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🏀 1 for the road: Knicks ratings rebound Data: Nielsen, ESPN. Chart: Erin Davis/Axios Visuals This year's NBA Finals between the Knicks and Spurs were the most-watched since Michael Jordan's last win in 1998, according to Nielsen estimates. The series — which ended New York's 53-year title drought — averaged 20.6 million viewers across five games on ESPN and ABC. That's double the audience for last year's series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers. Argentina's Lionel Messi celebrates after scoring against Algeria in Kansas City last night. Photo: Jay Biggerstaff/Reuters Three of yesterday's four World Cup matches featured big moments from soccer's biggest stars: 🇦🇷 Argentina's Lionel Messi scored a hat trick — his first at a World Cup — to tie the record for the most career goals scored in the tournament. 🇫🇷 France's Kylian Mbappé scored two goals, including a rocket from 30 yards out, in the French team's win over Senegal. 🇳🇴 Norway's Erling Haaland scored twice to lead his country to its first World Cup win since 1998. ⚽ Today's schedule: Portugal vs. DRC (1 p.m. ET) ... England vs. Croatia (4 p.m. ET) ... Ghana vs. Panama (7 p.m. ET) ... Uzbekistan vs. Colombia (10 p.m. ET)

⚠️ American pride falls off a cliff Data: PRRI American Identity Survey, May 1-18. PRRI American Identity Report. Chart: Russell Contreras/Axios A profound identity crisis has gripped America ahead of its 250th birthday: Citizens are less proud, less religiously unified and losing faith that the American Dream still works, Axios' Russell Contreras writes. A new survey from the nonpartisan Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) finds that Americans are retreating into ideological camps, viewing the opposing side not as a political rival, but as threats to democracy itself. 🧮 By the numbers: 51% of Americans say they're extremely or very proud of being American, down sharply from 82% in 2013. Less than half of Democrats believe that being born in America (42%), believing in God (41%), or being Christian (29%) are important to national identity. A majority of Republicans say being born in America, believing in God and being Christian are important to being truly American. Americans are also split on the American Dream, with less than half believing that hard work gets you ahead. Among 18- to 29-year-olds, belief in the American Dream has fallen from 50% in 2024 to 36% today. Keep reading.

📈 New majority: 2 working parents Data: U.S. Census Current Population Survey data, analyzed by Pew. Chart: Noah Bressner/Axios A majority of U.S. families (52%) now have two parents who work full-time — a record high, Axios' Avery Lotz writes from a new Pew report. That's up six points from a decade ago and 21 points since 1975. The share of families in which the dad works full-time and the mom is not employed fell from 42% in 1975 to just 23% last year. Keep reading.

🚀 Charted: SpaceX soars above Amazon Data: FactSet. Chart: Matt Phillips/Axios SpaceX jumped another 4.8% yesterday, enabling Elon Musk's company to leapfrog Amazon in market value and become the world's fifth biggest company, Axios' Matt Phillips writes. Why it matters: The gain underscores the extraordinary power Musk's mastery of the stock market gives him. Case in point: SpaceX announced a $60 billion all-stock deal yesterday, essentially using its stock as currency to buy fast-growing vibe-coding startup Cursor. That instantly bolstered SpaceX's Grok AI division against Anthropic and OpenAI. Sam Altman walks through the Hart Senate Office Building on June 3. Photo: Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters ⛰️ Sneak peek: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, befitting the leader of a tech giant with the power of a nation-state, is in the French Alps for the G7, and is holding one-on-one meetings with many heads of state. Today, he's expected to emphasize the importance of ensuring AI is as widely distributed as possible. Altman is expected to highlight OpenAI's commitment to being a reliable and long-term partner. The ChatGPT creator works with most of the countries, both directly with governments and through companies representing critical infrastructure, and provides cybersecurity defensive tools through the GPT-5.5-Cyber program.

🗳️ Big upset in Georgia In the GOP runoff for Georgia governor, billionaire health care executive Rick Jackson spent $100 million, mostly out of his pocket, and beat Trump-endorsed Burt Jones yesterday, 53% to 47%. It's "one of the biggest political upsets in recent Georgia history," writes Greg Bluestein of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Jackson will face Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms in the Nov. 3 general election. More from Axios Atlanta. In Georgia's GOP primary runoff for U.S. Senate, Trump-endorsed U.S. Rep. Mike Collins beat Derek Dooley, 55% to 45%, and will face Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) in November. More from Axios Atlanta. 🥊 The bottom line: A split result for Trump.

