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Ukraine fires 400 drones toward Moscow as Zelenskyy grapples with protests Ukraine fired more than 400 drones toward Moscow in its latest major attack on the Russian capital, the city’s mayor said Monday. https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-drones-missiles-zelenskyy-f42baa61109fcb43b7efabf5334c4f50?

US bombing of Iran expands as American troops killed and Tehran retaliates against the Gulf states The United States conducted a new round of airstrikes early Monday, now into their ninth straight night, targeting Iran after announcing the death of another American service member. Iran responded by launching an attack targeting Bahrain, the home of the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet, and Kuwait. Read more. Why this matters: The latest attacks again showed how, step by step, the U.S. and Iran have inched closer to all-out war as last month’s interim deal meant to permanently end the fighting has crumbled and shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz has largely stalled. Both sides have targeted civilian infrastructure relied on by millions of people. Meanwhile, benchmark Brent crude rose Monday above $90 a barrel, further fueling a global energy crisis sparked by the conflict. An average gallon of regular gasoline in the U.S. also rose to $4, a key metric for Americans that puts more pressure on their wallets ahead of midterm elections this fall. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ WATCH: Video appears to show moment Iran missiles hit Jordan base, killing 2 US service members US gas prices hit an average of $4 a gallon US military identifies 2 soldiers killed in Iranian attack on Jordan as from Texas and Hawaii In the Israeli-occupied West Bank, too much cash is breaking the economy

Troy Jackson gains momentum in Democrats’ race for Maine’s US Senate seat The former state legislator moved into a strong position to replace Graham Platner after several of his opponents dropped out Sunday. Read more. What to know: The Democrats have been scrambling to pick a new candidate since Platner withdrew from the race after a woman accused him of sexual assault, which he denied. Over the weekend Jackson’s campaign touted they had secured hundreds of delegates who had promised to back him at the convention, including all of their preferred delegates for Maine's most populous county, Cumberland. His strength caused many of his opponents to withdraw. A nominating convention will meet July 25 to select a new candidate to face Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins in November.

Trump presented the World Cup trophy to Spain. But to him, the real victor just might be the US President Donald Trump stood alongside Spain, which won the tournament with a 1-0 victory over Argentina, as they jumped up and down and gold confetti shot out of a cannon. Later, speaking to reporters at Joint Base Andrews, Trump said he took pride in the country's success as a host, adding that “all over the world, people have come and they love our country.” Read more. Why this matters: The Trump administration was under considerable pressure to pull off a successful World Cup tournament because the U.S. will soon host the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles and the 2034 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. The White House faced warnings from human rights groups, and the tournament confronted backlash over high ticket prices. Trump also created controversy with a phone call he made to FIFA President Gianni Infantino earlier this month in which he asked for a review of a controversial referee call in Team USA’s match against Bosnia and Herzegovina. The U.S. faced broader tensions with its World Cup co-hosts of Canada and Mexico. Still, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney attended the final at Trump’s request, in a sign that soccer can overcome some geopolitical tensions. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ WATCH: Trump hails World Cup success How Ferran Torres scored the World Cup-winning goal for Spain to beat Argentina Goals, technology and hydration breaks: How the biggest World Cup in history will be remembered

