By Davis Winkie, CNN

(CNN) — The Pentagon has been slow to disclose injuries to US troops during the ongoing war with Iran, avoiding publicly confirming the fallout from Iranian attacks and mostly reserving totals to a military website that lags events by several days or even weeks with officials saying the delay is intended to protect service members.

While earlier in the war US Central Command, the military headquarters overseeing the war effort, would provide periodic updates on injuries, it has not been regularly disclosing non-fatal attacks in recent months.

That leaves the Defense Casualty Analysis System, or DCAS, as the primary official source for the number of US casualties in the conflict. Data in the system reviewed by CNN appears to show a significant delay in updates, and a Pentagon official said that “it can take several days or even weeks for an injury to be documented in military systems” due to medical evaluation and review requirements. The official, however, told CNN that the DCAS database is “regularly updated.”

Since the memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran was signed in mid-June, DCAS has recorded one new US fatality. Navy Cmdr. Gabriel Edwards, a helicopter pilot, was lost at sea in a July 1 accident in the Arabian Sea. The system shows 14 new wounded troops as of Monday, the same number that had been included in a Friday update.

Those injuries seem to be reported irregularly and often in batches. One Air Force member was recorded as wounded in a July 13 database update, and 10 soldiers and three sailors were reported, as wounded in the July 17 update.

The Monday totals did not include at least three service members who the Pentagon announced had been killed in the conflict since Thursday and was missing injuries from recent days of the conflict. The New York Times reported “dozens” of wounded service members had not been disclosed in the last week.

The Pentagon’s chief spokesperson, Sean Parnell, told CNN that the reporting delays are necessary to protect the more than 50,000 US troops across the Middle East.

“Providing real-time information on non-fatal causalities to the media is the same as providing that information directly to our adversaries, which could put even more service members at risk with access to that quick information,” Parnell said in a statement.

Parnell said the Pentagon and CENTCOM have “consistently provided comprehensive updates to the world on the United States’ strikes and operations in Iran,” and argued that President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s public remarks and social media posts deliver “clear, unfiltered insight into our objectives and decisive actions.”

An Iranian missile attack against Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan killed two US troops and left one missing on Friday, and another was killed in northern Iraq during the controlled detonation of a downed Iranian drone.

An unknown number of troops were wounded in the recent attacks across the region — CENTCOM disclosed that one servicemember was wounded in the Iraq incident, four were treated and released in Jordanian hospitals in the airbase attack, and an undisclosed number of “other personnel who were evaluated for minor injuries have returned to duty.”

Davis Winkie’s work at CNN is supported by a partnership between Outrider Foundation and Journalism Funding Partners (JFP). CNN retains full editorial control of the reporting.

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By Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN

(CNN) — Americans are making fewer visits to food chains with lettuce-heavy menus as concerns mount over the cyclospora outbreak.

Last week, the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention linked lettuce served at some Taco Bell restaurants to the widespread outbreak of the diarrhea-causing parasite.

Even before the official announcement, consumers appeared wary of Taco Bell’s potential connection to the outbreak.

Foot traffic fell 16.9% on July 15 compared to Taco Bell’s average daily levels this year, according to nationwide data from Placer.ai. When federal health officials publicly identified the chain as part of the investigation on July 17, foot traffic dropped nearly 19%.

Taco Bell told CNN last week that it removed the potentially compromised lettuce. But it’s not the only food chain affected by wary customers. Cava, Chopt, Panera Bread, Chipotle and Subway have all seen significant declines in visits, according to Placer. The analytics firm uses mobile data to track visits.

Chopt saw foot traffic decline 10.9% on July 16 and 14.3% on July 17, according to Placer data. The salad chain, which operates primarily on the East Coast, didn’t respond to CNN’s request for comment.

Subway saw a significant decline in daily traffic on July 16, falling 19.2% compared to daily averages before the outbreak. Subway didn’t respond to CNN’s request for comment.

Cava, Chipotle and Panera Bread, meanwhile, all experienced drops under 10% on July 16 and July 17.

“We are continuing to follow the Cyclospora investigation very closely, and at this time, we don’t believe the ingredients we source are associated,” Chipotle’s chief corporate affairs and food safety office told CNN in a statement. Cava and Panera Bread didn’t respond to CNN’s request for a comment.

It’s not clear what is causing the outbreak that’s impacted thousands of Americans. However, the FDA said Monday it still believes Taylor Farms, the lettuce supplier of many Taco Bell locations, is the likely source.

Despite concern about the outbreak, fast casual and quick service restaurants as a whole have held up. The industry on July 17 declined only 1.1% and 1.9%, respectively, compared to the daily averages.

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By Sol Amaya, Mauricio Torres, Maria Santana, CNN

(CNN) — Mexican drug kingpin Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada was sentenced to life in prison in the United States on Monday, ending one of the most significant cartel prosecutions since the conviction of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán.

The co-founder of the Sinaloa cartel avoided a possible death penalty after pleading guilty last year to leading a continuing criminal enterprise and admitting to trafficking millions of kilograms of cocaine over decades.

As part of his plea deal, the court also ordered him to forfeit $15 billion in drug trafficking profits, the US Justice Department said.

“El Mayo’s conviction is historic, and it reflects the Justice Department’s commitment to the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations that threaten American lives,” said US Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva.

Before learning his fate, Zambada addressed the court, accepting responsibility for his crimes. He apologized to the countless people and families harmed by his actions and said he wasn’t pleading guilty to hide what he had done, but because he knew it was wrong.

He urged young people not to follow his path, saying, “Choose a different path. There is no future in violence. It only leads to prison and death.” He added, “Violence must end in Mexico and elsewhere. Too many lives are being lost. No one wins.”

How Zambada rose to power

Born in Sinaloa, Zambada worked as a farmer in his youth. In the 1980s, he began collaborating with the Guadalajara cartel and later with the Juárez cartel, which was then led by Armando Carrillo Fuentes, a famous drug trafficker known as “El Señor de los Cielos” (“The Lord of the Skies”) because he used a large fleet of small planes to traffic drugs.

After Carrillo Fuentes’s death, El Mayo created his own criminal organization, the Sinaloa cartel, which he led for years alongside El Chapo. Also known as the Pacific cartel, the Sinaloa cartel expanded the production and shipment of drugs to the United States, including heroin, marijuana, methamphetamines, and now fentanyl, as well as managing cocaine trafficking from the south of the continent.

The US Treasury Department has linked him to a money laundering scheme involving companies and alleged government contracts in Mexico, another factor that has contributed to the cartel being considered one of the largest criminal organizations in the world.

As El Mayo expanded his power – a fact that put him in the crosshairs of the United States, which offered a $15 million reward for his capture – many close relatives were arrested and extradited to US territory.

One of them was his son Vicente “El Vicentillo” Zambada Niebla, who in 2009 was arrested in Mexico, extradited and prosecuted in Illinois. He pleaded guilty to drug trafficking in 2013 and in 2019 was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Many of those prosecuted cooperated with US authorities in exchange for reduced sentences, which aided in the trial against El Chapo, who was also sentenced to life in prison in 2019.

After a fierce internal struggle, which included an attempt on his life, El Mayo remained leader of the Sinaloa cartel, along with El Chapo Guzmán’s sons, known as “Los Chapitos.”

According to the think tank InSight Crime, the alliance between these factions was one of the main reasons the Sinaloa cartel consolidated itself as one of the most powerful in the region. However, this union deteriorated into a constant internal battle t

By Daniel Wine, CNN

Welcome to 5 Things PM! When it comes to the future of booze, think small — literally. Little bottles of alcohol are becoming a big business.

Here’s what else you might have missed during your busy day.

5 things

1⃣ Harsh reality

This summer proves we don’t have to wait until the future for climate change to smack us in the face. From torrid heat waves to deadly flash floods to raging wildfires and lingering smoke — the signs are all around us.

Download the CNN Weather app

2⃣ New American dream

The formula for getting ahead always seemed straightforward: Go to college, work hard, save your money, buy a home and climb the economic ladder. But now it often boils down to having parents who can help foot the bills.

3⃣ Just what we needed

From the moment that the first ball was kicked in Mexico City to the final whistle in New Jersey, North America hosted one of the most epic parties the world has ever seen. The World Cup marked a total vibe shift.