MAGA hawk mutiny Photo illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios. Photo: Saul Loeb/Getty Images President Trump's Iran deal has opened an explosive second front in MAGA's civil war, waged by hawkish allies who view U.S. concessions as an existential betrayal of Israel, Axios' Zachary Basu writes. Why it matters: Across two terms and 11 years in the political spotlight, no issue has divided Trump's base more than the Iran war. When U.S. strikes began, leading isolationists — from Tucker Carlson to Marjorie Taylor Greene — were excommunicated for suggesting Trump had abandoned "America First" principles on behalf of Israel. Three months later, with an interim deal in hand and peace potentially on the horizon, the Republican hawks who cheered Trump into battle are now leading their own furious rebellion. 🖼️ The big picture: Pro-Israel conservatives are demanding to see the text of Trump's memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Iran, frustrated as much by the deal's secrecy as by its reported substance. The White House has given conflicting signals on timing: Senior officials said the text would be released yesterday or today. Trump said it may come Friday, after a formal signing ceremony in Geneva. Republican leadership in Congress remains in the dark — and frustrated by the lack of detail. So is Israel, which hasn't seen the official MOU despite being a party to the ceasefire. Trump inflamed the backlash yesterday by praising Iran's negotiators in a bilateral meeting with Qatar's emir, a key mediator distrusted by many pro-Israel Republicans. "We're dealing with people that I think are very rational people," Trump said, adding that Iranian officials were "nice to deal with," "not radicalized" and "looking to help their country." For hawks who view Iran's government as a terrorist regime incapable of reform, the president's language deepened their fear that the deal rewards Tehran for surviving the war. President Trump meets with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan yesterday at the G7 summit in Évian-les-Bains, France. Photo: Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images 🔎 Zoom in: The objections from Trump's pro-Israel allies fall largely into three buckets. Money: The MOU would allow Iran to immediately begin selling oil while opening the door to sanctions relief, frozen funds and a $300 billion reconstruction fund during the next phase of nuclear talks. U.S. officials stress that financial relief would be tied to compliance, but hawks are apoplectic at the mere prospect of money flowing to Tehran. Leverage: Months of overwhelming military force crippled Iran's nuclear infrastructure and conventional military defenses. By entering a 60-day negotiation window and lifting the naval blockade now, hawks argue Trump is trading away unprecedented leverage. Some even claim the regime was on the brink of collapse, though there's little evidence of that. Trust: Critics reject the premise that Iran can be coaxed into moderation — a concern echoed inside Trump's own government. Axios reported that CIA Director John Ratcliffe warned Trump that U.S. intelligence has serious doubts about Tehran's willingness to make the nuclear concessions required for a final deal. Between the lines: Vice President Vance may be more vulnerable to the deal's political fallout than Trump, who can always pitch himself as the president who took on Iran when no one else dared. Vance, the likely 2028 heir to the MAGA throne and a longtime skeptic of foreign entanglements, helped negotiate the MOU and is expected to sign it Friday in Geneva. Defending the deal on Megyn Kelly's show yesterday, Vance dismissed hawk critics as wanting "an endless conflict" that goes on "until every Iranian is dead" — then urged MAGA skeptics to stay inside the coalition.

THIS DAY IN HISTORY June 17 1885 Statue of Liberty arrives in New York Harbor The Statue of Liberty, a gift of friendship from the people of France to the people of America, arrives in New York Harbor after being shipped across the Atlantic Ocean read more Sponsored Content by REVCONTENT American Revolution 1775 Battle of Bunker Hill begins Cold War 1953 Soviets crush antigovernment riots in East Berlin Crime 1994 O.J. Simpson leads L.A. police on a low-speed chase 2015 Charleston church shooting Native American History 1876 Native Americans score victory at the Battle of the Rosebud Sports 1976 NBA merges with ABA U.S. Presidents 1972 Watergate burglars arrested 1900 Future President Hoover caught in Boxer Rebellion World War II 1943 FDR’s secretary of war stifles Truman’s inquiry into suspicious defense plant 1940 France signals intention to surrender to the Nazis

Trump delays his own national intelligence nominee, fueling tension with fellow Republicans WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Wednesday derailed the confirmation process of his own nominee to head the nation’s intelligence agencies, an extraordinary move that upended Senate efforts to renew a crucial surveillance program and fueled fresh tensions with fellow Republicans on Capitol Hill. https://apnews.com/article/trump-jay-clayton-congress-voting-bill-bc75e8a07ea29788b602625cf1c54b47? 🏭 GM joins arms race Axios' Joann Muller and Colin Demarest write from the ReIndustrialize defense summit in Detroit: GM and Lockheed Martin plan to work together to strengthen U.S. manufacturing and boost America's readiness for war. Why it matters: The collaboration, at the urging of the Trump administration, is portrayed as an effort to protect national security by strengthening the U.S. industrial base across the defense sector. Early conversations are focused on how Lockheed can leverage GM's expertise in high-rate manufacturing, digital engineering and supply chain management, said Frank St. John, Lockheed's chief operating officer. 🪖 The big picture: Lockheed weaponry is sought globally. The Trump administration has inked several deals with the defense contractor — the world's largest by revenue — to greatly boost production of missile defenses. To meet the Pentagon's demand to "triple or quadruple" weapons production within three to four years, Lockheed is investing $9 billion across 20 facilities.

