A Red Cross official said on Tuesday that the Ebola epidemic in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo had not yet peaked, and could last for a year.
Over 800 cases of the rare Bundibugyo strain, for which there is no proven treatment or vaccine, have been reported in Congo, 192 of them fatal.
The disease, transmitted through body fluids even after death, is spreading fast across three provinces, government data shows.
Over 800 cases of the rare Bundibugyo strain, for which there is no proven treatment or vaccine, have been reported in Congo, 192 of them fatal.Healthcare workers transport a body into a morgue tent. AFP via Getty ImagesThere is a lack of treatment centers, and the true scale is still unknown. REUTERS
“It’s very difficult to know exactly to what extent the epidemic is spreading … but yes, the peak is, I think, not behind us, but in front of us,” Bruno Michon, operations manager for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, told reporters by video link from eastern Congo.
“We are afraid that this could last one year, to end this disease.”
The response has been hampered by a lack of treatment centers, and by community resistance to stringent hygiene measures, and health officials say that, over a month since the outbreak was declared, the true scale is still unknown.
Follow The Post’s coverage on the latest Ebola outbreak
Michon said that IFRC teams – which help with community engagement and safe and dignified burials of Ebola victims — had faced verbal abuse, threats and attacks in recent days.
“Building trust takes time. It requires honesty, patience, and humility, but in this outbreak it is not optional, it is life-saving,” he said.
There’s going to be a whole lot of sweaty physicality going down for the upcoming US semiquincentennial — a UFC fight at the White House, for one (on June 14, POTUS’s 80th birthday), but also weddings!
Gobs and gobs of weddings.
If you prefer a circular shiny ring to the bloody octagonal kind, read on for historic venues to make a more perfect union (yeah, that’s from the Constitution, not the Declaration of Independence, but just go with it, you fact-loving Ken Burns fanboys and girls).
South Carolina
Shore things up with a ring and a stay at Wild Dunes. Wild Dunes Resort
I never thought the Palmetto State could get any more romantic than when I flew into Myrtle Beach on the just-launched Hooters Air in 2003. That now-defunct, #MeToo-fueled airline lasted all of three years (2½ more than expected). Owl egg on my face!
But love remains eternal in the Low Country, where the Sea Islands lie, as does the vast 1,600-acre Wild Dunes Resort on the Isle of Palms, right near Sullivan’s Island — the site of one of the Revolutionary War’s pivotal battles where the Americans gave the redcoats the L in June 1776.
“Let our proposal specialists set everything up for you so all you have to do is ask, and all your significant other has to do is say yes!” said Jena Clem, founder of Propose Charleston, which tag-teams with the resort. “This engagement planning experience is designed to be seamless, and Wild Dunes Resort is the perfect setting for a dream proposal.”
Marriage in breezy South Carolina is a welcome sand trap. Wild Dunes Resort
Assuming that answer goes the Yes route, the wedding staffers at the retreat have curated a number of spots for the main event, offering intimate oceanfront beach ceremonies, palmetto-lined lawn receptions, chic poolside affairs, and even golf course and ballroom blowouts.
The “crown jewel” is the Indigo Room & Rooftop Terrace, a sunlit sanctuary with coastal views and an open-air terrace to dance ’neath the star-sprinkled night sky. They can also handle all of the rehearsal dinners, bridal luncheons, farewell brunches, and crazed bachelor and bachelorette shenanigans.
Piggybacking on this sentiment is Sarah Ramaker, the social event planning manager at Wild Dunes. “Every wedding I plan is deeply personal to me. I take the time to truly get to know each couple so I can care for them in a way that feels thoughtful, seamless, and meaningful. From the smallest details to the most important moments, my goal is to ensure they feel supported, celebrated, and completely at ease throughout their entire experience at Wild Dunes Resort.”
Summer pooling is South Carolina’s business, and business is good. Wild Dunes Resort
As she put it, “planning a wedding goes far beyond logistics.” It’s about building trust and creating a truly personalized experience. “I strive to understand each couple’s story so I can support them with attentiveness, compassion, and thoughtful details that make them feel genuinely cared for from start to finish.”
South Carolina hosted more than 400 battles during the Revolution; you can find 100 times that in the form of 250th anniversary-themed parties and historic sights this summer, especially during its Carolina Days fest, June 27 to July 5.
Just 45 minutes away in Charleston is what’s literally (and fittingly) filled with balls and chains: Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon. The 255-year-old prison-turned-museum offers tours of the chilling cells where the British held American POWs. It’s now animatronic-free and human-guided — take that, AI! From $16.
New York
You’re headed in the right direction for Sleepy Hollow’s famous church. Jennifer Mitchell
No shirt? No shoes? No head? No problem, apparently, in lore-loving Sleepy Hollow, NY. The Old Dutch Church, located in Westchester County’s quaint village, dates back to 1685. Built by Frederick Philipse, it is considered the oldest church and cemetery in the Empire State. And it’s quite haunted.
It features a wooden pulpit and sounding-board canopy, and served as a stop for George Washington and his troops en route to meet Comte de Rochambeau and the French troops.
It’s likewise tied to Washington Irving’s “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” as both the church and its 3 acres of grounds cameoed in the story.
Most of the horsemen here actually have heads — have no fear, your new in-laws are way scarier. Mike Azzato
It so happens to also be along the American Revolutionary Trail, where, in White Plains, the Declaration of Independence was first read on July 11, 1776.
The church hosts weddings from April through September — if you have the nerve.
Virginia
Be it your wine or your coat, reds are welcome in Colonial W’burg. Colonial Williamsburg Resorts
Weddings are nothing more than feathered, ornithological cosplay: The groom is like a penguin; the bride is a swan; the bridesmaids represent drunken ugly ducklings; the groomsmen are even uglier, drunker dodos. And no one does cosplay like Colonial Williamsburg, a living history museum where reenactors walk it and talk it like it was in colonial times. The historic architecture and food chefs play along, as well, and Revolutionary City, as it’s keen to be called, might just be the perfect spot to get hitched.
“Couples planning a wedding at Colonial Williamsburg Resorts for America’s 250th can expect an experience that feels both meaningful and distinctly personal, with immersive moments of our history woven in through moments, rather than formality,” Laura Gray, director of catering and conference services, said.
“Couples often host dinners in the same spaces once frequented by figures like George Washington.”
Laura Gray, director of catering and conference services in CW
“There are touches that are unique to us as a destination, like a Champagne toast given by Thomas Jefferson or the unmistakable sound of the Fifes & Drums guiding everyone from cocktail hour into the reception space,” she added. “Couples often host dinners in the same spaces once frequented by figures like George Washington, which adds a layer of meaning around a memorable event.”
Choose to have the ceremony at their Palace Gardens in the heart of the historic area or the very regal and elegant Regency Room at the Williamsburg Inn. They have spaces that can accommodate between 200 and 600 guests.
They’re even offering a Founding Love, 250th-themed wedding package featuring a two-night stay in a historic colonial house, a horse-drawn carriage arrival for the couple, a free bubbly toast for up to 50 guests, a personalized keepsake engraved with your wedding date and the official CW250 seal and (not a typo) a complimentary anniversary stay and dinner for two each year, for the rest of your marriage, optimists that they are.
Rhode Island
You had me at “yellow”: Rhode Island’s posh Ocean House.
Itching to celebrate your biggest day in the country’s smallest state? You’re among good company: Rhode Island is where I dos were exchanged between John and Jackie Kennedy; Jennifer Lawrence and Cooke Maroney; and, more recently, Olivia Culpo and Christian McCaffrey. Whispers of an American royal getting hitched here this summer (hmmm . . .) are very much in the air.
But where? Skip Newport’s downtown, purdy as it is, and head for beachy, breezy five-star locations — all wedding hot spots. There’s Ocean House in Watch Hill, Weekapaug Inn in nearby Westerly, and Castle Hill Inn, which is technically in Newport, but spiritually, it’s blissfully on its lonesome sitting on a 40-acre peninsula a galaxy away.
