Tag: United States

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Trump to slap allies Japan, South Korea with 25% tariffs

President Donald Trump announced tariffs of 25 per cent on Japan and South Korea on Monday, stepping up pressure on the two key US allies and a dozen other economies to reach trade deals with Washington.

Trump issued similar letters to South Africa, Malaysia, Myanmar, Laos and Kazakhstan, saying he would slap duties on their products ranging from 25 per cent to 40 per cent.

The president had said at the weekend that, starting from Monday, he would send a first batch of letters to countries informing them that he would reimpose harsh levies earlier postponed in April.

In near-identically worded letters to Japanese and South Korean leaders, Trump said the tariff hikes came as their trading relationships with Washington were “unfortunately, far from Reciprocal.”

The tariffs set out in Trump’s latest letters are due to take effect on August 1. He warned of further escalation if the countries involved retaliated against the duties.

Currently, the affected countries have been hit with a 10 per cent levy Trump imposed on almost all trading partners.

But Trump said he was ready to lower the new levels if countries changed their trade policies: “We will, perhaps, consider an adjustment to this letter.”

Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said Sunday that he “won’t easily compromise” in trade talks with Washington.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Monday that Trump would sign an order later in the day to delay his original July 9 deadline for steeper tariffs to take effect – postponing their imposition to August 1.

She added that besides Japan and South Korea, there would be approximately 12 other partners receiving letters from Trump soon.

With the deadline extension, Leavitt noted that Trump would set out the “reciprocal tariff rate” for partners in the coming month as negotiations continue.

Trump originally announced sweeping tariffs on world economies on what he called “Liberation Day” on April 2, claiming the United States was being “ripped off.”

Amid market turmoil, he then suspended the initial tariffs for 90 days, a deadline that would have expired Wednesday without the latest extension.

While the Trump administration had signalled hopes of striking dozens of deals by July – at one point boasting of “90 deals in 90 days”- there have been limited results so far.

Washington has unveiled pacts with only Britain and Vietnam, while the United States and China agreed to temporarily lower tariff levels on each other’s products that earlier reached three digits. (Punch)

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White House to host UFC fight, Trump announces

The White House will host a UFC bout next year as part of events to mark 250 years of American independence, US President Donald Trump has announced.

The event will be a “championship fight” with an audience of 20,000-25,000, Trump told a crowd in Iowa on Thursday.

The president, who is a friend of UFC president Dana White, said: “We are going to have some incredible events, some professional events, some amateur events.”

Trump has attended several UFC events, including UFC 316 in Newark, New Jersey, last month, where he was pictured watching a fight with White.

Addressing the crowd during an appearance at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines, Trump said: “Does anybody watch UFC? The great Dana White? We’re going to have a UFC fight. We’re going to have a UFC fight – think of this – on the grounds of the White House. We have a lot of land there.”

Following Trump’s announcement, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the plans on X, writing: “It’s going to be EPIC!”

Trump’s links to UFC date back more than 20 years. In 2001, he hosted a UFC fight at Trump Taj Mahal casino in Atlantic City when White was struggling to find a venue.

White has backed the president’s political career from the beginning, endorsing his presidential bid in 2016, calling Trump a “fighter”.

Following a failed assassination attempt on Trump last year, White described Trump as a “tough guy” and “the legitimate, ultimate, American badass of all time”.

Trump suggested the UFC event would be one of many to mark the 250th anniversary of American independence on 4 July next year.

He said: “Every one of our national parks, battlefields and historic sites are going to have special events in honour of America250.” (Punch)

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Ukraine fears increased Russian aggression after US halt of weapons supply

Kyiv has warned that an interruption of US weapons shipments will encourage Russia to prolong the war in Ukraine, now in its fourth year.

On Tuesday the White House said it had cut off some weapons deliveries to Ukraine.

The decision was taken “to put America’s interests first” following a defence department review of US “military support and assistance to other countries”, White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the two countries were now “clarifying all the details on supplies”, while the foreign ministry warned any delays “would only encourage the aggressor to continue war and terror, rather than seek peace”.

The ministry particularly emphasised the need for Kyiv to strengthen its air defences – as Russia continues to pummel the country with missiles and drones on a near-nightly basis.

