World
EU remains 'fully committed' to lithium deal despite unrest in Serbia
The EU Commission remains committed to strategic partnership on raw materials with Serbia despite recent protests, while Emmanuel Macron and Ursula von der Leyen are rumoured to be set to visit Belgrade.
The European Commission is steadfast in its intention to pursue a strategic partnership on raw materials with Serbia despite concerns over president Aleksandar Vučić’s claims that western powers lie behind widespread protests against a planned lithium mine, a spokesperson for the EU executive said today.
Commission vice-president Maroš Šefčovič and German Chancellor Olaf Schulz signed a memorandum of understanding in Belgrade last month, just days after Belgrade gave the green light for Anglo-Australian mining corporation Rio Tinto to resume a lithium mining development in the west of the country.
The EU executive said today that it remains “fully committed” to the partnership – the latest in over a dozen Brussels has signed to reduce dependence on China for access to the critical raw materials essential for electric car batteries and Europe’s ongoing energy transition.
“I don’t think we can quantify the importance of the memorandum of understanding with Serbia,” the Commission’s spokesperson on trade Johanna Bernsel told reporters today after president Ursula von der Leyen said securing access to cheap raw materials would be a key goal of the Clean Industrial Deal, the flagship policy agenda for her second mandate.
“What I can say is that we remain fully committed both to the partnership as such and to the environmental standards, to the fact that the environmental standards have to be compatible with EU law,” Bernsel said.
But such rhetoric, which EU leaders have been using since the deal was struck on 18 July, has cut little ice with opponents of Rio Tinto’s plans to open Europe’s largest lithium mine in the Jadar valley 100 kilometres west of the Serbian capital.
Widespread protests by environmentalists and opponents who fear Serbians will receive little benefit of the project culminated on 10 August when tens of thousands marched in the capital, and smaller groups later blocked railway lines into the capital.
There were reports of dozens of arrests, with protest organisers complaining of what they saw as coordinated police action and surveillance – while President Vučić railed against unnamed western powers he said were waging a “hybrid war” against his government.
Vučić said Russian intelligence services had warned him that unspecified governments were looking to foment “mass unrest and a coup” to unseat him from power – echoing assertions the Serbian president made back in February during a television appearance.
The European Commission dismissed such claims. “The European Union absolutely rejects any allegations that it would be involved in any kind of illegal or illegitimate activities linked to foreign interference,” foreign affairs spokesperson Peter Stano said.
EU leaders are keenly watching developments in Serbia, historically an ally of Russia which in May hosted Chinese leader Xi Jinping, with Vučić having said he expects a visit later this month from French president Emmanuel Macron whom he met on the sidelines of a summit in the UK in July.
WIDGET: Big summit of European leaders kicks off, focusing on Ukraine and EU-UK ties | Euronews
Macron said of the meeting that he had expressed his “full support” for Serbia’s integration into the EU, while stressing the importance of normalising relations between Belgrade and the majority ethnic Albanian enclave of Kosovo – whose independence Belgrade has yet to recognise and whose government is currently facing EU criticism over plans to open a bridge in the divided city of Mitrovica.
The French foreign ministry did not respond to repeated requests for confirmation that this visit may have been scheduled for next week. Similarly, the European Commission would not confirm whether president von der Leyen is planning her own visit to Belgrade in the coming weeks.
World
With US unleashing attacks, Iranian official threatens that the Islamic Republic will deliver a ‘hard slap’
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An Iranian official warned that the Islamic Republic will deliver a “hard slap” while another blatantly threatened the U.S. that “if you strike, you’ll get hit,” according to automatic translations from the two men’s Persian-language posts on X.
Ebrahim Rezaei, whose profile on the social media platform indicates that he is a representative in Iran’s Parliament and the spokesperson for the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, wrote in a post on X, “The martyred Khamenei taught us not to fear America and showed that ‘falsehood will perish.’ Await the hard slap from the Iranians.”
The speaker of Iran’s Parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, warned, “America still hasn’t learned that bullying and breaking promises are no longer cost-free. Let me put it plainly: if you strike, you’ll get hit. Don’t flail around pointlessly, or you’ll sink even deeper: the Strait of Hormuz will only open with ‘Iranian arrangements,’ not American threats.”
