DC Comics’ new superhero film ‘Supergirl’, released worldwide on June 26, 2026, has failed to meet expectations at the box office. Despite pre-release anticipation, the film received largely negative reviews from critics, who praised lead actress Milly Alcock but criticized the screenplay and direction. Outlets including Variety identified these as the film’s weakest aspects.

The criticism has affected its commercial performance. In its first three days, ‘Supergirl’ earned 66 million US dollars globally, including 38 million from North America. With a production cost of about 170 million dollars, producers and distributors are reportedly concerned about recovering expenses. The film’s performance contrasts sharply with last year’s DC release ‘Superman’, which grossed 618 million dollars worldwide.

Meanwhile, Disney and Pixar’s animated film ‘Toy Story 5’ has maintained strong momentum at the international box office. In its second weekend, it earned 89.1 million dollars, bringing its 12-day global total to 585 million. Analysts suggest it may soon surpass ‘Toy Story 4’s 1.07 billion-dollar record to become the franchise’s highest-grossing film.

The Netherlands and Morocco are preparing for one of the most anticipated matches in the World Cup round of 32, scheduled for tomorrow at 7 a.m. Bangladesh time. The Dutch advanced as Group F leaders with seven points, while Morocco also collected seven points to finish runners-up in Group C. Both teams remain unbeaten, each securing two wins and one draw in the group stage, setting the stage for a high-intensity knockout encounter.

The Netherlands, three-time World Cup runners-up, began their campaign with a 2-2 draw against Japan before defeating Sweden and Tunisia with fast-paced attacking football. Coach Ronald Koeman’s side aims to maintain their rhythm despite the absence of injured defender Jurriën Timber. Forward Cody Gakpo continues to play despite personal tragedy, with teammates expected to rally behind him.

Morocco, impressive in the previous World Cup, have again shown strong form, drawing with Brazil and defeating Haiti and Scotland. Striker Ismail Saibari made history as the first African to score in all three group matches, posing a major threat to the Dutch defense. The match promises both revenge and redemption as Morocco seeks to overturn their 1994 World Cup loss to the Netherlands.

Lionel Messi continues to rewrite football history in his sixth World Cup appearance. By the end of the 2026 tournament’s group stage, the Argentine captain had scored six goals, surpassing or equaling the total goals of 30 participating nations. His tally includes a hat-trick against Algeria, two goals versus Austria, and a free-kick strike after coming on as a substitute against Jordan.

Messi’s performance has set a new record for scoring in seven consecutive World Cup matches, breaking the previous joint record held by France’s Just Fontaine and Brazil’s Jairzinho. Out of Argentina’s eight goals in the group stage, six came from Messi. Statistical data show that only 17 teams, excluding Argentina, have scored more than him so far, while Panama remains goalless.

With Messi leading the Golden Boot race, Argentina now looks ahead to the knockout stage. Maintaining his current form could strengthen both his personal record and Argentina’s hopes of defending their World Cup title.

The United States and Iran have agreed to stop attacks and resume discussions on the Hormuz Strait, according to a Reuters report citing a U.S. official. The two countries plan to meet in Doha, Qatar, on Tuesday to address the ongoing dispute over the strategic waterway. The agreement follows several days of retaliatory strikes and raises hopes for maintaining an interim peace deal.

The U.S. official said that technical discussions on all aspects of a memorandum of understanding signed on June 17 will continue. Both sides will observe a ceasefire, allowing ships to move freely through the strait. The memorandum includes 14 points aimed at reopening the waterway for navigation. Media outlet Axios reported that technical-level talks will proceed while both sides refrain from further attacks.

The report also noted that early Sunday, Iran launched missile and drone strikes on U.S. military bases in Kuwait and Bahrain. Shortly before that, U.S. President Donald Trump warned that Iran’s existence could be at risk if it violated the ceasefire agreement.

International oil prices increased following several days of retaliatory attacks between the United States and Iran, which disrupted energy transport through the Strait of Hormuz and exposed the fragility of their interim peace agreement. On Monday, Brent crude rose by 58 cents, or 0.8 percent, to 72.57 dollars per barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude gained 88 cents, or 1.3 percent, to reach 70.11 dollars per barrel.

Analysts from ING warned that significant risks remain in the oil market, noting that if supply normalization takes longer than expected, prices could rise further. ANZ Bank analysts added that earlier assumptions about a quick recovery of oil supply from the Persian Gulf may now be reassessed. The two countries have agreed to halt attacks and plan to meet in Doha on Tuesday to discuss resolving their Hormuz Strait dispute.

Saudi Aramco resumed crude loading at its Ras Tanuma terminal last Friday after a four-month suspension, despite a helicopter crash there on Sunday that killed 14 people. Analysts cautioned that tanker congestion, damaged infrastructure, and halted production could delay a full supply recovery for the rest of the year.