A Kyiv-based US diplomat was invited to the foreign ministry for talks on Wednesday.

However, Ukraine’s defence ministry said it had not received any official notification from the US about the “suspension or revision” of the weapons deliveries, and urged people not to speculate on the basis of partial information.

But in a statement the defence ministry also said the path to ending the war was “through consistent and joint pressure on the aggressor”.

At the weekend Ukraine endured its biggest aerial attack since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, with more than 500 drones and ballistic and cruise missiles launched at its cities.

US officials did not immediately say which shipments were being halted.

According to American broadcaster NBC, the weapons being delayed could include Patriot interceptors, Howitzer munitions, missiles and grenade launchers.

The US has sent tens of billions of dollars in military aid to Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, leading some in the Trump administration to voice concerns that US stockpiles are too low.

The Kremlin, for its part, welcomed news of the reduction in weapons shipments, saying reducing the flow of weapons to Kyiv will help end the conflict faster.

“The fewer the number of weapons that are delivered to Ukraine, the closer the end of the special military operation,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

Fedir Venislavskyi, an MP for Ukraine’s ruling party, said the decision was “painful, and against the background of the terrorist attacks which Russia commits against Ukraine… it’s a very unpleasant situation”.

A Ukrainian military source quoted by the AFP news agency said Kyiv was “seriously dependent on American arms supplies, although Europe is doing its best, but it will be difficult for us without American ammunition”.

Ukraine’s European allies have spent billions in military aid over the last three-and-a-half years.

However, military support for Kyiv is not endorsed by everyone on the political spectrum.

Czech President and former top Nato official, Petr Pavel, has been a staunch supporter of Ukraine – but he told BBC Russian he could “not guarantee” continued ammunition support for Kyiv, as that was dependent on the result of forthcoming Czech elections.

“I don’t know what will be the priorities of a new government,” he said.

The Pentagon’s move is based on concerns that US military stockpiles are falling too low, a source told CBS News, although Anna Kelly stressed “the strength of the United States Armed Forces remains unquestioned – just ask Iran”.

Separately, the US Undersecretary of Defense for Policy, Elbridge Colby, said in a statement the Pentagon “continues to provide the President with robust options to continue military aid to Ukraine”.

However, he added “the department is rigorously examining and adapting its approach to achieving this objective while also preserving US forces’ readiness for Administration defence priorities”.

The pause comes less than a week after President Donald Trump discussed air defences with Volodymyr Zelensky at the Nato summit in the Netherlands.

Trump said US officials “are going to see if we can make some of them available” when asked by the BBC about providing extra Patriot anti-missile systems to Ukraine.

Referring to his conversation with Zelensky, Trump said: “We had a little rough times sometimes, but he couldn’t have been nicer.”

The two had a heated confrontation in the Oval Office in February. Afterwards, Trump said he was pausing military aid to Ukraine that had been earmarked by the previous Biden administration. Intelligence sharing with Ukraine was also suspended. (BBC)

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Trump says Israel has agreed to conditions for 60-day Gaza ceasefire

Israel has agreed to the “necessary conditions” to finalise a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza, US President Donald Trump has said.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said that during the proposed ceasefire the US would “work with all parties to end the War”.He did not provide details on what the ceasefire would entail.

“The Qataris and Egyptians, who have worked very hard to help bring Peace, will deliver this final proposal. I hope… that Hamas takes this Deal, because it will not get better — IT WILL ONLY GET WORSE,” Trump wrote.

Israel has not confirmed it agreed to the conditions of a deal. A Hamas official told the BBC the group is “ready and serious” to reach an agreement if it ends the war.

Hamas is “prepared to agree to any proposal if the requirements for ending the war are clearly met or if they lead to its complete end,” said Taher al-Nunu.

Israel’s foreign minister Gideon Sa’ar posted on X that there is majority support in the government “for a framework to release hostages,” and this opportunity “must not be missed.”

For Israel, the key component of any deal will have to be the release of most, if not all, hostages still being held in Gaza.

Of the 50 or so hostages remaining in captivity, more than 20 are still thought to be alive and their plight has been at the forefront of regular demonstrations in Israel calling for an end to the war.

