history, the Londoner tore through a mammoth 21-track set, including Loading, Doja, and Band4Band.

Cench proved he is an international star as thousands of Portuguese fans rapped every word back to him.

The atmosphere could not have been more different from the night before, when Sir Rod Stewart, Cyndi Lauper and Joss Stone had fans swaying along to their anthems.

Staying true to his nonchalant persona, Central Cee – real name Oakley Neil Caesar-Su – asked: “We’re not in a rush, are we?”

And as he worked the crowd and whizzed through high-profile collaborations such as Did It First with Ice Spice and Dave’s Sprinter, I was getting treated like an A-lister.

Rock In Rio Lisboa pulled out all the stops for its guests, with one of the biggest hospitality areas I have ever seen.

The UK may have provided a lot of the talent on this occasion, but we could learn a thing or two from Portugal’s festival scene.

FREYA FRASER

In need of three-point shooting, the Lakers lost the league’s best sharpshooter on the first day of free agency.

Guard Luke Kennard has agreed to a two-year, $13-million deal with the Phoenix Suns, The Times confirmed Tuesday.

Kennard was an unrestricted free agent after he was traded to the Lakers last February from the Atlanta Hawks. His arrival coincided with a dramatic offensive uptick for the Lakers, who went from 34.9% shooting from three in games before Kennard and 37.7% in games after. Kennard was on a one-year, $11-million contract last season, his ninth year in the NBA.

The former Duke star averaged nine points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.4 assists for the Lakers while shooting 44.8% from three-point range. He showed his influence beyond just shooting when he took on more ballhandling duties late in the season to fill in during injuries to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. In a starting role during the last six games of the regular season, Kennard averaged 6.4 assists.

The Lakers already lost LeBron James on the first day of free agency after the 22-time All-Star informed the team he intended to sign somewhere else for his NBA-record 24th season. Kennard could have provided a critical floor-spacing piece around Doncic, who thrives when surrounded by lob-catching centers, athletic wings and knockdown shooters.

June 30 (UPI) — President Donald Trump reported billions of dollars in income, revenue and other proceeds during his first year back in the White House, much of it tied to cryptocurrency ventures, according to his annual financial disclosure released Tuesday.

Trump reported at least $2.1 billion in income, revenue and other proceeds last year, according to his financial disclosure made public by the U.S. Office of Government Ethics, with more than half tied to cryptocurrency.

Though Trump was initially skeptical about cryptocurrencies,, he embraced the digital currencies — and their supporters — during his third campaign for the White House. After being elected, he created what some analysts have called a crypto-friendly administration.

During his first year in office, he took several actions in support of the crypto industry, including signing a digital-assets executive order during his first week in office and creating a strategic Bitcoin reserve and U.S. digital asset stockpile.

The 927-page financial disclosure states the president reported more than $1.4 billion in cryptocurrency income and proceeds, including $635 million from his $TRUMP meme coin and nearly $800 million from World Liberty Financial, a Trump family-linked cryptocurrency venture.

The $TRUMP memecoin was a cryptocurrency Trump announced days before his inauguration. He announced the $MELANIA memecoin the day before he was inaugurated.

Memecoins are cryptocurrencies with little to no intrinsic utility, often derived from Internet memes and supported by online communities or fans.

After Trump announced the coins, critics accused him of attempting to profit from the presidency.

The disclosure also shows that Trump reported tens of millions in revenue from golf, resort and real estate-related holdings, including $121.9 million from Trump Doral, $77.5 million from Mar-a-Lago, $37.6 million from his Lamington Farm Club, $36.9 million from Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach and $31.6 million from his Jupiter Golf Club, among others.

DEVELOPING STORYDEVELOPING STORY,

AI firm says it will begin restoring access to Claude Fable 5 and Mythos 5 after removal of export controls.

The United States government has lifted its restrictions on foreign access to Anthropic’s most powerful AI models, the company has announced.

Anthropic said late on Tuesday that it would begin restoring access to Claude Fable 5 and Mythos 5 from tomorrow after the US Department of Commerce notified the company that it had removed its export controls.

“We’re grateful to our users for their patience, and to everyone who worked with us on redeploying the models,” Anthropic said in a statement posted on X.

Anthropic’s announcement came shortly after US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said that his department had been coordinating with the company on the approval of its frontier models.

“Over the past two weeks, we have worked closely with Anthropic to analyze and approve Fable 5 to ensure alignment across the US Government and strengthen America’s leadership in AI,” Lutnick said in a post on X.

Anthropic abruptly shut off Claude Fable 5 and Mythos 5 last month after US President Donald Trump’s administration ordered the company to restrict all foreign nationals, including company employees, from accessing the models.

On Friday, the San Francisco-based company said that it had been granted approval to provide the models to US organisations that “operate and defend critical infrastructure”, and that it was working with the government to restore general access for the public.

More to follow…

Three part true crime series The Fall Skydive Murder Plot is now available on the streaming platform

Where the soldier who tried to kill his wife twice is now.

A three part docuseries retelling a remarkable story of Victoria Cilliers is now streaming on Netflix. Across its three episodes, it shows how Victoria, an experienced skydiver somehow survived a 4,000ft fall after bother her parachutes failed to open.

It was originally made for Channel 4 a couple of years ago but is now available on the popular platform. It means more viewers will find out how police investigated the incident and gathered evidence that Victoria’s parachute was tampered with.

