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FIFA considers expanding World Cup to 64 teams, Infantino says

Every nation should be allowed to dream of participating in the World Cup, FIFA President told

WASHINGTON, July 12. /TASS/. FIFA may consider the possibility of expanding the World Cup to 64 teams, FIFA President Gianni Infantino told the blue Sport portal.

"That’s definitely an issue that will be examined and discussed in the relevant committees after this World Cup," he said. " Every nation should be allowed to dream of participating in the World Cup."

The FIFA chief called the expansion of the participants' field at the 2026 World Cup a huge success.

The World Cup is being held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with the tournament concluding on July 19. For the first time, 48 national teams are participating in it.

IN BRIEF: World Cup quarterfinal results

In the semifinals, reigning European champions Spain will face France, while reigning world champions Argentina will play England

Argentina becomes last semifinalist of FIFA World Cup

Argentina beat Switzerland 3:1

Venezuela thanks Russia for humanitarian assistance

Foreign Minister Yvan Gil Pinto said the people of Venezuela know they can always count on Russia’s solidarity

Explosion heard on Iran’s Qeshm island

Earlier reports said multiple blasts were heard in the cities of Bushehr and Asaluyeh

Iran's Supreme Leader vows to avenge death of Ali Khamenei, other Iranians

This vengeance is the will of our people, and it must undoubtedly be carried out, Mojtaba Khamenei said

Israeli Air Force attacks Hezbollah stronghold in Al-Mansouri in southern Lebanon

According to Janoubia news website, several abandoned houses came under attack, among other targets

Russia seeks sustainable peace in Ukraine conflict — Kremlin spokesman

According to Dmitry Peskov, The Ukraine process is currently on hold

Russian Navy must solve country’s all tasks both in peacetime, wartime — Patrushev

The chairman of the Maritime Board noted that one of the tasks that must be solved to improve Russia's maritime power is the development of the country's naval presence in remote regions

Russia remains in contact with Turkey on S-400 issue — Kremlin

Earlier, the Turkish pro-government newspaper reported that the S-400 systems purchased by Turkey from Russia had been sold to one of the Persian Gulf countries

Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps fires warning shots at ship in Strait of Hormuz

Due to the incident, the strait has been closed until further notice, the IRGC says

Multiple explosions heard in several Iranian cities — IRIB

The report attributed the blasts in Chabahar to attacks of a terrorist group supported by the US

Euroclear asks appellate court to halt enforcement of Bank of Russia’s claim

The court previously accepted the depository's appeal and scheduled the hearing for July 16

Russian MiG-31 fighter scrambled to intercept Norwegian spy plane over Barents Sea

The Russian fighter’s crew identified the air object as a Norwegian Air Force P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft

One civilian killed, 15 more wounded in Ukraine’s attacks on DPR in past day

The majority of victims sustained their wounds while driving the region’s roads, the republic’s head Denis Pushilin said

Russia regrets Belgrade’s lack of response to anti-Russian attacks by Stefanchuk — MFA

In general, as usual, the Ukrainian guest's lies were uninventive but verbose — following the primitive templates of Kiev's agitprop: calculated for the compliant omnivorousness of candidates for EU membership," Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova stated

Epstein case reveals real face of Western elites seeking to rule world — Lavrov

"It is unnecessary to explain to any normal person that this is pure Satanism and is beyond human comprehension," the Russian Foreign Minister added

Kiev’s desire to get rid of Russians in Kherson area: ombudsman's statements

According to Yana Lantratova, the office of the Commissioner for Human Rights systematically records and collects "all evidence of crimes committed by the Kiev regime, including violations of international humanitarian law

Russia cannot be global power without powerful Navy — Patrushev

It is important to realize, Russian Presidential Aide, Chairman of the Maritime Board said

Death toll from Venezuela earthquake rises to 4,333

According to President of the Bolivarian Republic’s National Assembly Jorge Rodriguez, 16,740 people were injured

Tanker entering canal in south Russia damaged in drone attack

There were no casualties and there was no threat of an oil leak, Governor Yury Slyusar said

Russian forces strike military-industrial complex enterprises in Kiev — top brass

The Russian Defense Ministry added that port infrastructure facilities in Odessa, Chernomorsk, and Izmail in the Odessa region, used for the delivery and storage of military cargo and fuel and lubricants, were also struck

US President Trump instructs Vance, Rubio to continue negotiations with Iran — CBS