July 20, 2026 By Sam Sifton Good morning. A third U.S. service member died this weekend during intense exchanges with Iran. The soldier was killed in northern Iraq during a controlled detonation of an Iranian drone. We have more on the war below, and a recap of the World Cup final — Spain’s win and the halftime show. But first, we’re taking your questions. In Maine. Ryan David Brown for The New York Times Your questions, answered Housing, debt, immigration. Political polls, political donations. There’s a lot going on, and a lot of it’s confusing. We asked you what you wanted to know, and then got the best beat reporters in the business to tell us what they know. Here we go: Political donations Recently one of our U.S. Senate candidates “suspended her campaign.” Now Graham Platner in Maine is as well. What happens to campaign donations when a candidate drops out before the election? — Dana Saxon, Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan Candidates who drop out (or lose) almost always hold on to the money that they’ve collected. There is no obligation to return the cash — you just can’t pocket it for personal use. Losing candidates can hold on to millions of dollars for years, transfer the money to another entity like a state party, or use it to finance future campaigns. The only time it would be refunded to donors is if a candidate accepted money specifically earmarked for the general election and didn’t make it that far. — Theodore Schleifer, who covers campaign finance Deportations What happens to the assets of those who have been suddenly deported from the U.S.? Many had property, bank accounts, etc. Do the feds collect these? — Heather Cullen, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada People who are deported retain legal ownership of their home, vehicles, bank accounts and personal belongings. However, as a practical matter, they may have trouble gaining access to their assets from abroad. That means they risk losing their life savings and property. Lawyers often recommend that people at risk of deportation grant power of attorney to a trusted friend or family member to manage their affairs. — Miriam Jordan, who covers immigration A house under construction. Will Crooks for The New York Times Housing bill What does it mean for us renters (and hopefully future home buyers) now that the ROAD to Housing Act is law? Can I expect any quick fixes? — Anna Lamb, Cedar City, Utah The law is playing the long game. The logic is that if you remove regulatory, zoning and financing barriers, home builders will create more housing, and that will stabilize or bring down prices. (Read more about it here.) But the bill will have an immediate impact in a few places. It protects existing rental assistance in rural communities. It codifies protections for tenants in public housing that has gone private. And it authorizes a pilot program for smaller mortgages, which are hard to come by except in rural areas. There are also changes to rules about manufactured homes (what you probably think of as trailers). The law will make it easier to get loans to buy these homes, and it removes a requirement that the homes sit on a steel chassis, which could make them cheaper to build and buy. — Ronda Kaysen, who covers real estate Government savings accounts Is the new child savings account some kind of Trump scam? “If it seems to good to be true, it probably is.” What is the catch? — Jean Tribble, Montgomery, Alabama Not a scam! Any citizen under 18 with a Social Security number can get one of these tax-advantaged investment accounts, and babies born from 2025 through 2028 can get a $1,000 deposit from the federal government. That’s free money, no strings attached. Individuals can contribute up to $5,000 per year to these accounts. Philanthropists and governments can make unlimited deposits. The tech billionaire Michael Dell and his wife, and Micron, the U.S. chip maker, have already pledged huge sums to the program. Vanguard estimates that a kid who gets $1,000 a year from birth will have about $32,000 by age 18. That’s when people are allowed to withdraw the money for specific purposes, like college or buying a home. (They can also let it keep growing as a retirement account.) That’s a nice head start. — Tara Siegel Bernard, personal finance reporter National debt In answering a previous question about the national debt, you said some economists project that the U.S. will default in 20 years or so. What would that look like for our economy? — Jonnie Beth Bryan, New Orleans, Louisiana It’s a little like dominoes: The price of borrowing would likely skyrocket, starving businesses of cash, which could throw the economy into crisis. The solutions have always been the same — raise taxes or cut spending — but they won’t work if we wait too long, said Kent Smetters, an economist at Wharton. There’s another, last-ditch option: Print money. But doing so devalues the currency and makes everyone poorer. It’s a rock and a hard place. So we’re collectively betting we’ll grow our way out of this mess before it happens. If the economy gets bigger — say, because of an A.I. productivity boom — the government may collect enough in taxes to retire decades-old debt. — Evan Gorelick Nicolás Maduro arriving in Manhattan in January. Vincent Alban/The New York Times Venezuela Where are the Maduros? What is happening to them? — Penelope Cordes, Anchorage, Alaska Right