New Walking Shark Scientists have discovered a new species of walking shark off the coast of Papua New Guinea. Dudgeon's Walking Shark (Hemiscyllium dudgeonae) is a nocturnal species that uses its four fins like legs to move across reef flats at low tide. There are nine other species of walking sharks, also called epaulette sharks (see short video). They have only ever been found in or near Australia, New Guinea, and Indonesia, sparking concerns they could be vulnerable to the changing climate and coastal development. The newest shark is known for the distinctive white and brown pattern on its body. Like other walking sharks, this one eats invertebrates living on the seafloor and is not considered dangerous to humans. Its local name is kadedekedewa, meaning dog shark or lazy shark. Watch it in action (via Instagram). What makes a shark a shark? The secret lies in the composition of its skeleton.

Foiled Fight Night Plot Federal authorities said yesterday they disrupted an alleged plot targeting an Ultimate Fighting Championship event at the White House, arresting five people and identifying 23 individuals in a related online chat. Officials say the suspects, from multiple states and allegedly in their teens to early 20s, intended to stage a demonstration on the north side of the White House while detonating explosive-laden drones outside the arena. The blasts were meant to force crowds south, where snipers would attack the roughly 4,300 attendees, targeting politicians and other high-profile guests. Investigators say the group mapped entry points and escape routes. See how consumer drones are changing the US domestic threat landscape here. Among those arrested was 19-year-old Tycen Proper of Ohio, whose mother alerted authorities June 10. Proper allegedly admitted to helping plan the attack in hopes of sparking a US revolution after connecting with others through TikTok.

🏙️ Parting shot! Photo: Gary Hershorn/Getty Images A dreamy Manhattan sunrise, seen through low clouds from Jersey City, N.J. Share the best snaps of your summer with us at finishline@axios.com, along with your name and hometown!

Algeria's unlikely home crowd Local fans supporting Team Algeria at their open practice in Lawrence, Kansas. Photo: City of Lawrence. One of the best B-plots of the World Cup has been the love affair between Lawrence, Kansas — home to the University of Kansas Jayhawks — and the Algerian national team. Lawrence's fandom has gone viral, Axios Kansas City's Abbey Higginbotham writes, turning a Midwestern college town into a national story while giving Algeria a genuine home crowd when it faces heavily favored Argentina. 🏕️ Catch up quick: Lawrence was chosen as Algeria's base camp, where the team stays for as long as it advances in the tournament. The team rolled in after midnight on June 8, greeted by flag-waving fans who waited out the thunderstorms just to see Algeria's players. The KU marching band reps Team Algeria. Photo: KU School of Music Zoom in: The KU marching band learned Algeria's national anthem, "Kassaman," and played it as hundreds packed an open practice at Rock Chalk Park, many wrapped in green, white and red. Players signed autographs and ran a clinic for local kids, and a Lawrence bar's welcome video in Arabic and French drew nearly a million views. World-renowned local artist Stan Herd even carved a quarter-acre Algerian flag into a hillside in Lawrence, shaped from grass and mulch. Locals are chanting, "Rock Chalk, Algeria!" — a twist on the classic "Rock Chalk, Jayhawk" chant for KU. 🇩🇿 "We've embraced them, and they've embraced us," Lawrence Mayor Brad Finkeldei says."This is just the start of the relationship. We haven't even played a game yet." What's next: Algeria plays its first World Cup match since 2014 at 9 p.m. ET tonight, facing defending champion Argentina and star player Lionel Messi at Kansas City Stadium. The match airs on Fox and Telemundo.

👎 Surprise! War powers vote fails Data: Senate roll call votes; Chart: Kathleen Hunter/Axios A trio of absences hindered Senate Democrats' latest attempt to rein in Trump's ability to conduct military operations in Iran. Sens. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), all of whom have supported past war powers resolutions, missed today's vote, which failed 47-48. Why it matters: The procedural vote took place while Congress is full of questions about the details of the deal the U.S. and Iran signed electronically on Sunday — and whether Congress would sign off on any of it. There had been speculation that another Republican, such as retiring Sen. Thom Tillis (N.C.), might be tempted to join the defectors, but that didn't materialize. Democrats could have prevailed with full attendance because Republicans were missing Sens. Josh Hawley (Mo.) and Mitch McConnell (Ky.). Catch up quick: The House this month passed a similar measure to curb Trump's military campaign in Iran, signaling waning support among lawmakers for the military operations. It was the first successful rebuke of Trump's Iran war effort after multiple Democratic-led war powers attempts failed. Four Senate Republicans — Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Rand Paul of Kentucky — voted in favor today of discharging the war powers measure from committee, while John Fetterman (D-Pa.) voted "no." — Kathleen Hunter

