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The results of the growth and removal of nodules on her voice box left her with a voice that felt so full of pain, sadness and tears that she was able to sing with power and enters into her listener's ears and flows right to the heart. Such a beautiful voice. Of the three songs of hers I'm familiar with, while all beautiful, my favorite was "It's a heart ache". Loosing her at such a young age is a heart ache.

July 13, 2026 By Sam Sifton Good morning. The cease-fire between the United States and Iran continues to unravel. There’s a lot more news below. But I’d like to start today with the question of who’s really running Venezuela. Marco Rubio Kenny Holston/The New York Times The viceroy of Venezuela In the early hours of Jan. 3, shortly after U.S. commandos snatched Nicolás Maduro, the president of Venezuela, from his bedroom in a daring nighttime raid, Secretary of State Marco Rubio called Delcy Rodríguez, Venezuela’s vice president. Speaking in Spanish, he told her she faced a choice: work with the United States or experience an escalating attack on her country’s infrastructure, military bases and senior officials. After some negotiation, Rodríguez bent the knee. In the months since, my colleagues Tyler Pager and Anatoly Kurmanaev report, Rubio has emerged as Venezuela’s de facto viceroy, a kind of heir to the powerful governors who once ruled the domains of the Spanish Empire, including the territory that is now Venezuela. Rubio has effective control of Venezuela’s finances, its natural resources and its government, Tyler and Anatoly discovered after speaking with a dozen officials in Washington and Caracas. He is closely involved in the day-to-day operations of the country, and he remains in close contact with Rodríguez, who now runs Venezuela on an acting basis with the blessing of the United States. He has weighed in personally on her governmental appointments, such as the minister of defense. He asserts control over her public appearances and statements. He successfully encouraged her to remove Maduro’s family and business partners from positions of power, and inveighed upon her officials to provide intelligence that allowed the U.S. military to kill one of the leaders of the gang Tren de Aragua. They trade gossip and selfies over text message. It’s no buddy movie, though. The relationship between Rubio and Rodríguez, the reporters write, “is a manifestation of Trump-era American power, in which the winner takes all regardless of sovereignty and international law.” Then they illustrated that power in a single, amazing paragraph: The U.S. Treasury receives the revenue from most of Venezuela’s exports, then disburses it to Venezuela through the country’s banking system, a relationship akin to parents handing out allowances to children. Mr. Rubio and his team set the conditions on what that money can be spent on, and by whom. Seeking permission Rubio has said that the Trump administration’s plan for Venezuela has three stages: Recover the economy, stabilize the country and transition it to democracy. Before last month’s earthquakes, the administration said it was in the second stage, and trying to bring international investment into Venezuela. To move the effort along, senior Trump officials went to Venezuela to meet with Rodríguez’s administration and strike energy and mining deals. Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodriguez, and U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum in Caracas in March. Leonardo Fernandez Viloria/Reuters Tyler and Anatoly have a great story about one of those visits. In March, Doug Burgum, the interior secretary, met with Rodríguez at the presidential palace in Caracas. Rubio texted her during the visit to ask how it was going. Very well, she responded. I’ll let the reporters take it from there: But the meeting was overshadowed by damaging news. Reuters reported that day that the Justice Department was quietly building a legal case against Ms. Rodríguez. Ms. Rodríguez’s administration was shocked, and sought clarification from the White House. To allay Ms. Rodríguez’s concerns, Todd Blanche, then the deputy attorney general, called the report “completely FALSE.” But the Venezuelan government sought further assurances. So the next day Mr. Rubio texted Mr. Rodríguez the link to a social media post from the U.S. president. “Delcy Rodríguez, who is the President of Venezuela, is doing a great job, and working with U.S. Representatives very well,” Mr. Trump wrote. Ms. Rodríguez was pleased, and wanted to thank Mr. Trump with a post of her own. But first, she shared the draft with Mr. Rubio. She posted it after receiving his approval. The whole article is here. It’s riveting. Some other great reads follow. We’ve made it a free link, along with a few others that caught my eye today: How many books, do you suppose, is too many books? One guy’s landlord thought 10,000 was too many for a Manhattan studio apartment. Here’s the eviction tale from Alex Vadukul, whose job it is to find these sorts of situations. The American socialist movement has been better at critiquing the system than reshaping it. But it stormed the Democratic Party anyway, and it has attained a new kind of mainstream political power. How did that happen? Jia Lynn Yang, who writes about ideas, explored the question. One degree from Kevin Bacon. The art critic Jerry Saltz joined the podcast “Pablo Torre Finds Out” to talk about