where they have been since January, when a U.S. military operation seized the leader of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, and his wife, Cilia Flores, on federal charges of narcoterrorism. They’re being held in a federal detention center in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Sunset Park. They have not been in court since March; a hearing last month was postponed. It’s difficult to imagine a trial before next year at the earliest. According to others imprisoned with him, Maduro spends much of his time reading the Bible. — Jonah Bromwich, who covers criminal justice THE LATEST NEWS War in Iran In Tehran. Arash Khamooshi/Polaris for The New York Times Escalating attacks between the United States and Iran could lead to a wider war those two countries can’t contain, analysts warn. Marco Rubio, the secretary of state, says that the United States is still open to diplomacy with Iran. Throughout the conflict, the Pentagon has revealed little — including information about injured troops. The most clicked link in The Morning yesterday was about the death of two U.S. service members. Politics President Trump said the new Air Force One would be taken out of service to be “maxed out.” The plane has faced questions over security features. Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Usha Vance, welcomed their fourth child. Around the World Andy Burnham will become Britain’s prime minister today. Follow updates here. Government employees in Tokyo, Japan’s capital, can now wear shorts to work. Not everyone is happy about that. Watch the video below. Noriko Hayashi for The New York Times Immigration The F.B.I. will no longer investigate confrontations with immigration agents, according to people briefed on the decision. The man fatally hit by a truck in Florida while running from an encounter with immigration agents had planned to return home to Mexico on Saturday, supporters said. OPINIONS Aleksey Kondratyev for The New York Times A.I. drones are the future of warfare. Humanity isn’t ready, W.J. Hennigan writes. Health care costs are soaring. Government price caps aren’t the answer, the health policy researchers Lorens Helmchen and Tony LoSasso write. Deeply reported journalism needs your support. The Times relies on subscribers to help fund our mission. Become a subscriber today. MORNING READS We’ve made all of these links free for you. Lindsey Makuwatsine for The New York Times Grandma hobbies: Gen Z is taking up crafts like knitting and quilting to learn skills and build community offline. Viral resistance: One reason Ebola is so hard to stop is that people get so angry at the health care workers involved. Metropolitan Diary: Playing our song. WORLD CUP Haiyun Jiang/The New York Times Spain is the men’s World Cup champion for the second time. The team beat Argentina in extra time, 1-0, after a long, simmering game filled with shoves and a red card that left Argentina with only 10 players. Ferran Torres’s goal came in the 106th minute. It may also have been the last World Cup game ever for Lionel Messi, who is 39. His teammates started a fight after the game. For more Trump and FIFA’s president, Gianni Infantino, were booed when they appeared to present the trophy. The 2026 World Cup was the biggest, most lucrative tournament on record, but it may ultimately be remembered for an American political scandal that shattered FIFA’s claim to neutrality. Hope, joy, exuberance, uncertainty, anxiety, agony and defeat were all on display in the tournament. See the fan videos. HALFTIME The halftime show. Hiroko Masuike/The New York Times Madonna. Justin Bieber. All seven members of BTS. Shakira and Burna Boy. Gustavo Dudamel. Jason Sudeikis in character as Ted Lasso. Chris Martin. Ronaldo and Ronaldinho. The first World Cup final halftime show brought the star power, but it was so carefully executed that it offered little to remember, our critic Lindsay Zoladz writes. Read her review. TODAY’S NUMBER 15 — That’s how many margherita pizzas Spain’s World Cup team ordered for delivery in New Jersey after the game. They also got 15 plain and 10 buffalo chicken pies, a specialty of the restaurant. RECIPE OF THE DAY Bryan Gardner for The New York Times Kia Damon’s recipe for salt and pepper zucchini is a vegetarian take on the classic Cantonese version with shrimp. The panko recalls the crunch of shrimp shells, and a little bit of sugar evens out the big flavors of salt and pepper. Speaking of, the recipe calls for finely ground black pepper. Sure, but I’d use only a little — and a lot of white pepper to replace its volume. White pepper’s sneaky delicious, with a powerful warmth. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Brian F. O’Byrne in “The Last Ship.” Doug Hyun/TNT, via Everett Collection Watch “The Last Ship,” a dystopian series for optimists that takes place at sea as a viral pandemic ravages the world. There are lot of faces to recognize (Ebon Moss-Bachrach from “The Bear” plays a budding Dr. Evil) and the plotting’s comic-book fun. It’s on Netflix. Eat more fiber. Start with your snacks. Manage screen-free summer travel for younger kids with these cool back-seat activities discovered by the extremely patient parents at Wirecutter. Take our news quiz. GAMES Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangrams were gallivant, gallivanting and vigilant. 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

