Argentina might boast the legendary Lionel Messi, but England has its own magic on the field.

In case names slipped your mind: Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham are the ones to watch.

Without the dynamic duo of Kane and Bellingham, England’s World Cup journey might have ended prematurely. Their contributions have been nothing short of spectacular throughout the tournament.

Both players have achieved the remarkable feat of scoring six goals each. This marks an unprecedented moment in World Cup history, where two players from the same national team have reached such a milestone in a single tournament.

The point cannot be overstated: Kane is a phenomenal talent, but Bellingham truly stands out as exceptional. His standout performances against Mexico and Norway are bound to be remembered as legendary.

Even when the Three Lions are playing their absolute worst football, the Real Madrid man always seems to come up with something to save this side. It’s remarkable.

England will need both Kane and Bellingham at their very best today.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — In keeping with a prior commitment, the Trump administration has unveiled revamped displays concerning slavery at the historical site of President George Washington’s residence in Philadelphia.

The new panels, installed on Wednesday, have drawn criticism, with some arguing they dilute the harsh realities of slavery. These panels are located in the same historic area that witnessed the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.

“In an overnight maneuver cloaked in secrecy, federal authorities replaced panels at the President’s House that previously offered a comprehensive history of Philadelphia,” remarked Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker on Wednesday. “Although the federal court sanctioned this removal, the cover of night under which it occurred suggests an awareness of its shameful nature and a breach of community confidence.”

Originally erected in 2010, the panels detailed the lives of nine enslaved people who, alongside George and Martha Washington, resided at the house in the 1790s when Philadelphia served as the nation’s temporary capital.

The revision of these panels came after President Donald Trump signed an executive order in 2025 mandating that federally owned or administered historic sites avoid presenting information that “disparages Americans past or living,” highlighting instead the “achievements and progress of the American people.”

A lower court forced the federal government in February to remove the new panels after they already had been installed earlier this year. A three-judge panel of the U.S. 3rd Circuit of Appeals reversed that and ruled July 3 that the work could continue.

A government website with images of the new panels showed they would still have information on enslaved people who lived in the home. It would also include details on the abolitionist movement, how the Constitution treated slavery, the end of slavery in Pennsylvania and how Washington and his successor, John Adams, viewed and treated slavery, as well as information about the 20th century Civil Rights movement.

However, the replacement panels do not include some of detail in the earlier ones, such as a map of slave trade routes and a timeline on slavery. They also avoid critical headlines such as “The Dirty Business of Slavery.”

The city of Philadelphia had sued the federal government over the removal of information previously included in the panels. It argued that the federal government must consult with the city before making changes to the President’s House Site. Justice Department lawyers argued the administration alone can decide what stories are told at National Park Service properties.

Parker said the city intends to seek a rehearing “on serious legal issues” presented in the appeals court decision.

Michael Coard, an attorney and founder of Avenging The Ancestors Coalition (ATAC), said the Philadelphia-based history preservation group continues to work on legal strategies opposing the Trump administration’s changing of the panels.

ATAC joined the city’s lawsuit.

Trump is attempting to rewrite history, Coard told reporters Wednesday near the site.

“What if there’s a president next time who doesn’t like the Liberty Bell because the Liberty Bell was used by abolitionists to support the end of slavery?” he said. “What if there’s a president who doesn’t like the Statue of Liberty because too many immigrants come in? Do we remove the Statue of Liberty?”

___

Williams reported from Detroit.

Tragedy struck in Alabama as a military veteran and his wife fell victim to a horrific burglary, officials revealed.

Authorities have arrested a 46-year-old man accused of murdering a couple, Justin and Lena Elrod, in their home in Reform, Alabama. The couple was found deceased at around 12:15 a.m. on Sunday, following a burglary report. The suspect, George Birmingham, now faces charges in connection with their deaths, according to the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office.

Birmingham has been charged with one count of capital murder, two counts of murder, burglary, and additional drug-related offenses.

Court documents suggest Birmingham allegedly used an electric saw to kill Lena Elrod, while Justin Elrod was fatally injured by a blow to the head with a metallic object.

The sheriff’s office said Birmingham was accused of killing the husband and wife before the burglary inside their home.

According to WBRC, a motive hasn’t been established, but authorities said Birmingham was an “acquaintance” of the Elrods.

Aliceville Mayor Terrence Windham described Justin Elrod as a hard worker who was humble.

“He was a very humble guy, and he was the last person that I would think that something like this would happen to,” Windham said. “He survived the military, survived working in the prison, and now, this situation, it just makes it even worse.”

Jason Burns, who worked with Justin Elrod at a federal prison, said he’s still at a loss that his friend was killed.

“About every five minutes,” Burns said. “About every five minutes, I’m having that moment.”

“We ask everyone to continue keeping the victims’ families, those affected by this tragedy, and the responding first responders in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time,” the sheriff’s office said.

Whitney Fransway is no stranger to the spotlight of reality TV. Having previously appeared on Season 21 of The Bachelor and Season 6 of Bachelor In Paradise, Fransway was prepared for a different kind of challenge when she joined In The City. “I definitely felt more anxious about starting In The City compared to The Bachelor because Bravo is famous for embracing drama,” she explained. As expected, her relationship with Kenny Martin soon became a hot topic within her new social circle. “I moved across the country for him without a ring, which seemed normal to me. Living together before getting engaged is pretty common,” Fransway shared, acknowledging her surprise at how closely their romance was scrutinized.

Throughout her first Bravo season, much of Fransway’s time was spent defending her relationship with Martin. However, she found herself embroiled in controversy with Lindsay Hubbard during a cast trip to Connecticut. The situation arose when Hubbard refused to relinquish the primary suite to Yvonne Najor, despite her behavior at Najor’s wedding dinner being the subject of criticism. Fransway commented that Hubbard used the “single mom card” as a reason not to give up her room. Clarifying her remark, Fransway emphasized there was “no malicious intention.” “I used it as an example to suggest she should prioritize her friendship with Yvonne over her own needs,” Fransway explained.

Unfortunately, Hubbard didn’t perceive it that way. Although the two managed to reconcile by the season’s end, Hubbard seemed unsettled by Fransway’s comments during the In The City reunion. Fransway expressed her surprise, saying, “I was shocked. I made it clear what my intent was, but she interpreted it in a completely different way.”

In a Zoom interview with DECIDER, Fransway reflected on her journey on the reality series, discussed how she and Martin stayed united through the turbulence, and disclosed which unexpected Bravolebrity reached out with a supporting hand.

DECIDER: Did your past experience on The Bachelor make you feel more prepared to film In The City, or did it not factor in at all?

WHITNEY FRANSWAY: In some ways, I did feel better because I had been around cameras before. You find that the cameras just melt away and you forget that they’re there. However, I did feel more nervous starting In The City than The Bachelor just because Bravo is known to love the drama. So, I felt a bit protective over my relationship with Kenny.

You are not the first Bachelor Nation alum to cross over to Bravo. Did you reach out or hear from Jasmine Goode, Salley Carson or Ashley Iaconetti before starting filming?

I actually just met Salley. Jasmine was on my season of The Bachelor so I had talked to her just briefly, I talked to Ashley more recently. She was in a similar situation as me as she also entered into a new friend group. It was nice to connect with her and relate on that level. The girls have a lot of concerns about yours and Kenny’s relationship.

Did you ever imagine you two would be a focal point of group conversation?

I didn’t think our relationship would be under such a microscope. I know I moved across the country for him without a ring, but it’s pretty normal to live with someone before you get engaged.

I agree. How did you and Kenny handle all the chatter surround your relationship?

We just made sure to communicate. We knew we had to be a united front with people questioning this and that. We knew where we stood with each other, which was the most important thing. Other people’s opinions don’t really matter when they’re not asked for.

Let’s get into last week’s episode. You said Lindsay “plays the single mom card” with the room situation with Yvonne. Did you think Lexi Sundin was going to immediately go and tell the other woman what you said?

I didn’t think that she would immediately do it [laughs]. I thought I had built this safe space with Lexi, but at the end of the day, I’m not surprised. She’s known Lindsay for longer and she is really close to her. Of course, she would relay that information.

There was no malicious intention behind that comment. It was the example I used when I felt like she should have put herself and her needs aside for her friendship with Yvonne. That was what I meant. Maybe I could have picked better way to express that, but I just felt like she should’ve started mending the friendship with Yvonne. That small gesture would have meant a lot. That’s what I would have done as a friend. That was the point I was trying to make.

In the reunion trailer, Lindsay seemingly tells you that she cried for six months about what you said, even though you already apologized in the season finale. Do you feel like you got to tell your side at the reunion?

I was shocked by her comment. In this week’s episode, people saw that I was very clear with my what my intent was. She took it down a whole different lane that it wasn’t even about. I was really caught by surprise with that.

Kenny has that mic drop line in the reunion trailer where he says to Lindsay, “you collect apologies like you collect souls.” While he may have been a tad harsh, did it feel good that he had your back?

Of course. He did step in and stand up for me, which was nice. Again, my comment was not meant to an attack against her as a mom, which is how I guess she took it. I see how her and Georgina show up as parents. They’re incredible mothers, and I totally respect them. The whole thing is a little confusing to me.

