After a gap of eight months since the United States minted its last penny, a new legislative effort could bring clarity to the chaos stemming from the coin’s absence. Businesses have long grappled with how to provide precise change to cash customers amid a coin shortage. Earlier this month, the House passed a bill that may offer a solution to these financial quandaries.

The aptly named “Common Cents Act” seeks to decisively end the era of the penny while synchronizing practices for retail transactions sans the one-cent piece. Crucially, it also outlines how businesses should manage change when pennies are no longer available in their cash registers. Additionally, the act may pave the way for a refreshed take on the nickel.

In response to the scarcity of pennies, retailers of all sizes have informed shoppers that cash payments might not result in receiving exact change. Their solutions have varied widely, from issuing store credit gift cards to offering complimentary products as compensation.

In lieu of pennies, some businesses have opted to round up or down when calculating change or total bills. While this practice has helped ease immediate complications, it also opens the door to potential legal disputes.

Several states and localities have laws that prohibit businesses from rounding cash transactions up or down, the National Association of Convenience Stores said in a letter to the Senate Banking and House Financial Services Committees last year.

Part of the problem, Dylan Jeon, National Retail Federation senior director of government relations, previously explained to Nexstar, relates to laws that say those paying with a different form of tender, like a SNAP EBT card, can’t be charged differently than a customer paying with cash.

Under the Common Cents Act, businesses would be allowed the option to round cash transactions to the nearest nickel. A $19.82 purchase becomes $19.80 while $19.83 becomes $19.85, for example.

Canada took this approach when it phased out its penny in the early 2010s.

This would only impact cash transactions, not those in which you’re paying with a check, mobile payment, or card.

Pennies would remain legal tender under the bill as well. It’s estimated that more than 300 billion pennies are out in the world – more than 800 pennies, or $8 worth, per U.S. citizen – trapped wherever a little Lincoln can roll, fall into, and hide.

The Common Cents Act still needs to pass through the Senate and be signed into law before it can take effect. Its future in the next chamber is unclear.

A legacy of champions runs deep in the Fox family, and on Sunday, Ryan Fox added another illustrious page to that history. Nearly four decades after his father’s triumph in the Rugby World Cup, Ryan secured his own place in the annals of sports by clinching The Open Championship.

The feat was nothing short of remarkable for this New Zealander, whose veins run with the legacy of an All Blacks hero. On a day marked by intense competition, where the iconic Claret Jug seemed within reach of four different contenders, it was Ryan, son of Grant Fox, who emerged victorious, unyielding in the face of challenge.

Let’s dive right into the defining climax of this storied tournament. The 154th golf major, steeped in history, came down to the wire, with the ultimate decision resting on the final putt of the concluding group on the last day.

As the clock edged past 6:30 PM on that breezy Southport evening, Cameron Young had been biding his time, a waiting game that stretched over two long hours. For much of that interval, his impressive nine-under-par score seemed destined for a lasting lead.

The odds were daunting when Fox landed on the 18th fairway, sending an iron shot soaring 172 yards against a crosswind to find the green just 11 feet away from the pin. Despite the slender chance, given that a mere five out of 77 competitors managed a birdie on the final hole, a play-off appeared inevitable.

But the 78th man to try was Grant’s lad. And the thing about Grant is that he never missed – he was the fly-half with the metronomic boot and some traits don’t skip the generations. And so Fox pulled back that blade, brought it through, and after a small track from left to right the ball disappeared below ground.

With two arms in the air, Fox was the Champion Golfer of Year.

‘Wow,’ he said in the immediate aftermath, having turned in a card for a 68 and a 10-under-par total. ‘I don’t really know what to think at the moment.

‘I’ve got a lot of people to thank. First of all, my family, my wife and kids are in Florida at the moment. I spoke to my kids last night, and they said, “Bring back a trophy”. I think this is a pretty cool one to bring back for them.’

We can stick with the family theme a while longer, because it isn’t just Grant in the lineage – Fox’s maternal grandfather, Merv Wallace, also captained the New Zealand cricket team in the Fifties. With Fox the father to two daughters, one can only wonder what comes next.

But a word on the chasers in the here and now – Young was one behind after a 64, overnight leader Sam Burns was a spot further back with head of regrets, and they collectively stood ahead of a pair of challengers in Scottie Scheffler and a local lad named Tommy Fleetwood on seven under.

Had Fleetwood not bogeyed three in a row in the middle of his round, maybe this would have been his day. Maybe they would have closed the streets here for a year in celebration. But no one could begrudge a win for Fox, a 39-year-old who has walked the hard yards in this maddening game.

After 14 years on the grind, he had already proven himself more than a familiar name with two PGA Tour wins and three on the European circuit, but he had never been higher than 23rd in the world. Arriving in Southport, he was ranked 56th and as recently as March underwent surgery to remove kidney stones. Men of a certain age can relate.

But then came this, which is to say an uplifting end to a thrilling day. Burns and Young can fight over who had the worst time of it, because Burns, runner up at the US Open last month, started two clear in his pairing with Fox and never turned up. All of the finesse and touch he used in building his lead vanished – he stepped on the fourth tee and went bogey-bogey-bogey and stayed at eight under for the rest of his day.

Young’s round was so very different. No one started better than this American nearly man, who started in 20th position and played the front nine in 29 strokes in the calmest conditions of the morning. For that matter, few did as well as him on the way in, either.

But standing on the 18th tee, at 10 under par, it went wrong. He drove into a pot bunker and then sought to attack the green from 180 yards short, only to thrash his shot into the face of the trap. Playing his third from the adjacent rough, Young’s third went into sand by the green and a bogey gave him an awful lot to think about on the two-hour wait for the later groups to finish.

Thankfully for Young, the wind was up. And when the wind is up on a baked links course, you have chaos and bogeys. Si Woo Kim avoided them for 10 holes and reached 10 under par, meaning he, Burns, Young and Fox all led at some point or other. 

That he finished on six under told a story about the pressures of leading; that Bryson DeChambeau triple-bogeyed the 11th and capitulated to a 72 was possibly a different story about karma. 

Had Scheffler birdied the 18th and reached nine under, who knows what kind of tremors that would have sent through the field. But instead he bogeyed and signed for a 67 and settled for seven under. Perhaps Fox wouldn’t have blinked anyway.

His round was steady in an even-par 34 for the front and a masterful clinic in rising at opportune moments on the back. Birdies at the 13th and 14th gave him his first taste of the lead and two more in the final three holes, when the pulse was thumping hardest, were the crowning moments of a champion.

Written in the stars, maybe, or more likely the DNA.

A devastating earthquake struck the Andes mountains in Peru overnight, claiming at least five lives and displacing hundreds as homes and a church were reduced to rubble. Authorities cautioned on Sunday that several individuals are still unaccounted for in the aftermath.

The tremor, registering a magnitude of 5.5, hit just after 9:20 p.m. on Saturday near Sicaya, central Peru, according to data from the U.S. Geological Survey. The quake left over 20 individuals injured and forced more than 300 people to evacuate their homes, as noted by Peru’s National Civil Defense Institute.

Efforts continued into Sunday to locate missing people after multiple structures, including a church and a convent, crumbled or were deemed too hazardous to remain in.

Officials highlighted that the prevalent use of traditional adobe in construction may have intensified the destruction. Luis Vásquez, head of the local civil defense, remarked that these rustic building materials “amplified the magnitude of the damage.”

Images from the hard-hit farming community of Chongo Bajo showed families wrapped in blankets outside damaged homes as neighbors picked through the rubble. Animals could also be seen trapped beneath collapsed buildings.

“My home has been destroyed,” resident Hermenegilda Guamalato told local radio while looking for shelter with her three children in the neighboring province of Huayucachi.

Peru sits along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” one of the world’s most active earthquake zones. In 2007, a magnitude 7.9 earthquake struck the coastal province of Pisco, killing nearly 600 people.

Now they always say, “Congratulations.”

Post Malone energized the crowd at the FIFA World Cup 2026 closing ceremony, delivering a captivating performance of his 2018 hit “Sunflower” alongside Swae Lee. The event took place at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Sunday.

Fans were thrilled when Malone brought Lee out onstage for an unforgettable rendition of their Grammy-nominated song to close his set.

Sporting a classic Canadian tuxedo with flair, Post Malone donned a quirky white T-shirt that cheekily announced, “Just hope the teams have fun.” He completed his look with a stylish cowboy hat.

Swae Lee complemented the vibrant performance in a sunflower-inspired yellow jacket and brown pants, making for a visually stunning show.

Malone, meanwhile, opened with his new track “Chrome Heartbreaker,” before leading into his 2018 song “Wow” for his three-song performance.

On Monday, the country singer was announced as the headliner for the closing ceremony, which took place before kick-off.

“At a time when sport, culture and global attention converge, Post Malone will deliver a performance designed to celebrate the tournament’s journey and ignite the atmosphere before the world’s attention turns to the two finalists,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in a press release.