They soon suspected her husband Emile. Born in South Africa he moved to the UK in the early 2000s. While he had two children from a previous marriage, he met Victoria later in 2009, after receiving treatment where she was working as a physio.

The pair eventually married and had two children of their own. However, during their marriage, Emile exhibited some worrying behaviour.

This included spending Victoria’s money and racking up debt while Victoria also suspected him of having an affair.

But what happened to Emile Cillers? Where is he now and what sentence did he receive? Here is all you need to know?

What happened to Emile Cilliers?

Following their investigation, police charged Emile Cilliers with the attempted murder of his wife. They put forward that he deliberately tampered with the parachute before the jump.

Officers investigating believed that Emile wanted to cash in Victoria’s life insurance to pay off his debts and begin a new life with his girlfriend, who was apparently under the impression he had split from his wife.

Before the jump, Emile tried to kill Victoria by leaving the gas on in their home. Thankfully, her and their children escaped after harm after Victoria smelt the leak.

The case first went to trial in October 2017. However, the jury failed to reach a verdict. The docuseries goes into detail about the reasons this may have happened.

There was then a second trial in May 2018. Following this he was found guilty on two counts of attempted murder. He was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 18 years.

BBC News reported that during sentencing, Mr Justice Sweeney told Cilliers he was “of quite exceptional callousness and a person who would stop at nothing to gratify your own desires”.

He described the evidence against him as “overwhelming” and added: “You continued to pursue your selfish financial, emotional, and sexual desires.”

A Crown Prosecution Service spokesperson at the time said: “The evidence all pointed to Emile Cilliers as the man with the motive and the opportunity to commit these calculated attempts to murder his wife.”

Cilliers is serving his sentence at HM Dovegate Prison in Staffordshire.

The Fall: Skydive Murder Plot is streaming on Netflix, Disney+ and Channel 4.

WASHINGTON  — The Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld laws in West Virginia and Idaho that forbid transgender athletes from competing on girls’ sports teams.

In a 6-3 decision, the court said the federal Title IX law envisioned separate teams for girls and boys based on their biological sex at birth.

“Separate sports teams for biological males and biological females are reasonable,” wrote Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh. “Given the inherent physical differences between the sexes, allowing only biological females to play on women’s and girls’ teams can reduce the risk of physical injury and ensure fair competition.”

Kavanaugh, who has coached girls’ teams for many years, said 27 states have adopted laws prohibiting transgender athletes on girls’ teams.

But his opinion does not say states such as California must change their laws that forbid schools from discriminating based on gender. Instead, he stressed states are free to make their own decision.

“Consistent with Title IX and the Equal Protection Clause, we hold that the states may maintain women’s and girls’ sports for biological females. They may determine eligibility for women’s and girls’ sports based on biological sex. The Constitution and Title IX do not require an overhaul of women’s and girls’ sports throughout America,” Kavanaugh said.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor dissented in part. She said the state should have considered transgender students on a case-by-case basis to decide whether they had an unfair advantage. Justices Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented as well.

The court’s decision is likely to bolster the Trump administration’s drive to pressure states, schools and universities that permit transgender athletes to compete on girls’ and women’s sports teams.

Because the Education Department provides federal funds to these states and schools, it can require them to comply with Title IX.

The sole plaintiff in the court case was Becky Pepper-Jackson. Now 15, she has carried on a lonely legal fight to compete on her school’s track team in Bridgeport, W.Va.

Designated male at birth, she says she is the only transgender girl competing in her state and has been the target of complaints and protests.

Her case drew strong reactions on both sides of the issue.

West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey hailed Tuesday’s decision as “one of the most important victories for women’s athletics” since the passage of Title IX in 1972.

“We defended a simple principle most Americans instinctively understand — that women’s sports exist to provide women and girls a fair opportunity to compete and succeed,” he said.

Penny Nance, president of Concerned Women for America, said “it is self-evident that males and females are biologically different, and the U.S. Supreme Court has confirmed this truth. It is fundamentally unfair for a male who feels like a female to demand that biological categories be ignored to accommodate his desire to compete among females.”

Joshua Block, the ACLU attorney who argued the case, called it “a heartbreaking ruling for our clients and transgender girls like them who’ve asked for nothing more than the same opportunities afforded to their peers,” he said.

“The reality is that the equality of transgender women and girls takes nothing away from, and in fact promotes, the equality of all women and girls.”

“This ruling is deeply harmful for transgender women and girls who only asked for the ability to participate in sports with their peers,” said Sasha Buchert, senior attorney with Lambda Legal. “Countless studies have demonstrated the myriad benefits that come with participation in team sports.”

The sports career of Becky Pepper-Jackson reflects some of the difficulty of the issue.

In sixth grade, she participated in cross country and described herself as slow. She “routinely placed near the back of the pack,” her attorneys told the court.

Her court appeals focused on a wish to participate in sports, not to win. But upon reaching high school, she has been winning.

In 2024, she “placed in the top three in every track event in which B.P.J. competed, winning most,” the state’s attorneys said. In the spring of 2025, “focusing on strength events, B.P.J. bumped female competitors out of the state tournament, then placed third in the state in discus and eighth in shot put while competing against much older female athletes,” they told the court.

Her ACLU attorney explained she has been winning in the shot put and discus “through hard work and practice,” not because of an advantage based on biology.

He said she “received puberty-delaying medication and gender-affirming estrogen that allowed her to undergo a hormonal puberty typical of a girl.”