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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.

Apple sues OpenAI Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios Apple is suing OpenAI for trade secret theft, alleging the AI giant deliberately and systematically solicited and stole confidential information from the iPhone-maker's current and former employees, Axios' Megan Morrone writes. Why it matters: Apple has lost significant talent to OpenAI as the AI lab prepares to unveil its first hardware device this year. Apple says over 400 former employees are now employed by OpenAI. 👀 The lawsuit alleges that Chang Liu, a former senior electrical engineer at Apple, kept a work-issued Apple laptop and discovered a bug that allowed him to access Apple's cloud file storage after leaving and while employed by OpenAI. The suit claims that while Liu was developing hardware for OpenAI, he accessed and downloaded dozens of confidential files from Apple's network, many labeled as confidential. Tang Tan, also mentioned in the complaint, is an Apple veteran who worked on iPhone and Apple Watch and now serves as OpenAI's chief hardware officer. He allegedly circulated a "Need to Know" Apple offboarding doc that he either retained or obtained to teach new OpenAI hires to dodge Apple's exit security checks, according to the filing. Jony Ive, Apple's former chief design officer who began collaborating with OpenAI in 2023, isn't named in the suit. Apple said in a statement: "Recently, significant evidence has emerged suggesting individuals employed by OpenAI wrongfully took Apple's secret and confidential information regarding our unreleased technologies, processes, and products." An OpenAI spokesperson tells Axios: "We have no interest in other companies' trade secrets. We remain focused on building innovative technology that empowers people everywhere." 41-page complaint ...

🇮🇷 Iran's supreme leader vows revenge Mourners touch the coffin of Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during this week's funeral procession in Karbala, Iraq. Photo: Elke Scholiers/Getty Images Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei announced today that revenge for his father's assassination "will most certainly be carried out," Axios' Barak Ravid reports. Why it matters: The statement was published after the burial ceremony for his father, former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Throughout the weeklong funeral procession, there were massive public calls for the death of President Trump. Mojtaba Khamenei, who didn't appear in public during the funeral ceremonies, didn't specifically mention Trump. But earlier this week, Israel gave the U.S. information that suggested Iranian officials recently discussed the idea of assassinating Trump, U.S. and Israeli officials said. On his way back from Turkey on Wednesday, Trump traveled in the old Air Force One plane rather than the new plane that the U.S. received from Qatar. The New York Times reported that security concerns prompted the mid-trip switch in planes. What they're saying: Mojtaba Khamenei — who was seriously wounded in the attack that killed his father, and hasn't appeared in public since — pledged on his Telegram channel to "avenge your pure blood and the blood of all those martyred in these two wars by bringing the criminal and dishonorable killers to justice." Khamenei added that whether he is alive or dead, the revenge for his father's death "will be accomplished," and stressed that "soon, freedom-loving people throughout the world will each carry out part of this divine mission." Screenshot: Truth Social Shortly before midnight, Trump published a post on his Truth Social account referring to the Iranian threats against him. Trump said he has already given orders to the U.S. military "for a one year period of time, subject to extension, to completely decimate and destroy all areas of Iran." He ended his post with: "PRAISE BE TO ALLAH!"

🗞️ NYT reporters subpoenaed The New York Times' front-page headlines yesterday and today. The New York Times reports that the Trump administration issued subpoenas yesterday to several of the paper's journalists after they reported on security fears about President Trump's new Qatari-donated Air Force One. The subpoenas order the reporters — including Julian E. Barnes, Eric Lipton, Tyler Pager and Eric Schmitt — to testify before a federal grand jury in Manhattan on Wednesday. "In some cases, the subpoenas were delivered by federal agents who showed up at reporters' homes," The Times said. The subpoenas were issued by Jay Clayton, the U.S. attorney in Manhattan. Clayton was nominated by Trump to serve as director of national intelligence, although the confirmation process has been delayed. David McCraw, The Times' lead newsroom lawyer, said in a statement provided to Axios: "The appearance of Federal law enforcement agents on the doorstep of news reporters should shock the conscience. ... This brazen act should be seen as nothing more than an attempt to prevent the public from knowing what is happening in their country by intimidating journalists from doing their jobs." Read on (NYT gift link).

