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Argentina-Falklands Banner Row: Messi’s team be banned from FIFA World Cup final against Spain? What FIFA rules and past cases say
Just when the football world thought Argentina vs England couldn’t get any spicier, the aftermath of Wednesday night’s semi-final in Atlanta added a fresh layer of controversy. Argentina came from behind, Anthony Gordon had put England ahead in the second half, before Enzo Fernandez levelled things up and Lautaro Martinez, set up by a inch-perfect Messi assist, struck deep into stoppage time to send the Albiceleste through to a second straight World Cup final.
Why Argentina’s Falkland banner is such a big deal
For anyone unfamiliar, the Falkland Islands, called “Las Malvinas” in Argentina, are a British Overseas Territory sitting roughly 300 miles off Argentina’s coast, thousands of miles from Britain itself. Argentina has claimed sovereignty over the islands going back to the 19th century, a dispute that escalated dramatically in 1982 when Argentina’s military government invaded the territory, triggering a 74-day war. That conflict claimed the lives of over 900 people, including 255 British servicemen and roughly 650 Argentine troops, before Britain regained control.
The wound has never fully closed, and it resurfaces almost every time the two nations meet on a football pitch — memories of Diego Maradona’s “Hand of God” goal in 1986 haven’t helped either. This year, tensions were already running hot before kickoff after Argentina’s Vice President reportedly used inflammatory language describing the English in the build-up to the match.
Argentina-Falkland Controversy: What FIFA’s rulebook actually says
This is where things get serious for Argentina. Both FIFA and the International Football Association Board (IFAB), which frames the laws of the game, are unambiguous on this front. Their stadium code of conduct explicitly prohibits banners, flags, or any paraphernalia carrying political, offensive, or discriminatory messaging inside venues.
The IFAB rulebook goes further, stating that team equipment cannot carry political, religious, or personal statements, and that any breach leaves the player or team open to sanction, whether from the competition organiser, the relevant football association, or FIFA itself.
In simple terms: if match officials or FIFA’s disciplinary body determine the banner counts as a political statement (and given its content, that’s fairly likely), some form of punishment could follow.
Has this happened before?
Yes, and this isn’t even the first time this exact banner has landed Argentina in hot water. Back in 2014, the Argentine Football Association was fined £20,000 by FIFA after players held up an identical “Las Malvinas son Argentinas” banner ahead of a friendly against Slovenia.
Based on that precedent, and how FIFA has typically handled similar political-symbol breaches at major tournaments since, most reports suggest the punishment this time is likely to be a financial one too, potentially in the region of £30,000, rather than anything affecting Argentina’s participation in the tournament.
So, will Argentina actually be banned from the final?
No, at least not based on anything reported so far. Despite some sensational headlines doing the rounds, there is no confirmed FIFA ruling barring Argentina from Monday’s final. The tie against Spain, who beat France 2-0 in the other semi-final, is very much still on. What Argentina realistically face is a fine and possibly a formal warning, in line with how FIFA has dealt with this exact banner controversy before.
FIFA is yet to issue an official statement on the matter, and until a formal disciplinary decision is announced, this remains a developing story rather than a settled one.
But it’s what happened after the final whistle that’s now dominating headlines.
What actually happened
As players celebrated on the pitch, a banner reading “Las Malvinas son Argentinas”, translating to “The Falklands are Argentine”, was unfurled by members of the Argentina squad, reportedly including Giovani Lo Celso and Nicolas Otamendi, before it was placed down on the turf. Reports suggest the banner had originally come from the stands, was briefly tucked away, and then brought back out during celebrations.
The timing made it more pointed than usual. FIFA had specifically restricted Falklands-related flags from being brought into the stadium ahead of the match, wary of exactly this kind of flashpoint given the fixture’s history.
Head coach Lionel Scaloni had, before kickoff, tried to keep the narrative purely sporting, hoping the game wouldn’t be overshadowed by politics. That request didn’t quite hold up once the final whistle blew.
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Niagen Bioscience, Inc. (NAGE) Discusses Strategic Expansion Into Pharmaceutical Development and NB4168 Drug Program – Slideshow (NASDAQ:NAGE) 2026-07-16
Seeking Alpha’s transcripts team is responsible for the development of all of our transcript-related projects. We currently publish thousands of quarterly earnings calls per quarter on our site and are continuing to grow and expand our coverage. The purpose of this profile is to allow us to share with our readers new transcript-related developments. Thanks, SA Transcripts Team
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Mrs Bectors Food soars 11% after Sunil Singhania’s Abakkus acquires 29.4 lakh shares via block deal
According to exchange data, Abakkus Investment Managers Pvt. Ltd. purchased 29,39,588 shares of Mrs Bectors Food on July 15, representing around 0.96% equity in the company. The shares were acquired at an average price of Rs 168.97 apiece, marginally below the previous day’s BSE closing price of Rs 169.45.
The bulk purchase sparked fresh buying interest in the stock, which has been under pressure in recent months. Over the past three months, Mrs Bectors Food shares have declined around 15%, while the stock has fallen nearly 42% over the last year, significantly underperforming the broader market.
At the current market price, the company commands a market capitalisation of Rs 5,202 crore. The stock has touched a 52-week high of Rs 318.18 and a 52-week low of Rs 164.95, indicating a sharp correction from its peak.
From a valuation standpoint, Mrs Bectors Food trades at a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 36.45, a price-to-sales (P/S) ratio of 2.69, and a price-to-book (P/B) ratio of 4.04.