the best, worst and sexiest trophies in sports. He doesn’t hold back. Beekeepers in South Carolina’s Lowcountry are trying to save local honeybees from invasive hornets. One state official compared the struggle to “fighting Satan.” THE LATEST NEWS Congress Lindsey Graham Will Crooks for The New York Times Senator Lindsey Graham likely died from a tear in his aorta, officials said. His obituary was the most clicked link in The Morning yesterday. After weeks of silence, Senator Mitch McConnell posted a photo and a public statement announcing that he had been hospitalized for a fall, and then had pneumonia. Graham’s death and McConnell’s hospitalization offered the latest reminders that the Senate is run by geriatrics. Around the World Times Exclusive: For years, Israel tried to groom Iran’s former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as an intelligence asset. But in the early days of the war, the plan fell apart. Japan is building a centralized intelligence agency for the first time since World War II. President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine dismissed the prime minister as part of an overhaul of his political strategy. Other Big Stories The Supreme Court is asking Congress for millions of dollars for increased security. Justices Amy Coney Barrett and Elena Kagan are scheduled to make a rare appearance at the Capitol to discuss the request. The Justice Department is investigating the United Automobile Workers president Shawn Fain over accusations that he abused his office. He has said he faces “bogus allegations.” OPINIONS Celina Pereira Will Democrats or Republicans win the midterms? Six pollsters and pundits, including Nate Silver and Lynn Vavreck, look into their crystal balls. Ideological extremism in American politics has created a race to the bottom, David French writes. Deeply reported journalism needs your support. The Times relies on subscribers to help fund our mission. Become a subscriber today. TODAY’S NUMBER 800 — That is how many pounds of peanut butter workers troweled into a gigantic hexagon on a gallery floor in the Netherlands to honor the Dutch artist Wim T. Schippers, who died last month at 83. The total volume used for Schippers’s “Peanut Butter Floor” is equivalent to roughly 860 16-ounce jars. SPORTS Jannik Sinner Cameron Spencer/Getty Images Wimbledon: Jannik Sinner came back from a set down to beat Alexander Zverev for his second straight title and fifth Grand Slam championship. Zverev played nearly perfect tennis, but admitted afterward it would take actually perfect tennis to beat Sinner, whose serve was too mighty. World Cup: FIFA’s president, Gianni Infantino, said he’s considering having 64 teams in the next tournament, in 2030. (This current World Cup had 48.) An expansion has pros and cons. RECIPE OF THE DAY Johnny Miller for The New York Times The algorithm served me a video of some guy cooking steak Diane and suddenly that was all I wanted for dinner. You can make it yourself with any thin cut of beef, but I think a pounded-out filet mignon is best. Serve with those little potatoes that have come to dominate the produce aisle at the supermarket, roasted crisp so you can use them to mop up the sauce that naps the steak. And maybe a thatch of watercress? SAM NEILL, 1947-2026 Sam Neill in Los Angeles in 2024. Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images Sam Neill, the versatile New Zealand screen actor who appeared in more than 150 productions over a five-decade career, died today in Sydney, Australia. He was 78. Neill combined a credible Everyman quality with rugged good looks and a hard-to-place accent. He was perhaps best known as Dr. Alan Grant in the “Jurassic Park” series. Born Nigel, he changed his name to Sam at age 11, taking inspiration from characters in western movies. It was, he said, “probably the best decision I made in my life. Sam is easy to say, sounds friendly, sounds a bit blokey and has a touch of the Labrador about it.” Same! More on culture Why, yes, I do want to see every inch of the inside of the novelist Elin Hilderbrand’s house on Nantucket. That kitchen! Wesley Morris, the host of the podcast “Cannonball,” and Caryn Ganz, who covers pop music, agree on this much: Olivia Rodrigo’s new release, “You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love,” could be the album of the year. Listen to and watch them talk about its excellence, and about the joys of heartbreak pop. They’re here. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS Alisha Jucevic for The New York Times Avoid that severe stomach bug that’s going around. Rinse your produce thoroughly. Listen to “Mr. Tambourine Man,” the Byrds’ first single, released in 1965. Roger McGuinn, the band’s frontman, turns 84 today. Lessen the dank, fusty, mildew-encouraging funkiness of your cellar (or home), with the best dehumidifier tested by the basement dwellers at Wirecutter. Take our news quiz. GAMES Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangrams were awakening, wakening and weakening. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections, Crossplay and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times and me. See you tomorrow. — Sam Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Host: Sam Sifton Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Evan Gorelick, Brent Lewis, Lara McCoy, Karl Russell Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Editorial Director, Newsletters: Jodi Rudoren

THIS DAY IN HISTORY July 13 2013 The hashtag #BlackLivesMatter first appears, sparking a movement The Black Lives Matter movement begins when Alicia Garza posts a message on Facebook on July 13, 2013 that contains the phrase "Black lives matter." read more Sponsored Content by REVCONTENT 1970s 1978 Henry Ford II fires Lee Iacocca Arts & Entertainment 1990 “Ghost” opens in theaters 1985 Live Aid concert raises more than $100 million for famine relief in Africa Black History 2015 Sandra Bland dies in jail after traffic stop confrontation Civil War 1863 Draft riots rock New York City Cold War 1949 Pope Pius XII excommunicates all communist Catholics Crime 1966 A mass murderer leaves eight women dead 1955 Last woman hanged for murder in Great Britain Early U.S. 1787 Congress enacts the Northwest Ordinance European History 1793 Charlotte Corday assassinates French revolutionary Jean-Paul Marat Sports 1930 First World Cup tournament begins U.S. Presidents 1960 John F. Kennedy nominated for presidency Vietnam War 1969 George Wallace criticizes President Nixon’s handling of the war

⛰️ 1 fun thing: Rare superbloom Green gentians, or monument plants, are blooming in the mountains of Colorado. Photo: John Frank/Axios The green gentian, or monument plant, is superblooming on Colorado's hillsides — a rare phenomenon during which dormant wildflowers blossom simultaneously, Axios Denver's John Frank writes. The plant lives 20–60 years, sending up a flower-covered stalk 5 feet or taller before it blooms once and dies.

⚜️ Data center payout This giant data center is under construction in Richland Parish, La. Photo: Meta Meta announced an expansion of a data center now under construction in Richland Parish, La. — which already was Meta's biggest — to 5GW of compute capacity. That'll make it one of the largest data centers in history. Tax revenue from the data center funded teacher bonuses up to $50,000 this year in rural Richland Parish, Meta said, as part of a PR campaign amid national backlash against data centers. Richland Parish is a four-hour drive north of New Orleans, near the Arkansas state line. The first part of the data center is expected to open in 2028. Meta says it's investing more than $50 billion in the region, with $1.6 billion in local contracts and 1,000+ jobs. Sheldon Jones, superintendent of the Richland Parish School System, called the checks "life-altering for our teachers and their families, and it's transforming our schools." 🥊 Reality check: Data centers have become one of the most contentious local issues in America. Communities elsewhere are fighting over power bills, water supplies and noise complaints. 🎷 P.S. At a New Orleans reception last night, teachers, business owners and community leaders from Richland Parish celebrated Louisiana's future with the state's civic, business, and political leaders, and Dina Powell, Meta's president and vice chairman. Musical performers included Delfeayo Marsalis, a New Orleans jazz trombonist and Wynton Marsalis' brother. More on the bonuses … Full statement.

🕯️ Transforming America's racist landmarks Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios. Stock: Getty Images A former Ku Klux Klan hall in Texas is becoming an arts center — one of several racist landmarks across the U.S. that communities are trying to turn from symbols of terror into sites of reparation, Axios' Russell Contreras and Delano Massey write. Why it matters: Years after the backlash against Confederate monuments, new fights have emerged over what to do with remaining physical reminders of racism. Zoom in: In Fort Worth, Texas, advocates are turning the former KKK Klavern No. 101 auditorium into an arts and community center named for a Black lynching victim. Similar moves are unfolding across the country: In Laurens, S.C., a former segregated theater that later housed a KKK museum was remade as the Echo Project, an anti-hate education center. In New Orleans, a former segregated school has become the Tate Etienne & Prevost Center, with civil rights exhibits, antiracism groups and affordable senior housing. In Drew, Miss., the Emmett Till Interpretive Center is transforming the barn where 14-year-old Emmett Till was tortured and killed in 1955 into a memorial and a place for reflection. Keep reading.

🦾 Charted: Memory's earnings edge Data: FactSet. Chart: Matt Phillips/Axios The AI-driven price boom for memory chips and products is expected to keep Sandisk and Micron atop the sales leaderboard this earnings season, Axios' Matt Phillips writes from consensus Wall Street forecasts. 👀 What we're watching: Whether these giant forecasts (charted above) are achieved, and if they actually excite the market. Just last week, gobsmacking results from Korean chip giant Samsung were followed by a steep sell-off.