🚀 Society-wide AI moonshot Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios Axios CEO Jim VandeHei writes: In an essay in today's Wall Street Journal, I make the case for a society-wide mobilization to win the AI race and spread the benefits broadly. Give it a read and share your ideas with me. Why it matters to YOU: Leaders of all kinds — in every town, every organization, every campus — will be huge players in any solution. Like after World War II or 9/11, we need to mobilize on a shared national project with a clearly defined goal and a clear competitor to beat — this time, China. Read the essay, with seven society-level ideas to shape AI to benefit all (gift link).

Market mindset unravels Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios. Stock: Getty Images American political leaders on the left and right are rebelling against the market-first consensus that dominated Washington for four decades. Why it matters: The result is one of the biggest shifts in U.S. economic policy since the Reagan revolution, overturning decades of orthodoxy on trade, manufacturing, housing, health care and corporate power, Axios' Courtenay Brown and Neil Irwin write. Between the lines: The shared skepticism of the old economic consensus masks vastly different visions for what comes next. 🐘 On the right: "American economic policy on the right is now much more Alexander Hamilton than it is Milton Friedman," Vice President Vance told right-wing political commentator Michael Knowles last month. Translation: Vance believes the GOP's intellectual center of gravity is shifting away from free markets to a more interventionist government that promotes domestic industry. He joked that President Trump threatened to seize an AI company's equity and "no one protested." In practice, the pivot means that Trump has embraced tariffs and taken stakes in individual companies, among other policies. This week, the president celebrated Walmart's decision to lower prices and urged other retailers to follow suit. 🫏 On the left: Democratic socialists, including New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, argue that government, not markets, should guarantee affordable housing, health care and other basic necessities. The movement is showing fresh political muscle following Mamdani's rise in New York, and a wave of DSA-backed victories in New York and Colorado that have establishment Democrats increasingly on edge. The new socialist candidates oppose the idea that markets should decide who gets health care, housing, child care or power at work — a close left-wing mirror image of Vance's belief that markets should serve broader social goals, not dictate them. The big picture: No single economic event explains the unraveling of the market-first consensus. Consider how slow-moving economic forces have built on each other: The China shock, the 2008 financial crisis, decades of soaring housing and health care costs, the pandemic and the inflation surge — all eroded confidence in the economic status quo. Social media amplified those shocks, giving Americans a window into how other people live, making wealth disparities, housing inequities and economic frustration feel more immediate and personal. 👀 Reality check: The shift is far from universal. Trump paired tariffs and industrial policy with traditional Republican priorities — including corporate tax cuts, deregulation and a generally business-friendly agenda. Even some democratic socialists have embraced supply-side ideas in housing, arguing that government should both build more homes and lower barriers to construction.

DSA candidates are winning Democratic primaries — can they do it in Florida? The recent electoral successes by Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) candidates in New York, Pennsylvania, and Colorado has sparked vituperative responses from Republicans and establishment Democrats around the country. https://floridaphoenix.com/2026/07/10/dsa-candidates-are-winning-democratic-primaries-can-they-do-it-in-florida/? 11th Circuit crushes Florida’s ‘Stop WOKE Act’ at state universities Instead of the state determining what will be taught in university classrooms, students must be free to hear and consider even officially disfavored ideas presented to them by professors, a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday. https://floridaphoenix.com/2026/07/07/eleventh-circuit-crushes-floridas-stop-woke-act-at-state-universities/? Florida suit against college accreditation process dismissed again A federal appeals court affirmed Monday dismissal of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ 2023 challenge to the college accrediting process, which he believes enforces diversity and related interests he considers “woke.” https://floridaphoenix.com/2026/07/06/florida-suit-against-college-accreditation-process-dismissed-again/?

