Monday Sunrise Edition: US women are defiant world champions

The U.S. won its record fourth Women’s World Cup title (second in a row), beating the Netherlands 2-0 Sunday night. Star Megan Rapinoe epitomized the team’s confidence, candor, and poise. After the victory, she described them as “a proud and strong and defiant group of women.” Chants of “equal pay” echoed through the stadium in Lyon, France, as this – and previous U.S. teams – have effectively used the World Cup as a platform to challenge for better pay. Each player will get a World Cup bonus of $250,000, which is but one-fourth the bonus for the U.S. men’s team. On Wednesday, the team will be feted with a ticker-tape parade in New York City.

Sunset for Golden Dawn

Voters removed a far-right party from Greek Parliament Sunday. The Golden Dawn, an anti-immigrant party, rose from a marginal, violent neo-Nazi group to Greece’s third-largest party in 2015. But the party failed Sunday to reach the 3% vote threshold to gain even a single seat in Parliament. A new party, Greek Solution, less extreme and apparently less menacing, may have siphoned away conservative support. Conservative Kyriakos Mitsotakis, leader of the New Democracy party, is to be sworn in as Greece’s new prime minister Monday.

Seeking sanctions relief

Iranian officials said Sunday they would begin enriching uranium above the level allowed by the 2015 nuclear deal. This is the latest breach of the deal, and is seen by analysts as intended to put pressure on European nations to provide trade relief from U.S. economic sanctions, reported The Washington Post.

Magnitude 7.1 wake-up call

No fatalities. No major injuries or structural damage. But a 7.1 magnitude quake Friday centered 150 miles east of Los Angeles left millions counting their blessings, and preparing for “the Big One.” “It is a wake-up call for the rest of the state and other parts of the nation, frankly,” California Gov. Gavin Newsom said at a Saturday news conference.

What’s the buzz?

Wimbledon Wonder: At 15, Coco Gauff isn’t old enough to drive a car. But the 313-ranked American teenager continues to dazzle on the court and off. She won again Friday and is scheduled to play former No. 1 Simona Halep Monday at about 9:15 a.m. Eastern time.

A “grande” apology from Starbucks: The coffee chain apologized Saturday after six cops were booted from a Tempe, Arizona, shop on July 4, CNN reported. The officers were asked to leave after a customer said they didn’t “feel safe.” The eviction ignited a #DumpStarbucks social media campaign. Last year, 8,000 Starbucks stores closed for anti-bias training following a controversy involving Philadelphia police. 

Mariah Carey “wins” bottle cap challenge. No, this isn’t important. But the pop diva gets style points for creativity in a silly internet challenge making the rounds.

Hidden gem

Start your week with a recent story that inspired Monitor editors:  

Overcoming despair: How a wounded Green Beret came back stronger

Sneak preview

In tonight’s Daily Edition, watch for an interview with Jeanne Safer, who’s got a new book, “I Love You, But I Hate Your Politics: How to Protect Your Intimate Relationships in a Poisonous Partisan World.” 

Finally, the Monitor’s five best stories in Friday night’s subscription-only Daily Edition:

1. Rent as high as an elephant’s eye? Housing shortage hits rural US.
2. Money first, politics later. Did Bahrain advance Mideast peace?
3. Why Queens is the ‘Noah’s ark of languages’
4. Trying to change Congress, starting with the lowest rung: interns
5. A visit to Korea’s DMZ: Fast food, a pirate ship – and a bit of hope

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