Onto the knockout round: 4 takeaways from the FIFA World Cup so far
The anxieties before the World Cup were many. But with the knockout round set to begin Sunday, it's fair to say: The North American World Cup has been a thrill.

The first round of July Social Security payments for retirees, now capped at $5,181, will be issued in 10 days. When will payments arrive? Retirees born on or before the 10th of a month will receive this payment on Wednesday, July 8. The second round will go out on July 15 to those born between […]
The anxieties before the World Cup were many. But with the knockout round set to begin Sunday, it's fair to say: The North American World Cup has been a thrill.
Fiston Mayele was also on target in a dramatic second-half comeback as Congo joined Cape Verde as another surprise qualifier for the round of 32.
In Venezuela, rescue teams are racing against time after twin earthquakes killed more than 1,400 people and left tens of thousands unaccounted for.
The country is the first Central Asian nation to qualify for the World Cup, and Uzbek fans have reveled in showcasing their country and culture. The country's president calls the team a symbol of the "new Uzbekistan."
Conservative legal activist Mike Davis floated an aggressive immigration crackdown this week if the Supreme Court rules against the Trump administration on birthright citizenship, including a call to prioritize the detention and deportation of women of childbearing age.Davis, a prominent ally of President Donald Trump who heads the Article III Project, framed his posts around the expectation that the high court will rule against the administration's position. He accused the justices in advance of preparing to "lawlessly" extend birthright citizenship to the children of undocumented immigrants.In one post, Davis wrote that if the court "lawlessly pretends we fought a Civil War and passed subsequent laws to give birthright citizenship to illegal aliens, we must ramp up third-country detainments and mass-deportations.""With no mercy," he added.He then went further, singling out a specific group as a target."We must start with birthing-aged women," Davis wrote, closing the post with a single word: "Adios."In a related post, Davis reiterated the framing, declaring that the Supreme Court was "going to lawlessly give away birthright citizenship to illegally aliens" and that the response should "make the top priority birthing-aged women."That post was attached to a message from Homeland Security official Markwayne Mullin, who had touted the administration's deportation efforts as targeting "illegal alien criminals" including "rapists, murders, pedophiles, and gang members."Davis is no fringe figure in the movement. He has been floated for senior legal roles in Trump's orbit and has positioned himself as an enforcer for the administration's most combative legal positions.His suggestion that deportation efforts should begin with women based on their reproductive capacity drew immediate attention on X.The Supreme Court has not yet issued its ruling in the birthright citizenship case.
The United States has spent the last two weeks building belief. Now comes the part of the World Cup where belief no longer matters.
If you were curious about how long it would take for journalists to start rushing to the aid and defense of the Democratic Socialists (communists) who just won elections in New York City, wonder no more. The post CNN’s Kaitlan Collins Already Rushing to Defend DSA Members, Insists Democratic Socialism is Not Communism appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
President Trump's carefully constructed vision for transforming the nation's capital is literally falling apart. The Great American State Fair, meant to showcase his grandiose architectural ambitions, has spiraled into a three-day disaster of musical acts boycotting, equipment failures, tiny crowds and now a deteriorating replica arch buckling under less-than-ideal weather conditions.According to New York Times reporting, the centerpiece of Trump's fair—a scaled-down version of his proposed 250-foot "Triumphal Arch"—is already showing signs of structural failure. The vinyl covering, stapled over a wood frame and emblazoned with "One Nation Under God," had begun "buckling" under the combined assault of high temperatures, humidity, and rain.The arch represents Trump's broader vision for the nation's capital: a planned White House ballroom, renovated golf courses, and the repainting and sealing of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool – all of which have come under scrutiny and criticism.Three days into a 16-day event, Trump's showcase for his ambitions is becoming another debacle, with sparse attendance under a sweltering sun, power failures disabling the Ferris wheel for hours, and a cancelled concert by headliner Vanilla Ice with days still to run.Trump's opening performance set the tone. As the Times noted, "Trump gave a short campaign-style welcome speech on Wednesday before a thin crowd, asserting that in his second term he had brought back a country that was 'dead' under his predecessor."