💣 One last fight 📢 Senate Republicans are starting to talk more like their House colleagues on the prospects of a government shutdown this fall. "[W]hat Chuck Schumer and the Democrats want more than anything else is another government shutdown," Senate Majority Leader John Thune said today. 🚊 Why it matters: There have already been two shutdowns in the past year, and the incentives are lining up for one last pre-midterms collision. Democratic voters and backbenchers want more of a fight with Republicans, as we've reported repeatedly. Government funding is one of the few ways through which the party can force one, although a short-term funding extension could defuse the fight until after November. ⚾️ The big picture: Democrats have embraced hardball in moments of leverage. They helped block FISA renewal last week over President Trump's elevation of Pulte as acting director of national intelligence, forced a shutdown over Affordable Care Act subsidies at the end of 2025, and used a Homeland Security shutdown this year to demand changes to ICE and Border Patrol. They showed Republicans they are willing to block must-pass or traditionally bipartisan legislation as leverage to advance their policy goals. ⚔️ Zoom in: In the Senate, the shutdown rhetoric sounds more like saber-rattling for a bipartisan process than a serious push to bypass one. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer blamed Appropriations chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) and said she needs to "sit down in good faith" with Democrats. But Collins pushed back sharply on Schumer, telling Semafor she's made three "good-faith" offers and been rejected. Appropriations ranking member Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) told Semafor that Collins "continues to propose topline funding levels that would supersize Trump's war budget while leaving families behind." 😤 Over in the House, conservatives are pressuring Speaker Mike Johnson to undercut Democrats' leverage before Sept. 30, as we told you last week in Hill Leaders. 🎁 The GOP group's wishlist includes SNAP and TSA funding. Each became a major flashpoint in the recent shutdowns. 💰 Add that to $70 billion for ICE and Border Patrol that Trump just signed into law, and a shutdown suddenly has less bite, Republicans say. 🧮 Reality check: Even if GOP leaders embraced the strategy, it could fail before it ever limits Democrats' options — while setting off a precedent-shattering fight over the future of bipartisan appropriations. Collins isn't confident the Senate can pass a third reconciliation bill, she said at a hearing last week. "You've got to have something that gets 50 and 218, and I'm not sure exactly, at this point, what that is," Thune said yesterday about the challenge of getting a party-line bill through both chambers. The bottom line: Voters tend to blame the party in power for shutdowns. Republicans would love to avoid being on the hook for another one. — Justin Green and Kate Santaliz

Trump Cashes in On World Cup With New Grift Miami is one of the main stadiums in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Donald Trump is trying to cash in on the World Cup through his flagship golf resort. The Trump National Doral Miami is billing itself as “the ultimate championship-caliber sanctuary for football enthusiasts,” which is “located just minutes from the action.” Hard Rock Stadium, home to the Miami Dolphins, has been temporarily renamed the Miami Stadium for the World Cup and will host seven matches, which, among the 16 cities hosting the tournament, is bettered only by Los Angeles and New Jersey’s eight games, and Dallas’s nine. Trump is the chair of the White House World Cup Task Force, with Vice President JD Vance as vice chair. The task force’s executive director is Andrew Giuliani, the son of Trump’s former lawyer and ex-mayor of New York City, Rudy Giuliani. The tournament got underway last week, but now the Daily Beast has found that the Trump-owned resort on the west side of Miami has not only proactively advertised itself as a destination for fans visiting the city, but has also bumped up its prices on game nights. At the time of writing, the starting price for a one-night stay for one guest on a Saturday in June or July ranges from $329 to $396, with two exceptions. On Saturday, July 11, the night the Miami Stadium hosts one of the tournament’s quarter-finals, prices leap up to more than $460. The second most expensive Saturday is the week before, when guests looking for the cheapest room will be charged more than $443. It happens to be the night after Miami Stadium hosts a round of 32 game. The Friday night of that game, July 3, happens to be the most expensive Friday night starting price in the remainder of June and July. On the night of the quarterfinal, Trump Doral is charging single guests $971 for its most expensive “signature suit” rooms. On another, less eventful Saturday, that same tier of room is available for $772. The resort was adorned with a new 15-foot gold statue of the president earlier this year. The sculptor of the statue revealed to the Beast at the time that it had been his idea to sell the Trump team a shiny $60,000 gold leaf add-on to the icon’s existing $300,000 price tag. The Daily Beast has contacted the Trump Organization and Trump Hotels for comment. https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-cashes-in-on-world-cup-with-new-grift/? ps:So pathetic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Career pivot Millions of Americans are struggling to find work in this tough job market, but healthcare is emerging as a lifeline for those willing to try something new. Nursing assistants and home health aides are an easy entry point. ps:Tough job market? Why? All the immigrants that left should have opened up many jobs!!!!! I guess that wasn't the problem we've been lead to believe??????????