💸 Charted: The great AI wealth transfer Data: FactSet. (Hyperscalers are Amazon, Alphabet, Meta, Microsoft and Oracle. Semiconductor companies are Nvidia, Broadcom, Applied Materials and Micron.) Chart: Matt Phillips/Axios A "generational transfer" of cash is underway from AI hyperscalers to chipmakers, according to Bank of America analysts. Hyperscalers — think Amazon, Alphabet, Meta, Microsoft and Oracle — are plowing so much into chips and compute that it's draining their own free cash flow (cash left over after covering expenses and investments), Axios' Matt Phillips writes.

Stark quotes: Biden aides wish they'd been tougher on Israel The Shafei family eats during Ramadan last year in the remains of their home in Gaza. The image was part of a portfolio that won the Pulitzer for Breaking News Photography. Photo: Saher Alghorra for The New York Times Former President Biden unintentionally emboldened Israeli aggression against Gaza and Iran by repeatedly deferring decisions on withholding weapons, The New Yorker's David D. Kirkpatrick writes in an article out today, "The Enabler." Alarms about potential war crimes "began ringing inside the Biden Administration soon after Israel began its counterattack on Gaza" after the Hamas-led assault of Oct. 7, 2023, writes Kirkpatrick, who interviewed more than a dozen former senior Biden officials for the 13-page piece. Jake Sullivan, Biden's national security adviser, told Kirkpatrick: "I will say straightforwardly — we should have put more pressure on Israel to take a different approach." Sullivan said Biden and top advisers feared that taking action to make Israel better protect civilians "risked both failing to change Israeli policy and leading Hamas to increase its demands." Sullivan said the administration "seriously thought about making a decisive break with Israel" in the spring of 2024, "in the run-up to Rafah, when Hamas was stalling in negotiations," and again in July 2024, "when Hamas was coming back." But risks abounded: "What about the hostages? What about Israel under attack from all sides? What effect would it have on the ceasefire talks and bringing this god-awful war to an end?" Former Secretary of State Tony Blinken told The New Yorker: "How can you not have regrets [about the Gaza conflict] given the toll that this took on innocent men, women and children?" But he repeated the gist of a Biden quote: "Question my judgments. Don't question my motives." Jon Finer — Biden's principal deputy national security adviser, and a former Washington Post correspondent who had covered previous Israeli military operations in Gaza — said: "It's obvious now, and was pretty clear then, that [Israel] simply did not tell us the truth about their plans and their timelines, and it made no sense to accept those claims at face value." Keep reading.

U.S. hits Iran again after troop deaths Satellite image shows Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan in February. Image: Planet Labs via Reuters The U.S. military launched fresh strikes against Iran last night after announcing the death of a soldier and the recovery of another's remains, Axios' Barak Ravid and Rebecca Falconer write. CENTCOM said an American service member was killed Saturday in northern Iraq during a controlled detonation of unexploded ordnance from a downed Iranian attack drone. It also revealed that "unidentified remains" were found at the location of an Iranian missile attack on Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan that killed two American troops on Friday. One soldier had been missing. President Trump told reporters that the U.S. hit Iran "very hard again." "We feel very badly, but you know those great people, those great patriots, were out there fighting that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon," he said. If the remains are confirmed to be a U.S. soldier, it would bring the American death toll in the war to 18. Keep reading.

⚽ The winning goal Covers: ABC and El País, two of Madrid's largest papers. Spain beat Argentina 1-0 in extra time, winning the World Cup and bringing the curtain down on the largest and flashiest tournament soccer has ever seen. President Trump, First Lady Melania Trump and global politicians and celebrities attended the World Cup Final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Spain's Ferran Torres scored the match's only goal in the 106th minute, in the second period of extra time. Spain controlled the game, taking the first 20 shots before Argentina got its first attempt off in the second half of extra time. Only the record-breaking 11 saves by Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez kept the team in the match despite their otherwise lackluster performance. Argentina's Lionel Messi, 39, broke down in tears after what could be his last World Cup game. Two decades after his 2006 debut as an 18-year-old, the player many consider the greatest ever came up one game short. He had previously said the 2022 World Cup would be his last. If he plays in 2030, Messi would be among the oldest players ever at a World Cup. 🇪🇸 Spain's domination: The team — nicknamed La Roja for their red jerseys — suffocated opponents, allowing just one goal in the entire tournament. They also set a record for the longest undefeated run (38 games) in men's international football history. 🏆 The country of 49 million people is now the reigning champion of three of the sport's biggest tournaments: the World Cup, the Euros and the Olympics. Spain also won the last Women's World Cup three years ago. 📱 Watch the winning goal ... Tournament takeaways: From video reviews to hydration breaks.

🤖 AI drug boom Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios. Stock: Getty Images A proprietary survey shows AI is fueling automation that's changing the trajectory of early-stage pharma research, Axios' Adriel Bettelheim writes. Why it matters: The TD Cowen survey of 80 biopharma leaders and insiders finds AI is reducing drug developers' preclinical costs and timelines by as much as 70%. That's fueling demand for cutting-edge software, sequencing tools and computer models that will help churn out more experimental treatments in the next five years. 🖼️ The big picture: AI can't replace scientific intuition. But the way it can streamline the grueling R&D before human testing begins is making computer screens as important a feature of drug design as traditional laboratories. Brendan Smith, director of life sciences equity research at TD Cowen, says the hope is to generate large amounts of data to train the AI models and increase the odds of clinical success. 🥊 Reality check: AI hasn't yet discovered a drug that's won FDA approval. Keep reading ...