Google has limited Meta’s use of its Gemini AI model because of computing capacity constraints, according to a Financial Times report cited by NDTV. In March 2026, Google informed Meta that it could not provide the requested level of computing power or storage, delaying several of Meta’s internal AI projects. Google, owned by Alphabet, operates the Gemini AI model through its cloud infrastructure, which has faced high demand from multiple clients.

The report noted that while several Google Cloud customers have encountered similar capacity issues, Meta has been most affected due to its heavy reliance on Gemini. In response, Meta instructed its employees to use AI resources more efficiently, emphasizing reduced use of “tokens,” a unit of AI model consumption. Neither Google nor Meta provided immediate comments on the matter, Reuters reported.

Analysts said the incident highlights the growing challenge for technology companies to maintain sufficient computing infrastructure as AI adoption accelerates. Despite multibillion-dollar investments in advanced chips and data centers, capacity limitations continue to hinder rapid expansion.

Colombia and Portugal played out a highly entertaining goalless draw in their World Cup group stage match, ensuring both teams advanced to the round of 32. The match, held amid a vibrant atmosphere with strong Colombian support in South Florida, saw Colombia top Group K while Portugal, led by Cristiano Ronaldo, finished as runners-up. Despite the lack of goals, the contest was marked by relentless attacking play and intensity from both sides.

Ronaldo struggled to make an impact, while midfielders James Rodríguez and Bruno Fernandes dictated the tempo, driving their teams forward in a match that featured 37 total shots, including a record 24 attempts by Colombia. Rodríguez, playing his 11th World Cup match, impressed with 38 successful passes in the final third and received a standing ovation when substituted.

Colombia will face Ghana in Kansas City on July 4, while Portugal will meet Croatia on July 3 after one day less of rest. Both teams are seen as potential threats in the knockout stage following their strong performances.

Croatia confirmed their place in the Round of 32 at the World Cup after a dramatic 2-1 victory over Ghana in Philadelphia. The 2018 runners-up took the lead in the 31st minute through Petar Sucic’s low strike from outside the box. Ghana equalized in the 73rd minute when Derrick Lukasen volleyed home after a free-kick from Ernest Nuamah was reviewed and confirmed by VAR. However, Nikola Vlasic’s header from a Luka Modric corner in the 83rd minute sealed Croatia’s win.

The match saw Croatia dominate possession early, while Ghana improved significantly after halftime, creating sustained pressure. Despite Ghana’s late efforts, including Abdul Fatawu’s missed chance in stoppage time, Croatia held on for victory. The result made Croatia the Group L runners-up with six points from three matches.

In the group’s other match, England beat Panama 2-0 to top the group with seven points. Ghana finished third with four points but advanced as one of the best third-placed teams, while Panama exited the tournament with one point.

England defeated Panama 2–0 in their final Group L match at the New Jersey Stadium, ensuring they advanced to the Round of 32 as group leaders. Despite already qualifying for the knockout stage, Thomas Tuchel’s team needed a win to confirm first place. Panama’s strong defense frustrated England in the first half, but Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane scored in the second half to seal the victory.

Bellingham opened the scoring in the 62nd minute with a side volley from Bukayo Saka’s corner. Panama missed a golden chance to equalize shortly after, and England captain Kane doubled the lead five minutes later with a header from Bellingham’s cross. The goal made Kane England’s all-time top scorer in World Cup history with 11 goals, surpassing Gary Lineker’s record. Bellingham, aged 22 years and 363 days, also became the youngest English player since 1966 to score and assist in the same World Cup match.

England finished the group stage with seven points, while Panama exited the tournament without scoring a goal, becoming the first team in 16 years to leave a World Cup goalless.

Five additional teams have confirmed their places in the last 32 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup before the group stage concludes. Following the completion of Group H matches, Portugal, England, Ghana, Egypt, and Paraguay have all secured progression to the knockout stage. Spain topped Group H with seven points, while debutant Cape Verde made history by qualifying as runners-up with three points after three draws. Uruguay, a two-time world champion, was eliminated following a 1–0 defeat to Spain, and Saudi Arabia also exited after a goalless draw with Cape Verde.

The eliminations of Uruguay and Saudi Arabia clarified the standings across other groups, ensuring qualification for teams with four points, including Portugal, England, Ghana, and Egypt. Each still has one group match remaining but is guaranteed at least a best third-place finish. Paraguay, having completed all three group matches, advanced from Group D with four points after a goalless draw against Australia.

Cape Verde’s qualification with only three points stands out as one of the biggest surprises of the new 48-team World Cup format, while teams like South Korea, Scotland, and Senegal remain in contention depending on other results.

