Welcome to our live coverage of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 clash between Canada and Morocco at the Houston Stadium in Texas on Saturday. With a place in the quarter-finals at stake, both sides will be aiming to continue their impressive runs in the tournament. Canada, one of the tournament's co-hosts, have reached the knockout stage after an encouraging campaign under Jesse Marsch. Les Rouges booked their place in the Round of 16 with a dramatic 1-0 victory over South Africa, sealed by a stoppage-time winner, and now stand just one win away from a historic first-ever FIFA World Cup quarter-final appearance. Morocco, meanwhile, have once again underlined their credentials as one of world football's toughest knockout teams. Walid Regragui's side topped their group before edging past the Netherlands in a penalty shootout after scoring a dramatic late equaliser in the Round of 32. Having become the first African nation to reach a World Cup semi-final in 2022, the A...
A fragile diplomatic truce between Pakistan and Afghanistan collapsed dramatically this week after Pakistani forces carried out overnight airstrikes inside Afghan territory, hitting civilian areas in Paktika, Khost, and Kunar provinces.
The attacks, described by Afghan authorities as a "direct assault on sovereignty", have triggered warnings from the Taliban-led Islamic Emirate, deepening an already volatile standoff that has stretched for weeks.
The strikes come despite ceasefire understandings reached during recent Qatar and Turkey negotiations, where both sides publicly signalled readiness to de-escalate. Afghan officials now say Pakistan's military regime has "betrayed its commitments" and reverted to what they call a pattern of "habitual duplicity".
According to local Afghan authorities, the late-night bombardment caused multiple civilian casualties, including women and children. Independent verification remains difficult due to restricted access in the targeted districts, but Afghan social media channels have been flooded with images said to depict the aftermath of the attack.
In a statement, Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, condemned the strikes as a violation of international norms and Afghan territorial integrity.
"These hostile actions achieve nothing," Mujahid said. "They only prove the ongoing failures of Pakistan's military regime. Defending our airspace, territory, and citizens is our legitimate right. A necessary response will be taken at the proper time, God willing."
The Pakistan Army has not yet issued a detailed public explanation, though officials in Islamabad have in recent weeks claimed cross-border hostile activity originating from Afghan soil, an allegation the Taliban leadership consistently rejects.
Afghan political figures across the spectrum also denounced the strikes. Former president Hamid Karzai called on Pakistan to "abandon hostile policies", criticising the bombing of civilian areas as "against all international principles". He urged Islamabad to rebuild relations based on "good neighbourliness and foresight".
Former US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, who played a key role in the original US-Taliban negotiations, also condemned the attacks and offered condolences to families of the victims, emphasising that "killing civilians is not a solution to any problem."
With cross-border tensions now entering a dangerous new phase, analysts warn that miscalculations and provocations from the Pakistani military could quickly spiral into an open, unending conflict. Kabul's promise of a "proper response", combined with Pakistan's escalating provocative security posture, leaves both nations on edge and the region watching anxiously.
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