The other parties should agree a pact: stand down and get behind Count Binface in a head to head with Farage. I’d get the train up to Clacton to doorknock for Binface.

This is classy from both of them. Belgium got the result that justice demanded but Balogun was put in a no-win situation and has handled it as best anyone could

There’s a moving story here of Merino’s fight back from horrible injury and honouring his father. Also, Merino is a mighty fine variety of wool for sweaters, so yeah, good stuff.

Like the rest of the world I’m glad Belgium beat USA. But I do feel sorry, a bit, for the US players - they didn’t want Trump’s corrupt meddling on their behalf and, by all accounts, are good guys.

Strangely subdued so far from this immensely talented Spain side. Come on World Cup, drama please!

I have a soft spot for Ronaldo. When I used to go to Old Trafford I watched in awe as he shredded opponents. But in 2026 I’d have Leão start for Portugal over Ronaldo every time. In fact, Leão interests me as a possible buy for United.

Click bait racist bullshit from the Times/Chris Philp. 12 Cameroonians did not sponsor 15 dependants each. 12 new work visas were issued to Cameroonians. 180 visas were issued to dependants of the (many thousands of) Cameroonians *already here*. Etc. www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...

The President of one of the host countries has no locus in FIFA’s regulations. He cannot ‘get rid of’ a red card. If Balogun takes the field on Trump’s instructions (or Infantino’s, as Trump’s advocate), USA forfeit the match for fielding an ineligible player. Sports Law case study coming up!

Last night Ukraine could not intercept a single Russian ballistic missile. The USA deliberately starving Ukraine of Patriot missiles is now clearly understood by the Russians as American support for their terror bombing. The USA is helping Putin kill Ukrainians.

Good morning. England’s heroics at the Azteca lifted my spirits. This story about musicians playing on through Israel’s genocide lifted them more.

I doubt Trump could name any of the US players or explain any element of ‘soccer’ but it’s genuinely funny that his people care enough to put a call in to Gianni. And it would be very Gianni to then have a word with the relevant panel.

We have an evergreen magnolia tree in our garden, the type you see a lot in India, and they produce a lovely bowl-shaped flower which always make me think of ancestors.

This is about micro bouts of learning a musical instrument but there is of course a 100% read across to language learning #langsky

Just reading up on the fall of Moctezuma’s seemingly impregnable Tenochtitlan.

I just overheard someone say, in Polish-accented English, ‘can’t be arsed’ and yeah, that’s a good enough test for me of conversational ability, integration into British life and granting of citizenship. #langsky

Farage is a traitor. He takes bribes from Putin and crypto criminals - he’s a criminal himself - and maybe these stories cut through and hurt him. But unless there’s a criminal conviction and a jail term I don’t think, sadly, they end his political career.

There’s a Thai Buddhist temple in Wimbledon. Yesterday, on the Common, I put my palms together and lowered my head as I crossed paths with a group of monks. They responded by saying something like ‘Saah Torh’. Who speaks Thai? What does it mean? #langsky

A disturbing photo. This isn’t a mob, they aren’t just thugs. They are drilled, they are Nazis. Their leaders have a plan to replace American democracy with some evil Reich.

Global heating means we now have Mediterranean warm evenings in London. It’s weird and unsettling. Millions will die through climate chaos. But yeah I’m pouring another glass of Prosecco and enjoying reading outdoors in daylight until near bedtime.

Upwards, by Wassily Kandinsky, 1929, (rotated, detail), 📸 by Lars Baron

I have family in New York whose settlement story is a bit like Mamdani’s. We stayed with them a couple of summers ago in a multiracial neighbourhood full of hospitable folk - more truly American than their monster President.

I didn’t watch the game. It was on in the dead of the European night. But my goodness, I’m going to watch a highlights package. I ♥️ Cabo Verde.

Egypt’s kit looks a bit like United’s and some deep Pavlovian response is kicking in. I want Red to win. With those little flashes of black and white. Red. Come on Red.

Well, Sheffield is really Derbyshire rather than Yorkshire, and Sheffield, by ‘eck, is, very definitely, North.

I agree with this assessment of Tuchel’s options and the suggestion that England should adopt stifling tactics against Mexico at the Azteca. The game has ‘defeat’ for England written all over it.