Dems' payback panel Photos: Getty Images Axios CEO Jim VandeHei writes in his weekly C-Suite newsletter focusing on CEOs and their teams: If Democrats win the House in November, they plan to keep hammering on the Epstein files because the issue divides Republicans and "makes Trump crazy," a top insider tells us. Why it matters: In the majority, Democratic committee chairs would hold subpoena power. We're told they plan to make President Trump's family finances one of their top targets, to contrast average Americans' finances with this term's gusher for Trump, his relatives and allies. These are the chairs-in-waiting for six of the most powerful House committees, and the control they could exert over CEOs and other business leaders: 1. Oversight and Government Reform: Robert Garcia (Calif.) Garcia would go hard on corruption and self-dealing among Trump allies. He wants to make their lives hell. No committee matters more if Dems win. Why you should care: If you've done any business with the administration, this is your top reputational risk. The Oversight chair can drag you to Capitol Hill to make you answer for it. Trump can and will pardon his family but not you and your company. 2. Energy and Commerce: Frank Pallone (N.J.) Pallone would have jurisdiction over issues ranging from algorithmic pricing to children's safety online. He's out front on data centers, calling for a national moratorium. Why you should care: He'll grill you on the topics really pissing people off right now. Consider him the guy building the data center case for the Dems' nominee in '28. Anyone who made deals with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his agencies should lawyer up — and lobbyist up, too. 3. Ways and Means: Richard "Richie" Neal (Mass.) Neal's committee room will be the place in Washington most eager to discuss corporate tax rates and Trump's tariffs. Why you should care: Expect him to use his bully pulpit to push companies on paying their fair share to the IRS. This is where the '28 tax debate begins. 4. Appropriations: Rosa DeLauro (Conn.) DeLauro, 83, wants to make Trump answer for every penny he's spent and withheld. Why you should care: Organizations that rely on government funding — including contracts, grants, research dollars — could get pulled into a Hill hearing. 5. Financial Services: Maxine Waters (Calif.) Waters, who will turn 88 next month, would dig into who was in the loop when it came to pulling back enforcement on topics like crypto. Why you should care: If your industry benefited from the lax financial oversight of the past couple of years, you risk becoming tied to that narrative, especially if you talked to Trump officials about it. 6. Judiciary: Jamie Raskin (Md.) He's been a leading antitrust voice and has slammed the Trump administration's role in Paramount Skydance's takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery. Why you should care: If you're pursuing a big merger and the president feels like getting involved, Raskin's committee would become one big headache. Axios' Andrew Solender contributed reporting.

Italy's Jannik Sinner wins his second Wimbledon title, in photos Jannik Sinner has beaten Alexander Zverev in four sets for his second consecutive Wimbledon title and fifth Grand Slam trophy. The top-ranked Italian lost the first set of the men's final but recovered to win 6-7 (7), 7-6 (2), 6-3, 6-4 on Sunday at the All England Club. ___ This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors. Read More.

Keystone Pipeline system's operator agrees to pay a $26.9M penalty over a major Kansas oil spill A proposed legal settlement with the U.S. government would require the Keystone Pipeline system's operator to pay a $26.9 million civil penalty over a major oil spill in Kansas in December 2022 and spend about $40 million more to prevent future accidents. Read More.

Syria's new parliament holds first session since ouster of ex-President Assad Syria's newly elected parliament on Sunday held its first session since the ouster of former President Bashar Assad, hoping to restart the legislative process in the country after years of conflict and autocratic rule. Read More.

The US launches more strikes on Iran as the standoff over the Strait of Hormuz escalates DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The United States launched several waves of strikes on Iran into Monday morning over an Iranian attack on a container ship in the Strait of Hormuz that set it ablaze and left a crew member missing over the weekend. Iran retaliated by targeting countries across the Middle East. https://apnews.com/article/iran-usa-united-arab-emirates-attack-0764d17c09370a8c5cf1e8197a8878ab?