⚽️ 1 sports thing: Miami gets World Cup fever Uruguay fans paint their faces ahead of last night's match. Photo: Martin Vassolo/Axios Florida's Hard Rock Stadium hosted its first of seven World Cup matches last night, Axios' Martin Vassolo reports from the game. The 65,000-seat venue — temporarily rechristened "Miami Stadium" — was packed as two-time champion Uruguay took on Saudi Arabia (result: 1-1). 🇺🇾 The match was personal for the thousands of local Uruguayans. Fans gathered hours ahead of the 6 p.m. kickoff outside the stadium, where they painted their faces, played soccer mini-games, and got hype for the TV cameras. Saudi Arabia fans celebrate a goal during last night's World Cup match against Uruguay. Photo: Julian Finney/FIFA via Getty Images 🏟️ Inside the stadium, loud chants of "Uruguay! Uruguay!" competed with drumming and chanting from the Saudi fans. Uruguayans draped flags and signs all over the arena, including one that simply read "Asado y Vino" — "barbecue and wine." Go deeper ...

🌊 First named storm of '26 Image: NOAA Tropical Storm Arthur is expected to form in the Gulf early tomorrow, Axios New Orleans' Carlie Kollath Wells reports. Arthur — the first named storm of the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season — will make landfall tomorrow night, near the Texas-Louisiana border. 🌊 The storm is forecast to dump 4–8 inches of rain in parts of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. Some spots could get up to 12 inches through Thursday, leading to potentially life-threatening flash flooding. Go deeper ... Latest forecast. Tropical threat States along the US Gulf Coast can expect significant amounts of rain and potentially dangerous flooding. Parts of Texas and Louisiana are under a tropical storm watch, and the system would be named Arthur if it develops.

Trump ramps up Education Department’s dismantling with changes on special education and civil rights WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s administration on Tuesday accelerated its dismantling of the Education Department, delegating much of its work to protect the nation’s at-risk students in a move that carves away the vast majority of its functions for other agencies to handle. https://apnews.com/article/trump-civil-rights-special-education-3483478a51ea8001fcc70e8a77d08d9a?

