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Over 110,000 people have been evacuated from southwestern France as wildfires have destroyed 14,000 hectares of forest, prompting President Emmanuel Macron to mobilise the military and Prime Minister Sebastian Lecornu to chair a government crisis meeting. In Spain, a national emergency has been declared as two major wildfires west of Madrid merged into a single blaze, forcing the evacuation of more than 19,000 residents. Spanish authorities have arrested a man for allegedly setting the fire using a farm vehicle in breach of a ban, while Tunisia reported nearly 900 fires during an intense heatwave.

CBS Sports published its HQ PM Newsletter on 22 July 2026, featuring live scoring, news, stats, and player information for major sports including the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, and college basketball and football. The edition highlighted the Dodgers versus Phillies rubber match and other betting recommendations.

Georgia Bulldogs running back Dante Dowdell is being treated for serious injuries at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta following an ATV accident near his home in Picayune, Mississippi. Head coach Kirby Smart confirmed the incident to ESPN, stating that while Dowdell is out of the immediate critical phase, the specifics of his recovery and return timeline remain unknown. Dowdell, who transferred to Georgia from Kentucky this offseason, previously played for Oregon and Nebraska.

The Detroit Tigers' baseball match against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field was delayed due to weather on Monday, July 20. The game, the first of a three-game series, was scheduled to begin at 8:05 p.m. ET. Reports indicated that workers were watering the infield rather than covering it with a tarp when the delay was announced.

Kevin Keegan, a former England captain and manager for Newcastle United, Liverpool, England, and Manchester City, has died at the age of 75. His family confirmed the death, stating he passed away surrounded by his wife and daughters, seven weeks after revealing a stage four cancer diagnosis. Keegan was a double Ballon d'Or winner and one of English football's most decorated players, known for his playing career at Liverpool and Hamburg, and his managerial roles, particularly transforming Newcastle United. Tributes have been paid by Newcastle United, Liverpool, Manchester City, and former player Alan Shearer.

Spain defeated defending champions Argentina 1-0 in extra time to win the 2026 World Cup final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Ferran Torres scored the winning goal in the 105th minute, assisted by Nico Williams. The victory marks Spain's second World Cup title and completes a Euro 2024-World Cup 2026 double under manager Luis de la Fuente.

Denmark's Jonas Vingegaard, second in the general classification of the 2026 Tour de France, withdrew from the race on Sunday following a crash approximately 20 kilometres from the finish of the 15th stage at the Plateau de Solaison. Vingegaard fell in a roundabout, taking down several Visma-Lease a Bike teammates and Mexican rider Isaac del Toro. Vingegaard was treated by an ambulance with a right arm injury, while yellow jersey holder Tadej Pogacar avoided the incident.

England secured third place at the 2026 World Cup with a 6-4 victory over France in Miami. England led 4-0 through goals from Declan Rice, Ezri Konsa, and two from Bukayo Saka. France fought back to 4-5 with goals from Kylian Mbappé, Bradley Barcola, and Ousmane Dembélé. Jude Bellingham scored the winning goal in the 90+8th minute. The match marked Didier Deschamps' final game as France manager.

Chelsea have agreed a club-record £117m deal to sign England international midfielder Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa. The 23-year-old will sign a six-year contract with an option for a further year, subject to a medical following his return from the 2026 World Cup. The transfer surpasses the previous English player record of £116m and Chelsea's prior record of £107m for Enzo Fernandez. Middlesbrough will receive at least £20.4m due to a sell-on clause. The move occurs under new manager Xabi Alonso, who must integrate Rogers into a squad that also includes Cole Palmer and Estevao Willian.

Ashikaga City in Tochigi Prefecture has issued an "Emergency Safety Assurance" order to 17,812 residents across 8,679 households in the Keno and Tomita districts. The directive, effective from 00:30 on July 18, was triggered by a heightened risk of flooding in the Hata River flowing through the city.

Argentina defeated England 2-1 in the World Cup 2026 semi-final in Atlanta to advance to the final against Spain. England took the lead through Anthony Gordon, but Argentina equalised via Enzo Fernandez and won with a stoppage-time goal from Lautaro Martinez.

England and Argentina are competing in a World Cup semi-final. Yahoo Sports is inviting readers to rate the performance of players from both teams out of 10 during the match, with final ratings to be published 30 minutes after full-time.

European champions Spain defeated World Cup favourites France 2-0 at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, to advance to the final. Goals from Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro secured the victory for Spain, who will face either England or Argentina in the final match in New Jersey on Sunday.

Two powerful earthquakes, measuring magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, struck Venezuela within a minute of each other on 24 June 2026, causing widespread damage and building collapses in and around Caracas. Acting President Delcy Rodriguez declared a state of emergency, reporting at least 32 deaths and 700 injuries, with the toll expected to rise. The US, under Secretary of State Marco Rubio, announced the immediate deployment of search and rescue teams and humanitarian assistance. China and Spain also pledged support. Infrastructure including Simon Bolivar International Airport, subway services, and natural gas supplies were disrupted.

France defeated Iraq 3-0 in Philadelphia to mathematically secure their passage to the Round of 32 at the World Cup 2026. Kylian Mbappé scored twice and Ousmane Dembélé added a third goal. The match was halted after 45 minutes due to severe thunderstorms, lightning, and heavy rain, resulting in a two-hour and 12-minute delay and the evacuation of spectators. The pitch was washed out, and play resumed in Arlington.

Lionel Messi scored twice to lead Argentina to a 2-0 victory over Austria in the 2026 World Cup, sending the champions into the last 32. The goals made Messi the all-time leading scorer in men's World Cup history with 17 goals. Argentina played at the Dallas Cowboys' stadium in Texas before a crowd of 70,649.