Both of the men issued their posts on Wednesday after U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced more strikes against Iran.
“At the direction of the Commander in Chief, U.S. Central Command forces have started conducting additional strikes against Iran to further degrade their ability to threaten freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. The United States is holding Iran accountable for recent unjustified aggression against commercial shipping and civilian crews freely navigating a vital international waterway,” CENTCOM had noted in a post on X.
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People gather at the Imam Khomeini Grand Mosalla for a farewell ceremony for Iran’s late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on July 4, 2026, in Tehran, Iran. (Majid Saeedi/Getty Images)
The U.S. military later provided more information about the attacks.
“U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces completed an additional round of strikes against Iran, July 8, to further degrade Iran’s ability to attack commercial shipping and innocent civilian mariners in the Strait of Hormuz,” CENTCOM noted on Wednesday night.
“U.S. forces struck approximately 90 Iranian military targets including air defense systems, coastal surveillance assets, missile and drone storage sites, naval capabilities, and military logistics infrastructure along Iran’s coastline. The latest strikes follow successful execution of offensive strikes in Iran the night before,” the announcement noted. “CENTCOM forces hit approximately 80 Iranian military targets July 7, including more than 60 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps small boats, to impose heavy costs for Iran violating the ceasefire by attacking three commercial vessels navigating the Strait of Hormuz.”
TRUMP DEMANDS END TO TRADE WITH KEY US ALLY, CALLS IT A ‘WASTED CAUSE’
President Donald Trump indicated on Wednesday that, as far as he was concerned, the U.S.-Iran Memorandum of Understanding ceasefire was “over.”
Kuwait and Bahrain have both reported coming under attack.
The Kuwait Army noted in a Thursday post on X, which was written in Arabic, “The Official Spokesman for the Ministry of Defense, Major General Saud Abdulaziz Al-Otaibi, stated that the armed forces detected, at dawn today, (3) ballistic missiles, (1) cruise missile, and (10) hostile drones within Kuwaiti airspace, which were successfully intercepted and dealt with.”
TRUMP SAYS ‘IRAN LIES AND CHEATS’ AS IRGC EMERGES AS DOMINANT FORCE IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH US
President Donald Trump speaks as he meets with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara, on July 8, 2026. (SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty Images)
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The Bahrain Defense Force noted in a post that was in Arabic, “The General Command clarifies that, with firm resolve and high combat readiness, the Bahrain Defense Force’s air defense systems confronted, intercepted, and destroyed several treacherous Iranian aerial attacks this morning, Thursday, July 9, 2026 CE.”
Three wins to go. How can your team reach the final and win the World Cup 2026? Click here to find out.
Who: Norway vs England list of 3 itemsend of list
What: FIFA World Cup 2026 – Quarterfinals
Where: Miami Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida, the United States
When: Saturday, July 11, at 5pm (21:00 GMT)
How to follow: We will have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 18:00 GMT before our live text commentary stream.
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Four weeks ago, if you told Norwegians their team would be in the World Cup quarterfinals, they might have laughed it off. But this weekend, the Scandinavian country is set to break new ground.
Norway’s dream run in North America enters a new chapter when the tournament’s dark horses take on title contenders England for a place in the semifinals.
It took Norway a whopping 28 years to return to the sport’s biggest stage, and they have made their mark in style – from their traditional Viking row celebrations capturing global attention to striker Erling Haaland becoming the internet’s darling.
A lethal presence in the box and a goofy, no-nonsense personality off the pitch, Haaland has become somewhat of an all-round entertainer for viewers. His exemplary goal-scoring figures make you almost forget he’s playing in his debut World Cup – and next up, the towering striker will go toe-to-toe with England’s Harry Kane, another number nine who delivers when it matters most.
How did Norway and England reach the round of 16?
Norway finished second in Group I with six points, beating Senegal and Iraq and losing to France. They started their knockout phase with a late 2-1 win over the Ivory Coast before stunning Brazil by the same scoreline to reach the quarterfinals for the first time.
England topped Group L with seven points, beating Croatia and Panama and drawing with Ghana. They needed a second-half comeback to beat the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the round of 32 and knocked out cohosts Mexico 3-2 in a scintillating last-16 contest at the iconic Azteca Stadium.