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For those looking for 250th-palooza, you’re going to want to venture into the heart of the state’s “big” cities.
The Newport Historical Society’s “Occupied! Newport and the Fight for Independence” exhibit examines the city’s three occupations during the Revolutionary War. Newport Preservation Society’s America 250 and Beyond: Perspectives from Preservation Leaders is a panel discussion featuring preservation leaders. The Historic Music of Newport is putting on a Gilded Age Orchestra: Celebrate America 250 concert, a tribute including music first performed during Newport’s 1876 Centennial celebration. The Bristol Fourth of July Parade — America’s oldest continuously celebrated Independence Day parade — will be a once-in-a-generation (end of the alphabet, Greek, or otherwise) patriotic experience.
Historic Boston
Won if by land, beaut if by sea, at the Paul Revere House. Universal Images Group via Getty Images
Cruise liner Oceania doesn’t offer legally binding weddings or vow renewal packages — not really their thing.
But food is, so pretend you’re at a fancy reception dinner, minus the annoying toasting glass-clinking but with equally draconian dress codes.
And just because their captains can’t play priests doesn’t mean couples can’t perform a symbolic ceremony during the cruise or arrange legal marriages in port through local wedding planners.
Oceania’s captains can clock sick knots aboard Vista — they just can’t tie them. Getty Images
For the 250th, board the Oceania Vista for an 11-day voyage from New York to Montreal, leaving Oct. 6. It calls on Newport, RI, and Boston, where you’ll find the Freedom Trail, linking more than a dozen historic sites throughout town, from the Paul Revere House to the Old North Church — “all key to America’s founding.”
In Canada — our upstairs neighbor hosted its own turf wars over the centuries, dontcha know — hit the Bay of Fundy, Halifax, and Sydney in Nova Scotia.
The Autumnal Allure voyage starts at $7,599 per person.
Not even Israel has seen the highly secretive text of the US-Iran memorandum of understanding that ends the war the Jewish state has been a party to for more than three months, Israeli media reported on Tuesday.
“Israel asked to see the Iran-US MOU. the admin said: ‘NO,’” i24 News diplomatic correspondent Amichai Stein reported on X Tuesday.
The Israeli embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but multiple officials told The Post they were not aware of the document’s contents being shared.
President Donald Trump has reportedly shut Israel out of the deal with Iran. YOAN VALAT/EPA/ShutterstockIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly been shut out of details on the deal. RONEN ZVULUN/POOL/EPA/Shutterstock
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is among those who have been shut out of seeing the deal, according to a source familiar with Israeli politics.
Senior US officials said Tuesday Washington is not yet “ready” to publish the document, with President Trump and Iranian media stating it would be released after Friday’s formal signing ceremony in Switzerland.
Iran’s foreign minister speaks in Tehran on June 16, 2026. IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY OFFICE HANDOUT/EPA/Shutterstock
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The future of LIV Golf hangs in the balance as the tour faces financial trouble.
As questions linger surrounding whether there is enough funding to support the rest of the LIV Golf calendar year after the Saudi PIF pulled its funding, some of its players want to return to the PGA Tour, including Bryson DeChambeau, per reports.
Although DeChambeau was a blockbuster signing for LIV Golf back in 2022, former United States Ryder Cup captain Tom Lehman believes DeChambeau should be required to build his way back up if he is to return to the PGA Tour, including partaking in the Korn Ferry Tour feeder circuit.
Bryson DeChambeau during a practice round for the U.S. Open golf tournament on June 15, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
“I don’t care who you are. You know, and I love Bryson. I love him, I mean, I think he’s one of my favorite players in the world. I love Bryson, and he’s good enough where, you know, you put him in that position, he’ll work his way back up,” Lehman, a former world No. 1 who won the 1996 British Open, said on the “Beyond the Clubhouse” podcast.
“To put them above the guys who loyally stayed with the Tour and have played on the Tour, who maybe even turned down big money, I think is wrong.”
Earlier this year, Brooks Koepka returned to the PGA Tour with the Returning Members Program, but he had to pay a hefty fine of $5 million and dealt with financial restraints.
Patrick Reed is currently serving a one-year suspension since his last LIV Golf event. He will be back on the Tour in August, but as a non-member; he can apply as a member again in 2027.
DeChambeau could have chosen to participate in the Returning Members Program, but decided to remain with LIV Golf instead. Jon Rahm and Cameron Smith were also eligible, but declined to take part.
Tom Lehman hits a tee shot at the Mitsubishi Electric Championship on Jan. 22, 2026. Getty Images
DeChambeau’s contract with LIV Golf expires at the end of this year, so he could be set to return to the PGA Tour after that, but his heavy involvement with pitching LIV to potential investors could indicate his desire to stick with LIV through its peaks and valleys.
He will participate in this weekend’s U.S. Open at Shinnecock. The two-time U.S. Open champ last won in 2024 and is in the middle of a five-year exemption.
Everything old is new again — and while the 1990s don’t seem that long ago, the style of the era has made a comeback in both ready-to-wear and bridal fashion.
“The ’90s remains an iconic era, one that’s experiencing a powerful resurgence,” said Dorothy Silver, director of merchandising at Kleinfeld Bridal.
The ’90s look is defined by a range of minimalist details.
$5,830, Elizabeth Fillmore, 27 W. 20th St., Suite 705, Elizabeth Fillmore Elizabeth Fillmore
A silk charmeuse drop-waist bias gown, “Astrid” by Elizabeth Fillmore, has a high neck and a low back with plunging drape.
$7,290, Mark Ingram Atelier, 515 Madison Ave., Floor 2, Mark Ingram Atelier Joshua Pestka
A mikado strapless mermaid gown with a chapel-length train, “Alison” by Mark Ingram Bride has a draped midriff and an attached overskirt.
Mark Ingram, owner of the Mark Ingram Atelier and designer behind Mark Ingram Bride, explained that off-the-shoulder necklines, Basque and dropped waists, ballgowns, bias-cut silhouettes, slip dresses, and draping are all hallmarks.
“We’re definitely seeing more minimalist designs as the popularity of all-over, three-dimensional applications are waning for brides who are opting for more simplistic or textured fabrics, such as crisp Mikados, faille, and taffeta,” he said.
“A minimalist gown can certainly vary across the board,” said Kennedy Schmidt, founder and stylist at the Bisou Bride, “but the main focus is on clean lines, high-quality fabric and a lack of heavy embellishment. A ballgown can absolutely be minimal if the focus remains on the silhouette and architectural draping rather than lace or beadwork.”
“Bea” by Katherine Tash is a bias-cut satin face silk crepe dress with silk crink chiffon insets.
$3,650, Amsale, 150 Wooster St., Amsale Amsale
Demi by Amsale Archive is an ivory fit-to-flare gown featuring a peplum over the crepe skirt and a sheer illusion back, with covered buttons down the middle.
Designer Elizabeth Fillmore said that the ’90s marked something new and fresh with the Calvin Klein and Armani way of dressing.
“Clean, gentle lines, were a real change from the frenetic ’80s vibe,” she said. “The return to ’90s minimalism also reflects how weddings themselves have changed, from micro-ceremonies to intimate restaurant receptions.”
The update to the minimalism trend focuses on texture and artistic details. “Distressed-looking pleated fabrics in simple silhouettes — it is very much textural what brides are asking for,” said Ingram. “It could be a brocade or lace, or it can be a deliberate embellishment. Dresses that feel like something new and more artisanal.”
$12,990, the Wedding Salon of Manhasset, 1468 Northern Blvd., Manhasset, NY, Wedding Salon of Manhasset Wedding Salon of Manhasset
“Verdant” by Ines Di Santo is a strapless drop-waist hand-pleated ballgown in a broomstick pleat with fresh water pearl beading and a Chantilly lace underlay.
An ivory satin A-line gown from the Edit by DB Studio (Style No. EDS711004; features a square neckline and open back.
$5,990, the Plumed Serpent, 240 Post Road E., Westport, Conn., Plumed Serpent Plumed Serpent
Dramatic floral embroidery adorns “the Ervay” by Lela Rose, a strapless weighted satin crepe sheath.
Esther Lee, editorial director for the Knot Worldwide, noted a few designers who are consistently leading in minimalist bridal design. “KYHA, and some designs by Sareh Nouri and Monique Lhuillier, are standout choices for fashion-forward minimalism with sculptural tailoring and modern draping,” she said. “Vivienne Westwood has become incredibly influential for structured corsetry and draped minimalist gowns.”
Amsale Aberra is one of a handful of designers who influenced the minimalist trend in the 1990s, and the brand currently offers older designs through the Amsale Archive.
These dresses, some of which were designed decades ago, still feel modern.
“Bridal [in the ’80s] tended to be highly ornate, theatrical and overbuilt,” said Neil Brown, her husband and co-founder of Amsale. “Amsale [who died in 2018] believed elegance came from restraint, proportion and extraordinary craftsmanship rather than embellishment for its own sake. She used to say that simplicity is actually harder to execute because there is nowhere to hide.”
Thousands of hungry folks are out of luck. Over 36,000 DoorDash users have reported platform issues on Tuesday morning according to Downdetector post. Outage reports began at 9:30 a.m. ET with 73% of the issues happening on the mobile app.
The the baby-faced teen stepbrother accused of raping and murdering Anna Kepner on a family cruise has been ordered jailed by a federal judge, who expressed horror at the “level of depravity and psychopathy,” and expressed his fears the suspect could “snap at any time.”
Timothy Hudson, 16, had been allowed to live with family members on supervised release since his arrest in February — but US Magistrate Judge Edwin G Torres last week ruled that staying in a house with children was risky and that he could pose a risk to himself.
“The strength of the evidence here points strongly in favor of detention. Focusing just on the sexual assault charge, the Government’s case for a forcible rape is beyond clear and convincing,” Torres said in the June 10 court filing.
Anna Kepner was on a cruise with her family when she was found dead in her room. Instagram/@anna.kepner16Timothy Hudson is accused of raping and murdering his stepsister Anna Kepner. Romain Maurice for NY Post
“Indeed it suggests a level of psychopathy and lack of remorse that by itself raises a serious concern that Defendant can snap at any time, despite the well-meaning and serious efforts of his caretakers to make sure that does not happen.”
Torres also ruled that Hudson should be locked up because he is now being tried as an adult after initially being charged as a juvenile.
Here is the latest on Anna Kepner, cheerleader found dead on Carnival Cruise:
“Had Defendant only been charged with that serious offense when he was 18 or older, he would have been likely detained on that basis alone,” Torres said.
Anna Kepner was murdered while on a cruise with her family. Instagram/@anna.kepner16
“The level of depravity and psychopathy involved in the commission of that brutal offense would be too hard for most jurists to ignore.”
He was ordered to be booked at the Citrus County Jail in Florida, where he will undergo a mental health exam.
He will stay in the juvenile part of the facility, will still be allowed to have visits and use the internet to communicate with family members, according to the court filings.
Anna Kepner with her stepbrother Timothy Hudson. Timothy is accused of murdering Anna. Instagram/Shauntel Kepner
The accused killer’s lawyers did not immediately respond to the Post’s request for comment Tuesday morning.
Hudson has pleaded not guilty and his trial is scheduled to begin in September.
Ronald Reagan’s baseball cap and one of Lyndon B. Johnson’s iconic fedora hats are set to fetch thousands at auction.
As part of the 250th‑anniversary celebrations, Bonhams is auctioning collectibles from the Louise Taper Collection – one of the most respected private holdings of presidential items in the country.
Running online from June 14, the collection includes 46 lots – including the earliest obtainable printing of the Bill of Rights, estimated to fetch between $8,000 and $12,000.
Congress approved 12 amendments to the Constitution on September 25, 1789, and on October 2, George Washington sent official engrossed copies to each of the 13 states for ratification.
Ronald Reagan’s baseball cap is being auctioned as part of the 250th anniversary celebrations. Bonhams / SWNS
The full text appeared the following day on page 3 of The Gazette of the United States – and this is up for sale at auction.