“We are thrilled to have so many stars taking to the pitch, from both the football and entertainment worlds,” Infantino added.

“The closing ceremony will set the tone for a historic FIFA World Cup final, uniting the passion of 48 teams, 16 host cities and millions of fans on one unforgettable stage.”

Malone, born Austin Post, is a nine-time diamond-certified superstar. In 2024, the “White Iverson” rapper, 31, released his debut country album, “F-1 Trillion,” which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart.

He is gearing up to release his seventh studio album, “The Eternal Buzz,” which will be a double album that features 20 tracks on each disc.

The World Cup Final will also feature a star-studded halftime show with Madonna, Justin Bieber, Shakira, BTS and Coldplay all set to perform.

The performance is curated by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin.

Spain and Argentina will battle it out for the FIFA World Cup trophy.

Just one match stands between Argentina, Spain, and the coveted World Cup trophy. But at Sunday’s showdown inside MetLife Stadium, the winning captain will experience an unusual delay in hoisting the prize aloft.

In a historic twist, FIFA has sparked debate with its decision to introduce a halftime show during the greatest spectacle in soccer, marking a first for the tournament’s illustrious legacy.

As the world tunes in to witness Lionel Messi and his team chase a back-to-back World Cup victory, this year’s finale has an unexpected twist. The legendary player will be sharing the limelight with pop icons Madonna, Shakira, and Justin Bieber, echoing the flamboyant spirit of a Super Bowl showcase.

The World Cup final isn’t just about soccer this time—it features a vibrant blend of entertainment at the closing ceremony too. Spectators can look forward to dazzling performances and appearances by stars like Post Malone, Tom Cruise, Nicole Scherzinger, influencer IShowSpeed, Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson, Robbie Williams, and the acclaimed Italian singer Laura Pausini.

While Tom Cruise’s exact involvement remains a mystery, FIFA descries it as a ‘special appearance.’ Soccer officials promise that the ceremony will honor all 48 nations participating in this year’s tournament, adding an extra layer of celebration to the finale.

Here, the Daily Mail explains what viewers can expect at halftime.

WHO IS PERFORMING?

FIFA enlisted the help of Coldplay frontman Chris Martin to curate the show and back in May it emerged that Madonna, Shakira and K-pop band BTS would perform. 

Bieber was recently added to the lineup, while Burna Boy will join Shakira on stage and Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel is also down to perform.

Coldplay will have their moment in the spotlight, too. Martin and Co will perform alongside the PS22 Chorus, an award-winning group of fifth graders from an elementary school in New York. Also among the lineup? Characters from Sesame Street and The Muppets.

‘For the first time ever, football, music and social impact will come together as the greatest show on Earth reaches its pinnacle,’ FIFA said.

‘[The] Halftime Show will support the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, an initiative aiming to raise $100million to expand access to quality education and football opportunities for children worldwide.’

FIFA provided a glimpse of what to expect at last year’s Club World Cup Final, when Martin put together another halftime show for Chelsea’s win over Paris Saint-Germain.

That took place up in the stands of MetLife Stadium but, 12 months on, Madonna and Co are expected to perform on the field.

HOW LONG WILL IT LAST?

We shall see. The performance is expected to be wrapped up in 11 minutes but there has yet to be official confirmation about how long the entire circus will take.

Recently, however, reports claimed that soccer chiefs are hoping the show will last around 20 minutes. That is despite the sport’s lawmakers stating that halftime should not ‘exceed 15 minutes’ – unless ‘altered… with the referee’s permission.’

On Sunday, Messi and Co look set to spend longer than normal in the locker room before returning for the second half. 

That has raised concerns over injuries, while questions remain about how the process of erecting and dismantling the stage will affect the field.

Twelve months ago, at the Club World Cup final, halftime lasted nearly 25 minutes – despite the performance taking just 10 minutes.

Unlike last year, however, a stage will need to be put up and taken down on the field of MetLife Stadium. FIFA is also more squeezed for time than the NFL.

At the Super Bowl, halftime is typically extended to around half an hour – from 13 minutes in the regular season – to make room for the musical performance.

CONMEBOL put on a halftime show for the final of the 2024 Copa America in Miami. That performance, which also featured Shakira, saw Argentina and Colombia players wait 26 minutes before starting the second half. 

World Cup games are already longer than normal thanks to FIFA’s controversial hydration breaks in each half.

WHAT ARE PEOPLE SAYING ABOUT IT?

Well, it is fair to say that Infantino’s decision to introduce a halftime show has been divisive and controversial.