Pressure firmly on England
The chants of “It’s Coming Home” were louder than ever when England’s fighting spirit – against the background of high altitude, history and a red card – steered them to victory against the home side Mexico.
Sharing 10 of the team’s 11 goals between them, the dynamic duo of Kane and Jude Bellingham has kept England alive in the title race, especially at a time when there are defensive deficiencies in the squad.
The in-form side, which also boasts more World Cup experience than Norway, are deemed favourites to reach the semifinals for the first time since 2018.
“We’ve been here a few times,” said England winger Bukayo Saka. “But the best team on the day is going to be the team that wins, so we’re aware of that and that’s where our focus is.”
England’s leaky defence – which has kept only two clean sheets in five games – will face its toughest test yet against Haaland, whose seven goals rank him third in the Golden Boot race, only behind Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe.
Haaland: The most recognisable face at the World Cup
In their first World Cup since 1998, Norway, a nation of just more than five million people, has exceeded expectations.
After stunning the record five-time world champions Brazil to reach their first-ever quarterfinal, Norway will be eager to take down another giant and extend their fairytale run.
As much as their success has been a team effort, the spotlight has centred on their poster boy, Haaland – the blond, pony-tailed, 1.95-metre- (6ft4-) tall striker and a new social media sensation.
With his nonchalant replies in news conferences, awkward post-match selfies on Snapchat and a glittering collection of luxury handbags, the striker has drawn attention for more than just his goal-scoring prowess. In fact, “Haaland mania” has reached a fever pitch during the course of the World Cup.
Instagram is flooded with AI-generated and animated videos of him, stitched with his now-famous song “Ha-ha-ha-Haaland”.
“It’s important to joke around … I like to joke a little bit, and I like to have fun,” Haaland said. “That’s a key for my daily life – to joke around and, of course, train well and prepare well.”
Haaland’s top-notch preparation has delivered outcomes that even the 25-year-old did not expect.
“To be in the quarterfinals with Norway in the World Cup is quite surprising, even for me,” he said.
“Just to be able to play in the World Cup is, for me, a huge honour, and it was a huge goal for me in my career. To be able to be here and play on the biggest stage with my Norwegian friends against the best teams in the world, it’s really special.”
Norway vs England predictions
The Opta supercomputer gives England a 50.4 percent likelihood of winning in regulation time, while Norway’s chances of winning are 25.1 percent.
The model estimates a 24.6 percent probability of the game going to extra time.
What time is Norway vs England?
- Norway: NRK1, NRK2, TV 2 (11pm, Central European Summer Time)
- United Kingdom: STV, STV Player, ITV1, ITVX (10pm, British Summer Time)
- USA: Peacock, Fox, Fox One, Telemundo App, Telemundo Network (5pm, Eastern Daylight Time)
To check the TV listings for your country, head to FIFA’s TV listing schedule here.
Who will the winner face in the semifinals?
The winner of the Norway vs England match will play Argentina or Switzerland in the semifinals in Atlanta on Wednesday.
Norway vs England: Head-to-head
Norway and England have never met at the World Cup, but have previously faced each other 12 times. England have won seven times, Norway twice, while three matches ended in a draw.
Their most recent encounter came in a 2014 international friendly, which England won 1-0 at Wembley.
Norway vs England: Team news
England will be without defender Jarell Quansah after he was handed a two-match ban for picking up a red card in the game against Mexico. He will miss the quarterfinal and a potential semifinal should England advance.
Centre-back Marc Guehi has a slight hamstring strain and will be assessed later on Friday to see if he is fit to play, while Reece James remains doubtful with a hamstring injury.
Defensive midfielder Jordan Henderson has been ruled out of the rest of the tournament with a broken wrist.
No issues have been reported in the Norway camp.
Norway’s predicted lineup
(4-3-3): Nyland (goalkeeper); Ryerson, Ajer, Heggem, Moller Wolfe; Berg, Berge, Odegaard; Sorloth, Haaland, Nusa
England’s predicted lineup
(4-2-3-1): Pickford (goalkeeper); Konsa, Stones, Guehi, O’Reilly; Rice, Anderson; Saka, Bellingham, Gordon; Kane
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