⛽ Gas back to $4 Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios. Stock: Getty Images The national average price of regular gas poked above $4 a gallon again this morning, hitting $4.003 on AAA's tracker. Why it matters: Midterms are 106 days away, and the U.S. is teetering on returning to all-out war with Iran — a politically dangerous combination for the White House and the GOP. A year ago, the average price was $3.14 a gallon. A month ago, it was $3.95. A week ago, it was $3.87. Gas first topped $4 a gallon at the end of March. The price reached $4.56 ahead of Memorial Day weekend. Mapped: Average price by state.

Squeezing China on AI Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios The Trump administration is showing signs it could ban cutting-edge Chinese AI models — a momentous move that could lock in dominance by OpenAI and Anthropic, Axios' Maria Curi writes. Why it matters: Parts of the administration have tried to implement de facto bans on foreign open-source models before, knowledgeable sources tell Axios. Last week's rise of Chinese model Kimi is reigniting those efforts. The big picture: U.S. companies are increasingly using open-source models from China because they're cheaper and, as seen by the rise of Kimi, just about as good as the domestic tech. Kimi and other Chinese models such as DeepSeek and GLM allow users to download and customize them. They have fewer guardrails, lower cost and more flexibility than the closed American models. Between the lines: The administration wouldn't need to impose an outright ban to get U.S. companies to drop those Chinese platforms. "What's actually happening is slower and more durable," a source familiar with government discussions said, citing procurement rules, Entity List threats and public pressure campaigns aimed at U.S. companies using Chinese models. Instead of a ban, another source familiar with government discussions described a push to highlight potential backdoors and lack of security with Chinese models, and the governance issue that brings. It's an offensive approach where the administration encourages a more innovative U.S. open-source ecosystem, the source added. Screenshot: @DavidSacks/X The other side: Some administration officials keen on keeping regulation from stifling innovation, including former White House adviser Sriram Krishnan, have left the premises. National security hawks have grown louder. With that shift in personnel — along with the rise of more powerful Chinese tech and fresh cybersecurity fears — momentum for a ban is picking up. Outside White House adviser David Sacks escalated the fight publicly yesterday, writing on X: "We are at a critical inflection point in AI policy. The leading closed labs, already a duopoly in terms of AI model revenue, want the government to eliminate their open source competition. They have laid their cards on the table. It is time for the rest of Silicon Valley — the vast majority that still values open competition — to do the same."

THIS DAY IN HISTORY July 20 1969 Neil Armstrong walks on moon American astronaut Neil Armstrong speaks these words to more than a billion people listening at home: “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” Stepping off the lunar landing module Eagle, Armstrong became the first human to walk on the surface of the moon. read more Sponsored Content by REVCONTENT 19th Century 1889 Homesteaders murdered by Wyoming ranchers Arts & Entertainment 1973 Actor and martial-arts expert Bruce Lee dies at age 32 1963 Jan and Dean’s “Surf City” hits #1 1988 “Die Hard” debuts, makes Bruce Willis a movie star Cold War 1948 President Truman issues peacetime draft Crime 1984 A serial-killing couple is apprehended 2012 Aurora shooting leaves 12 dead, 70 wounded Native American History 1881 Sitting Bull surrenders Natural Disasters & Environment 1977 A flood hits Johnstown—again Space Exploration 1976 Viking 1 lands on Mars U.S. Presidents 1969 President Nixon watches first lunar landing World War II 1944 Assassination plot against Hitler fails

US gas prices back up to an average of $4 a gallon again as the US and Iran launch attacks NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. gas prices jumped back to $4 a gallon on average Monday, as Washington’s latest fighting with Iran renews strain on the flow of fuel worldwide. https://apnews.com/article/gas-prices-iran-war-4-gallon-4b82825734ec3ded192351e53a4be69e?

The tongue is the only muscle in one’s body that is attached at only one end. James

ICE Officers at Maine Shooting Scene Were Wearing Body Cameras. They Were Not Turned On. Federal officers at the scene of a killing by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Maine were wearing body cameras, according to four ICE officials who reviewed images from the scene — but the cameras are on multi-function devices that ICE officers use as radio mics. https://theintercept.com/2026/07/16/ice-maine-shooting-body-cameras/? Trump’s Formula for Forever Wars President Donald Trump blew up the temporary ceasefire after the U.S. launched a series of airstrikes against Iran over the weekend. The two nations have continued to exchange strikes throughout the week, with Iran targeting U.S. allies in the Middle East, as Congress debates further entangling the United States military with Israel — a proposal that would give Israel enormous leverage over U.S. defense policy. https://theintercept.com/2026/07/17/spencer-ackerman-lindsey-graham-iran-war/? Would-Be Platner Replacements in Maine Rally Around “Abolish ICE” (or Something Close) In the wake of a deadly shooting of a young father in southern Maine on Monday, the abbreviated race to replace Graham Platner on the Democratic Party ticket for the 2026 Senate race quickly became centered on immigration — and most of the serious contenders are on the same page. https://theintercept.com/2026/07/16/maine-platner-replacement-abolish-ice-shootings/? In the Wake of Fatal ICE Shootings, Democrats Drag Their Feet Democrats in Congress have remained largely silent and inactive in the wake of ICE agents’ fatal shootings of two immigrant men in Maine and Texas, displaying lackluster energy compared to the party’s response to the killings of two white U.S. citizens earlier this year. https://theintercept.com/2026/07/17/democrats-congress-abolish-ice-killings/? It’s Scary As Hell Being Black in America Right Now There is a tangible heat to being Black in America this summer. https://theintercept.com/2026/07/19/nolan-wells-kohen-wiley/? ps:Not just this year, but for at least 250+ years!!!!! Two-Thirds of Shri Thanedar’s Campaign Cash Came Through AIPAC as He Lost Over $600K Rep. Shri Thanedar, D-Mich., lost more than $630,000 in investment income last quarter after he put $3.7 million in campaign funds into the cryptocurrency industry, according to a new filing with the Federal Election Commission released on Wednesday. Amid those losses, bundlers from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee have stepped in to prop up his campaign. https://theintercept.com/2026/07/17/shri-thanedar-crypto-donavan-mckinney-michigan-aipac/? The United States of Betrayal Donald Trump — America’s self-proclaimed “peace president,” head of the world’s newly created Board of Peace, and the recipient of the first FIFA Peace Prize — has nonetheless been embroiled in more than 20 wars, interventions, and conflicts. And more loom on the horizon. Cuba remains on the chopping block. He began threatening Greenland, again. And Guatemala agreed to joint military operations with the U.S. against cartels. https://theintercept.com/2026/07/18/united-states-betray-allies-trump-foreign-policy/?

Spain wins the World Cup by beating Argentina 1-0 on Ferran Torres’ goal in extra time EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — This is how good Spain was at the World Cup: Not even Lionel Messi had any answers. https://apnews.com/article/argentina-spain-world-cup-final-score-messi-fccc26aa12d9226e63d06b601b770617? ps:Congrats to Spain!! Mbappé wins another Golden Boot, and Spain’s Rodri gets Golden Ball with World Cup title EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Kylian Mbappé kept the Golden Boot award and Spain wouldn’t let Lionel Messi get anything else. https://apnews.com/article/world-cup-golden-boot-awards-messi-mbappe-2036d505bc97ce3a116f20dd67db43e5? La Furia Roja Spain topped Argentina 1-0 in the World Cup final yesterday, winning the global tournament for the second time and the first since 2010. The win denied Argentina back-to-back titles, a feat that hasn’t happened since Brazil in 1958-62. The Spaniards frustrated star Lionel Messi for most of the match, winning time of possession 65%-35% and forcing five yellow and one red card. Argentina had just two shots—neither of which was on goal—while Spain took 20 shots and put 12 on goal. Despite the dominance, Argentina forced Spain into extra time, with the winning shot coming at minute 106. Watch the goal and match highlights here. Separately, England topped France in Saturday's high-scoring third-place match, 6-4. French star Kylian Mbappé became the all-time World Cup top scorer (22 goals across three tournaments) at just 27 years old. Spain, Portugal, and Morocco will serve as the main hosts for the 2030 World Cup.

Justice Department activates untested court for 'alien terrorist' deportations The Trump administration has filed a first-ever petition to a secretive and dormant court created 30 years ago to consider government requests to deport so-called “alien terrorists” from the United States. Read More.