The show’s executive producer, Guy Carrington, recently told The Hollywood Reporter: ‘We’ve spent months and months preparing this, developing it and working with all of the artists… it’s a carefully-curated performance that’s going to be spectacular.’

The FIFA president, meanwhile, said the artists will ‘play a key role in conveying a powerful message of unity and hope to billions of people worldwide.’

Infantino added: ‘As the world unites for the most significant football match in history… this groundbreaking spectacle, curated by Chris Martin of Coldplay, will celebrate football, music and our shared values, ensuring a legacy that transcends the final whistle.’

But the verdict of Robert Smith of The Cure was rather less effusive. ‘Please just f*** off,’ he said about the halftime show.

UNITED NATIONS — In a significant fiscal development, the Trump administration proudly announced it has achieved over $1 billion in budget cuts at the United Nations within just six months. The administration hailed these reductions as a clear sign that an institution often viewed as resistant to change is finally starting to embrace reform.

The most recent achievement was marked on June 30, when all 193 member countries of the U.N. came together to approve a peacekeeping budget of roughly $5.1 billion for the upcoming fiscal year. This figure represents a significant decrease of about $550 million, or 9.7%, compared to the previous year.

Adding to this is a 15% reduction in the U.N.’s regular budget, which was approved in December. U.S. officials highlight that these agreements cumulatively surpass $1 billion in cuts to assessed U.N. budgets, describing it as an unprecedented level of fiscal restraint.

Assessed budgets rely on mandatory contributions from member states, calculated primarily based on the economic size of each nation.

“On June 30th, with U.S. leadership, all 193 countries came together again for the second time in six months,” U.S. Ambassador for U.N. Management and Reform Jeff Bartos told News Media. “We’ve achieved over a billion dollars of savings in six months, which is unprecedented. Any one cut would be unprecedented. The totality of the reforms is monumental.”

The agreement comes as the United Nations faces mounting financial pressure and prepares for a leadership transition in 2027, with Secretary-General António Guterres set to leave office at the end of his second term. At the same time, the Trump administration has made reform a central pillar of its U.N. strategy, arguing the organization has become overly bureaucratic and inefficient.

In response to questions from News Media, U.N. spokesman Stéphane Dujarric confirmed that the peacekeeping budget was reduced by roughly $550 million and the regular budget by 15%, describing both as “unprecedented reductions.”

Bartos argues the reforms reflect sustained pressure from the Trump administration and months of negotiations led by the U.S. Mission.

“The new budget, this reformed budget, the enhanced efficiency changes the culture of how the U.N. looks at peacekeeping,” Bartos said. “Every dollar has to achieve impact on the ground.”

He pointed to the U.N. Mission in South Sudan as an example, saying the United States worked to streamline the mission’s mandate before reducing its budget accordingly.

Another reform highlighted by the administration changes how the U.N. handles unused budget credits.

Until now, U.N. financial rules required the organization to return unspent funds to member states even if those contributions had never actually been paid, a practice critics said worsened the organization’s recurring liquidity crisis.

The General Assembly voted on June 30 to introduce, on a four-year trial basis, a new methodology under which unspent funds will be returned only when backed by cash actually received.

Bartos said the change could save the organization more than $1 billion over the next three years. That projected figure is separate from the more than $1 billion in budget reductions already approved over the past six months.

He called the change another example of “common-sense” reform and said it could save the organization more than $1 billion over the next three years.

The United Nations likewise welcomed the change, though officials noted it had been a longstanding priority of Secretary-General António Guterres.

“I have been pushing for this reform for almost a decade,” Guterres said after the vote. He described the previous system as a “Kafkaesque cycle” in which the organization was expected “to give back cash that did not exist.”

Dujarric said the reform would allow the U.N. to manage resources “in a more predictable and responsible way” while helping ensure operational continuity, particularly for peacekeeping missions.

Bartos insists the latest budget agreements are only the beginning.

Among the administration’s next priorities are reforms to staff compensation, employee benefits and the U.N. pension system, areas he argues consume resources that could otherwise support humanitarian operations and peacekeeping missions.

“We’re going to continue to see us push whether it’s on benefits, whether it’s on staff compensation, whether it’s on the pension system,” Bartos said. “There’s massive numbers of additional reforms that our team is working on right now.”

He also suggested reform will remain a central issue as member states begin selecting the next secretary-general.

“We’re going to select the next secretary-general,” Bartos said. “That reform momentum that has been growing over the last 15, 18 months … you’ll see that continuing in 2027 with the new secretary-general.”