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Belgium held 0-0 by Iran, Ngoy sent off
Belgium had to settle for a goalless draw with Iran in a disappointing affair Sunday that saw the Red Devils drop to 10 men and face the prospect of group-stage elimination for a second straight World Cup.
A star-studded but ageing roster featuring Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku was lucky to get a draw out of Los Angeles, controlling possession but giving up the best opportunities of the match to a stubborn Iran side.
Iran’s Mehdi Taremi had the ball in the net from a well-worked first half free kick which was overruled for offside by VAR, while Nathan Ngoy was sent off after the break for taking down the striker following a horribly mis-hit back pass.
As a result all three Group G games so far have been draws. Belgium sit on two points but at least have the consolation of facing the lowest-ranked team in the tournament, New Zealand, in their final group match.
Iran too need at least a draw against Egypt next Friday. Team Melli have been troubled by visa complications on their travels from their base camp in Mexico to matches in the US and will be looking to focus on the football as travel restrictions are supposedly relaxed for their key journey to Seattle.
In the second straight Iran game, demonstrators from Los Angeles’ substantial Persian exile community held a rally outside the stadium to chant against the country’s hard-line regime.
Inside the stadium Iran’s song again brought a chorus of boos and whistles — a reception not in keeping with the reception to the players themselves who were heartily praised.
Iran sat deep in the first half, having switched to a back five, meaning Belgium were able to dominate possession and play hundreds of passes about their penalty area without producing any clear-cut opportunities.
Target man Lukaku had made an impact as a substitute in Belgium’s 1-1 draw with Egpyt and returned to the starting line-up but managed just a solitary headed effort in the 36th minute that soared over the bar.
Iran had the two finest chances of the half, both completely against the run of play. Thibaut Courtois did well to stop a low shot from Hossein Kanani after a long throw-in.
Iran’s renowned scorer Taremi had the ball in the net midway through the half from a brilliantly crafted free kick but it was ruled out for offside.
The ex-Inter Milan star spun off Belgium’s wall, swivelled and hammered the ball into the net, only for VAR to disallow the effort to the frustration of a vehemently pro-Iran crowd.
Belgium huffed and puffed after the interval and Taremi was close again at the opposite end. Courtois was good to deny Kanani’s flick-on from a long pass to the Iran striker.
Belgium coach Rudi Garcia made a quadruple replacement around the hour mark and his side immediately came near, Maxim De Cuyper’s point-blank shot from De Bruyne’s cut-back superbly saved.
Moments later substitute Hans Vanaken smashed a shot from a rebound way over the bar as the Red Devils finally started to knock on Iran’s door in earnest.
But tragedy struck for Belgium as Ngoy saw red. The centre-back had undercooked a ball back to Courtois and put his arm into Taremi as the striker charged through on goal.
It was an anxious, scrappy stalemate but De Cuyper went near again with a low attempt from just outside the box.
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OpenAI says its AI agents weakened internal monitoring system
Two of OpenAI’s artificial intelligence agents turned off sections of an internal monitoring system designed to identify misbehaviour, the latest example of AI agents operating in ways the developers did not expect, the company said Tuesday.
While the ChatGPT maker stated the incidences occurred during internal code work and were not considered its most serious, the disclosure underscores how even the methods developers use to spot AI misbehavior are vulnerable to the agents they monitor.
The discovery also comes amid rising fears that efforts on AI safety are failing to keep pace with the rapid development of ever more powerful systems. Scientists have cautioned about the emergence of powerful AI agents becoming increasingly autonomous and difficult to monitor and manage.
In recent months, developers including IPO-bound rivals OpenAI and Anthropic have disclosed incidents where their AI agents accessed external systems without authorisation.
In a blog post Tuesday, OpenAI reported that a GPT-6.1 Sol agent on an internal testing task on October 3 disabled automatic security alarms after interpreting an earlier order not to send Slack messages as also covering safety notifications.
