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July 21, 2026

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Stay informed with USA Today’s comprehensive news coverage across politics, sports, business, entertainment, and lifestyle topics

USA Today delivers breaking news, sports, business, and entertainment coverage to a massive national audience, reaching more than 134 million monthly website visits as of 2026. The digital-first publication combines national reporting with access to 200+ local publications through the USA TODAY Network, positioning itself as a comprehensive news source across multiple platforms. The publication’s digital platform reaches approximately 87 million unique visitors each month, according to USA TODAY Co.’s press kit data from December 2025. This audience spans all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, with coverage extending across news, sports, entertainment, finance, and technology sectors. USA Today’s

July 20, 2026

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World Cup halftime crams Madonna, Shakira, BTS, Bieber in 11 minutes

Updated July 19, 2026, 7:01 p.m. ET For the first time in FIFA World Cup history, futbol took a cue from football and sandwiched a star-studded show between its two halves of play. Madonna, Shakira, Justin Bieber and BTS represented the cultural diversity of the World Cup, which began June 11 and culminated with its 104th match at the July 19 final between defending champion Argentina and Spain. The 11-minute halftime show at New York New Jersey Stadium (aka MetLife Stadium) was an exercise in collaboration. Performing atop a rainbow-colored banner covering the field, echoes of Madonna’s “Music” filled the

July 19, 2026

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Total record-breaking attendance numbers revealed for 2026 World Cup | Sports

Editor’s note: Follow for live updates on Argentina-Spain World Cup final The final attendance numbers are in for the 2026 World Cup. In the second half of the final match between Spain and Argentina on Sunday, July 19, it was announced that MetLife Stadium had a full house of 80,663 fans. This allowed the final tally to be calculated. The World Cup attendance record was broken back in the group stage when 3,605,357 fans went to a match in one of the 16 cities across the three host countries of the United States, Canada and Mexico. This year’s tournament was

July 19, 2026

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World Cup games today: A closer look at today’s schedule

July 18, 2026, 6:03 a.m. ET The penultimate day of the 2026 FIFA World Cup sees England and France face off in the third-place match at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. The two semifinal losers will try to salvage a bronze medal before the Spain-Argentina final on Sunday. This will also act as a farewell match for Didier Deschamps. He is leaving the France job after the tournament, rumored to be replaced by another Les Bleus legend, Zinedine Zidane. All times Eastern and accurate as of Thursday, July 17, 2026, at 11:23 p.m. Third Place: England vs France Time/TV: 5:00

July 19, 2026

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World Cup games today: A closer look at today’s schedule

July 19, 2026, 5:08 a.m. ET It’s the final day of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. After 39 days of incredible soccer, it comes down to Spain vs. Argentina to decide the champion. MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey is the stage for this crowning moment in the sport’s history. Either Lionel Messi and Argentina will become the first back-to-back winners since Brazil in 1962 or Spain will lift the trophy for the second time in its history.  All times Eastern and accurate as of Saturday, July 18, 2026, at 11:23 p.m. Final: Spain vs Argentina Time/TV: 3:00 PM

July 19, 2026

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Trump issues 11 pardons on eve of country’s Fourth of July celebrations | Donald Trump

Donald Trump on Friday issued pardons to 11 men – two convicted fraudsters and nine charged with having violated the federal Clean Air Act by disabling or otherwise modifying trucks’ emissions controls. Those executive pardons – coming amid US semiquincentennial celebrations blanketed in extreme heat exacerbated by greenhouse gas emissions – were among a broader wave of acts of clemency from Trump during his second presidency, chiefly for those he considers to be aligned with him. Among the pardon recipients was Adam Kidan, the president of a light industrial staffing company who had been sentenced to nearly six years in

July 19, 2026

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Trump says U.S. will win Iran war “one way or the other” as Tehran holds funeral for supreme leader

With the largely indirect negotiations between the U.S. and Iran entering a pause of at least a week for the funeral of Iran’s slain supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, some key questions about the talks remain unanswered.  Under the terms of the memorandum of understanding signed two weeks ago, both sides committed “to negotiating and achieving the final deal” to formally end the war in a “maximum 60 days, extendable with mutual consent.” But when exactly did the countdown begin, and how many days of actual talks can be counted?  “The Iranians seem to think the 60-day negotiating period started

July 19, 2026

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U.S. concludes 6th consecutive night of Iran strikes as battle continues over Strait of Hormuz

Iran’s government is preparing to impose environmental compensation fees on ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, official state news agency IRNA said Thursday, citing the deputy head of the Iranian Environmental Protection Organization. Ahmadreza Lahijan-Zadeh said the proposed framework would require ships using the strategic waterway to contribute to the costs of repairing environmental damage in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman. “The government has decided that the cost of compensating for environmental damage caused to the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman will be collected from services provided to ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz,” Lahijan-Zadeh said,

July 19, 2026

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BREAKING: Connor Bedard Signs 5-Year, $15M AAV Extension with Blackhawks

Connor Bedard agrees to a 5-year, $15 million AAV extension with the Chicago Blackhawks, locking in the franchise cornerstone through 2030-31. The Chicago Blackhawks have secured their franchise cornerstone, agreeing to a five-year contract extension with star forward Connor Bedard at a $15 million average annual value, according to multiple reports. The deal locks in the 2023 No. 1 overall pick through the 2030-31 season. It represents one of the largest commitments the organization has made in recent years and signals a clear long-term commitment to building around Bedard. Bedard, who just completed his third NHL season, has quickly established

July 19, 2026

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Breaking: Iran-Israel-US Conflict Disrupts Gulf Aviation and Tourism

Dubai, Doha, and Abu Dhabi remain connected, but passengers face rerouting, cancellations, and rapidly changing government advisories as Gulf airlines protect their global networks DUBAI/DOHA — Breaking News: Renewed military hostilities involving Iran, the United States and Israel are again putting Middle East aviation, tourism and international business travel under severe pressure, with air-defense activity, temporary airspace restrictions and rapidly changing flight schedules reported across the Gulf and Jordan. The latest escalation intensified after Iranian missiles and drones targeted locations associated with the United States in Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain, while the United States continued strikes against Iranian military and