I know you’ve done a “Women Tell All” before for The Bachelor, but what was your experience like at your first In The City reunion?

It was terrifying [laughs]. It was a lot more intense than I thought. I felt like I knew what I was walking into with the “Women Tell All.” I was definitely a little more naive with my first In The City reunion. I thought we were going to address things there and move forward. I didn’t expect, you know, screaming matches. [Laughs] But I should have expected it. It’s Bravo.

And you’re now a part of the Bravo family forever! Outside of your own cast, who has reached out to you and made you feel the most welcomed?

Surprisingly, Paige DeSorbo reached out to me. She sent me a really sweet message last week, just saying that she’s here if I need any advice. She knows this experience can be a lot. It was nice to feel the support from her.

In The City airs Tuesday nights at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Bravo. New episodes are available to stream the next day on Peacock.

In a tense confrontation, Senator John Cornyn, once a close associate of former President Donald Trump, grilled Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche during his confirmation hearing. The heated debate centered around the President’s contentious political ‘slush fund,’ a topic that threatens Blanche’s path to confirmation.

The controversy escalated after Trump nominated Blanche, his former personal lawyer, to head the Department of Justice. This decision followed the dismissal of Pam Bondi, which came in the wake of damaging revelations from the Jeffrey Epstein case files.

At the heart of the hearing’s explosive exchanges was the now-defunct $1.8 billion Anti-Weaponization Fund. Criticized across party lines as ‘corrupt,’ this initiative aimed to counteract perceived ‘lawfare’ by the Justice Department against prior administrations, but ultimately faced severe opposition from both Democrats and Republicans.

This fund intended to compensate individuals regarded as victims of political legal battles, including participants in the January 6 Capitol riot and other Trump allies. Under intense scrutiny, the Department of Justice abandoned the proposal in anticipation of its potentially damaging repercussions.

Cornyn stands among two Republican members of the Senate Judiciary Committee voicing doubts about Blanche’s appointment. His skepticism adds a layer of uncertainty to the confirmation process, casting doubt over Blanche’s potential ascent to the top DOJ position.

The Senator has been at odds with the President for months following Trump’s decision to endorse his opponent, MAGA warrior Ken Paxton, in the Texas Senate primary race this year. Cornyn ultimately lost his reelection bid. 

The outgoing Texas Senator is in an especially powerful position following the sudden death of South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, as even one ‘no’ vote on the panel could scuttle Blanche’s confirmation hopes. 

‘It is a moot issue, meaning there is no weaponization fund,’ Blanche told Cornyn in response to his questioning about the so-called ‘slush fund.’

‘The weaponization fund is dead. It’s not moving forward.’

That did little to assuage Cornyn’s concerns, who noted that the administration has not provided a written statement saying as much; and said Trump has not agreed in writing not to move forward with the fund – a point to which Blanche ultimately agreed.

The fund is ‘just not moving forward,’ Blanche said. ‘There’s no modification,’ he said. ‘It just never started.’

Again, Cornyn seemed unconvinced. 

‘Just to be clear, the president of the United States, who was a plaintiff in this lawsuit, has not agreed in writing to delete the weaponization fund,’ Cornyn asked Blanche, somewhat tersely.

‘And there is no guarantee that he, or one of the other plaintiffs, might raise that issue by way of a lawsuit, a recent contract lawsuit in the future,’ he said. 

The exchange comes as Blanche faces his own Texas-sized obstacles to confirmation. This is due in no small part to Cornyn, an outgoing Texas lawmaker who has not yet committed publicly to supporting Blanche.

Cornyn revisited the issue shortly before the end of his time. This pertains to ‘lawfare or weaponization,’ he said. ‘Those aren’t legal terms of art, are they?

‘I think they are,’ Blanche responded.

‘Have they been defined in any case or any statute?’ Cornyn pressed.

‘No,’ Blanche responded. 

‘So they’re not a legal term of art,’ Cornyn clarified. ‘We don’t know what that covers.’

Cornyn told reporters previously he would hold out on supporting Blanche until after he heard from him directly on several issues he said he had concerns with – including the slush fund, and Trump’s IRS lawsuit.

Cornyn is not the only senator who expressed serious concerns about the fund during Wednesday’s hearing, and their exchange is unlikely to be the last time Blanche will be confronted with the issue before the chamber vote is expected towards the end of July.

Already, Blanche’s path to confirmation is expected to be less smooth than that of his predecessor, Pam Bondi. 

