Sports

Trump, Mamdani give contrasting July 4th speeches. And, U.S. faces Belgium in World Cup

Trump, Mamdani give contrasting July 4th speeches. And, U.S. faces Belgium in World Cup

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America celebrated its 250th birthday this weekend. In Washington, the white nationalist group Patriot Front marched through the city, as did counterprotesters. President Trump praised America's history and his war in Iran while criticizing Democrats and vowing to impose restrictions on mail-in ballots during his speech on Saturday night. Trump took to the stage at the National Mall around 11:15 p.m. ET, after stormy weather caused evacuations and delays. Following his roughly 30-minute speech, a massive fireworks display — billed by the White House as the largest in the United States' history — illuminated the sky.

Iran is holding its funeral for Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, four months after he was killed in U.S.-Israeli airstrikes. Massive crowds came to visit his casket at the Imam Khomeini Grand Mosalla mosque in Tehran, according to Iranian state media. Khamenei and four of his family members were killed on the first day of the conflict between the U.S., Israel and Iran. His family's caskets are also part of the procession. A shaky truce remains in effect between the U.S. and Iran. Indirect talks aimed at negotiating a resolution to the war are paused until after the funeral, according to Qatar's foreign minister. Israel has not been included in the preliminary agreement to end the war or in these talks. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he wants to travel to Washington, D.C., to discuss this matter with Trump.

The U.S. men's national soccer team faces Belgium tonight in its toughest World Cup matchup yet. The winner advances to the quarterfinals. Star striker, Folarin Balogun, will play in the match after Trump spoke to FIFA President Gianni Infantino regarding Balogun's red card and one-game suspension for a cleat-first challenge. In a highly unusual move, FIFA's Disciplinary Committee announced yesterday that it would postpone Balogun's one-game suspension for a probationary period of one year. This decision allows him to participate in any remaining World Cup matches. Balogun is the U.S. national team's leading scorer, with three goals so far in the tournament.

Higher prices are driving consumers away from eating out, according to a YouGov report. Regardless of your budget, sometimes you just need a break from cooking at home or want to spend time with your loved ones. Personal finance and nutrition experts share simple strategies to eat out for less with Life Kit.

For more advice on how to save money on meals and groceries, sign up for the How to Cut Your Food Bill newsletter.

Last month, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials detained three young St. Louis-area immigrants in Morrisonville, Ill. — a rural village about 45 miles outside of the state capitol. The incident occurred shortly after local police dropped them off with a verbal warning for driving without a valid license.

The United States' immigration story is as old as the country itself. It stretches from Ellis Island to California's borderlands, from rural towns to major cities — and into the lives of countless families chasing stability, safety and opportunity.

As a child of Latino immigrants, I grew up hearing my community's hopes for better education, reliable work, access to healthcare and a chance to build something that can last generations.

Those motivations, and the curiosity behind them, have lingered with me years later.