The Friday, July 3, 2026 Edition

›76ers pursue LeBron James. One day after trading for Jaylen Brown, Philadelphia has entered the mix for LeBron James and is pitching him on joining, potentially forming a new NBA superteam, sources told ESPN. (<a href="https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/49252040/sources-76ers-enter-mix-lebron-james-jaylen-brown-add">More</a>)

ESPN

›Portugal edges Croatia 2-1. Gonçalo Ramos headed a stoppage-time winner while Cristiano Ronaldo watched from the bench, sending Portugal into the World Cup Round of 16, where they face Spain. (<a href="https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/49253213/portugal-ronaldo-survive-late-scare-croatia-world-cup">More</a>)

ESPN

›Clark, Bueckers headline WNBA All-Star starters. Commissioner Cathy Engelbert unveiled the starters, led by Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers and A'ja Wilson; Atlanta's Angel Reese called her teammates' snub 'a slap in the face.' (<a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/25449853-caitlin-clark-paige-bueckers-aja-wilson-olivia-miles-headline-2026-wnba-all-star-starters">More</a>)

Bleacher Report

›Madonna releases 'Confessions II.' Critics are calling the dance album her best since 2005's 'Confessions on a Dance Floor'; it features collaborations with Sabrina Carpenter and her daughter Lola Leon. (<a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/madonna-confessions-ii-album-review-1235588293/">More</a>)

Rolling Stone

›USMNT win sets ratings record. The Americans' 2-0 World Cup victory over Bosnia-Herzegovina drew 24.4 million viewers, the most-watched English-language soccer telecast ever. Balogun's red card drew criticism from Secretary of State Rubio. (<a href="https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/49253970/record-244m-watched-usmnt-world-cup-win">More</a>)

ESPN

›OpenAI floats giving U.S. government a 5% stake. CEO Sam Altman is in talks with the Trump administration about donating a 5% equity stake to a U.S. sovereign wealth fund, potentially easing regulatory friction. (<a href="https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/07/openai-floats-giving-us-5-stake-to-win-over-ai-haters/">More</a>)

Ars Technica

›Google loses final EU antitrust appeal. Europe's highest court upheld a record $4.7 billion fine imposed in 2018 for bundling Google's search engine and browser with Android, ending a years-long legal battle. (<a href="https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/07/google-loses-long-running-appeal-of-record-eu-fine-will-have-to-cough-up-4-7-billion/">More</a>)

Ars Technica

›Possible route for Alzheimer's spread identified. Researchers found a common brain protein may ferry toxic tau proteins from damaged neurons into healthy ones, offering a potential target for blocking the disease's progression. (<a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260630020521.htm">More</a>)

Science Daily

›Rubin telescope begins largest cosmic survey ever. The Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile started its 10-year Legacy Survey of Space and Time, using the largest camera ever built to map billions of galaxies. (<a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-rubin-telescope-just-began-the-largest-cosmic-time-lapse-in-history/">More</a>)

Scientific American

›Tesla shares fall 7%. The stock fell 7% Thursday despite a 25% year-over-year jump in Q2 deliveries. Investors focused instead on the company's struggle to recover from consecutive annual sales declines. (<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2026/07/02/tesla-tsla-q2-2026-vehicle-delivery-production.html">More</a>)

CNBC Top News

›Trump accounts launch July 4. The Trump administration launches tax-advantaged 'Trump Accounts' for children Saturday, with major companies pledging matching funds to boost the financial standing of millions of Americans under 18. (<a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5952182-white-house-to-launch-trump-accounts-on-july-4/">More</a>)

The Hill

›Gold heads for weekly gain. Gold prices rose Friday, on track for their first weekly gain in a month, as investors scaled back Federal Reserve rate-hike bets after June's weak jobs report. (<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2026/07/03/gold-silver-price-inflation-fed-rate-hike.html">More</a>)

CNBC Top News

›Khamenei lies in state. The body of Iran's slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei lay in state in Tehran Friday as dignitaries and mourners paid respects ahead of days-long funeral events. (<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/irans-slain-leader-khamenei-laid-state-tehran-week-mass-funeral-events-2026-07-03/">More</a>)

Reuters

›Supreme Court strikes citizenship order. The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 to strike down President Trump's executive order limiting birthright citizenship under the 14th Amendment, drawing sharp reactions from lawmakers in both parties. (<a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/watch-supreme-court-birthright-citizenship-decision-strikes-divide-lawmakers">More</a>)

Fox News Politics

›Kiros unseats longtime Denver incumbent. Democratic Socialist Melat Kiros defeated 29-year incumbent Rep. Diana DeGette in Denver's Democratic primary, following DSA wins in Missouri, Michigan, and New York ahead of the midterms. (<a href="https://theintercept.com/2026/07/01/colorado-primary-results-midterms-socialists-kiros-degette/">More</a>)

The Intercept

›Russian attack on Kyiv kills 30. Russia launched its largest missile and drone attack on Kyiv of the war, killing at least 30 civilians; Ukraine struck oil and military infrastructure deep inside Russian territory. (<a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4gyv05gk4do?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss">More</a>)

BBC World

›Trump denies crypto profit wrongdoing. President Trump said there was "nothing illegal" about roughly $2.2 billion in earnings, largely from crypto ventures, shown in new disclosures; Democrats announced subpoena plans. (<a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5952294-trump-crypto-profits/">More</a>)

The Hill