The United States defeated Paraguay 4-1 in the opening match of the 2026 World Cup in Los Angeles. Folarin Balogun scored two goals, with additional goals from an own goal by Damian Bobadilla and a strike from Gio Reyna. Paraguay's Mauricio scored a consolation goal. The match was attended by 70,492 spectators, including celebrities such as Tom Cruise and Leonardo DiCaprio. US captain Christian Pulisic withdrew at half-time due to injury.

Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey has been denied entry into Canada and will miss his team’s World Cup opener against Panama due to a refused visa application. The denial occurs while Partey awaits trial in the United Kingdom on multiple charges of rape related to his time with Arsenal. FIFA confirmed the visa refusal, stating that host governments determine admission. Partey will return to Ghana’s base camp in Rhode Island and is eligible to play in subsequent matches against England and Croatia.

SpaceX opened trading on the Nasdaq on 11 June 2026 at $150 per share, following a record-breaking initial public offering priced at $135. The company raised $75 billion, valuing it at approximately $1.77 trillion and making CEO Elon Musk the world’s first trillionaire on paper. The stock rose 27% to $172 in early trading. The debut coincided with modest gains in US equity markets and a drop in oil prices, as investors assessed reports of a potential interim peace deal between the US and Iran.

As the World Cup begins in the United States, public excitement remains low compared to the concurrent NBA Finals, with polls indicating half of Americans are indifferent to the tournament. While hosts USA prepare to play Paraguay, fans in New York and Los Angeles are largely focused on the New York Knicks and local sports culture. High ticket prices and a lack of awareness among non-football fans have hindered engagement, though organisers hope interest will grow as the tournament progresses and the US team performs.

DR Congo coach Sebastien Desabre expressed hope that the national team’s strong performance at the World Cup would lift the spirits of supporters back home. The squad, making their first appearance since 1974, arrived in the United States on Thursday after completing a 21-day quarantine required by US authorities due to an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The team, which relocated preparations to Belgium after cancelling a domestic training camp, will be based in Houston for the tournament. They are scheduled to play their first Group K match against Portugal on June 17.

Co-hosts Mexico opened the 2026 World Cup with a 2-0 victory over South Africa at the Estadio Azteca. Julian Quinones scored the tournament's first goal in the ninth minute, and Raul Jimenez added a second in the 67th minute. South Africa finished with nine men after Sphephelo Sithole and Themba Zwane were sent off, while Mexico's Cesar Montes also received a red card.

The 2026 World Cup commenced in Mexico City with an opening ceremony at the Azteca stadium, featuring performances by Shakira, J Balvin, Burna Boy, and Andrea Bocelli. Mexico, co-hosting with the US and Canada, welcomed thousands of fans for the tournament's first match in 40 years, despite prior concerns regarding infrastructure renovations and local security issues.

Antero Resources Corporation, an oil and natural gas exploration and production company headquartered in Denver, Colorado, saw its shares rise due to a broad rally in US exploration and production firms. The rally was driven by a sharp increase in oil prices resulting from heightened geopolitical tensions in the Middle East tightening the supply outlook. In its first-quarter 2026 investor letter, Diamond Hill Capital highlighted Antero Resources as a leading performance contributor to its Select Strategy. The company reported record production of 3.9 billion cubic feet equivalent per day in Q1 2026, representing a 13% increase year-on-year.

Iran's military command announced on Thursday that it will target any ship transiting the Strait of Hormuz, declaring the waterway completely closed to all vessel traffic. This decision follows Iranian strikes on two vessels attempting to pass through the strategic route and recent US airstrikes in southern Iran. US Central Command denied the closure, stating commercial ships continue to transit. Meanwhile, 22 countries issued a joint statement warning Iran to stop attacks on their citizens, and US President Donald Trump stated that Iranian leaders had contacted him to halt the bombing campaign.

US President Donald Trump has accused Iran of shooting down an Apache helicopter over the Strait of Hormuz and has vowed retaliation.

Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan was denied entry into the United States at Miami International Airport on June 6 due to "vetting concerns," preventing him from officiating at the 2026 World Cup. FIFA confirmed it will not challenge the decision, stating that host governments determine visa admissions. Artan, the 2025 Confederation of African Football referee of the year, was among 52 officials selected for the tournament. Somalia is listed on the US travel ban, though exemptions exist for World Cup personnel.

Israel conducted strikes early on Monday against military targets in western and central Iran, including explosions reported in Tehran, Tabriz, and Isfahan. The attacks occurred hours after Iran fired a salvo of missiles at Israeli targets in retaliation for an attack on Beirut’s southern suburbs. Iran's Revolutionary Guards also targeted the headquarters of "terrorist groups" in Sulaymaniyah, Iraqi Kurdistan. Israeli military chief Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir had vowed on Sunday that the military would strike Iran "with force" upon receiving orders.

The Japan Meteorological Agency issued a tsunami advisory for coastal areas stretching from Ibaraki Prefecture to Okinawa Prefecture. The advisory covers the Miyako-Yaeyama region, the Amami Islands-Tokara Islands, the Okinawa Main Island region, and the Daito Islands, with expected wave heights of one metre. In response to the advisory, the city of Kochi issued evacuation orders for coastal areas, and the government established an information liaison office. Additionally, Tokyo Bay ferries suspended operations.

Alexander Zverev defeated Italy’s Flavio Cobolli in five sets to win the French Open final on Sunday, securing his first Grand Slam title. The second seed won 6-1, 4-6, 6-4, 6-7 (5/7), 6-1 in four hours and 16 minutes, becoming the first German man to win a major since Boris Becker in 1996.