- FIFA cleared Folarin Balogun to play for the U.S. against Belgium in Seattle on Monday.
- He’d been shown a controversial red card after scoring the game-winner vs Bosnia, a play VAR shouldn’t have flagged under FIFA protocols.
- Balogun leads the U.S. at the World Cup with three goals.
The news, distilled into what matters.
- Christian Lundgaard — fresh off a Road America win and starting from pole at Mid-Ohio; can he follow up with back-to-back victories?
- Alex Palou is the betting favorite (37/20) even though he starts eighth; he’s got six poles, four wins and seven top-fives this season.
- Pato O’Ward (4/1) and Will Power (6/1) are the other top contenders on the DraftKings board — plenty of names to watch during the race.
- Officials say vandals cut the Reflecting Pool liner, crews will finish repairs (including a partial drain) after recent renovation problems.
- The Interior won’t reopen bidding and is sticking with the same contractors amid criticism over no‑bid awards and peeling/blue paint issues.
- More than a half dozen people have been arrested, including ex‑Olympian David Hearn, who faces a felony charge that his lawyers call politically motivated.
- Russia says it has captured Kostiantynivka in Donetsk, but Ukraine denies the claim and says its forces still hold the town.
- Moscow accused Kyiv of refusing a temporary pause in shelling to allow the handover of fallen Ukrainian soldiers’ bodies, after proposing a six‑hour ceasefire.
- Kostiantynivka is a strategically important locality in the Donetsk region that Russia has long sought to seize.
- Mexico vs England headline a July 5 World Cup round-of-16 at historic Mexico City Stadium — Mexico’s huge home advantage (undefeated at home since 2018) adds major atmosphere to the match.
- El Tri are riding momentum after a commanding 2-0 win over Ecuador, ending a 40-year knockout victory drought and becoming only the third team to win their first four World Cup matches without conceding.
- England rallied to beat DR Congo thanks to Harry Kane’s late brace; Kane has five goals in the tournament and is a key threat going into the tie.
- Margaret Thomas, a pioneering news photographer and the first woman news photographer at The Washington Post, has died at 84.
- Over a 50-year career she photographed presidents, a visiting pope, athletes and everyday Americans, documenting major moments and local life.
- Her life and legacy were remembered by Willie Geist on Sunday TODAY.
Get the full experience in the app — topics, comments, and audio summaries.