No school should be on X or oblige parents to get updates from it. A site that actively promotes porn, bullying, hate and fascism is not an appropriate place to post pictures of sports days.

Olly Richards’ interesting podcast often returns to the Q of learning two languages at the same time. If you’re trying to get fluent asap, no, focus on just one. If, like me, you’re not in a race against time and interested in how languages work, relax, study a few and explore variation! #langsky

Modi really is a horrible little mini-Trump. I want him gone.

Watching Spain run rings round Austria and there’s a part of me that wants Mexico at the weekend to put England out of their misery before they get crushed by a proper elite team.

Bloody hell, somebody's put new batteries in Lisa Nandy.

May Morning, linocut by Bryan Angus, Scottish artist based in Banff on the Moray Firth.

There’s a scary line in Zoe Williams’ astute piece about Burnham that suggests he might make Shabana Mahmood his chancellor. If he does, it will tell me everything I need to know about his values - values no progressive could ever share.

Fascism in the US hasn’t taken a break during the World Cup.

If this becomes major news, I’d expect to see what you saw in Minneapolis and Chicago, which is major immigrant communities effectively going into hiding. Here, it was economically devastating. Nationwide, it could provoke an economic downturn

Early stroll. Clouds crowd the sky. The pleasure of chewing apple pips. A faint and fading rainbow. Someone whizzes by on a bike, trying to outcycle the weather. Birds swirl like tea leaves in a cup.

Nerves shredded. Great to see England find a way back from what looked for long stretches would be a humbling defeat. But none of the other teams left in the tournament will be losing sleep about facing Tuchel’s wobbly-looking contraption.

I haven’t been on Facebook for years and I don’t have an Instagram account; very glad not to. Zuckerberg, Musk, all of these people should be in jail.

Carbon capture ideas ...

Frances Ryan’s piece is one of the sharpest of the many conflicting takes now out there on what Burnham as Prime Minister might mean for the country. My test for him is whether he sacks Shabana Mahmood and ends the anti-migrant rhetoric.

Agree. Palestine is such a totemic issue for the British (and global) left and support for Israel’s ethnic cleansing is increasingly hard-right coded. Burnham taking a stand will serve him well electorally with disillusioned progressives. It’s a key test for him.

I didn’t watch Burnham’s speech live but yeah, this little clip and the write-up left me feeling positive. If he can push through change we can feel, I’ll get behind him. But he first has to sack Shabana Mahmood and cut out the nastiness running through Labour right now.

True, but other bits of digital language learning have improved. I sometimes type a question of the sort ‘what’s the difference in Dutch between ‘heen’ and ‘naartoe’’ and these days the built-in AI comes up with really helpful responses for those of us teaching ourselves. #langsky

Ukrainian French artist Sonia Delaunay's 1920s - 1930s clothing designs #WomensArt

Burnham's big devolution speech should be taking place in a city not called Manchester (Leicester, Wolverhampton, Coventry, you take your pick) and I would have thought it was obvious why.

Japanese artist Naomi Okubo, Camouflage #3, 2017 #womensart

This is not satire, as I’d initially thought.

I like the Canadian players’ names - a bit French, a bit Brit, modern immigration, multicultural. I’ve only ever met nice Canadian people. I like Canada.

In no country has a democratic party benefited from adopting anti-immigration policies. It fails on every level. It repels your own voters, & none of the far-right you wish to win over or appease ever credits you for it. 🇬🇧 is the best example. Polls still show voters trust Reform with that first.

Helen Keller (* 27. Juni 1880) war weit mehr als die erste taubblinde Frau mit Uni-Abschluss. Sie war eine radikale Aktivistin, Sozialistin & Suffragette. Unermüdlich kämpfte sie für das Frauenwahlrecht, Arbeiterrechte und gründete die ACLU mit. #WomensHistory #Gittepedia

I LOVE this guy. Look at that smile. And he jumped into a pool with his suit on. Did you see that one? I LOVE this guy. And he’s a democratic socialist. I LOVE this guy. And he makes a point of learning New Yorkers’ languages. I LOVE, I absolutely LOVE this guy.