US strikes Iran over latest ship attack and Tehran responds by hitting Arab states The United States attacked Iran early Sunday morning over an Iranian strike on a vessel in the Strait of Hormuz that set the container ship ablaze and forced its crew to abandon it. Iran responded with attacks targeting several countries in the Middle East, including Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Jordan. The U.S. military and Trump asserted that the strait remained open Sunday. Iran said the strait was closed until calm is restored. Read more. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Trump suggests a standing order to attack Iran if it assassinates him. But Vance would make the call Democratic congressman says he was detained by the Israeli military and settlers in the West Bank Global oil demand is dropping, but US drivers keep buying more gas China blocks exports of helium, key for chipmaking, as Iran war squeezes supply

🇳🇴 1 for the road: The Viking rows home Norway's Erling Haaland (left) congratulates England's Jude Bellingham in Miami yesterday. Photo: Roberto Schmidt / AFP via Getty Images England beat Norway in the World Cup quarterfinals, marking the end of the line for one of the internet's favorite tournament stars. Erling Haaland, the 6-foot-5 superhuman — or to some corners of the internet, a "babygirl" — and Norway's fan-favorite football team fell 2–1 to England. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Jude Bellingham scored both of England's goals. More on the match. Bellingham's England will face Lionel Messi's Argentina, the reigning World Cup champs, in a semifinal showdown on Wednesday at 3 p.m. ET in Atlanta. How Argentina beat Switzerland 3–1 in extra time in Kansas City last night. Argentina–England lookahead. Photo: Matthew Stockman/Getty Images 🎾 At Wimbledon, Catherine, Princess of Wales, presents Linda Nosková of the Czech Republic, 21, with the Venus Rosewater Dish as women's singles champion after she beat fellow Czech Karolína Muchová at the All England Club in London yesterday. Keep reading.

🕵️ Mystery stomach bug Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios Delayed federal health tracking and limited testing are making it harder to trace the source of an ongoing outbreak of a parasitic disease that's triggering "explosive diarrhea," Axios' Herb Scribner reports. "Nobody's identified a source yet … or a particular food or a particular line of transmission," David Freedman, a professor emeritus of infectious diseases at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, told Axios. "But there's something going on." 😷 Cyclosporiasis cases normally climb in the summer, but this year's outbreak has spread rapidly and sickened people across at least 31 states. The CDC has identified at least 843 confirmed domestic cases and over 1,500 that require further analysis. Share this story ... CDC resources.

🐻 Goldilocks GPT Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios OpenAI is leaving it up to users to figure out what works best for them after dropping a new app and a jumble of new models. AI tools can help non-coders deliver more work better, faster and cheaper — if those workers can determine their "just right" settings, Axios' Megan Morrone writes. Catch up quick: OpenAI released three GPT-5.6 models last week and introduced ChatGPT Work, an agent for longer, multi-step tasks, inside its newly unified ChatGPT app. 🔎 ChatGPT Work can use connected apps and files to research, analyze and create documents, spreadsheets, presentations, reports and websites. The new desktop app folds Codex, chat and Work into one place. The three new models are Sol, Terra and Luna. ☀️ Sol is the flagship model, available only to Plus, Pro, Business and Enterprise users. 🌍 Terra is meant to strike a balance between speed and power. Free and $8 Go users get Terra only — and only inside ChatGPT Work and Codex. 🌙 Luna is designed for speed. ☝️ OpenAI recommends starting with a task you already know well to judge where ChatGPT Work succeeds or needs more help. Go deeper ...

🇮🇷 Iran defies U.S. Photo illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios. Photo: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images The U.S. military launched a new round of strikes against Iranian targets near the Strait of Hormuz yesterday in response to an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps missile attack that badly damaged a commercial cargo ship. 💥 The Hormuz crisis has threatened to collapse the U.S.–Iran memorandum of understanding reached last month, with President Trump declaring the ceasefire "over," Axios' Barak Ravid reports. "Iran made a poor choice. Now they pay," Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth wrote on X. Go deeper.

