The FIFA World Cup opens Thursday in the United States — and Iran's team just landed on American soil despite being at war with America. A $1.15 trillion defense bill is headed to the full House. New research confirms GLP-1 medications may significantly reduce some types of cancer risks and today is National Cancer Survivors Day — more than 18 million Americans are living proof that a diagnosis is not a death sentence. Here is what you need to know going into your week.

Iran's national soccer team landed in the United States this weekend to compete in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, confirmed AP June 6. Iranian athletes are on American soil to play soccer while the United States military is conducting active operations against their country, the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, and 50,000 American troops remain deployed in the region. Iran's players have been training between bomb shelters for months. Iranian fans were banned from entering the United States under the travel ban, though some officials were still awaiting visas as of this weekend. The FIFA World Cup opens Thursday June 11 across 16 cities in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Iran is scheduled to play its first match in Los Angeles on June 15.

The World Cup's arrival in America at this specific moment is one of the most unusual geopolitical situations in the tournament's 96-year history. Athletes from a country at war with the host nation are competing in the host nation's stadiums while their government and the host government are simultaneously conducting military operations against each other. FIFA has not addressed the situation publicly beyond confirming visa approvals.

The House Armed Services Committee passed H.R. 8800, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027, on June 4 by a 44-12 vote. The bill now heads to the full House for a vote. It authorizes $1.15 trillion in defense spending — nearly $350 billion less than President Trump's $1.5 trillion request, the largest defense budget ask in American history.

The NDAA is passed every year and governs how the U.S. military is funded, organized, and directed. This year's bill is unusually significant for several reasons. It is being debated while 50,000 American troops are deployed in the Iran war. It includes a pilot program for supplemental cancer coverage for military personnel. It includes extensions of the prohibition on transferring Guantanamo detainees. And it authorizes the military personnel strength levels for the year in which Defense Secretary Hegseth has fired or sidelined more than two dozen generals and admirals.

A provision drawing concern from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle is Section 224, titled the United States-Israel Defense Technology Cooperation Initiative. Section 224 would establish a Defense Department executive agent with authority to integrate Israeli weapons into U.S. military systems, coordinate joint research and development, facilitate co-production of weapons, and establish joint ventures and licensing agreements covering artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, cyberwarfare, and biotechnology. Supporters say it strengthens cooperation between two longtime security partners. Critics across both parties argue it would embed Israel into U.S. military systems at an unprecedented level that would be difficult for Congress, taxpayers, or future administrations to monitor or unwind. A May 2026 Institute for Global Affairs poll found only 16 percent of Americans support supplying Israel with weapons without restrictions, while 38 percent want weapons transfers stopped entirely and 24 percent want them conditioned on how they are used.

The Senate is running a parallel markup process. After both chambers pass their versions the bills go to conference. Confirmed House Armed Services Committee primary source, GovTrack.us, Military.com, Responsible Statecraft.

Two separate studies presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting in Chicago, held May 29 through June 2, 2026, found significant associations between GLP-1 medications and reduced cancer risk. GLP-1 medications include drugs sold under the brand names Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound.

The first study, led by researchers at the Cleveland Clinic and published at ASCO, analyzed health records from more than 10,000 people diagnosed with one of seven cancer types at stages 1, 2, or 3. People who started GLP-1 medications after their cancer diagnosis were less likely to have their cancer advance to stage 4. In six of the seven cancer types studied, GLP-1 users were less likely to metastasize. The four cancers with statistically significant results were non-small cell lung cancer, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, and liver cancer. People with lung cancer who were on GLP-1 medications were 50 percent less likely to progress to stage 4 than those taking a comparison diabetes drug.

The second study, from the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine and published simultaneously in JCO Oncology Practice, analyzed health data from more than 110,000 women between the ages of 45 and 80. Women who took GLP-1 medications were approximately 30 percent less likely to develop breast cancer than women who did not. Researchers hypothesize that GLP-1 medications reduce systemic inflammation through multiple pathways, which may inhibit breast cancer development.

Both studies are observational. They cannot prove cause and effect. The researchers themselves stated clearly that clinical trials are needed to confirm the findings. "While our study was observational and does not definitively confirm an association between GLP-1 medications and reduced breast cancer incidence, it does add to the growing body of evidence suggesting that it's worth investigating these weight-loss drugs as potential cancer prevention tools," said lead researcher Dr. Elizabeth McDonald of Penn Medicine.

Why it matters to you: If you or someone you know is taking a GLP-1 medication for diabetes or weight management, this research adds to a growing body of evidence that these drugs may have benefits beyond their primary purpose. Do not change any medication regimen based on observational research. Discuss these findings with your physician. Clinical trials are ongoing.