A source told the channel that the talks are to take place in Oman on Saturday

Lebanon to take part in Rome talks with Israel in mid-July — diplomat

The decision was made after Israel announced its intentions to start withdrawing its troops

Former Emir of Qatar dies at 74

Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani ruled Qatar from 1995 to 2013

Kiev air defenses fail to cope with Russia’s new strikes — Le Monde

The report quoted a Ukrainian colonel as saying that the failures were due to a lack of Patriot air defense systems and interceptor missiles

More than 150 Soviet soldiers' graves desecrated in The Netherlands

The perpetrators had spray-painted graffiti on the gravestones using red paint

Russia establishes control over settlement of Bachevsk in Sumy region — defense ministry

In addition, Russian troops also struck fuel and energy complex and transport infrastructure facilities used by the Ukrainian military

Air defense forces destroy 178 Ukrainian drones over Russian regions overnight

Duty air defense assets intercepted and destroyed Ukrainian fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles over the territories of the Bryansk, Kaluga, Rostov, Smolensk, Tver, Moscow and Krasnodar Regions, as well as the Republics of Crimea and Adygea, and over the waters of the Azov and Black Seas

Russian forces strike three ports, two enterprises in Kiev during overnight attack

In Kiev, the "Fanplit" enterprise, which assembles "Fire Point-2" drones with a range of up to 200 km and is disguised as civilian furniture production, was also struck

FIFA considers expanding World Cup to 64 teams, Infantino says

Every nation should be allowed to dream of participating in the World Cup, FIFA President told

Russian air defense forces down 2 bombs, 2 missiles, 445 UAVs over past day — top brass

Total Ukrainian losses across all directions of the special military operation amounted to approximately 1,460 servicemen over the past day

Trump says he ordered unprecedented strike against Iran if he is assassinated

The US leader said that Iran had allegedly been trying to kill him for many years

IN BRIEF: World Cup quarterfinal results

In the semifinals, reigning European champions Spain will face France, while reigning world champions Argentina will play England

US wants peace in Ukraine, but Euro-Nazis do everything to prevent it — Kremlin aide

He added that the Euronazis influence Vladimir Zelensky's team in a variety of ways

Russian, Chinese navies successfully complete sea phase of joint exercises

The exercises were aimed at practicing rescue operations, striking targets at sea, and at assisting air and missile defense, the Chinese Defense Ministry said

Russian boxer Gassiev defends WBA champion title

The athlete defeated Peter Kadiru of Germany by technical knockout

Russian UAV solutions are head and shoulders above foreign counterparts — expert

Aviron CEO Igor Lapin emphasized that Russian manufacturers were demonstrating outstanding results, including in practical applications

UN charter relevant while Germany, Japan, Italy vote against resolution on Nazism

Grigory Lukyantsev, Russian Foreign Ministry's department director, said that the number of states voting annually for the Russian resolution on combating the glorification of Nazism is stable

Slovak PM reports interest in dialogue with Russia from many at NATO summit

Robert Fico added that his country will not participate in NATO’s project to provide €70 billion in military assistance to Ukraine

Oman, Iran agree to continue talks on security in Hormuz Strait

The sides agreed to continue these discussions at the technical and political levels to reach necessary agreements

England eliminates Norway from World Cup, advances to semifinals

England defeated Norway 2:1

Press review: US, Europe may clash over Ukraine as China missile alarms Pacific region

Top stories from the Russian press on Tuesday, July 7th

Two killed, five wounded in Toronto shooting — police

The identity of the shooter and his motives are unknown at this point

US National Intelligence acting head announces another staff reduction

Bill Pulte did not disclose the exact number of the axed staff

Russian troops liberate seven communities in Ukraine operation over week — top brass

Russian forces delivered seven strikes by precision weapons and unmanned aerial vehicles on Ukrainian military-industrial sites, logistics centers and military airfields over the past week

US completes series of strikes on Iran, third this week — CENTCOM

The attack was carried out in connection with Iran’s attack on a commercial ship in the Strait of Hormuz

Russian strikes hit port infrastructure in Odessa, Chernomorsk

Also a crew of Geran drones has destroyed a gas distribution station used in the interests of the Ukrainian armed forces in Kramatorsk

US perceived possible threat to Trump from Iran as not entirely credible — WSJ

At the same time, the US president used an older jet to return home from the NATO summit in Turkey

Europe may agree to tolls for maritime traffic in Strait of Hormuz — newspaper

According to sources cited by The Guardian, European governments believe that the payment should be voluntary and regulated by the UN International Maritime Organization