😎 AOC's Obama vibes DETROIT — Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's message on the campaign trail increasingly echoes Barack Obama's early rhetoric during his 2008 campaign for president. 🧐 Why it matters: Ocasio-Cortez is broadening her pitch beyond revolutionary democratic socialism to something closer to Obama's "Change You Can Believe In" ahead of a potential 2028 run for the White House. Former senior Obama adviser David Axelrod also hears the parallels, telling Axios: "Folks forget how much the Obama campaign in 2008 was an insurgency against the broken politics of those times. So AOC's words, while her own, are familiar in spirit." 🚙 Driving the news: Campaigning in Michigan this weekend for progressive Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, Ocasio-Cortez argued for liberal policies while making a more universal case against politics-as-usual. "Is the answer to our problems to turn to the same playbook over and over again?" she asked a crowd of Democrats here. "A playbook that says in order to win we must be defenders of the same status quo that is drowning us and tells us the aspiration to change our government and the ambition to even try is foolish? No, it is not foolish, Michigan." 🌽 That recalled Obama in 2007, telling Democrats in Iowa that "the same old Washington textbook campaigns just won't do in this election.… That's why I am asking you to stop settling for what the cynics say we have to accept. In this election — in this moment — let us reach for what we know is possible." AOC also channeled Obama's "hope and change" rhetoric while campaigning in Montana in May, telling voters to "ask your skeptical neighbor to believe. It's the only thing that we have. Our hope is the only thing that creates change, and that's why so many people try to talk us out of it." El-Sayed told me ahead of his rally with Ocasio-Cortez in Lansing, Mich., that when he first heard Obama speak, "I didn't know politics would sound like that, and I think for a lot of people who are listening to what she has to say, I think they're feeling the same way." 🩺 Zoom in: Ocasio-Cortez embraces some of Obama's themes, but believes in more left-wing policies like Medicare for All, a moratorium on building the data centers powering AI, more skepticism of trade deals, and more. She's not the only potential 2028 contender trying to position themself as a change candidate, but the 36-year-old New Yorker has less establishment baggage than others. 🥊 The big picture: Michigan's Senate race has become the key battleground for the left wing in the 2026 midterms and the 2028 presidential race. Left-wing Democrats have scored several primary victories this cycle, but mostly in places that are already strongly Democratic. If El-Sayed can win the primary in which he is being outspent 12 to 1 and then the general election in the swing state of Michigan, progressives will see it as validating their theory that they're actually more electable than centrist Democrats by pledging to shake up the status quo. It also would give AOC, or another progressive, an electability argument in a 2028 presidential primary. Between the lines: Ocasio-Cortez's allies and her skeptics alike believe she has the ability to broaden Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders' progressive coalition. They argue she's less rigid and more pragmatic, which has led to a less hostile relationship with the Democratic Party's establishment (moves that also have attracted left-wing critics). AOC has been more selective than Sanders in making endorsements this year. She didn't back Graham Platner's Senate bid in Maine, and so avoided the fallout from his withdrawal from the race amid a sexual assault accusation. 🤺 Sanders also had a more contentious relationship with Obama: He was critical of Obama's administration particularly on issues such as trade. Sanders' 2016 White House campaign against Hillary Clinton was in many ways a critique of the administration. A person familiar with Ocasio-Cortez's relationship with Obama said the former president has been impressed with her abilities as a communicator and that they've had a few positive engagements behind the scenes. Some progressives already believe Ocasio-Cortez could win the presidency. Shawn Fain — president of the United Auto Workers, which has endorsed El-Sayed — told Axios he believes AOC could "definitely" win a state like Michigan and also win the White House. "I believe she could," he said. 👷‍♀️ "It's going to come down to who working-class people believe is going to represent their interest, and who they perceive is going to fight for them." Read more. — Alex Thompson