America's soccer spectacle Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios. Stock: Getty Images Skeptics spent months bracing for the World Cup to clash with a polarized, priced-out American public. The tournament answered with the largest U.S. viewing audiences in soccer history and diverse scenes of humanity finding harmony, Axios' Herb Scribner and Zachary Basu write. Ratings, attendance and buzz remain through the roof, even with all three host nations (USA, Canada, Mexico) knocked out. USA–Belgium's round of 16 face-off drew a final combined audience of 50.1 million viewers on Fox and Telemundo — the largest soccer audience ever recorded in the U.S. 46.7 million U.S. viewers watched England's Three Lions escape Mexico 3–2. 🧮 Stunning stat: Together, Fox says these were the most-watched non-NFL sports events in the U.S. since the 1994 Winter Olympics. Telemundo says that with Peacock's streaming viewers included, Mexico vs. England's total audience of 23.2 million made it the most-watched soccer match in Spanish-language media history. USA vs. Belgium last Monday drew 12.9 million making it the most-watched Spanish-language U.S. match. ⚽ The gameplay has lived up to the hype, offering nail-biters and nonstop theater. Things got Messi (pun intended) for defending champ Argentina, who scored a stunning comeback in the final moments against Egypt that drove the highest Google search traffic ever recorded. 🥅 France's Kylian Mbappé and Argentina's Lionel Messi are tied atop the Golden Boot race, awarded to the top scorer, with England's Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham within striking distance. Lionel Messi celebrates with teammates after a victory in Atlanta on Tuesday. Photo: Elsa/Getty Images 🤝 In host cities, the World Cup has turned into a festive cultural exchange and a moment of unity for a polarized U.S. public. Viral scenes of fans marveling at America's tailgates, ballparks, all-night diners and general abundance sparked an unlikely — and often humorous — moment of national pride. FIFA says 6,259,584 fans attended matches through the round of 16, filling 99.7% of seats with an average crowd of 65,204. 🥊 We may be successful hosts, but the U.S. national team's run ended in embarrassment. The loss was made even tougher by the Folarin Balogun red-card saga, after President Trump asked FIFA to review Balogun's suspension and FIFA cleared him to play. 👀 But the real test of America's soccer mania will come after the final whistle blows. Historically, U.S. interest in soccer has spiked hard during World Cups and faded quickly once the tournament ends. ⏳ In soccer historian Stephen Brandt's words, "It's fun while it lasts." But streaming's big names are betting this time is different, weighing bids up to $2 billion for combined English- and Spanish-language U.S. rights to the 2030 and 2034 World Cups.

The key to understanding Paul in the opening verses of Romans 7 is Romans 6:6: 6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with [him], that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. Compare this to Romans 7:4: 4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, [even] to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. "Our old man is crucified with him" is another way of saying "ye are dead to the law." "That henceforth we should not serve sin" is another way of saying "we should bring forth fruit unto God." The destruction of the body of sin is what allows us to be married to another.