👋 Good morning! It's a great day to have a great day. In today's edition: Cabo Verde's clean sheet, Serena returns to Wimbledon, Sorsby to the NFL, hitting for the cycle, MLB All-Star voting, Brunson is clutch, and more. Yahoo Sports AM is written by Kendall Baker and Jeff Tracy. Let's sports...   🚨 ICYMI HEADLINES 🏈 The Sorsby saga is over: Brendan Sorsby won't play for Texas Tech after all, as the QB at the center of a sordid gambling saga will instead apply for the NFL supplemental draft after a lawsuit filed by the Big 12 was otherwise set to pave the way for sanctions against Texas Tech. ⚾️ Cycle! Cubs CF Pete Crow-Armstrong hit for the first cycle of the season after getting his requisite hits in reverse order with a first-inning homer, third-inning triple, fifth-inning double and seventh-inning single en route to a walk-off victory over the Rockies. ⚾️ Another cycle! Longhorns SS Adrian Rodriguez hit for the third cycle in College World Series history as No. 6 Texas annihilated (and eliminated) No. 7 Alabama, 14-2. Plus: Oklahoma held off No. 3 Georgia, 4-3, in Monday's other game to reach the semifinals. ⚽️ Pulisic limited: USMNT star Christian Pulisic was limited in Monday's training session as he nurses the calf injury that kept him out of the second half of the World Cup opener. While everyone at camp insists he's "good," it's worth monitoring ahead of Friday's match against Australia. 🏀 Splitter to Chicago: The Bulls have found their next head coach, hiring interim Trail Blazers head coach Tiago Splitter to replace Billy Donovan, who left the team in April after six seasons at the helm. The NBA's only remaining head coaching vacancies: Portland and Dallas.   ⚽️ WORLD CUP CABO VERDE STEALS THE SHOW (Buda Mendes/Getty Images) Before Monday's game against Spain began, Cabo Verde's 40-year-old goalkeeper, Vozinha, had 46,000 followers on Instagram. After he made seven saves to secure an improbable clean sheet and his country's first-ever World Cup point in a 0-0 draw, that number is now 6.9 million. The global game: Only the World Cup — married with an individual performance for the ages — can propel a goalkeeper who plies his trade in Portugal's second tier from relative anonymity to international fame and adoration in mere hours. For reference: Vozinha now has more Instagram followers than household names like Victor Wembanyama (6.2M) and Patrick Mahomes (6.4M), and every MLB player not named Shohei Ohtani (10.7M), who he might just pass in the coming weeks. David vs. Goliath: Monday's Group H opener pitted one of the tournament favorites against a tiny island nation off the coast of West Africa that might not have qualified if not for the expanded format. Spain ranked 2nd in FIFA's latest official world rankings, 65 places above 67th-ranked Cabo Verde. Spain's population tallies nearly 50 million people. Cabo Verde's is 530,000. Spain's starting XI on Monday, which didn't even feature Lamine Yamal, has a combined transfer-market value of $641 million, per data from Transfermarkt. Cabo Verde's is worth $25 million. The only number that counts: Despite all of those advantages materializing on the pitch, where Spain outshot Cabo Verde 27-6 and limited them to just 26 touches in the attacking third (fewest in World Cup history), they couldn't influence the scoresheet, which was protected by the steady presence of a 40-year-old debutant and a center back who was recruited to the team via an unsolicited LinkedIn message. Looking ahead: The ranking disparity in this match is surpassed only by the 77-spot gap framing No. 6 Brazil's matchup with No. 83 Haiti on Friday. The Seleção need no further warning about overlooking their opponent. (Fran Santiago/Getty Images) Scoreboard: Belgium 1, Egypt 1: A second-half own goal forced by Romelu Lukaku canceled out Emam Ashour's opener for Egypt. Saudi Arabia 1, Uruguay 1: Maxi Araujo tucked away a rebound in the 80th minute to avoid an upset loss to the Saudis — a feat eventual champions Argentina did not manage in 2022. Iran 2, New Zealand 2: Another draw in the nightcap, making Monday the second day in World Cup history to feature four draws (June 15, 1958). On the scene: At Iran's World Cup opener, a banned flag became a flashpoint at the stadium gates (Jeff Eisenberg, Yahoo Sports)   🎾 THE COMEBACK SERENA, VENUS TO PLAY AT WIMBLEDON The Williams sisters after winning the 2016 doubles title at Wimbledon. (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) Serena Williams will play at Wimbledon for the first time in four years as she continues her tennis comeback, the tournament announced this morning. Details: Serena, 44, will team up with her sister Venus, 45, in the women's doubles tournament, which they've won six times (2000, 2002, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2016) to go along with their 12 combined singles titles there (seven for Serena, five for Venus). What to watch: Serena is not currently slated to play singles at Wimbledon (nor is Venus), but one wild card spot remains unallocated. "I want to play singles and we'll see if I get there," she said last week during the Queen's Club Championships. "If not, that's not my journey right now." Serena's comeback continues this week at the Berlin Open, where she's playing doubles alongside world No. 10 Karolína Muchová. Wimbledon begins June 29.   ⚾️ MIDSUMMER CLASSIC MLB ALL-STAR: VOTING UPDATE (Zoe Davis/Getty Images) The first MLB All-Star ballot update was released on Monday ahead of next month's Midsummer Classic in Philadelphia. Phase 1 of fan voting continues through June 25. National League: Shohei Ohtani leads all players with 1.17 million votes. If that holds, it will (surprisingly) be the first time he's ever been MLB's leading vote-getter. Catcher: Drake Baldwin, ATL (top runners-up: Will Smith, LAD; J.T. Realmuto, PHI) First base: Freddie Freeman, LAD (Matt Olson, ATL; Bryce Harper, PHI) Second base: Ozzie Albies, ATL (Bryson Stott, PHI; Brice Turang, MIL) Third base: Max Muncy, LAD (Alec Bohm, PHI; Nolan Arenado, ARI) Shortstop: CJ Abrams, WSH (Mookie Betts, LAD; Elly De La Cruz, CIN) Outfield: Andy Pages, LAD; Ronald Acuña Jr., ATL; Brandon Marsh, PHI (Michael Harris II, ATL; Teoscar Hernández, LAD; Jordan Walker, STL) Designated hitter: Ohtani, LAD (Kyle Schwarber, PHI; Dominic Smith, ATL) (Jack Gorman/Getty Images) American League: Yordan Alvarez is the AL's leading vote-getter with 1.02 million votes as he currently sits atop the league leaderboard in batting average (.328) and home runs (24), and is second in RBI (54). In other words, we've got a Triple Crown chase on our hands. Catcher: Shea Langeliers, A's (Alejandro Kirk, TOR; Adley Rutschman, BAL) First base: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., TOR (Ben Rice, NYY; Munetaka Murakami, CWS) Second base: Ernie Clement, TOR (Ezequiel Duran, TEX; Travis Bazzana, CLE) Third base: Junior Caminero, TB (Kazuma Okamoto, TOR; Miguel Vargas, CWS) Shortstop: Bobby Witt Jr., KC (Andrés Giménez, TOR; Kevin McGonigle, DET) Outfield: Aaron Judge, NYY; Mike Trout, LAA; Cody Bellinger, NYY (Byron Buxton, MIN; Riley Greene, DET; Julio Rodríguez, SEA) Designated hitter: Alvarez, HOU (George Springer, TOR; Yandy Díaz, TB) Looking ahead: When Phase 1 ends on June 25, the top two vote-getters at each position (and top six outfielders) advance to Phase 2. The only caveat is that each league's overall vote leader after Phase 1 (Ohtani and Alvarez, as of today) earns an automatic starting spot in the All-Star Game.   💯 STAT SHEET BIG NUMBERS Shinnecock Hills Golf Club last fall. (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) ⛳️ 3 of 520 How hard is Shinnecock Hills? This week's U.S. Open will be the fifth it has hosted since 1900, and of the 520 different golfers who have competed in the first four, just three have ended the week under par: Retief Goosen (-4 in 2004), Phil Mickelson (-2 in 2004) and Ray Floyd (-1 in 1986). Brooks Koepka won in 2018 at +1 and Corey Pavin won in 1995 at even par. Betting odds: Scottie Scheffler (+465) is favored to win this week and capture the Career Grand Slam, marking the 15th consecutive major he's entered as at least the co-favorite. Rory McIlroy (+970) has the second-best odds, followed by Jon Rahm (+1050), Xander Schauffele (+1700) and Cameron Young (+2050). ⚾️ 102 runs The Athletics played a six-game "homestand" against the Brewers and Rockies last week in Las Vegas as a preview for their 2028 move to Sin City, and the teams combined for a staggering 102 runs. That's 17 per game, or nearly twice the MLB average this season (8.96). Why the slugfest? Las Vegas Ballpark, home of the Aviators (A's Triple-A affiliate), is a hitter's wonderland for a variety of reasons. Vegas not only sits 2,000 feet above sea level — second only to Denver's Coors Field — but is also extremely hot and dry, all factors that make the ball fly. "They're playing on the moon," as FanGraphs succinctly put it. (The Athletics' future Vegas ballpark will be domed, removing many of these factors.) Brunson just put on a masterclass. (Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) 🏀 42.7% of points Jalen Brunson scored an astonishing 42.7% of the Knicks' fourth-quarter points in the NBA Finals — the highest share for any player in the Finals since Dirk Nowitzki had 43.7% for the Mavericks in 2011. It begs the question: Did Brunson just author the most clutch playoff run in NBA history? Captain Clutch: It wasn't just the Finals. Brunson averaged 9.9 fourth-quarter points during New York’s dominant playoff run, tied for the second-most in the last 30 years by any player who reached at least the second round. The only player with more? Brunson himself in 2024 (10.1). 🎾 7 players Donna Vekić upset Emma Raducanu in the Queen's Club final on Sunday, becoming just the seventh player in the Open Era (since 1968) to win a WTA title as a "lucky loser" — someone who lost in qualifiers but ultimately reached the main draw as a replacement. The other six: Kay McDaniel (Atlanta, 1980), Olga Danilović (Moscow, 2018), Coco Gauff (Linz, 2019), Maria Timofeeva (Budapest, 2023), Nao Hibino (Prague, 2023) and Sara Sorribes Tormo (Cleveland, 2023).   📺 VIEWING GUIDE WATCHLIST: TUESDAY, JUNE 16 (Yahoo Sports) ⚽️ World Cup, Day 6 Three of the world's biggest stars take the stage today as Kylian Mbappé's France faces Senegal in East Rutherford (3pm ET, Fox), Erling Haaland's Norway faces Iraq in Foxborough (6pm, Fox) and Lionel Messi's Argentina faces Algeria in Kansas City (9pm, Fox). The night ends with Austria vs. Jordan in Santa Clara (12am, FS1). The quest begins: Argentina's title defense kicks off today as La Albiceleste look to join Italy (1934, 1938) and Brazil (1958, 1962) as the only teams to win back-to-back World Cups. ⚾️ College World Series The Final Four will be set tonight in Omaha, where No. 16 West Virginia faces Troy (2pm, ESPN) for a shot at No. 5 North Carolina in the semifinals. Then it's No. 3 Georgia vs. No. 6 Texas (8pm, ESPN), with the winner moving on to face Oklahoma in the other semifinal. Player to watch: Troy junior Jabe Boroff, aka Jabe Ruth, has gone nuclear since the postseason began, batting .454 (15-for-33) with 6 HR and 21 RBI in nine games. Not bad for a guy who entered the NCAA tournament batting .185 with 5 HR in his first 27 games of the season. More to watch: ⚾️ MLB: Padres at Cardinals (7:45pm, TBS) … Second-place San Diego (37-34) vs. second-place St. Louis (39-31). 🏀 WNBA: Tempo at Fever (7pm, USA) … Indiana (8-5) has won three straight games and seven of 10, while Toronto (7-7) has lost two straight to fall back to .500. Got plans tonight? Gametime is the best place to score last-minute tickets to the events in your city.   🏀 DRAFT DAY NBA TRIVIA (Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) The 2026 NBA Draft is exactly one week away. Question: Can you name the past five No. 1 overall picks? Hint: Three college, two France. Answer at the bottom.   📆 ON THIS DAY FLASHBACK: JUNE 16, 2008 (Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images) 18 years ago today, Tiger Woods won his third U.S. Open and 14th major, beating Rocco Mediate in a playoff at Torrey Pines ... on a broken leg.   Trivia answer: Cooper Flagg, Duke (2025); Zaccharie Risacher, France (2024); Victor Wembanyama, France (2023); Paolo Banchero, Duke (2022); Cade Cunningham, Oklahoma State (2021)

