Weekday morning and evening editions. Saturdays once. Good news on Sundays. All sources labeled.
ANKARA
The NATO summit opened in Turkey’s capital this morning. Thirty-two heads of state are there. Volodymyr Zelensky is there. South Korea’s president is there. Donald Trump is there — but he will not visit Atatürk’s mausoleum, the memorial to modern Turkey’s founder that every head of state visiting Ankara is expected to visit as a gesture of respect to the host nation. Only Saudi Arabia and Iran have previously skipped it. Trump broke that protocol this morning without explanation.
He has larger things on his agenda. Russia struck Kyiv again overnight Sunday into Monday — the second major attack in four days — killing at least 22 people in the city and surrounding region. All of the ballistic missiles got through. Ukraine cannot intercept them. It has run out of Patriot interceptor missiles. Zelensky is in Ankara specifically to ask Trump for more. His bilateral meeting with Trump is Wednesday.
The draft Ankara Declaration, obtained by Reuters and confirmed from multiple outlets, commits Europe and Canada to €70 billion per year in military support for Ukraine in 2026 and 2027 — €140 billion over two years. It defines Russia as a long-term threat to Euro-Atlantic security. Article 5 remains ironclad. Italy has been reported to be blocking some commitments, and the text was still being finalized as of this morning.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, ahead of the summit, said Ukraine “urgently” needs more air defense and pledged to raise it in Ankara. “There is a direct correlation between the number of interceptors supplied to Ukraine and the damage that Russia can inflict,” said Jack Watling, a senior research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute. “Ukraine is looking for ongoing political and military technical support from alliance members, to signal to Russia that this support will be sustained.”
Ukraine has not been waiting. As NATO leaders arrived in Ankara, Ukrainian drones were striking Russia. Overnight on July 6, Ukrainian forces struck an oil refinery in Yaroslavl, 250 kilometers northeast of Moscow. Earlier, on July 4, Ukraine struck the St. Petersburg oil terminal and the Kronstadt naval base, 850 kilometers from Ukraine’s border. Ukraine’s General Staff said as of early July its attacks have disabled 42.74% of Russia’s oil refining capacity. More than 40 Russian regions have fuel restrictions. Queues at Russian gas stations now run for hours. Trump said Monday that “a resolution to the war in Ukraine is getting closer than people realise.” Putin, in his 90-minute call with Trump over the weekend, told the US president that Russian forces are advancing on the battlefield. Trump’s administration has been saying the opposite.
Zelensky meets Trump tomorrow. The interceptors are what he will ask for.
🇺🇸 What American readers need to know: Russia killed 22 people in Kyiv on Monday, an update from the figure we reported yesterday morning. Ukraine cannot shoot down the missiles Russia is using because it has run out of interceptors. Zelensky is asking Trump for those interceptors at a NATO summit today. The draft declaration commits €140 billion to Ukraine over two years. Trump broke Turkish diplomatic protocol this morning by refusing to visit Atatürk’s mausoleum. His bilateral with Zelensky is tomorrow.
Sources: Al Jazeera (Qatar, state-funded/editorially independent — summit opened confirmed, 32 NATO members confirmed, Zelensky and South Korea attending confirmed, Watling RUSI quote confirmed, €70B pledge confirmed, Trump Erdogan comment confirmed, July 7); CNBC (US — 22 killed confirmed, Trump-Zelensky bilateral Wednesday confirmed, Trump-Putin 90-minute call confirmed, Kremlin “businesslike” confirmed, ISW Russia advancing dispute confirmed, July 6); Ukrainska Pravda (Ukraine — €70 billion per year confirmed, €140 billion total confirmed, Italy blocking confirmed, declaration text finalised July 3 confirmed, July 3); NBC News (US — 22 killed confirmed, 29 ballistic missiles struck confirmed, all ballistic missiles got through confirmed, Zelensky interceptor plea confirmed, von der Leyen “urgently” confirmed, July 6); Kyiv Independent (Ukraine — Yaroslavl strike overnight July 6 confirmed, St Petersburg July 4 confirmed, Zelensky Telegram statement confirmed, July 4-6); Al Jazeera (Qatar, state-funded/editorially independent — 42.74% refining capacity disabled confirmed, eight refineries hit confirmed, 60 storage tanks confirmed, $13.5 billion losses confirmed, July 4)
THE FUNERAL
Today is Day 4 of the six-day state funeral for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. His body moved from Tehran to Qom this morning for ceremonies at the Jamkaran Mosque. Wednesday it travels to Najaf and Karbala in Iraq. Thursday he is buried at the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad.
Mojtaba Khamenei, the new Supreme Leader, has not appeared publicly at any point in the six days of ceremonies. Three of his brothers — Mostafa, Meysam, and Masoud — prayed beside their father’s coffin in Tehran. Mojtaba did not. Iranian officials say the absence is due to ongoing assassination threats. Reuters reported in April that Mojtaba suffered serious facial injuries and damage to one or both legs in the February 28 strike. Defense Secretary Hegseth said in March he was “wounded and likely disfigured.”
The crowds in Tehran have been enormous — Iran’s metro system logged 7 million passenger journeys in a single overnight period as mourners flooded the capital. Chants of “Death to America” and “Death to Israel” were heard throughout. A poet recited a eulogy calling for the deaths of both Trump and Netanyahu. The ceasefire is 20 days old.