July 12, 2026 Good morning. Senator Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, has died at 71. Read his obituary here. We have more on his life below. We’re also covering Iran, which is firing at United States allies in the Persian Gulf after a night of intense American attacks, as well as the White House’s involvement in the investigation into New York Times reporters. But first, a writer reflects on the healing powers of trying new things. Hannah Whitaker for The New York Times Take the plunge By Taffy Brodesser-Akner I have not yet used the third visit in my three-pack, if anyone wants to join. I’m not really a joiner. I mostly regard cultural trends as a shoe that’s about to drop, and I mostly regard my life as too busy to consider improvements of my general experience. Why would I go on a meditation retreat when I haven’t read “Middlemarch” yet? Why would I do stand-up paddleboarding when what I really want to do is watch the season finale of “Widow’s Bay?” I turned 50 last year. One of my resolutions for my remaining few years is to stop asking why I am the way that I am and to start wondering if I should just feel lucky — not just that I have a job that pushes me toward new experiences, but that sometimes we accidentally choose a life that gives us what we need. I was reminded of this resolution recently when I went downtown for a cold plunge, a so-called contrast therapy wherein I spent a half-hour in a sauna followed immediately by two minutes in an ice bath. I’d been told by various people that cold plunges were the cure for nearly everything — panic attacks, arthritis, depression, confidence issues, “brown fat.” I don’t know exactly what it cured, but I do know for a few days afterward I found a little less pain in my knees and, beyond that, some inner peace. There’s no study that can quantify why I felt this way, at least not yet. Because how do you measure a treatment in the category where the disease you are seeking to cure is … you? Because I have been changed by all the strange missions my job as a magazine writer has sent me on, from the brutal (multiday juice fasts that had me eyeing my toddler like he was a turkey dinner) to the truly bizarre (colonics!). I would never have gone further than a movie theater if it were up to me, but I find that I think more about the experiences I’ve had doing strange experiments for my job than I think about even the movies I loved the most. I think a lot about the hypnotist who held my hand while I told her about the grandmother I missed. I think about my mother and me going to a medical marijuana convention together to help find her some relief from her insomnia and the way we talked when we — me and my mother — were high. I think about the team of geologists in Iceland who had to drive me down what I think I remember correctly was a volcano because I’d made a wrong turn. They laid me down in the back footwell of the car because they had to drive backward and I was too afraid to look and had to disassociate — all because I was sent to figure out why Icelandic people are so happy. I think about a life coach teaching me how to make fire with my own hands, and how I didn’t believe it could happen until it did. I think of the hours I spent making a simple roast chicken with a world-class chef as she psychoanalyzed my fear of cooking. This somehow allowed me to put to bed my distress over said fear: I don’t cook; it’s fine. I think about a woman I met at a spa who blessed me during my treatment, who placed me on a literal throne and said to me — I went back to the story to find the quote — I want to tell you something while you’re here. I want to tell you that your life could be good now. I want to tell you that you don’t have to make it through your problems in order for your life to be good now. I want you to know that you have a power within you that is unique, and that is only yours, and that when you learn how to harness it, you are going to make a real difference in the world. You are really going to change the world, Taffy. How I cried when she said that. How the 50-year-old version of me is made of all those moments, and now is also made of this cold plunge. I often wonder, if I stopped working as a journalist, if I’d still choose to do these things. Then I wonder if I’m thinking about it wrong. I did choose it. I said yes to those assignments when there were others that would have kept me at my desk. I think this and realize that maybe I’m not as far gone as I thought. Read Taffy’s column about the cold plunge, along with these specially selected stories. We’ve made the link above, and those below, free for you to read: The shifting face of socialism: The movement was better at critiquing American politics than reshaping it. But now it’s working from inside the system. Tripped Up: He refueled his rental car. Enterprise charged him anyway. Our columnist explains how he should go about getting his money. Listen: How to be there for someone who has lost a child. Vanessa Friedman, our chief fashion critic, takes us inside the sci-fi-inspired couture at the latest runway show by the Dutch designer Iris van Herpen. Watch the video below to see the looks. The New York Times THE LATEST NEWS Senator Lindsey Graham Senator Lindsey Graham in 2024. Kenny Holston/The New York Times Graham was a South Carolina Republican and a stalwart ally of President Trump who was elected to the Senate four times. He died of “a brief and sudden illness” yesterday evening, his office said in a statement. War in Iran The U.S. military launched strikes against Iran after the Iranian Navy attacked a container ship in the Strait of Hormuz, American officials said. The Iranian attack on the ship is expected to set off more oil price volatility. Subpoenas President Trump boarding the new Air Force One earlier this month. Doug Mills/The New York Times The White House directed Kash Patel, the F.B.I. director, to oversee an investigation into Times reporting about security issues with the new Air Force One. Trump was enraged about The Times’s coverage of the Qatari-donated plane last week, officials said. Read our original story about the jet. Around the World Dozens of Russian spies expelled from Western capitals have relocated to Japan, officials said. Typhoon Bavi forced the evacuation of nearly two million people in eastern China after causing widespread flooding and flight disruptions. It’s now a tropical storm. In Canada, two people were killed in a shooting at a popular street festival in Toronto. Armed Israeli settlers stopped and taunted Representative Ro Khanna of California during a visit to a Palestinian village in the occupied West Bank. Other Big Stories Young voters are driving wins for democratic socialist candidates in New York, The Times found. Start-ups are paying white-collar professionals to teach A.I. models how to do their jobs. It’s bleak. FROM OPINION Anuj Shrestha Tick-borne disease cases are surging in America. Now is the time for the federal government to step up and win the war on ticks, Jonathan Mingle writes. Serena Williams’s recent return to professional tennis is an inspiring reminder of the power of embracing desire and possibility in adulthood, Lizzy Goodman writes. What explains the looksmaxxing movement? The male gaze, long trained on women, has come for straight men too, Kate Manne writes. Deeply reported journalism needs your support. The Times relies on subscribers to help fund our mission. Become a subscriber today. SPORTS World Cup Argentina’s Julian Alvarez celebrating a goal. Albert Gea/Reuters Argentina beat Switzerland, 3-1, in extra time. Julian Alvarez scored a breathtaking goal for the team in the 112th minute and Lautaro Martinez finished off with a late third. Argentina will play England on Wednesday in the semifinals. England beat Norway, 2-1, with two Jude Bellingham goals that might convince even a cynic that, for the first time since 1966, it could be coming home. Wimbledon Linda Noskova after her win. Kirsty Wigglesworth/Associated Press Linda Noskova won her first Grand Slam title, dedicating the emotional victory to her mother, who has died. Jannik Sinner and Alexander Zverev will compete in the men’s final today, with Sinner favored to win. BOOK OF THE WEEK By Elisabeth Egan “The Shampoo Effect” by Jenny Jackson: Welcome to Greenhead, Mass., a quaint beach town where the flies are as vicious as the secrets threatening to unravel a group of friends. Jackson’s second best-selling novel (after “Pineapple Street”) unfolds from the perspectives of four women — an aspiring writer who falls in love with a local, the pregnant ex-girlfriend of that local, an old-money type with her head in the sand and a perennial caretaker who’s tired of cleaning up other people’s messes. Their lives are as enmeshed as they could possibly be, yet the question remains: Who gets to tell their story? And will they still be like family in the end? You can find more of our favorite summer beach reads here. THE INTERVIEW Philip Montgomery for The New York Times “A lot of people in show business only hang around with people in show business, because they’ve got something in common, they can relate to each other, and you get disassociated from what people might call ‘real life.’” — Mick Jagger, speaking with David Marchese before the recent release of “Foreign Tongues,” the Rolling Stones’ 25th studio album. Read their full interview here, or watch a longer version on YouTube. THE NEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE Alec Soth for The New York Times Read this week’s magazine. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS … Take your shoes off on the plane, says the comedian Gianmarco Soresi. Use a soundbar to get a cinematic sound experience at home. These are the best ones. Give yourself a boost with one of these six summer pick-me-ups. Put up your hair to cope with the summer heat. Here are accessories that will rise to the occasion. MEAL PLAN Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne. Chicken salad can be superb when the mayo’s done right. Too little, and your salad is dry; too much, and it’s gloppy and dull. Luckily, Andy Baraghani shows us another path: Ditch the mayo and sub for cashew butter, soy sauce, lemon juice and honey. Emily Weinstein, the editor in chief of NYT Cooking, recommends Andy’s recipe, plus recipes for steak quesadillas, sweet-salty-tangy halloumi, pan-seared salmon and more. NOW TIME TO PLAY Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangrams were lilliputian and nuptial. Can you put eight historical events — including the writing of the “Odyssey,” King Louis XIV moving his court to the Palace of Versailles and one of the first computer dating services — in chronological order? Take this week’s Flashback quiz. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Crossplay, Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your weekend with The Times. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Host: Sam Sifton Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Evan Gorelick, Brent Lewis, Lara McCoy, Karl Russell Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Editorial Director, Newsletters: Jodi Rudoren