A recent Israeli newspaper poll suggested that a significant majority of Israelis want the war to end – but polling on Wednesday, from the Israel Democracy Institute, also suggests that most Israelis still don’t trust Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, or his intentions.

Netanyahu has for months insisted on “complete victory” over Hamas before ending the war. It’s unclear if his position will now change under renewed pressure from Washington – and the answer could be pivotal to reaching a deal.

Trump’s announcement comes before a meeting with Netanyahu scheduled for next week, in which the US president has said he would be “very firm”.

He earlier said that he believed Netanyahu wanted to end hostilities in Gaza. “He wants to. I can tell you he wants to. I think we’ll have a deal next week,” Trump said.

Hamas has already indicated it would be willing to agree to a ceasefire if it led to the end of the war. But without that provision, Hamas negotiators might question the value of releasing all the hostages if the Israeli military is likely to resume bombing Gaza.

Another consideration before an agreement can be signed – perhaps while Netanyahu is in Washington next week – is Hamas’s demand for a partial Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza, at least for the duration of the ceasefire.

The international community is also likely to lobby hard for the resumption of full-scale UN-backed aid deliveries into Gaza.

Prior to Trump’s announcement, Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon told the BBC Israel was “absolutely” ready for a ceasefire.

Speaking on the BBC News channel, Danon said that Hamas was “playing hardball”.

“We are putting pressure on Hamas, and if they will not come to the table, the only option we will have to bring back the hostages, is to apply more military pressure,” Danon said.

“The war will end when the hostages are back home,” he added.

Last week, a senior Hamas official told the BBC mediators have increased efforts to broker a new ceasefire and hostage release deal in Gaza, but that negotiations with Israel remain stalled. (BBC)

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Paramount to pay Trump $16m to settle 60 Minutes lawsuit

US media company Paramount Global has agreed to pay $16 million (£13.5m) to settle a legal dispute with US President Donald Trump regarding an interview it broadcast on CBS with former Vice President Kamala Harris.

Trump filed a lawsuit last October, alleging the network had deceptively edited an interview that aired on its 60 Minutes news programme with his presidential election rival Kamala Harris, to “tip the scales in favour of the Democratic party”.

Paramount said it would pay to settle the suit, but with the money allocated to Trump’s future presidential library, not paid to him “directly or indirectly”.

The company noted the settlement does not include a statement of apology or regret.

CBS, which is owned by Paramount, previously said the case was “completely without merit” and had asked a judge to dismiss it.

The settlement marks the latest concession by a US media company to a president who has targeted outlets over what he describes as false or misleading coverage.

According to the lawsuit filed in federal court in Texas, CBS aired two versions of the Harris interview in which she appeared to give different answers to the same question about the Israel-Gaza war.

Interviewer Bill Whitaker asked the Democratic nominee about the Biden administration’s relationship with Israel. The network later aired two different versions of her response, according to the claim.

One clip aired on Face the Nation and the other on 60 Minutes. Trump claimed Harris’s “word salad” answer had been deceptively edited in one version to shield her from backlash.

CBS said it edited Harris’s answer for time, in accordance with television news standards.

Trump sued, originally claiming for $10bn (£8.5bn) but that figure was later increased to $20bn ($17bn) for damages.

In May this year, the company offered $15m (12.7m) to settle the suit but Trump wanted more than $25m (£21m).

In a statement released on Tuesday, Paramount confirmed the settlement fee included the president’s legal fees, and that it had agreed that 60 Minutes will release transcripts of interviews with future presidential candidates.

According to both the Wall Street Journal and New York Times, the settlement was agreed – with the help of mediator – so as to not affect Paramount’s planned merger with Skydance Media, which the Federal Communications Commission has been reviewing and therefore Trump technically has the power to halt.

During the month-long settlement talks, some CBS News executives including chief executive Wendy McMahon have left their roles, due to their unwillingness to issue an apology to Trump.

There were also reportedly concerns over whether paying to settle the lawsuit could be viewed as bribing a public official.

A spokesman for Trump’s legal team said the settlement was “another win for the American people as he, once again, holds the Fake News media accountable for their wrongdoing and deceit.”

