Soccer - 1 : Football 4

The USA join fellow #FIFAWorldCup co-hosts Canada and Mexico after being eliminated by Belgium in the Round of 16. Which team impressed you the most? 🤔

THE WORLD HAS NOT STOPPED CHEERING FOR THE DOWNFALL OF AMERICA BELGIUM, THE GOOD GUYS! The increasing lack of international support shown towards the USA was on full display today, as the FIFA World Cup host nation was comprehensively defeated at home. At the halfway point of Donald Trump's second term as US President, America's global standing has never been this low since the halfway point of Donald Trump's first term as US President. Once viewed as 'the leader of the free world' - the USA's increasingly volatile and undiplomatic treatment towards not only the their allies but also their own citizens - has resulted in never-before-seen anti-American sentiment on the world sporting stage. This comes as Belgium secures their place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarter-finals with a 4-1 victory over America at Seattle Stadium. Even when their opponent was arguably the most bloodied and barbaric nation in modern history, it seems that everyone was cheering for America to lose in the Round of 16. Including the many countries that have been violently pillaged and slaughtered by Belgium. The reign of King Leopold II of Belgium is widely recognised as the most brutal and dehumanising regimes in colonial history. The King himself is remembered for treating Africa as his own personal property, ruthlessly exploiting the land, resources and native people for the extraction of rubber and ivory. The bloodshed was at an unfathomable scale with an estimated 10 million casualties at the hands of this seemingly polite northern European country. And even then, the entire Global South - and much of Europe and the wider Commonwealth were cheering for them for all of the 94 minutes in their match against the USA soccer team this morning. Nearly an hour since a bloodbath victory so vicious that only Belgium could be capable of it - the world has not stopped cheering for the downfall of America. It is not known if President Trump can turn around this very obvious shift in the global sentiment towards the USA, before the LA Olympics which will take place in the dying days of this Presidential term. However, some would say personally intervening of refereeing decisions might not be the best approach to improving things.

China's 66 billion planted trees are growing 66% faster than natural forests. For nearly 50 years, China has been building the world's largest reforestation project, known as the Great Green Wall. Stretching across the edges of the Gobi and Taklamakan deserts, the massive belt of trees was designed to slow the spread of desertification. Now, a new study suggests those planted forests are behaving differently than natural ones. Using satellite observations, researchers found that the planted forests have been increasing their leaf area about 66% faster than nearby natural forests. Part of the reason is simple: younger trees naturally grow faster than older ones. The planted forests are also actively managed by people. But even after accounting for differences in age and growing conditions, the researchers found the planted forests were still growing about 4.6% faster than comparable natural forests. Scientists think one reason may be that these younger forests are responding more strongly to rising carbon dioxide levels in Earth's atmosphere, though exactly why remains unclear. The findings could improve how scientists estimate how much carbon forests remove from the atmosphere. There is an important catch, however. The study found the growth advantage peaks when the trees are around 30 to 40 years old before beginning to fade. Natural forests grow more slowly, but they continue storing carbon for much longer and support far greater biodiversity. That means planting trees can be an effective short-term way to capture carbon, but researchers say it is not a replacement for protecting existing forests. China's Great Green Wall has already increased forest cover across the region from about 5% in 1978 to 14% in 2023, helping reduce dust storms and improve air quality. Now scientists are discovering that the project may also be teaching us new lessons about how forests respond to a changing climate. Learn more: "Enhanced CO2 Response and Aging-Related Dynamics Drive a Greater Leaf Area Index Increase in China's Planted Forests in Comparison to Natural Forests." Geophysical Research Letters.

Home made 52% or 72% is best!

The Independence Day that’s needed 🇺🇸

Oakland Institute’s War and Theft. Read it — unless being square is your thing.

The world just witnessed the largest funeral in the history of the known universe. Meanwhile, Trump tells Axios: "I was shocked to see Iranians crying at Khamenei's funeral, as I thought people hated him." The Western Empire is in terminal decline. Their idiocracy is the proof: