Balogun is back

Jane Onyanga-Omara, USA TODAYMon, Jul 6, 2026·2 min read

Welcome to the Daily Briefing. Here’s what’s breaking:

• Folarin Balogun will play for the U.S. against Belgium.

• Raúl Castro's grandson is ready to negotiate with Trump.

• Patriot Front members were spotted in Washington, D.C.

Jane Onyanga-Omara here, bringing you the news to know on Monday.

Balogun is back for USA's World Cup match against Belgium

The United States will take on Belgium on Monday – and they will have their leading scorer, Folarin Balogun. Balogun was issued a red card in a 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina, earning him an automatic suspension. However, FIFA ruled on Sunday that he won't have to sit out the round of 16 game. It came after President Donald Trump called FIFA's president to urge him to review the red card, according to two sources.

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More news to know now

• Cuba’s right-hand man to leader Raúl Castro says he’s ready, if needed, to negotiate the future of his country with President Donald Trump. “If the revolution needs me to step up, I will do it,” Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro told USA TODAY in his first interview with a U.S. news outlet.

• Prosecutors on Monday will begin laying out their evidence against Tyler Robinson, the man accused of assassinating Charlie Kirk.

• Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are married! Here’s everything you may have missed.

Trump aide pressed to condemn White nationalist group

A member of President Donald Trump's Cabinet was pressed to condemn Patriot Front, which marched in Washington on July 4. CNN host Dana Bash asked Interior Secretary Doug Burgum about a now-viral photograph which showed a Black woman surrounded by masked White nationalists. "In America, free speech is allowed," Burgum said.

Things to talk about

Johnson says Congress should restrict birthright citizenship

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson said Congress should take up a legislative effort to curtail birthright citizenship. The Louisiana Republican said on "Fox News Sunday" that the current immigration system is being abused by "birthright tourism" and said that the practice has "devalued" citizenship. He did not say which piece of legislation would address the matter, but that Republicans are "looking at all angles."

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Two boys show gratitude to soldiers with a powerful gesture.

Spain and Portugal will meet for a place in the World Cup quarterfinals.

Are fireflies lights flickering out? What experts say.

Have feedback on the Daily Briefing? Shoot an email to NFallert@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Balogun is back