He added that CBS and Paramount “realised the strength of this historic case.”

CBS has said the broadcast was “not doctored or deceitful”.

The Paramount settlement follows a decision by Walt Disney-owned ABC News to settle a defamation case brought by Trump. (BBC)

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Iran attacks Al Udeid Air Base housing US troops in Qatar

Iran has said it launched an attack on United States forces at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, after Tehran said it would retaliate against the US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, with the Qatari authorities saying missiles were successfully intercepted.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) officially confirmed on Monday that it launched a retaliatory missile attack targeting the Al Udeid base, Iran’s Tasnim news agency reports. Tasnim said the operation is called “Annunciation of Victory”.

US military officials said that Al Udeid Air Base was the only US military base targeted by Iran, according to the Reuters news agency. The official confirmed there was no impact on the base just outside Qatar’s capital, Doha. A US defence official added that “Al Udeid Air Base was attacked by short-range and medium-range ballistic missiles originating from Iran today”.

“At this time, there are no reports of US casualties. We are monitoring this situation closely and will provide more information as it becomes available,” the official said.

Following the attack, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a post X that “we have not violated anyone’s rights, and we will not under any circumstances accept any violation against us, nor will we surrender to anyone’s aggression; this is the logic of the Iranian nation.”

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi later added that the country is ready to respond again if the US takes any further action, according to a statement posted on Telegram.

United States President Donald Trump said Iran had “a very weak response” and thanked the country’s leadership for providing “early notice” of the retaliatory attack.

“I am pleased to report that NO Americans were harmed, and hardly any damage was done,” Trump posted on Truth Social.

“Most importantly, they’ve gotten it all out of their ‘system,’ and there will, hopefully, be no further HATE. I want to thank Iran for giving us early notice, which made it possible for no lives to be lost, and nobody to be injured.”

Flares were visible over Qatar’s capital, Doha, on Monday. It was initially not immediately known if this was the air defence system or missiles.

Loud explosions were also heard, although so far no injuries have been reported. Qatar’s Ministry of Defence says its air defence systems successfully intercepted missiles targeting Al Udeid Air Base.

In a statement, the ministry said the incident resulted in no deaths or injuries, crediting “the vigilance of the armed forces and precautionary measures taken”.

Qatar has confirmed that a total of 19 missiles were fired from Iran. It added that only one of those hit Al Udeid Air Base but caused no casualties. (AlJazeera)

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Minnesota suspect attempted to kill two other state lawmakers, officials say

A man who is accused of killing a Democratic state lawmaker and her husband, and injuring another state lawmaker and his wife, allegedly attempted to kill two other state lawmakers, Minnesota officials said on Monday.

Vance Luther Boelter, 57, who is charged with fatally shooting Melissa Hortman, a Minnesota Democrat, and her husband, Mark, visited the homes of three other state lawmakers in “truly chilling” attacks, US Attorney Joseph H Thompson said.

Mr Boelter, who police said researched the victims and their families beforehand, allegedly had planned for a larger scale attack, which police thwarted.

He appeared in court on Monday afternoon to face six federal charges, and possibly the death penalty, if he is found guilty.

Mr Boelter was wearing an orange jumpsuit when he arrived in court in St. Paul on Monday afternoon. He said he cannot afford a lawyer and will have a federal defence lawyer.

At the brief hearing, Mr Boelter said he has seven cars, $20,000-30,000 in savings and makes about $540 per week.

At a press conference on Monday officials walked through the early hours of Saturday morning in the suburbs of Minneapolis when the Hortmans were killed, and John Hoffman, a Minnesota state senator, and his wife, Yvette Hoffman, were shot multiple times.

They also announced that Mr Boelter faces six federal charges, some of which make him eligible for the death penalty. At the federal level, he faces two counts of stalking, two counts of murder, and two firearms-related charges.

Separately, at the state level Mr Boelter is charged with two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of attempted second-degree murder at the state level.

Thompson said that Mr Boelter arrived at the Hoffman home disguised as a police officer in a large black car with emergency lights on the vehicle. Mr Boelter was wearing a “hyper realistic silicon mask” when he rang the doorbell and shouted “this is the police, open the door”.