Trump Lays Out His Own Assassination Revenge Fantasy The president explained the “instructions” to be acted upon should he fall victim to an Iranian plot. President Donald Trump delved into the “instructions” he has left behind in case Iran assassinates him, and they sound like one of his furious Truth Social posts. Trump, 80, spoke about his plans for posthumous revenge in an interview with The New York Post, as his war with Iran stretches into its fifth month and after he called a tenuous peace agreement “over” due to the resumption of hostilities. “I’ve been on their list for a long time. That’s what we’re dealing with,” Trump said, echoing comments he made this week in Ankara, Turkey, at a NATO summit. “…The only thing is, I’ve left instructions—if anything happens, to just literally bomb them at levels that they’ve never seen before,” he continued. There have been Iran-linked threats to Trump dating back to at least 2020, when a U.S. drone strike killed one of the country’s top generals, Qasem Soleimani. When Trump was in Turkey this week, according to CNN, Israeli intelligence informed U.S. officials of an Iranian plot to assassinate him. Trump hurriedly left the country on a different plane than the one he flew in on, telling reporters later that they were still on a “dangerous” flight “because of the sleazebags that we have to deal with.” At least one version of Trump’s instructions to hit back in the event of his death in an Iranian attack has been around since shortly after he took office for a second time in January 2025.“If they did that, they would be obliterated,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office then. “That would be the end. I’ve left instructions.” The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment about whether any details in Trump’s instructions have changed since the war began. Some of Trump’s social media posts about an elusive peace deal have been just as dramatic as his instructions to his successor. In early April, he warned that a “whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again”—unless a deal was reached. Chief negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, have been criticized for failing to bring an end to the conflict. “They’re business guys. They have not been effective in Ukraine, not been effective in Gaza. They have not been effective in this,” Fox News host Brian Kilmeade said this week. “They can’t have three portfolios to begin with. We have a State Department for a reason.” The duo could continue trying to negotiate with Iran, Trump said, but it’s “just a waste of time dealing with them.” https://www.thedailybeast.com/donald-trump-lays-out-his-own-assassination-revenge-fantasy/?

New York Yankees team up with a national nonprofit to provide lawn care to neighbors in need. (More) Eight-year-old girl fights through tears to complete the final stage of her black belt test. (More, w/video) Fisherman rescues 220-pound sea turtle tangled in thick ropes. (More, w/video) England fan who spent his life savings to take his grandfather to the World Cup gets a surprising deposit in his bank account. (More) Man dives into the Maldives waters to retrieve an engagement ring for his now-fiancée. (More, w/video) Today, we're sharing a story from reader Matt K. in Maine. "My neighbor and I disagree vehemently about almost everything: religion, politics, sexuality, etc. But when I had a water leak, he came over and helped me replace all the damaged flooring. (More accurately, he did most of the work and I helped!) That's what real community is."

Meta ditches Muse Image AI feature because it ‘misses the mark’ on users’ privacy Meta was criticised for feature launched on Tuesday that automatically lets users generate images using content from public Instagram accounts https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/jul/11/meta-ditches-muse-image-ai-feature-instagram-privacy?

Man arrested on suspicion of Ann Widdecombe’s murder is released Devon and Cornwall police say 26-year-old man no longer part of investigation after former MP found dead at home in Haytor https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/jul/11/man-arrested-on-suspicion-of-ann-widdecombes-is-released-not-part-of-investigation? Shooting near Toronto street festival kills 2 people and wounds 4, police say TORONTO (AP) — A shooting near a Toronto street festival killed two men and wounded four other people Saturday evening, police said, adding that what initially prompted an active-shooter warning was an exchange of gunfire between two people targeting each other. https://apnews.com/article/canada-toronto-shooting-festival-94ef91015425036903764641b79407e4?

Europe considering proposals to allow navigation fees in strait of Hormuz Plans specify tolls must not be compulsory as US officials urge Iran to make public guarantee of safe passage for shipping https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jul/11/europe-considers-proposals-navigational-fees-strait-of-hormuz-iran-us? US military says it is striking Iran in response to attack on civilian vessel in Strait of Hormuz DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran said the Strait of Hormuz was closed once again after a warning shot fired by its military struck a vessel using an unauthorized route in the critical waterway, further jeopardizing the already tenuous ceasefire agreement with the United States. https://apnews.com/article/iran-united-states-trump-khamenei-funeral-533b52cf249314ba1d9b5f9a30b1ca43?