Other standout items include Ronald Reagan’s signed Marine One presidential baseball cap, estimated to sell for between $800 and $1,200.
Franklin D. Roosevelt’s pocket watch, worth $20,000 to $30,000, and his silk top hat, estimated to sell for upwards of $20,000, are also up for sale. Auctioneers say he reportedly wore them at his first inauguration in 1933 and on other state occasions.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt, dressed in a top hat and cape, prepares to leave the White House for services at St. John’s Episcopal Church on the day of his inauguration to a third term. Bettmann ArchiveFranklin D. Roosevelt’s silk top hat. Bonhams / SWNS
Dwight D. Eisenhower’s Caxton fedora, said to be “a hallmark of Eisenhower’s classic mid-century American presidential style,” is also up for sale.
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis’s dessert plate from the state dinner service made for President Franklin D. Roosevelt is also up for sale with a starting bid of $2,400.
The listing said she “likely kept the FDR dessert plate as a deeply personal emblem of the political lineage, shared history, and mutual respect that connected the Roosevelt and Kennedy families”.
Lyndon B. Johnson’s fedora was a beige straw hat with a dark brown ribbon. Bonhams / SWNSFormer President Johnson uses both hands to adjust his collar as he leaves St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, where he and Mrs. Johnson attended services on Dec. 4, 1966. Bettmann Archive
Also up for auction is Roosevelt’s straw boater hat — gifted by Eleanor Roosevelt to Mr and Mrs Lester Entrup as a gift of service for their years as caretakers, cooks, and household staff.
Other items include 1782 Niderviller Service china owned by George Washington, with an estimate of between $50,000 and $80,000.
The collection – expected to fetch over $1.2 million – is running online until June 23.
The World Cup’s hydration breaks have become one of the tournament’s first major flashpoints — and potentially a massive new revenue stream for Fox.
Using reported ad-rate figures from The Wall Street Journal, Awful Announcing estimated that Fox could make nearly $250 million from commercials aired during hydration breaks alone across the tournament.
The outlet projected the total at roughly $249.6 million, with the figure potentially climbing past $300 million if average ad prices rise as the World Cup progresses.
Hydration break during Brazil v Morocco – New York/New Jersey Stadium, East Rutherford. REUTERS
That would represent a significant return against the reported $485 million Fox paid for U.S. broadcast rights to the 2026 tournament.
The money has added another layer to the debate over the three-minute stoppages, which FIFA introduced in each half of every match after extreme heat became a major issue at last summer’s revamped Club World Cup.
With matches being played across the United States, Canada and Mexico, heat and humidity were always expected to be concerns. But the across-the-board use of the breaks has drawn criticism, particularly when games are played indoors or in air-conditioned stadiums.
Former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp reportedly offered one of the strongest rebukes, accusing soccer’s decision-makers of allowing the sport to be interrupted for sponsors.
“Football is being held hostage by executives in air-conditioned offices,” Klopp said to L’Équipe. “These so-called ‘cooling breaks’ were sold to us as a shield for the players’ well-being, a noble sword against the heat. But in reality? It’s nothing more than a gilded cage built for sponsors.”
The frustration has also reached the players.
Ecuador players drink water at the hydration break during the 2026 FIFA World Cup First Stage Group E match agaisnt Ivory Coast. Anadolu via Getty Images
Netherlands captain Virgil van Dijk questioned the stoppages after his team’s 2-2 draw with Japan on Sunday — a match played inside the air-conditioned AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
“Hydration breaks are a bit interesting,” Van Dijk told ESPN. “I was obviously watching almost all the games up until today, and every time going to commercial is a bit … Not really that I like it.”
Van Dijk said the breaks make sense in extreme conditions, but suggested they should not be treated the same in every match.
“If it’s really hot, obviously it would be good to put them in,” he said. “But I think you have to look at it in every game, separately.”
That is the heart of the controversy.
For FIFA, the breaks are rooted in player safety. For broadcasters, they have created valuable ad inventory in a sport that traditionally offers few guaranteed commercial windows.