Cape Verde has made history at the 2026 FIFA World Cup by advancing to the knockout stage in its debut appearance. The African island nation secured its place among the last 32 after a goalless draw with Saudi Arabia in its final Group H match. Spain topped the group with seven points after defeating Uruguay 1–0, while Cape Verde finished second with three points from three consecutive draws. Uruguay and Saudi Arabia were eliminated with two points each.

Argentina, the reigning world champion, had already secured first place in its group and will now face Cape Verde in the round of 32. The match is scheduled for July 3 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, marking the first-ever meeting between the two teams in World Cup history.

If Argentina wins, it will advance to the round of 16 to face the winner between the runners-up of Groups D and G. Cape Verde’s remarkable debut run has drawn global attention, and the team now faces the challenge of continuing its fairytale journey against one of football’s strongest sides.

Senegal delivered a dominant performance to stay in contention for the World Cup knockout stage, defeating Iraq 5–0 in their final Group I match at Toronto Stadium. The African side needed a big-margin win to remain in the race and achieved it convincingly. Habib Diarra opened the scoring in the fourth minute with a deflected header, marking Senegal’s fastest World Cup goal. Iraq’s Rabin Sulaka was sent off in the 13th minute after a VAR review for denying a clear scoring chance, forcing Iraq to play with ten men for most of the match.

Senegal controlled the game but failed to add more goals before halftime. The second half saw a surge in attack, with Ismaila Sarr, Pape Gueye, Habib Diarra, Pape Thiaw, and Iliman Ndiaye all finding the net. The victory lifted Senegal to fifth among third-placed teams, keeping their knockout hopes alive, though their qualification now depends on results from other groups.

Iraq, meanwhile, ended their campaign without a point after three consecutive defeats, exiting the tournament at the group stage.

As the group stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup nears its end, 18 teams have already secured their places in the Round of 32 under the tournament’s new 48-team format. From 12 groups, the top two teams and the eight best third-placed sides advance to the knockout phase. Confirmed teams include Brazil, Argentina, Germany, Netherlands, France, United States, Mexico, Switzerland, Canada, South Africa, Morocco, Japan, Ivory Coast, Ecuador, Sweden, Norway, Colombia, and Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Host nation Mexico dominated Group A with three wins, while South Africa advanced as runner-up. Brazil topped Group C with nine points, joined by Morocco. The United States, Germany, and the Netherlands also finished as group champions. Ecuador made history by defeating Germany 2–1 to qualify as one of the best third-placed teams, and Ivory Coast reached the knockout stage for the first time.

Several high-voltage knockout fixtures are already confirmed, including Brazil versus Japan and Netherlands versus Morocco. The United States is set to face Bosnia-Herzegovina, while other matchups await final confirmation as remaining group games conclude.

International oil prices dropped by about 2 percent on Friday, even after a cargo ship near Oman’s coast was hit by a missile from an unidentified source. According to Reuters, Brent crude fell by $1.47, or 1.95 percent, to $73.79 per barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude declined by $1.44, or 2 percent, to $70.48. Both benchmarks are heading for an 8 percent weekly loss.

LSEG shipping data showed that Saudi Aramco resumed crude loading at its Ras Tanura terminal in the Persian Gulf after nearly four months of suspension. Two very large crude carriers were loading oil, with another waiting nearby. Analysts from Sparta Commodities attributed the price drop to increased oil supply through the Strait of Hormuz and weak demand from China.

The report also noted that oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz have reached their highest level since the February conflict between Iran, the U.S., and Israel, though still below prewar levels. ING analysts warned that once previously trapped tankers clear the Gulf, supply could tighten again.

Nike’s new ‘Mind’ shoes, launched in January 2026, have generated worldwide excitement for their claim to influence mental well-being. The sportswear giant describes the product as its first neuroscience-based footwear, designed not for exercise but for pre- and post-activity relaxation. Available in mule and sneaker styles priced at $95 and $145 respectively, the shoes reportedly sold out quickly, with over two million people signing up for restock notifications. On resale platforms like StockX, the ‘Light Smoke Grey’ mule version has become Nike’s top-listed shoe since 2016.

According to Nike’s Sport Research Lab, the shoes feature 22 foam nodes that stimulate foot nerves, increasing electrical activity in the brain’s sensorimotor network while calming the default mode network associated with wandering thoughts. The company claims this creates a state of “relaxed alertness.” However, no peer-reviewed studies have yet verified these findings.

Loughborough University’s Dr. Ishara Dharmasena considers the concept scientifically plausible, comparing it to traditional Ayurvedic foot massage. He cautions that prolonged use might reduce effectiveness as the brain adapts, classifying the product as a “passive neuro-wearable” that promotes calm without tracking data.