That’s in part due to the timing of his nomination: Unlike Bondi, who served from early 2025 through early April, Blanche will be forced to answer for nearly two years of actions the Justice Department has taken during Trump’s second presidential term, including some of its most contentious lawsuits, court cases, and personnel decisions. 

Blanche also served as Trump’s personal lawyer after his first presidential term— a role that was put on stark display during one back-and-forth with Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, a Democrat from Rhode Island.

‘Are you and president Trump friends?’ Whitehouse asked Blanche.

‘I’m his lawyer,’ Blanche said, before correcting himself. ‘I was his lawyer,’ Blanche added to quickly clarify. 

A Canadian woman residing in New Jersey finds herself in legal hot water after allegedly launching an assault on a teenager over their choice of attire. The incident took place on a boardwalk where the young person was dressed in pants emblazoned with “Trump” and “ICE.”

The altercation has drawn attention due to a report from NJ.com, which details the accusations against Kaitlyn E. Tracey, aged 33. According to the report, Tracey is alleged to have “slapped the victim across her face and body.”

The confrontation reportedly began when Tracey, using her phone to record, approached a group of teenagers at the Point Pleasant Beach boardwalk. The situation escalated from there, police say.

According to police reports, Tracey was particularly provoked by the group’s “patriotic colored sweatpants with political wording.” How this impromptu interaction turned into an alleged physical assault is now a matter of legal scrutiny.

The Point Pleasant Beach Police Department said it happened Friday night, July 3, during the start of the Fourth of July holiday weekend; surveillance video captured her allegedly “striking the juvenile female, once to the body and once to the face, with an open hand.”

She then ran off from the scene. Days later, Tracey was arrested on charges following an investigation into the case.

Police confirm Tracey is facing charges of endangering the welfare of a child, simple assault, harassment, and obstruction.

Tracey, who is a Canadian citizen, came to the U.S. in 2024 with a passport, the report says.

On Tuesday, a man claiming to be Tracey’s husband posted a tearful plea on social media regarding the incident.

In the video he said, “Yesterday July 13, my wife was detained by ICE and brought to Delaney Hall in North New Jersey.”

A search of the ICE detainee locator confirms Tracey is in ICE custody at the Delaney Hall facility.

News Media has reached out to ICE for comment.

When reached by News Media, Tracey’s attorney, Francis Hodgsen, declined to comment.

In a surprising turn of events, LeBron James has decided to leave the Los Angeles Lakers. However, the storied franchise seems committed to charting a different path for his son, Bronny James.

According to a report from The Athletic, the Lakers don’t view the pairing of LeBron and Bronny as an inseparable package, even after their groundbreaking time together in the City of Angels has concluded.

Despite LeBron’s departure after an eight-year tenure, the Lakers’ approach to Bronny remains unchanged, underscoring their steadfast commitment to nurturing his talent.

This delineation is notable, particularly after two seasons where discussions about Bronny were often intertwined with his father’s legacy. The Lakers made history by drafting Bronny at the No. 55 spot in 2024, enabling the duo to play together in an official NBA game—a first for a father-son pair. This decision had led to speculation that LeBron was the pivotal influence behind the draft choice.

With LeBron stepping away, Bronny now faces the opportunity to shape his own legacy in Los Angeles, based entirely on his abilities and potential.

The Athletic reported that the 21-year-old is well-liked inside the locker room, respected for his work habits and viewed as a player who has made meaningful progress. He attended the Lakers’ Summer League victory in Las Vegas and joined the veteran minicamp that began Monday, hardly signs of someone disconnected from the team’s plans.

The Lakers also guaranteed his $2.3 million salary for next season before LeBron’s decision became public.

Bronny’s production remains modest at the NBA level. He averaged 2.9 points and 1.2 assists across 42 games last season, but his development became more noticeable late in the year.

Injuries to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves pushed him into the rotation, and he averaged 6.6 points over the final five regular-season games before receiving meaningful playoff minutes against Houston.

His G League numbers offered another encouraging sign. Bronny averaged 15.6 points in 14 games with South Bay while shooting 45.6% from 3-point range and cutting down his turnovers.

Teams pursuing LeBron have reportedly discussed the possibility of acquiring Bronny, but that does not mean the Lakers feel compelled to cooperate. Los Angeles has already invested two years in his development and controls his contract beyond next season.

Bronny will now face a more crowded backcourt featuring Doncic, Reaves, Quentin Grimes, Collin Sexton, Jaden Hardy and rookie Cameron Carr.

But the Lakers’ stance appears straightforward: LeBron’s next destination will not automatically determine Bronny’s.

For the first time in his professional career, the younger James has a chance to make the Lakers’ decision about him entirely about basketball.