FIFA to Consider Expanding World Cup to 64 Teams

FIFA, the governing body for global soccer, is considering a plan that would increase the number of teams in the 2030 World Cup to 64 for a one-off expansion to mark the centenary of the event, according to four people with direct knowledge of the discussions. The proposal has drawn the interest of Gianni Infantino, … Read more

Fighting for Justice for Japan’s ‘Comfort Women’

This article is part of a Women and Leadership special report highlighting women who are charting new pathways and fighting for opportunities for women and others. When Gil Won-ok, a Korean woman, died recently at the age of 96, the international community lost an outspoken warrior in the effort to make Japan accountable for its … Read more

Missile Strikes Hotel in Zelensky’s Hometown in Ukraine

A Russian missile slammed into a hotel before dawn on Thursday in the hometown of President Volodymyr Zelensky in central Ukraine, killing at least four people and injuring more than 30 others, the Ukrainian authorities said. “Just before the attack, volunteers from a humanitarian organization — citizens of Ukraine, the United States and the United … Read more

Brisbane, Australia, Braces for Powerful Cyclone

A swath of Australia’s eastern coast around Brisbane, the country’s third-largest city, was bracing for the first cyclone forecast to make landfall in the region in decades, as the authorities warned of the potential for widespread flooding and destructive winds. The slow-moving Tropical Cyclone Alfred was expected to come ashore late Friday or early Saturday … Read more