Author: The West News

Americans are making their final plans for Independence Day and America’s 250th birthday celebrations as they make shopping, banking, and travel arrangements before the holiday weekend. July 4th is a Saturday in 2026, so hours are subject to change; contact your local business or government agency. Several public services and financial markets will temporarily close, while many retail outlets and restaurants will be open. Here are all the details you need to know about what’s open and closed during the Fourth of July holiday weekend. Read More: Argentina vs Cape Verde Prediction: Can Lionel Messi Lead Defending Champions Into the World…

The United States men’s national team is one victory away from reaching the FIFA World Cup quarterfinals for the first time in more than two decades, but standing in its way is a familiar opponent in Belgium. The Round of 16 clash takes place Monday night at Lumen Field in Seattle, where the USMNT will attempt to continue its impressive tournament run despite being without one of its top attacking players. Belgium, meanwhile, arrive with momentum of their own after producing a dramatic comeback victory over Senegal to book their place in the last 16. Read More: Argentina vs Cape Verde…

Lionel Messi and defending champions Argentina return to the field on Friday with a place in the Round of 16 at stake as they take on Cape Verde in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 32. On paper, the matchup heavily favors Argentina. Lionel Scaloni’s side cruised through the group stage with three straight victories and has looked every bit like a team capable of defending the title they won in Qatar four years ago. Cape Verde, however, has already become one of the tournament’s biggest stories after reaching the knockout rounds in their first-ever World Cup appearance. The…

The 2026 FIFA World Cup has entered the knockout stage, with the race to become world champions heating up across North America. Hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, this year’s tournament is the biggest in FIFA history, expanding from 32 teams to 48 nations and featuring a record 104 matches. After an entertaining group stage, the competition has moved into the newly introduced Round of 32, where every match is now a winner-takes-all contest. The tournament will continue through the Round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals, third-place playoff and the final, which will be played on July 19 at…

The United States is being blanketed by a massive heat dome, with millions of people facing life-threatening temperatures as meteorologists predict extreme heat for several days in some regions through the Fourth of July holiday weekend. The event is likely to affect much of the central and eastern United States, as high heat, combined with high humidity and abnormally warm nights, could result in life-threatening conditions, according to weather officials. When humidity is added to the heat index calculation, temperatures could reach 110°F to 115°F in the areas most at risk. Hundreds of cities are opening cooling centers, modifying holiday…

25. Lake Okeechobee 🐟 Lake Okeechobee is Florida’s inland sea, covering over 730 square miles (making it the second-largest freshwater lake in the continental U.S.). Renowned as the “bass capital of the world,” it hosts countless major bass tournaments. Its warm, fertile waters support trophy Florida-strain largemouth bass (records near 15 lb) and a rich variety of warmwater gamefish – bream, black crappie, sunfish, catfish, pickerel and even tropical peacock bass. With 16 boat ramps and extensive marina access, the Lake O is a bucket-list destination for anglers of all levels. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.…

In the latest ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld birthright citizenship and rejected Trump’s executive order to overturn this precedent. On Tuesday, the U.S. Supreme Court reiterated that the Constitution guarantees birthright citizenship, overruling President Donald Trump’s executive order, which aimed to strip children born on U.S. soil of citizenship when their parents are illegally or temporarily residing on the U.S. mainland. The decision reinforces existing precedent in the 14th Amendment to the Constitution that defines citizenship as being granted to anyone born on U.S. soil, except for limited situations such as children of foreign diplomats and those of foreign…

The Government has confirmed that VA benefits for the month of July 2026 will be deposited on their eligible veteran’s date. The calendar for this year has veterans getting their monthly VA payments before the month ends, so the July 2026 payment will be issued before August. The Department of Veterans Affairs has announced that eligible veterans will receive their payment for the month of July on Friday, July 31, 2026. While the payment is for benefits for July, VA disability compensation is usually paid for the month that benefits are paid for. If the first day of the month…

The Social Security Payment Schedule for July 2026 has been announced, with SSA confirming the SSI and SSDI payment dates for this month. We have curated the article below with all the necessary information. The Social Security Administration (SSA) has also announced the payment schedule for July 2026, noting that the dates for each payment category vary based on when recipients first started receiving benefits. However, the SSA will not make all payments on one day, but will continue making payments to beneficiaries of Social Security retirement and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments as…

There are two government payments that will reach some Social Security recipients in July 2026, but they don’t qualify as benefits or bonuses. The extra payment does not impact those who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI), but rather is due to the payment calendar of the Social Security Administration. Why Two SSI Payments in July? Generally, those who are eligible to receive SSI benefits will be paid their regular monthly benefit on Wednesday, July 1. Another payment is due on Friday, July 31. Both the deposits are paid in July, but the second is the benefit for August. The Social…