World Cup Rule Overhaul: FIFA says referees will crack down on time-wasting with five-second countdowns on restarts and red cards for players who cover their mouth in confrontations, as the 48-team tournament nears. Ghana Squad Under Scrutiny: Coach Carlos Queiroz defended Thomas Partey’s selection despite his London rape trial, stressing presumption of innocence amid social-media pressure. Injury Blow for Austria: Christoph Baumgartner will miss the World Cup with a thigh injury, while captain David Alaba is cleared. Tournament Logistics Worry: NJ Transit and Amtrak track fires are disrupting travel for World Cup arrivals and events in New Jersey and New York. Global Sports Integrity: Malaysia joins an Asia/Oceania anti-doping ministerial meeting ahead of the 2027 World Anti-Doping Code. Energy Cooperation: Egypt and Azerbaijan discussed expanding oil and gas partnership at Baku Energy Week, with Egypt also exploring deeper ties with Türkiye in energy and mining. Tech and AI Funding: Alphabet plans to raise up to $80B to expand AI compute infrastructure. Workplace Safety: South Korea’s Hanwha Aerospace partially suspended production after an explosion killed five at a defence plant.