Thompson said authorities have a clear picture of what happened because the Hoffmans have a security camera outside their front door.

When the Hoffmans opened the door, Mr Boelter shined a flashlight at the couple. Mr Boelter told the couple there was a shooting reported in the house and lowered his flashlight, Thompson said. The couple then realized he was not a police officer.

After they attempted to push him out, he allegedly fired at the couple multiple times, Thompson said, then fled the scene and the couple’s daughter Hope called 911.

Yvette Hoffman was shot eight times and John Hoffman was shot nine times. Both remain in hospital, though Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has said they are expected to make a full recovery.

After allegedly shooting the Hoffmans, Mr Boelter drove to another state representative’s home and rang the doorbell there, Thompson said.

That state representative was not home, Thompson said, noting that she and her family were on vacation. Authorities did not reveal her name.

He then drove to a third lawmaker’s home, allegedly targeting them, Thompson said. Officials did not reveal the name of that state lawmaker, either. (BBC)

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Biles calls Gaines “sick” in trans rights row

Olympic gymnastics champion Simone Biles has called former US swimmer and activist Riley Gaines “sick” over online comments about a transgender woman softball player.

Gaines, who has regularly spoken out about transgender women athletes competing in women’s sport, mocked Minnesota State High School League for removing comments on their post about the Chaplin Park girls’ team celebrating the State Championship.

Chaplin Park’s team includes a transgender woman player.

“You’re truly sick, all of this campaigning because you lost a race. Straight up sore loser,” Biles wrote on X.

Gaines tied for fifth place with transgender woman Lia Thomas in the 200m freestyle swimming at the 2022 NCAA Championships.

Later that year, World Aquatics voted to stop transgender women from competing in women’s elite races if they have gone through any part of the process of male puberty.

Thomas has since failed with a legal challenge to change the rules.

“You should be uplifting the trans community and perhaps finding a way to make sports inclusive OR creating a new avenue where trans feel safe in sports. Maybe a transgender category IN ALL sports,” continued Biles.

“But instead… You bully them… One thing’s for sure is no one in sports is safe with you around.”

Biles, a seven-time gold medallist, has been an outspoken campaigner for mental health awareness throughout her career.

She withdrew from the women’s team final at the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2021, as well as four subsequent individual finals, in order to prioritise her mental health.

Gaines responded to Biles in follow-up posts, saying the gymnast’s stance was “so disappointing” and saying she should not be advocating for transgender women in women’s sport with her platform.

Since tying with Thomas in 2022, Gaines has said she felt “cheated, betrayed and violated”.

She has become an advocate for banning transgender women athletes from competing against women and girls.

In February, Gaines was present at the White House when United States President Donald Trump signed an executive order excluding transgender girls and women from competing in women’s sports.

In April, judges at the UK Supreme Court ruled that a woman is defined by biological sex under equalities law.

Since that ruling, a number of UK sporting bodies, including the Football Association and the England and Wales Cricket Board, have banned transgender women from playing in women’s sport. (BBC)

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Beckham set to be awarded knighthood

David Beckham is set to be awarded a knighthood in King Charles’ Birthday Honours.

The former England football captain, 50, was appointed an officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2003.

But BBC Sport has been told he is now in line to receive further recognition for both his football career, and his contributions to British society, with the list of recipients to be published next week.

Beckham played 115 times for his country as well as for Manchester United, Real Madrid, LA Galaxy, Paris St-Germain and AC Milan, retiring in 2013.

Beckham was reportedly first nominated for a knighthood in 2011.

In 2017 several British newspapers printed details of leaked emails in which Beckham allegedly criticised the honours system and the honours committee.

A spokesperson for Beckham said at the time that the emails were “hacked”, “doctored” and “private”.

The former footballer married singer and fashion designer Victoria Beckham in 1999.

The couple share four children – Brooklyn, Romeo, Cruz and Harper Seven.

Beckham played a key role in securing the London 2012 Olympics, and has been an ambassador for Unicef since 2005.

Unicef – which supports vulnerable children around the world – launched ‘The David Beckham Unicef Fund’ in 2015 to mark a decade’s partnership between the two.