Over 10 blasts heard in Iranian city of Bandar-e-Jask — IRIB

The US military previously confirmed the start of another wave of strikes against targets in Iran

US delivers strikes on Iranian targets in Strait of Hormuz area — Axios journalist

Barak Ravid says the strikes are being carried out in response to shots earlier fired by the IRGC at a commercial ship in the area

If Russia has no fleet providing security, it will not exist — Kremlin aide

Nikolay Patrushev also said that Russia needs a strong merchant fleet

Iran plans to stay away from talks until US position changes — agency

According to its information, the resumption of negotiations in the near future is unlikely

NATO early warning and control plane spotted off Black Sea coast

A source in the EU air traffic control services says the plane is in Romania’s airspace

Russian forces effectively strike Ukrainian port facilities — defense ministry

This refers to strikes with long-range high-precision weapons not only against facilities in the supposedly most protected Kiev, where Zelensky has now concentrated practically all available Western missile defense systems, the Russian Defense Ministry added

Nine civilians injured in Ukrainian attack on passenger bus in DPR — governor

Denis Pushilin said the bus was following a regular route from Novy Svet to Donetsk

Polish Defense Minister visits Volyn region of Ukraine on massacre remembrance day

Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz delivered a speech addressed to Ukrainians

Deputy PM Novak key statements on fuel shortages, export bans, resellers

The official emphasized that Russia had sufficient fuel refining capacity at present

Israel strikes Hezbollah radicals transferring missiles into southern Lebanon — IDF

They were transferring anti-tank missiles within the security zone

Starship to perform its 13th test flight on July 16 — SpaceX

The spacecraft carries 20 next-generation Starlink V3 satellites, six of which are equipped with cameras to monitor the heat shield

FSB and CIA prepared joint operation to eliminate bin Laden — Kremlin aide

Nikolay Patrushev noted that each authority had its role

Russia fully aware of US actively supplying weapons to Kiev, has no delusions — Kremlin

The decision for the US to transfer a license for the production of Patriot systems to Ukraine was announced yesterday by US President Donald Trump

Il-114-300 aircraft to be certified for landing on ground in 2027 — ministry

Industry and Trade Minister Anton Alikhanov says no structural changes are required for this

Russia needs to produce everything by itself and rely on no one — Kremlin aide

Nikolay Patrushev noted that there was a period when there was a mood "we will buy everything"

Russian 'soldier of the future' combat gear tested in Syria

The Ratnik is a system of advanced protective and communication equipment, weapons and ammunition

Up to 200 gas stations destroyed in Ukraine since early May

According to information as of late June, the number of destroyed gas stations exceeded 150

Five drones taken down while approaching Moscow

First responders are working at the crash site

Russia’s Mnogotochie special rounds effective against drones — Rostec

According to Bekkhan Ozdoyev, industrial director of Rostec’s Armament Cluster, board member of the Union of Russian Machine-Building Enterprises, combat operations in the special military operation zone in Ukraine are called a "drone war" because drones attack both equipment and soldiers from all sides

Kiev’s drone supplier Helsing makes its UAVs at secret plant in south Germany — NYT

According to sources cited by the newspaper, the factory can be dismantled and relocated within a day

Russian strikes hit Odtrans logistics center, Odessa port infrastructure

As previously reported by the ministry, last night, the Russian armed forces carried out group strikes using long-range air-launched precision weapons and attack drones

Visit of Witkoff, Kushner to Russia not removed from the agenda — TASS source

It can be expected, the agency's interlocutor said

Poland, France hold first consultations on nuclear umbrella project — MFA

Warsaw did not elaborate, saying only that the two delegations "focused on Europe’s current security situation"

NATO sees no evidence of Russia preparing to attack Baltic states — The Times

According to the newspaper, the increase in the West’s defense spending rests on the notion that Russia could attack NATO’s eastern flank by 2030

Authorities doing their best to protect refineries, maintain fuel output — Deputy PM Novak

The official noted that the authorities intended to ensure additional fuel shipments to the regions

Terms for ending conflict in Ukraine to be worse for Kiev than in 2022 — Russian senator

Ultimately, everything will be decided at the negotiating table, Konstantin Kosachev said

UAE air defenses repel missile, drone attack from Iran — ministry

The news came shortly after Iran’s Press TV channel reported that the Islamic Republic had started its attacks against US targets in the Middle East