Ordinary Iranians are drawing their own conclusions from Mojtaba’s absence. Al Jazeera spoke to residents in Tehran. “My country is no longer the Iran of old, where the leader is publicly present,” a 26-year-old named Masoumeh said. A 47-year-old named Somayeh was blunter: “The Islamic Republic cannot even maintain the security of its leader for a few minutes to be present at this important event.”
The funeral concludes Thursday. The question of whether the new Supreme Leader will appear before his father is buried remains open.
🇺🇸 What American readers need to know: The man the US and Israel killed on Day 1 of the war is being buried this week. His successor has not appeared publicly since the strike that killed his father four months ago. The funeral’s revenge chants and the fragile MOU are running simultaneously. Day 20 of 60.
Sources: Al Jazeera (Qatar, state-funded/editorially independent — Masoumeh and Somayeh quotes confirmed, Mojtaba absence framing confirmed, officials cite assassination threat confirmed, Reuters injury report confirmed, Erdogan “dynamite” quote confirmed, July 6); CNN live blog (US — Qom today confirmed, Iraq Wednesday confirmed, Mashhad Thursday burial confirmed, Mojtaba not appeared confirmed, July 6-7); CNBC / Reuters (US/wire — three brothers confirmed, Mojtaba absent confirmed, facial injuries and leg damage Reuters report confirmed, 7 million metro trips confirmed, July 5); Time (US — dates coincide with US 250th confirmed, Hegseth “wounded and likely disfigured” confirmed, revenge chants confirmed, poet eulogy confirmed, July 5)
4-1
Trump called FIFA to get Folarin Balogun’s red card overturned. FIFA complied. Balogun played Monday night against Belgium in Seattle. The United States lost 4-1.
Belgium took the lead in the ninth minute on Charles De Ketelaere’s point-blank finish. Malik Tillman pulled the US level with a deflected free kick just past the half hour. De Ketelaere scored again minutes later. The US never recovered. A second-half defensive breakdown allowed a third Belgian goal when goalkeeper Patrick Freese failed to clear the ball and had it taken from him at his feet, Van Aken scoring into an empty net. The final score was 4-1. Belgium advances to the quarterfinals to face Spain in Los Angeles on Friday. The United States is out.
Belgium’s football federation had called FIFA’s decision to allow Balogun to play “astonishing” and “in direct contradiction” to its own stated rules. Their coach called it an April Fools’ joke. Their players took the field furious and motivated. FIFA denied Belgium’s own appeal to have the original red card reinstated. The Red Devils played like a team that had been wronged while the United States played like a team that was just happy to be there.
Trump posted on Truth Social after the match, “Congratulations to the US Soccer team on a great run! We will be back, stronger than ever!”
He did not mention the red card.
🇺🇸 What American readers need to know: Trump intervened with FIFA to get the US team’s striker reinstated after a red card. FIFA — which had told US Soccer there was “no mechanism for appeal” — found one anyway. Belgium was furious. Belgium won 4-1. The US is out of the World Cup.
Sources: CBS Sports (US — 4-1 result confirmed, De Ketelaere two goals confirmed, Tillman equalizer confirmed, Freese error confirmed, Balogun 81st minute confirmed, Belgium quarterfinals Spain confirmed, July 6); ABC News (US — RBFA “astonished” confirmed, “direct contradiction” confirmed, Belgium appeal denied confirmed, Balogun starting lineup confirmed, July 6)
ALSO DEVELOPING
France: The Paris Court of Appeal is expected to rule this morning on whether Marine Le Pen can stand in France’s 2027 presidential election. She was convicted in 2025 of misusing EU parliamentary funds and faces a five-year ban on holding office that would bar her from the race. If barred, her 30-year-old deputy Jordan Bardella becomes the RN’s candidate. The RN is currently leading French presidential polls regardless of who leads the ticket. The verdict is expected at 1:30 p.m. Paris time — 7:30 a.m. EST. Complete coverage in tonight’s edition.
Sources: AP / The Republic News (US wire — verdict 1:30 p.m. confirmed, March 2025 conviction confirmed, five-year ban confirmed, Macron third term prohibited confirmed, prosecutors sought four years confirmed, July 7); France 24 (France, public broadcaster — €474,000 misuse confirmed, Bardella “plan B” confirmed, two-year ban threshold confirmed, Court of Cassation timeline confirmed, July 5)
WAR DAY 130 | NUMBERS AT PUBLICATION
🇮🇷 Iran: 3,468 killed, 26,500+ injured (Iran Ministry of Health, via Al Jazeera live tracker, last updated June 10)
🇱🇧 Lebanon: 4,230 killed, 12,179 injured (Lebanon Ministry of Public Health, updated June 25)
🇮🇱 Israel: 35+ killed (Israeli news source via Time, June 21 — tracker frozen June 10)
🌍 Gulf states/Iraq: 131 killed — Iraq 118, Kuwait 7, Bahrain 3, Oman 3 (Al Jazeera live tracker, last updated June 10)
🇺🇸 US military: 13 killed, 381 injured (Al Jazeera live tracker, last updated June 10)
🛢️ Brent crude: $72.97/barrel (OilPrice.com — up from yesterday; markets responding to NATO summit and Ukraine developments)
⛽ US national gas average: $3.79/gallon (AAA)
Sourcing note: All war casualty figures sourced to the Al Jazeera live tracker, last updated June 10, 2026, except Lebanon. Lebanon updated to 4,230 killed, 12,179 injured per Lebanon Ministry of Public Health, confirmed June 25. All figures are floor estimates. Methodology differs between sources; figures are not directly comparable.
“Whenever the people are well informed, they can be trusted with their own government.” — Thomas Jefferson, 1789