TikTok is not complying with social media law restricting minors, state says Attorney General James Uthmeier is seeking damages from TikTok, claiming the tech giant is not complying with Florida’s 2024 social media ban for minors. https://floridaphoenix.com/2026/06/15/tiktok-is-not-complying-with-social-media-law-restricting-minors-state-says/? Scott, Moody call on Tampa officials to cancel Kanye West’s planned shows ST. PETERSBURG — Citing his history of antisemitic comments, Florida’s two U.S. senators joined local Jewish leaders Monday in calling for a local government agency known as the Tampa Sports Authority (TSA) to cancel two concerts by the artist formerly known as Kanye West, saying they would be misuse of taxpayer dollars and not a free-speech issue. https://floridaphoenix.com/2026/06/15/scott-moody-call-on-tampa-officials-to-cancel-kanye-wests-planned-shows/? Florida’s AG continues to toy with NFL over ‘minority’ hiring “I do see color, because I believe if you don’t see color, you can’t see racism.” — former New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo https://floridaphoenix.com/2026/06/16/floridas-ag-continues-to-toy-with-nfl-over-minority-hiring/?

Trump Plans to Protect Methane-Leaking Stripper Wells. This Billionaire Donor Will Benefit. It was before dawn on a Friday in January when a Gulfstream G600 with the burnt-orange Texas Longhorns logo on its tail landed at Dulles airport outside Washington, D.C. Its owner, a little-known oil billionaire named Jeffery Hildebrand, had been summoned to the White House. https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-epa-methane-jeffery-hildebrand-hilcorp-oil-regulations? The Trump EPA Official in Charge of Methane Regulations Helped Write an Oil Industry Argument Against Those Rules The Trump administration official leading an effort to loosen rules on methane pollution was an unnamed author of key industry arguments against those same rules just four years ago when he was an oil and gas lobbyist. https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-epa-methane-deregulation-aaron-szabo-oil-gas-axpc? Why We Changed Our Code of Ethics to Address Prediction Markets What would you think of me, the ProPublica editor responsible for newsroom standards, if I placed a bet on the baseball game I’m currently listening to on the radio? Probably that I’m doing something plenty of others do, and that my wallet will be lighter in a few innings. https://www.propublica.org/article/prediction-markets-propublica-code-of-ethics?

Higher prices for gas, groceries and flights will outlast the Iran war, experts say Even after oil starts flowing again from the Middle East, it could take a while for consumers to see a difference at local fuel pumps, supermarkets and other places they shop, according to economists and industry analysts. Read more. Why this matters: Drivers can expect some gas price relief, but not immediately. Refineries typically pay for crude oil a month or more in advance, so even after oil prices drop, they won’t immediately be processing cheaper products. Fighting over the Strait of Hormuz disrupted not only supplies of crude and refined fuel but also the supply chains for fertilizer, food and even footwear. “We’re likely still looking at inflationary pressure on food in the coming months,” said David Ortega, a professor of food economics and policy at Michigan State University. “There’s still a good deal of uncertainty about how the reopening will unfold, and it will take time for fuel, diesel and retail fertilizer prices to come back down.”

Trump rally President Trump said Monday that America's 250th anniversary celebration on the National Mall next month will include a "TRUMP RALLY" on July 4. The announcement was notable, as events marking Independence Day are typically nonpartisan. It also comes as Trump has drawn criticism for turning otherwise apolitical events into personal showcases. Read more.