Technical indicators continue to suggest caution. The stock’s 14-day Relative Strength Index (RSI) stands at 39, indicating that it is approaching the oversold zone, though it remains above the 30-mark typically considered oversold. Additionally, the stock is trading below all eight of its key simple moving averages (SMAs), reflecting a prevailing bearish trend.
Despite the recent weakness, analysts remain optimistic about the company’s prospects. According to Trendlyne data, the consensus target price implies an upside potential of around 35% from current levels. The stock also enjoys a ‘Strong Buy’ consensus recommendation from 11 analysts, highlighting expectations of a potential recovery in the coming months.
Earnings Watch
Mrs Bectors Food Specialities is yet to announce its June 2026 quarter results. In the March 2026 quarter, the company reported an 8.4% year-on-year rise in consolidated revenue to Rs 496 crore, while consolidated net profit increased 3.3% YoY to Rs 35 crore, indicating steady business growth despite relatively modest earnings expansion.(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of Economic Times)
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Coles fights watchdog on Kalgoorlie store block
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Government brings British Steel under public ownership
British Steel has come under public ownership after the government moved to “protect UK steelmaking”.
The future of the steelworks, which employs roughly 2,700 people in Scunthorpe and supports many other industries in north Lincolnshire, has been dogged by uncertainty over recent years.
“Today’s decision secures the future of steelmaking in the UK, protects skilled jobs and safeguards a vital national capability,” Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said.
The UK government took control of British Steel operations in Scunthorpe last year, though it has since remained under the ownership of the Chinese firm Jingye Group.
Jingye has said it has begun the process of seeking compensation for nationalisation, having previously said the business was losing £700,000 a day. However, the UK government has said it could limit or refuse compensation.
Starmer added: “British Steel is part of the fabric of our nation and a cornerstone of Britain’s industrial strength.
“This government will always act in the national interest to support British industry, strengthen our economy and ensure the industries we rely on can thrive long into the future.”
The government had previously sought private investors to take control of the steel manufacturer, initially stopping short of full nationalisation.
“British Steel now belongs to the British people, and our focus is on the future: stabilising the business, backing the communities that rely on it and building a sustainable, competitive and decarbonised steel sector for the years ahead,” Business Secretary Peter Kyle said.
On Wednesday, Parliament passed legislation allowing the government to bring the steel industry into public ownership under circumstances where it met a public interest test.
A spokesperson for the Department for Business and Trade had confirmed on Wednesday the government was “strongly minded” to use the new powers in the case of British Steel.
“The Steel Act gives us powers to nationalise steel companies where it’s necessary in the public interest, to protect a foundation industry that supports our critical national infrastructure, economy and defence,” the department said in a statement.
In March, the National Audit Office released a report noting that the Scunthorpe steelworks was costing the government about £1.3m a day.
Business
National Beverage Stock Is At The Lows For Good Reason (NASDAQ:FIZZ)
I’ve been contributing to Seeking Alpha and other investment websites since 2011, with a general (though far from rigid) focus on value over growth. I got my Series 7 and 63 back in 1999, and watched the dot-com bubble peak and then burst in real time at a small, tech-focused retail brokerage in NYC. Now co-host of The Atlantic Current podcast, with twice-weekly cross-border conversations on politics, finance, and culture.
Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.
Seeking Alpha’s Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.
Business
Thailand to Host 2026 IMF and World Bank Annual Meetings in Bangkok
The Ministry of Finance and the Bank of Thailand jointly proclaimed Thailand’s readiness to host the “2026 Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group”.
This premier global economic and financial forum—often referred to as the “Olympics of Finance” —will take place on 12–18 October 2026 at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center (QSNCC) in Bangkok. Over 15,000 delegates from 191 countries, including global policymakers, economists, government representatives, private sector executives, and members of the media, will gather to discuss the future of the global economy. This marks a historic return after Thailand set a milestone with its successful and prestigious debut as host in 1991.
Mr. Ekniti Nitithanprapas, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, stated that hosting this summit is a major opportunity to deliver tangible benefits to Thailand and its citizens. It will stimulate the economy, elevate Thailand’s global credibility, and internationally showcase local community capabilities under the concept of “Empowering Community: From Local to Global.
As host, Thailand has introduced the core theme: “Thailand’s New Horizons: Empowering People, Building Resilience.” This theme aligns with the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy (SEP), a paradigm which promotes a balanced, sustainable, resilient, and people-centric development framework.
In driving policy on the global stage, the Thai government has linked its vision and fiscal policies to address today’s challenges, building economic strength and readiness to cope with changes across all dimensions. This is achieved through four pillars that represent key strategic issues currently being addressed by countries worldwide, comprising:
- Digital and AI Transformation for Inclusive and Resilient Growth: Thailand stands ready to serve as a model for other nations in developing Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), highlighting success stories like PromptPay and Cross-Border QR payments, as well as the integration of data and AI to optimize public services and healthcare policies with precision.
- Building Resilience in a Fragmented World: Showcasing Thailand’s potentials as a “Trusted Hub” for trade, finance, and investment in Asia, while promoting highly resilient supply chains and innovative forms of international cooperation.
- Building a New Financial Architecture for Climate Adaptation: Championing the reform of global financial structures to support equitable energy transitions and climate adaptation.
- Demographic Change and the Longevity Economy: Turning the challenges of an aging society into economic opportunities and robust financial preparedness.
Source : https://www.bot.or.th/en/news-and-media/news/news-20260714.html
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