Trump shifts his tone on Jimmy Carter while grappling with Iran, inflation and his own legacy Jimmy Carter used to be one of President Donald Trump’s favorite political targets, a catchall foil for feckless Democrats that he could jeer at to make himself look strong and decisive. But lately, Trump’s sentiments on the 39th president have become more wistful as he faces some of the same challenges the late Carter did. Those include the war in Iran with no end in sight — and now escalating as the U.S. moves to control the Strait of Hormuz — and inflation, a drag on the economy Trump hasn’t tamed despite long insisting that his business background would wipe it out. The comparison seems to be on Trump’s mind, too. Read more. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Federal judge bars Trump administration from using obscure clause to make huge funding cuts Federal appeals court rules that New Jersey’s assault weapons ban is unconstitutional Trump says these documents prove his false claims of election fraud. Here’s what they really say Justice Department activates untested court for “alien terrorist” deportations A Texas prosecutor reveals new details in an ICE killing of a Houston father US cancels automatic protections for imperiled animals as critics warn of extinctions FAA says Boeing can resume self-certifying its jets as airworthy Paying for early access to Trump’s Truth Social could raise money and ethical issues AIPAC has spent a record amount on Michigan’s Senate primary, the biggest test of its influence yet Women are dying in Africa as US ramps up its global battle against abortion Jamaica says 2 citizens deported by US to Eswatini rejected repatriation offers US lets Hong Kong emergency declaration lapse, lifting some sanctions as Trump order stays Trump’s envoy faces protests in Venice on latest stop of super yacht diplomacy tour

US strikes Iran over troop deaths as Israel warns Tehran’s attacks are coming close The United States launched more airstrikes at Iran on Sunday in response to the killing of U.S. troops, and Iran fired missiles toward Jordan that risked widening the conflict into neighboring Israel. Step by step, the U.S, and Iran have returned closer to all-out war as last month’s interim deal meant to permanently end the fighting has crumbled and shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz has largely stalled. Read more. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ 16 US service members have died in the Iran war, reflecting a conflict fought largely in the air US oil firms sign deals with Iraq to develop alternative shipping routes WATCH: How the Strait of Hormuz is monitored as US-Iran conflict escalates Iranian strike damages a Kuwait desalination plant, exposing water vulnerability in dry Mideast Nigerian children pay the price for the Iran war as malnutrition and poverty surge

5.5 magnitude earthquake hits Peru’s Andes region and kills at least 6 people LIMA, Peru (AP) — A 5.5 magnitude earthquake shook the Andes region of Peru, killing at least six people, injuring more than 30 and displacing 300, authorities said Sunday. https://apnews.com/article/peru-lima-andes-earthquake-sicaya-missing-b913ea98c255d3854804e35401425325?

🏃 1 for the road: New fastest human Josh Kerr celebrates after setting the mile world record during a meet at London Stadium yesterday. Photo: Michael Steele/Getty Images The men's mile world record was broken after 27 years. British runner Josh Kerr ran a 3:42.66 mile yesterday at a meet in London — beating Moroccan Hicham El Guerrouj's 3:43.13 record from 1999. 👟 The gear: "Kerr was kitted out in a bespoke speed suit and spikes created by sponsor Brooks, with the former designed to both enhance his aerodynamics and improve breathability in the warm temperatures through laser-cut perforations," BBC reports. "The spikes, designed to maximize his biomechanics, featured a carbon plate and aggressive rocker for propulsion, and titanium pins to keep the shoe light."

⚽ "Live" not quite as live as we thought New York New Jersey Stadium (aka MetLife Stadium) is ready for today's World Cup Final in East Rutherford, N.J. Photo: Tullio Puglia/FIFA via Getty Images During today's World Cup Final, how quickly you see pivotal moments will depend on how you watch. In one Axios group chat, "omg" or "whoa" might pop up 20 seconds sooner depending on whether the person was watching on YouTube TV, FS1 or Peacock en Español. Live TV used to mean the signal went almost straight from the camera to viewers. Not anymore, a fascinating New York Times piece explains: "Before you see the video, it's captured, processed, compressed, encrypted, packaged, sent out, stored, decoded, and finally shown on your screen," says Kenny Elcock, NESN's former VP of technology. "Each step adds a bit of delay, and together, these delays can add up." 📺 Old-fashioned rabbit-ear TV is fastest, with viewers seeing action within 3–8 seconds, Elcock tells The Times. Cable TV sends a signal through fiber networks, with a delay of 5-12 seconds. Satellite TV goes to space and back, with more encoding and processing, meaning a delay of 15-30 seconds. Streaming splits the video into thousands of small files ("segments"). Delays can reach 60 seconds or more. 📱 On top of that, buffering means your device downloads a small amount of video and holds while you watch slightly older video, guarding against internet glitches that could freeze your frame. Keep reading (gift link) ... Match preview.