THIS DAY IN HISTORY July 12 1984 Geraldine Ferraro named vice presidential candidate Walter Mondale, the leading Democratic presidential candidate, announces that he has chosen Representative Geraldine Ferraro of New York as his running mate. Ferraro became the first female vice presidential candidate to represent a major political party. read more Sponsored Content by REVCONTENT 19th Century 1861 Wild Bill Hickok’s first gunfight Arts & Entertainment 1979 Disco is dealt death blow by fans of the Chicago White Sox 1389 Geoffrey Chaucer is named chief clerk by Richard II Civil War 1861 Confederacy signs treaties with Choctaw and Chickasaw nations Cold War 1990 Boris Yeltsin resigns from Communist Party Crime 1963 The Moors Murderers begin their killing spree Inventions & Science 1933 First Dymaxion car produced U.S. Government and Politics 1862 Medal of Honor created U.S. Presidents 1957 Eisenhower takes first presidential ride in a helicopter Vietnam War 1965 First Marine to receive posthumous Medal of Honor for action in Vietnam is killed World War II 1943 Russians halt German advance in a decisive battle at Kursk

Alvarez’s 112th-minute goal helps lift Argentina past Switzerland 3-1 and into World Cup semifinals KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Perhaps it is in Argentina’s character that the reigning World Cup champion always finds a way to win. https://apnews.com/article/world-cup-argentina-switzerland-score-d47ccb4ac5b3af67eca1f82228155174?

I Asked Microsoft About Windows 12. Here's What It Would (and Wouldn't) Say Microsoft wouldn't confirm Windows 12, but what it did say reveals when the next version may arrive, what it will include, and why it could look a lot like Windows 11. https://www.pcmag.com/news/i-asked-microsoft-about-windows-12-heres-what-it-would-and-wouldnt-say?

🌳 1 for the road: VP eyes country escape The rolling hills of Middleburg, Va. Photo: Jumping Rocks/Universal Images Group via Getty Images Vice President Vance is eyeing a grand farmhouse in Middleburg, Va., as a getaway from Washington, sources tell Axios D.C.'s Cuneyt Dil and Mimi Montgomery. The 496-acre property, known as Wolver Hill Farm, is about an hour's drive from D.C. It includes a large stone house and abuts the upscale Salamander Resort. The Secret Service has talked with Middleburg police to coordinate security for the veep, a source told Axios. It's uncertain whether the family has signed a lease. NBC News first reported the family's interest in a Middleburg residence. Locals have spotted black SUVs and a Marine helicopter landing on the property. Over the July Fourth weekend, a neighbor saw the FAA post a no-fly drone zone on the site.