Trump has transformed the imperial boomerang into a Mobius Strip that feeds his insatiable and seemingly unstoppable lust for power. Be very afraid. My latest: www.nytimes.com/2026/01/09/o...

The grotesque.

The grotesque.

The grotesque.

The grotesque.

Bénin, with nothing to lose, making a nice little game of it against Egypt.

The grotesque.

If you've ever applied, or provided a letter of support for an applicant, for an O-1B visa ("Individuals with an extraordinary ability or achievement" in the arts), you'll no doubt be pleased to hear that www.ft.com/content/8816...

The grotesque.

Too little too late for an ultimately disappointing South Africa. They need to retool for the World Cup. They lack ideas. Cameroon get Morocco next, and it's going to be titanic.

Some late drama after all! South Africa substitute with a great name — Evidence Makgopa — leaps to poke it in. 2-1. Now for a furious finish

It doesn't look like happening for South Africa. After their bright start failed to pay off, they just seemed to run out of ideas.

Christian Kofane with a fine header ! 2-0 Cameroon. Bafana Bafana staring at the exit door.

1-0 Cameroon at the half. South Africa started fluidly but Cameroon found the way to disrupt them, then capitalized.

And it's Cameroon who get the first one! Against the run of play, arguably, but Cameroon was coming back into the match. Mistake by a South Africa defender tees it up for the easy touch.

Sharp start from SA, playing more attractive football than we'd seen thus far. Technical, flowing, fast.

South Africa-Cameroon. A serious contest that can tilt either way. One of my Nigerian homies says this is one match where he wishes both sides could lose 😂 but for non-haters it's an exciting confrontation

On one hand, this should be it. On the other hand, it's AFCON.

There it is! Brahim Díaz fools Masalanga from an ultra-tight angle at the near post. The entire Kingdom of Morocco can breathe. 1-0.

Tasty free-kick chance for Morocco right at the edge of the box, right of center. Hakimi... off the crossbar!

Wow, a fast counter from Tanzania forces Bono into a lightning save. This is a good match.

Hakimi seems well recovered from his injury some weeks ago, which is good. He's galloping down that right wing again.

A chunky 7 minutes of extra time but Tanzania holds on. It's 0-0 at the half, all the pressure on the hosts.

Morocco's El-Kaabi is famous for scoring on overhead kicks—he's had two goals that way already. It's hilarious watching him try to get in position for the stunt over and over.

Morocco swarming but the penultimate move tends to falter. Tanzania holding shape but finding it hard to compose.

No penalty review. Tanzania breathes.

The Tanzanian goalkeeper clatters into a Moroccan attacker late, though the ball had already spun out of range. A penalty could be given and would likely be decisive.

Goal Morocco but this one is coming back for a clear offside. Notice is served, though.

Tunisia has a player called Hannibal; Tanzania has a player called Mwalimu. This Mwalimu, Selemani Mwalimu Abdallah, was born in January 2006. As a twist in this match against Morocco, his home club is Wydad Casablanca, though he's on loan this year back in Tanzania at Simba SC.

Early opportunity for Tanzania, a free header. Morocco is a superb team but have been a bit sloppy in defense. Tanzania might not get many of these chances though.

Meanwhile it's Morocco-Tanzania in the #AFCON2025 second round. Host country, inordinately talented squad—everything points on paper to an easy Morocco win. If they should falter it will be an national psychic catastrophe. Tanzania has nothing to lose. Let's see.

Now more than ever.

The utter mediocrity of the prevailing discourse is something to behold.

A useful reminder here that Jeff Bezos's adopted father Miguel "Mike" Bezos, who raised him and provided the money to start Amazon, is a Cuban exile who arrived in the US in 1962.

Also by Rory Carroll at @theguardian.com "For years Chavismo exaggerated the US threat in order to cry wolf. When the wolf showed up he turned out to be an American version of Chávez." www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...

Analysis by Rory Carroll at @theguardian.com (who was based in Caracas 2006-12 and wrote a biography of Chávez) www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...

A rugged Mali-Tunisia ends 1-1 after extra time and goes to the penalty shootout. High drama and in the end Mali, playing one man down since the first half, gets the win! It will be Mali-Senegal in the quarterfinal. A regional classic!

But wait! Penalty! Dramatic delay as the decision is confirmed. It is. Sinayoko steps up. It's in! This one is going to extra time after all.

Chaouat on a free header breaks the deadlock for Tunisia with just a few minutes to play. Senegal won't fear these guys.

Yellow card to Hannibal for taking a dive. Imagine being named Hannibal and taking a dive.

Tunisia's No. 10 is called Hannibal, which feels only right

Mali 0-0 Tunisia at the half. A proper ugly match.

Five yellow cards in the first 25 minutes of Mali-Tunisia, then Woyo Coulibaly is shown straight red. Advantage Tunisia in an ugly affair.

Ugly start as expected to Mali-Tunisia

Mali haven't been at their best but the hope is that they dispatch Tunisia, an utterly tedious side, out of the tournament.

It's over! 3-1 for Senegal, a logical result. They will play — and be favored against — the winner of Mali-Tunisia. Sudan did well. To make it into the second round, considering the weight of the civil war and the scattered and complicated conditions under which they've been living and playing.

And alllllmost another goal from Mbaye! Rises to glance the header the right way but it sails just over.

Ibrahim Mbaye, 17, comes on. Ibrahim Mbaye, 17, energizes the Senegal attack. Ibrahim Mbaye, 17, scores a beautiful goal!

Sudan on the front foot entering the second half, only a fantastic save from Mendy prevents them from tying. This is it for them, throw it all into creating the upset.

Penalty or offside? An extended VAR review finds the latter. A few minutes later Sudan clears poorly but the Senegalese attacker wasn't yet back onside. Senegal keeps swarming. Another goal... another close review... this one's good! 2-1 Senegal nearing the half.