A look back at one of the best tournaments ever

4⃣ Learning to love yourself

Defying traditional beauty standards, Stephanie Fairyington felt ugly as a child. That changed when she came out at 19 and began hanging out in the queer community.

5⃣ Delicioso

There’s so much more to Mexican food than just tacos and burritos. From elote to mole and birria to pozole, here are some other tasty dishes worth a try.

Watch this

‘Get out of the car!’ Body camera footage shows a police officer pulling a driver from his vehicle just before it burst into flames on the side of a highway in Southlake, Texas.

Top headlines

• Trump says Iran ‘will pay … many times over’ for killing US troops
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• Supreme Court to hear from Alaskan bush pilot whose plane was confiscated over a six-pack of beer

Check this out

Nature’s cleanup crew: They aren’t exactly cute and cuddly, and their diet of dead animals doesn’t help. But stunning new photos Read more

Por Federico Leiva, CNN en Español

La final del Mundial 2026 todavía tiene un capítulo más para contar. Argentina ya perdió el bicampeonato ante España, pero ahora también puede sufrir sanciones contra algunos de sus integrantes por los acalorados altercados que ocurrieron tras el silbatazo final que decretó el triunfo ibérico.

La FIFA abrirá una investigación disciplinaria y ha nombrado un instructor para que analice e investigue los incidentes en el campo de juego del Estadio Nueva York/Nueva Jersey.

“Tras evaluar los informes pertinentes del partido final de la Copa Mundial de la FIFA entre España y Argentina, y de conformidad con el artículo 36 del Código Disciplinario de la FIFA (CDF), el Comité Disciplinario de la FIFA ha designado a un Fiscal de Disciplina y Ética para investigar posibles infracciones del CDF en relación con los incidentes posteriores al partido”, dice la FIFA.

Lo primero será analizar el acta que los árbitros entregan a los organizadores después de cada juego. Allí constará, por ejemplo, la expulsión de Enzo Fernández en el añadido del tiempo reglamentario, pero también figurará una segunda tarjeta roja que nadie vio: la de Leandro Paredes.

El mediocampista, que pudo haber sido expulsado durante el partido, tuvo actitudes violentas con dos jugadores de España que empezaban a celebrar en el campo de juego a los segundos de terminado el encuentro. En las imágenes que circularon primero en televisión y luego en redes sociales, el jugador de Boca Juniors tomó del cuello a Eric García y luego mandó al suelo a Gavi. El árbitro lo vio y lo informó rápidamente.

Lo que tardó más en viralizarse fue el origen de la pelea. Y es que no es Paredes, sino Nahuel Molina, quien inicia el escándalo, al golpear a Rodri cuando este y sus compañeros irrumpen en el campo de juego a las corridas para celebrar el título. Molina lo golpea vehementemente y luego, cuando Rodri busca explicaciones, vuelve a increparlo con actitud desafiante. Con las imágenes que están circulando ahora, el lateral derecho, de flojo ingreso ante la Roja, se expone a una sanción.

Un tercer miembro de la “Scaloneta” quedó comprometido: Roberto Ayala, uno de los ayudantes de Lionel Scaloni en el cuerpo técnico. El “Ratón”, de larga experiencia en la selección argentina como jugador, fue visto claramente propinarle un golpe de puño a Dani Olmo en el rostro. Una acción inexcusable, especialmente para alguien que ni siquiera es futbolista y que no puede escudarse en las pulsaciones de los protagonistas.

Un último punto que puede generar controversia es ya a nivel grupal: Argentina incumplió el protocolo al recibir sus medallas e ir directamente hacia uno de los arcos, donde había buena parte de su público, dándole la espalda a la ceremonia del campeón. Dani Olmo se refirió a esto ante los medios: “No nos importa. Al final es importante los valores que quieres transmitir hacia afuera. Somos un ejemplo para muchas generaciones, para muchos niños y niñas. Yo creo que ellos deben también ser un ejemplo para todo y para bien”.

Las sanciones no son un tema menor, ya que Argentina volverá al ruedo en las fechas FIFA de septiembre y noviembre de este año, aunque las sanciones, en caso de confirmarse, suelen aplicarse a partidos oficiales.

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