Beckham became an ambassador for The King’s Foundation in 2024, supporting King Charles’ education programme and efforts to ensure young people have a greater understanding of nature.

He is also part-owner of League Two side Salford City, as well as president and co-owner of Major League Soccer team Inter Miami in the United States.

He helped set-up the Inter Miami CF Foundation – a community driven not-for-profit enterprise that looks to empower underserved communities, using football as a catalyst.

“He is a great ambassador for football and the country,” Beckham’s former England team-mate Wayne Rooney told BBC Sport.

“We all see the charity work that he has done for many years and I am sure he will continue to do that.

“Globally he is a massive icon for any charity to work alongside and he makes everyone proud by raising a lot of money over the years.

“You don’t get to his level worldwide if you don’t work hard. He was persistent and kept going to get the reward he deserved.”

A government spokesperson said: “We do not comment on speculation on honours.”

Beckham’s representatives declined to comment. (BBC)

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Uzbekistan, Jordan qualify for first-ever World Cup

Uzbekistan and Jordan made history on Thursday by qualifying for their first World Cup, while the pair will be joined in next year’s tournament by perennial participants South Korea.

Uzbekistan, one of the fastest-rising national teams in Asia, drew 0-0 with the UAE in Abu Dhabi to take the second automatic spot in Group A, although top place is still in play after already qualified Iran lost 1-0 to Qatar in Doha.

Heading into the third round’s final set of fixtures on Tuesday, Iran sit at the summit, two points ahead of Uzbekistan.

The top two teams in each of the three Asian groups go straight to the World Cup, while those finishing third and fourth –- the UAE and Qatar hold those slots in Group A –- enter a fourth round of qualifiers.

In Group B, South Korea confirmed their place in an 11th straight World Cup by defeating Iraq 2-0 in Basra.

The victory, sealed by second-half goals from Kim Jin-gyu and Oh Hyeon-gyu, means South Korea reclaim top spot from Jordan, whose 3-0 victory against Oman earlier on Thursday ultimately proved enough to secure their participation at the expanded 48-team showpiece in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Jordan’s King Abdullah II congratulated the team on social media.

“This historic qualification is well-deserved by our team, which includes stars and cadres of whom we are proud,” he wrote on X.

“Special thanks go to our loyal fans who have been our support and encouragement.”

Ali Olwin netted a hat-trick as the 2023 Asian Cup runners-up etched their name in the record books.

Iraq were reduced to 10 men midway through the first half when Ali Al Hamadi’s foul on Cho Yu-min was upgraded to a red card following a VAR review.

Iraq sit third in Group B, with Oman and Palestine still able to progress to the fourth round of qualifying. Palestine, who defeated Kuwait 2-0 in Ardhiya, host Oman on Tuesday, while Iraq face Jordan in Amman.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia and Australia will go head-to-head on Tuesday for the second automatic spot in Group C.

Australia remain in pole position following their last-gasp win against group leaders Japan in Perth.

Defender Aziz Behich was the home hero in front of more than 57,000 fans, rifling into the corner in the 90th minute to give Tony Popovic’s side a crucial 1-0 victory.

“We know there’s room to grow and room to improve, but we’ve done something special tonight,” said Popovic, who saw his team outplayed for long periods by an experimental Japan side.

Saudi Arabia ensured the race for second place will go down to the wire courtesy of a 2-0 win against Bahrain in Riffa. Goals in either half from Musab Al Juwayr and Abdulrahman Al Obud saw Herve Renard’s men stay three points behind second-placed Australia.

However, the Saudis will have to win in Jeddah by five goals to leapfrog the Socceroos.

Popovic, who replaced Graham Arnold in the dugout in September, added: “We’ve all played a part in getting us to this point. We want to go to Saudi Arabia and really finish the job off.”

Also in Group C, Patrick Kluivert’s Indonesia kept alive their hopes of reaching a first World Cup since the country’s independence in 1945 with a 1-0 win over China.

That leaves Indonesia fourth in the group, one point behind Saudi. Ole Romeny scored the only goal, his controversial penalty just before half time following a VAR check leaving China rooted to the bottom of the group and thus ending their hopes of making a second World Cup. (Punch)