World Cup Midpoint Buzz: The tournament has passed its halfway mark with 54 matches played and the U.S. already through to the Round of 32, while FIFA touts record attendance and big-name stars lead the scoring race. USMNT vs Türkiye Tonight: The U.S. closes Group D at 10 p.m. ET at SoFi Stadium, with Türkiye out of contention; the U.S. is expected to rotate but still chase a third straight win. NATO in Ankara Under Pressure: Turkish media groups say several independent outlets were denied accreditation for the July 7-8 NATO summit, while Ankara also detained 209 people in anti-terror raids amid tightened public-gathering restrictions. Defense Deals on the Horizon: NATO chief Mark Rutte says the summit will announce tens of billions in new defense contracts, as Europe pushes to strengthen its NATO “European pillar.” Human Rights Watch: Rights groups in Istanbul condemned the deportation of Azerbaijani activist Nana Xanım Babazade, alleging pressure in detention and called for international protection. Finance & Tech: Kaspi.kz says Turkey’s banking regulator approved its plan to acquire Rabobank A.Ş., expected to close in July.