WORLD NEWS

Day Eight

Two U.S. service members were killed following an Iranian attack on an airbase in Jordan on Friday; another was killed in Iraq on Saturday.

In response, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced it launched an eighth consecutive night of strikes to “swiftly punish” Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and “further degrade Iran's ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.” Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who hasn’t been seen since the start of the war, accused the U.S. of escalating the conflict and warned of “unforgettable lessons” if the U.S. continues its attacks.

President Trump mourned the deaths, saying the troops died “never allowing Iran to have a nuclear weapon.”

The incident brings the U.S. death toll to 17; Iran’s reported death toll was 3,468 in April (no update since); and Lebanon’s reported death toll is 4,328.

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PRAY WITH US
God of Wisdom and Might, grant wisdom, creativity, and humility to world leaders seeking de-escalation. Comfort with eternal hope those who mourn losses of loved ones, livelihood, home, prospects. Provide daily bread for the vulnerable swept up in swirling hostilities. And establish your church as a lighthouse of peace and hope shining into the storm. May the unity among believers on opposite sides of enemy lines demonstrate the supernatural power of your reconciling gospel. As provocations threaten to spiral into chaos, we cling to you, Our Fortress and Hiding Place. Strengthen us to extend your mercy boldly while we wait for you to bring your reign of peace. Amen.

U.S. NEWS

Ballot Battles

President Trump addressed the nation Thursday night, alleging 2020 election fraud, accusing China of interference, and calling on Congress to pass the SAVE America election reform act.

During the 22-minute speech (watch it), the White House declassified a trove of election integrity documents (read them) that allege “shocking vulnerabilities” in voting systems, large-scale voter fraud in Michigan, hundreds of thousands of non-citizens on voter rolls, and Chinese theft of voter data (claims Beijing’s foreign ministry called “entirely fabricated”). Critics say Thursday’s data dump offers no new evidence of fraudulent votes and that the 2020 election has been repeatedly upheld by the courts.

Meanwhile, Trump’s directive to only deliver mail-in ballots to states that submit voter lists to the federal government got a thumbs up from a D.C. appeals court, but remains blocked by a separate injunction.

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CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE
Believers must balance engaging in politics (which can be important and impactful) with a calm, unshakable confidence in God, whose plans are not dependent on any election or country.

“Our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly wait for a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Philippians 3:20 (CSB) (read full passage)

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SPORTS

¡Somos los Campeones!

Spain is king of soccer.

La Roja beat Argentina 1-0 at MetLife Stadium yesterday, lifting their second World Cup trophy and first since 2010. After 105 scoreless minutes, Ferran Torres beat Argentina’s brickwall goalkeeper, Emiliano Martinez, who set a World Cup final record with 11 saves (watch the winner). Spain’s fuerte defense recorded its record seventh shutout while allowing zero Argentine shots on goal.

The World Cup’s maiden halftime show featured a jam-packed global extravaganza with Shakira, Justin Bieber, Madonna, BTS, Ted Lasso, and… the Muppets.

After 104 games of real-life foosball (and endless memes), France’s Kylian Mbappé walked away with the Golden Boot with ten goals, Spain’s goalkeeper Unai Simón won the Golden Glove, and Spain’s Rodri took home the Golden Ball, for the Cup’s best player, beating Lionel Messi in his presumed last World Cup.

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Verse to consider whether you’re lifting trophies, shouldering burdens, or carrying the weight of everyday life… “Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in everything; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus… Hold on to what is good. Stay away from every kind of evil.” 
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, 21-22 (CSB) (read full passage)

Well, it turns out Taco Bell was causing the diarrhea. Taco Bell’s lettuce supplier Taylor Farms is a confirmed source of the nation’s cyclospora outbreak. The shredded iceberg, sourced from a single grower in central Mexico, sickened ~1,645 and hospitalized 141 people who ‘thought outside the bun’ across five states. Taylor Farms has recalled products shipped to 27 states.


The Odyssey took over movie theaters this weekend... sans the big wooden horse. Homer’s epic raked in $264.1M globally, a career-best opening for director Christopher Nolan, as critics and audiences couldn’t resist the sirens (95%+ on Rotten Tomatoes). It’s the third biggest global opening of 2026, behind animated hits The Super Mario Galaxy Movie ($372.5M) and Toy Story 5 ($312M).


President Trump is fuming over Canadian wildfire smoke that caused hazardous air quality across the Northern U.S. On Friday, POTUS threatened to impose “pollution” tariffs on the Maple Leaf, accusing Canada of “willful negligence” in handling 900+ active fires. Ontario premier Ford called the threat “unacceptable,” saying Canada helped fight Californian wildfires last year and hasn’t received help in turn.


Gov. Abbott (R) declared an emergency in 28 Texas counties Friday after extreme flooding hit for the second year in a row. At least two people died and nearly 600 needed rescue in many of the same areas that experienced deadly flooding last July. Rescue operations are still underway, but residents praised new flood warning systems, which likely saved lives.


Influencer brothers Andrew and Tristan Tate were arrested in Miami after British authorities brought 38 new charges, including sex trafficking and assault, against the pair. Andrew Tate, 39, is a former professional kickboxer and self-described misogynist with 10.8M followers on X. The brothers’ attorney said he expects them to be held without bail during extradition proceedings, while maintaining their innocence.

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