For players and viewers, they have changed the feel of the game.
Soccer is built around long, uninterrupted stretches of play, with halftime usually the only fixed break. The hydration stoppages now create two extra pauses in every match, giving broadcasters a chance to cut away and coaches a chance to reset.
Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann acknowledged the tactical benefit after Germany’s 7-1 win over Curaçao, saying the break helped his team reinforce adjustments against Curaçao’s midfield shape.
“The water break was actually good to simply reiterate what we had already adjusted on the board,” Nagelsmann said.
That admission added another dimension to the debate. A stoppage designed to protect players from heat can also function as an unscheduled timeout.
Fox’s coverage has come under particular scrutiny because the network has largely used the stoppages for full-screen commercials. Telemundo, by contrast, has avoided full-screen ads during the breaks.
For broadcasters, the appeal is clear. Live sports remain among the most valuable properties on television, and the expanded 104-match World Cup has created more games, more inventory and more chances to monetize a global audience.
For critics, that is exactly the concern.
A policy introduced in the name of safety is now at the center of a wider debate about advertising, television demands and the flow of soccer itself.
And with Fox potentially looking at a nine-figure return from the stoppages, the World Cup’s water breaks have become about more than just rehydration.
SpaceX shares jumped about 10% Tuesday morning for the third straight day of gains, surpassing Amazon’s market capitalization and briefly exceeding even mighty Microsoft.
Following a record-breaking Friday IPO that shot the company’s valuation above $2 trillion and made Elon Musk the world’s first trillionaire, the stock had added about $890 billion as of Tuesday morning.
The hot streak pushed SpaceX’s worth past that of Amazon — which was valued at $2.66 trillion — and briefly past Microsoft, valued at $2.93 trillion, too.
SpaceX leadership celebrate as the company debuts on the Nasdaq. REUTERS
SpaceX pared some gains a bit later in the morning, putting it in the enviable spot of fifth-biggest publicly traded US company.
The surge came as SpaceX announced a $60 billion acquisition of an AI coding startup amid concerns it has been overspending.
SpaceX said Tuesday it was acquiring Anysphere – a San Francisco-based software firm behind AI coding agent Cursor – for $60 billion.
The deal, which is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026, could give Musk’s xAI a larger presence in the AI coding sphere and provide Cursor with more computing capacity.
It’s a sign that Musk does not plan to slow down on AI spending anytime soon, even as massive capital expenditures weigh on SpaceX’s profits – fueling concerns over whether the stock is overvalued.
The deal is structured as a stock-based merger between Anysphere and SpaceX’s wholly-owned subsidiary, X67, signaling the capital raised in the IPO is not being put toward the acquisition.
Elon Musk’s SpaceX jumped 13% for the third-straight day of gains. REUTERS
Since its founding in 2022, Cursor has seen an explosive rise, with roughly $2.6 billion in annualized business-to-business revenue and rapid sales growth.
The AI startup – which is backed by Andreessen Horowitz, Nvidia and Google – was reportedly in talks earlier this year to hold a funding round valuing it at $50 billion.
If the acquisition is terminated under certain circumstances, SpaceX will pay a $10 billion fee, according to regulatory filings.
It will also pay a “regulatory” termination fee of $4 billion if the deal is scrapped over antitrust issues.
Musk claimed Sunday that SpaceX “might be able to reach” roughly $1 trillion revenue in 2030 – and “I would be surprised if revenue is not greater than $1T in 2031.”
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SpaceX, which also owns xAI, Starlink and social media platform X, reported $18.7 billion in revenue last year. It lost nearly $5 billion as its annual capex hit $20.7 billion.
Starlink, Musk’s satellite internet service provider and a major government contractor, was the company’s sole profitable division last year.
In just the first quarter of 2026, SpaceX’s spending hit $10.1 billion – with AI accounting for $7.7 billion. That dwarfed its total spending in the same period last year of $4.1 billion.
At yesterday’s close, SpaceX reached a market cap of $2.538 trillion – the second-largest single-day gain for a US company on record, trailing behind a slightly larger jump from Nvidia last year.