The first movie ever to put out a motion-picture soundtrack was Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. James

Trump is enabling Musk and DOGE to flout conflicts of interest What is the potential cost to U.S. families? https://www.epi.org/publication/trump-is-enabling-musk-and-doge-to-flout-conflicts-of-interest-what-is-the-potential-cost-to-u-s-families/? The right wing has always had an asymmetric power to destroy—DOGE makes it much worse In parliamentary systems, winning an election gives one party control of both legislative and executive powers. This means there are big policy swings after elections when parties switch. In the United States presidential system, the separation of powers combined with legislative chokepoints—like the Senate filibuster—means that opportunities for very large policy swings are much less common. https://www.epi.org/blog/doge-power-to-destroy/? At least 26 states have launched their own version of DOGE The Trump administration’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has wrought havoc on the federal government, diminishing its ability to perform essential work—like administering Social Security benefits for retirees, weather forecasting to predict tornadoes, and environmental pollution cleanup—while creating new inefficiencies and increased public costs. Now, many Republican governors and state lawmakers are demonstrating their loyalty to the Trump administration by setting up state-level versions of DOGE. https://www.epi.org/blog/at-least-26-states-have-launched-their-own-version-of-doge-these-states-are-simply-rebranding-longstanding-efforts-to-undermine-government-in-service-of-the-wealthy/? What is DOGE doing to Social Security? Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) attacks on Social Security aren’t about efficiency. The word “efficiency” may be in the name of his initiative to reduce the size of the federal government, but a more accurate description of what President Trump’s advisor is doing to Social Security is sabotage. https://www.epi.org/blog/what-is-doge-doing-to-social-security/? ps:These are a little more than a year ago, but still relevant!!

I was fortunate to learn from Jewish teachers who treasured the word of God, especially torah and tehillim, [Psalms]. The torah teacher employed a sort of call and response. He would translate English verses recited back into Hebrew to locate the verse, then respond. If prayers for the dead did any good, he would be way up on my list. The other gentleman who was kind of a tzaddik taught me enough Hebrew that we could read the Bible together. I would read the verse in Hebrew, then he would free translate it into English and we would discuss it. Another great soul I hope to see in heaven. Learning Hebrew from him was a real spiritual experience, not an academic one. As a young man, he learned Yiddish so he could talk with his Polish grandfather.

Kinship's current president, on the Spectrum blog, recently boasted about having sex with another man. Kinship is no longer simply a "safe place" for GLBTQ people. It has become a marketing platform for homosexuality: Sex is great… but attractions are ultimately about love and then whatever results from that love. Floyd Poenitz comment on Spectrum article “An Adventist physician examines same-sex attraction.” April 29, 2026. When Floyd refers to "whatever happens from there" it reminded me of a guy who hit on me in the laundry room at Andrews University. He invited me to his home to listen to music, hug, and "see where it goes from there." There was an implied threat of violence in my response. Now some people will lament the unChristian attitude of an implied threat of violence. They are ok with a guy looking to get sodomized and perform oral sex on another [young] man? Violence is generally eschewed by Christians but so is homosexuality. I'm not advocating violence against the gay community. The less sanctified, however, might experience that as a gut level response. Hiking around the high desert, I immediately killed rattlesnakes when I saw them, It was a gut level reaction, like swatting at a mosquito buzzing in my ear or killing cockroaches. Real brotherly love leads to prayer, praise, and God's word, not homoeroticism. On another occasion, I was fooling around in W. Hollywood one evening. I happened into a shop which sold products for gay sex. These included special lubricants and might have included devices to mitigate the physical damage caused by homosexual activity. I said to the proprietor that I understood brotherly love but thought the gay community was taking it too far. He responded "~This isn't about love, its pure lust."

I figured that! What I've notice from pretty much all Jewish Rabbis, or those that consider themselves Bible experts pretty much quote and/or use there own writings instead of what the Bible says or the first 5 books in the Bible!!