Over 140 Ukrainian drones taken down over Russian regions during day

Russian air defense systems intercepted and destroyed 144 Ukrainian fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles over Crimea, the Belgorod, Bryansk, Kaluga, Rostov, Smolensk, Tver, Tula, Moscow, and Krasnodar Regions, and the Black Sea

Press review: Trump-Putin call as Russian troops advance while US-Russia OPCW talks fail

Top stories from the Russian press on Monday, July 6th

Russia no longer to be ‘gas station’ — Putin

According to the Russian leader, the country's processing sector already stands for 43% in the structure of economic growth

Italian suspect in espionage for Russia denies transferring any documents, his lawyer says

Francesco Vaccaro added that the defense had not yet filed a motion to lift the restrictive measure against Gavino Raoul Piras who is currently under house arrest

Victims of quake-hit Caracas receive Russia’s humanitarian aid — ambassador

Sergey Melik-Bagdasarov added that humanitarian aid from a Russian company was also delivered to Venezuela's La Guaira state

Russian MP calls Dutch desecration of Soviet war memorial attempt to erase history

That was a cynical attack against the sacred memory of the people who had sacrificed their lives to liberate Europe, deputy head of the State Duma Committee for the Development of Civil Society Olga Zanko

Oman suggests organizing two separate maritime routes in Strait of Hormuz — TV

According to CNN sources, each of the routes can be controlled separately

Pentagon’s chief says Iran is paying for its bad choice

The statement was made after the US military started another wave of strikes against targets in Iran

Civil defense sirens activated in Bahrain, residents told to take shelter — ministry

Iran’s Press TV channel previously reported that the Islamic Republic had started its attacks against US targets in the Middle East

No US officials attending consultations on Iran in Oman — CBS

Jennifer Jacobs, a reporter for the channel, says the Americans will keep up a remote conversation with Omanis and Qataris during the negotiations

Baltic states deny claims about letting Kiev use their skies for attacks against Russia

In what they called a joint demarche at the Russian Foreign Ministry, the three Baltic republics also accused Moscow of allegedly spreading lies and escalating the situation

Teen in critical condition after drone attack in Belgorod Region

The 13-year-old boy was taken to a local hospital with multiple fragmentation wounds to the face and stomach

Russia doesn’t refuse from talks on Ukraine but set forth its conditions — Kremlin aide

Nikolay Patrushev added that while US President Donald Trump and the US want to settle the Ukrainian issue politically and diplomatically, European Nazis spare no effort not to let this happen

Seagal calls Putin greatest leader in world

American actor also gave his assessment of Vladimir Zelensky and US President Donald Trump

Kremlin comments on contact with Turkey over S-400s, Ukraine buffer zone

According to Dmitry Peskov, Russia and the United States continue to maintain working-level contact as part of their bilateral dialogue

Senator Lindsey Graham dies at 71

Republican Senator passed away from a brief and sudden illness

US imposes sanctions against alleged financier of ‘Iranian elites’

According to the US Treasury, Washington's restrictions also apply to three Iranian "shadow exchange houses," one Hong Kong-based firm, and one UAE-based company

Memorial wall for victims of Volhynia massacre to be erected in Warsaw — Tusk

The Polish Prime Minister emphasized that Ukraine must be ready to accept historical truth in order to join the EU

US demands Iran publicly announce intention against attacking vessels in Strait of Hormuz

According to Reuters, the US also demands that Iran publicly declare its lack of intentions to charge for the passage of vessels through the strait

Ukrainian expert dismisses US pledge about Patriot missile license as `marketing move’

Air defense systems and missiles for them could be localized in country only after the hostilities end, Alexey Kushch said

Iran begins series of strikes at US targets in Middle East — TV

The US earlier reported another wave of strikes against targets in Iran

Trump’s proposals on Ukrainian airspace closure represent something new for Moscow

Dmitry Peskov stressed that the proposal voiced by the American president contradicted one of the set objectives of the Russian special military operation

Ukraine to get Patriot missiles soon — Zelensky

Vladimir Zelensky also said that Kiev and Washington had reached agreements about producing interceptor missiles for the Patriot systems on the territory of Ukraine

Messi overtakes Klose in terms of FIFA World Cup knockout appearances

The Argentine striker played in 15 knockout matches

Russian humanitarian mission returns from Uganda as Ebola situation there stabilizes

No new Ebola cases have been registered there for almost three weeks, the agency conducting the mission says