Separately, on Oct. 6, an Astra agent using GPT-6 removed a safety monitor when copying an existing piece of code and later stated falsely that it did not do so, OpenAI said.“In both cases, agents thought about keeping monitoring safeguards in place but “interpreted normal coding instructions as permission to weaken them,” the company said.
“OpenAI said it was making it harder for models to disable monitoring, saying it does not ‘yet have a satisfying explanation for this behavior’.
The San Francisco-based company said it was studying whether its models would be inclined to avoid being observed and seek out reasons to justify such behaviour.
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Makkah pact aims to strengthen collective deterrence among Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye
Turkiye sent a defence treaty with Pakistan and Saudi Arabia to parliament for ratification on Tuesday, three parliamentary sources said, bringing NATO’s second-largest army closer to a formal mutual defence promise with Riyadh as it fears Houthi threats.
The three countries signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement in August, under which an armed attack on one member is an attack on all.
The first clause of the agreement says the parties shall use “all necessary means” to eradicate threats to each other’s territorial integrity, sovereignty or internationally recognised borders, according to a text seen by Reuters.Article 2 of the agreement states, “If one of the parties is subjected to an armed attack or military aggression by another country or group of countries, the parties shall immediately render assistance to the party which is under attack, with all means of mutual assistance at their disposal.”
Similar to NATO’s Article 5, the clause references Article 51 of the UN Charter, which deals with the individual or collective right of states to self-defence against armed attack.
The same page says the three countries “will determine the scope and nature of the support to be provided following an objective assessment of the assistance required” and will collaborate within their available resources, including military capabilities and resources.
Earlier this month, the three countries decided in an emergency alliance conference in Riyadh to guarantee the “rapid deployment” of military forces and capabilities in Saudi Arabia.
Turkiye, which has its own strong defence sector, has condemned Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, showed a willingness to help satisfy Riyadh’s military technology demands and agreed to join a Saudi-led coalition to assure navigational safety in the Red Sea.
The pact also foresees tight cooperation on the defence sector, exchange of information, logistical support, and the fight against “all forms of terrorism”, including at the operational level.
Parliamentary approval is required for Turkiye to formally sign off on the pact.
The aim is to “strengthen collective deterrence”
Two sources claimed Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmus, who is on a visit to Kyrgyzstan, would send the deal to the foreign affairs commission of parliament after he returns. The terms and specifics of the agreement are expected to be released when it is filed with the commission.
The commission may discuss the accord as early as Friday, another person added.
Turkiye’s latest move was an important milestone in the institutionalisation of strategic collaboration between the three countries, Burhanettin Duran, communications director for President Tayyip Erdogan, stated.“This strategic partnership between our countries aims to strengthen collective deterrence, improve joint capabilities in the defence sector and secure security and stability in our region,” Duran said in a post on X.
A Turkish official, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said Turkey’s own contribution was likely to be limited to military equipment, intelligence sharing and weapons systems, and no other form of deployment had been made under the alliance so far.
“The Mecca Agreement is not a ‘offensive agreement,’ and Turkiye would not send forces to another nation to conduct out operations on its land. When asked how Turkiye could help Saudi Arabia fight against attacks by Yemen’s Houthis, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan responded
Turkey’s constitution needs independent parliamentary approval for any deployment of military overseas, regardless of international agreements.
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Pakistan decide not to participate in Over-50s Cricket World Cup 2027 in India
– Pakistan have decided not to participate in the Over-50 Cricket World Cup 2027 scheduled to take place in India after failing to secure government permission for the tournament.
The competition is scheduled to be held in Hyderabad Deccan from January 23 to February 7, 2027. Pakistan was due to participate as defending champions after winning the 2025 edition in Sri Lanka.
Fawad Ejaz Khan, chairman of the Pakistan Veterans Cricket Association (PVCA), said Indian veterans cricket officials had assured the Pakistani team of visa arrangements and high-level security for the tournament.
He said the association had sought permission to participate from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Interior. However, Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi subsequently informed the association that permission would not be granted.
Following the government’s decision, the association decided against sending the team to India, Khan said, adding that the organisation respected the government’s position.
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