Vance’s Defense of Iran Deal Rests on Vague and Misleading Claims

(Thu, 18 Jun 2026 23:29:34 +0000)

The vice president said the United States had leverage to dictate the outcome of the next round of negotiations. But he claimed incorrectly that Iran got no new benefit from the lifting of oil sanctions.

Iran and the U.S. Have an Understanding. Will It Lead to a Deal?

(Thu, 18 Jun 2026 16:07:43 +0000)

Europe and the larger world will be watching carefully to see if talks produce a lasting agreement on Iran’s nuclear program and the Strait of Hormuz.

Vance Issues a Blunt Warning to Israel

(Thu, 18 Jun 2026 21:58:33 +0000)

Also, Ukraine launches a major assault on Moscow. Here’s the latest at the end of Thursday.

Ukraine Strikes Moscow Refinery in Large-Scale Drone Attack

(Fri, 19 Jun 2026 00:42:58 +0000)

The attack, which shut down the capital’s airports for several hours, was part of an escalating campaign to bring the conflict home to Russians.

A Twist in Ukraine’s Drone Campaign Is ‘Really Hurting the Russians’

(Tue, 16 Jun 2026 16:33:25 +0000)

Midrange attacks, using upgraded drones that Ukraine produces in huge numbers, are causing fuel shortages and complicating troop rotations.

NYC Erupts in Celebration Over Knicks Championship Win

(Thu, 18 Jun 2026 20:15:53 +0000)

New York City found a reason to party on Thursday, cheering, crying and climbing around Broadway to celebrate the Knicks’ N.B.A. championship.

See the Knicks Championship Parade Unfold

(Fri, 19 Jun 2026 00:45:39 +0000)

Fans gathered in Manhattan on Thursday to cheer on the N.B.A. champions at a parade that has been 53 years in the making.

Takeaways From ‘Regime Change,’ Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan’s Book on Trump’s White House

(Thu, 18 Jun 2026 18:28:04 +0000)

The book by Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan of The New York Times, “Regime Change,” reveals a host of details and surprising exchanges as President Trump pushed to drastically expand his power.

Scores Fall Ill at Air Force Base After Hegseth Makes Flu Vaccine Optional

(Thu, 18 Jun 2026 19:10:39 +0000)

The defense secretary described the vaccine requirement, which he lifted in April, as an “absurd, overreaching” mandate.

Trump Redirects Millions From Secret Service Amid White House Construction

(Thu, 18 Jun 2026 23:57:09 +0000)

The White House insists that private donations are paying for a new ballroom, but the administration is using taxpayer money for a series of security upgrades.

Trump’s Intelligence Pick Renews Debate: Is the Director of National Intelligence Needed?

(Fri, 19 Jun 2026 00:35:39 +0000)

The director of national intelligence’s office was created in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks. Now some lawmakers want to shrink it.

Colorado Governor Overruled His Own Clemency Board to Release Tina Peters

(Thu, 18 Jun 2026 20:50:35 +0000)

Two members of Gov. Jared Polis’s board that reviews commutation requests came forward to say the secretive panel had twice rejected the release of Tina Peters, convicted of election tampering.

The Major Oak, Ancient Tree of Robin Hood Legend, Has Died

(Thu, 18 Jun 2026 16:09:39 +0000)

The Major Oak in the Sherwood Forest was between 800 and 1,200 years old. It succumbed to a combination of over-tourism, climate change and misguided efforts to save it.

In Ancient Pits Near Stonehenge, Scientists See Hints of Solstice Ritual

(Thu, 18 Jun 2026 16:57:11 +0000)

British archaeologists may have found the remains of a site where people celebrated the solstice thousands of years ago, a few miles from the famed stone circle.

Gary Shteyngart, a Russian-Born Author, Tours Thomas Jefferson’s Home With His Son

(Thu, 18 Jun 2026 23:47:58 +0000)

I emigrated from the Soviet Union decades ago, and recently toured Thomas Jefferson’s home with my American-born history-buff son.

Barack Obama Presidential Center Opens in Chicago

(Thu, 18 Jun 2026 19:07:42 +0000)

Thursday’s opening drew four former presidents, as well as Bruce Springsteen, Bono and Jennifer Hudson. Chicago has seen years of planning and legal fights.

Here’s What Barack and Michelle Obama Said at His Presidential Center Opening

(Thu, 18 Jun 2026 19:53:09 +0000)

The Obamas each took to the microphone, delivering speeches before a crowd of dignitaries, elected officials and Democratic supporters.

Stephen Colbert Nods to Obama’s Tan Suit at Presidential Center Opening

(Thu, 18 Jun 2026 21:27:03 +0000)

Celebrity guests paid winking homage to President Obama’s notorious tan suit.

During Trump’s Immigration Crackdown, Minnesota Protester Remained Shackled in Hospital for Days

(Thu, 18 Jun 2026 23:14:07 +0000)

The story of one progressive activist arrested in Minnesota in January shows what critics say is the aggressive nature of the Trump administration’s response to those who have protested its immigration crackdown.

ICE Spent $700 Million on 7 Warehouses. Now It Wants to Get Rid of Them.

(Thu, 18 Jun 2026 23:35:56 +0000)

Immigration and Customs Enforcement plans to sell or give away most of the 11 warehouses it bought to detain migrants, reversing course on a signature initiative.

Central Park Rides Halted After Fatal Fall From Horse-Drawn Carriage

(Thu, 18 Jun 2026 23:42:45 +0000)

An 18-year-old was ejected after a carriage horse bolted on Wednesday as the driver took a photograph. It was unclear how long the voluntary shutdown might last.

James Talarico Attacks Ken Paxton Over Child Abuse Case

(Thu, 18 Jun 2026 23:24:46 +0000)

The case, which resulted in a short jail sentence despite years of alleged abuse, has drawn outcry in Texas. So have the attempts to politicize it.

Absent Congressman to Return to House in 12 Days, Aide Says

(Thu, 18 Jun 2026 22:42:31 +0000)

Thomas Kean Jr. has missed three months of votes in Washington and has not been on the campaign trail in his New Jersey district because of an unexplained health condition.

Democratic Socialist Defeats Centrist in the D.C. Mayoral Primary

(Thu, 18 Jun 2026 19:21:16 +0000)

President Trump’s grip on the capital loomed over the race, and he threatened to tighten it if Councilwoman Janeese Lewis George is elected. She almost certainly will be.

What Young Men Thought of Trump’s U.F.C. Fight

(Wed, 17 Jun 2026 20:08:33 +0000)

The spectacle seemed targeted to the young male voters drifting away from the president. Some were skeptical.

Mariska Hargitay on ‘Every Brilliant Thing’ and Finding Inspiration From Jalen Brunson

(Thu, 18 Jun 2026 15:00:17 +0000)

The “Law & Order: SVU” actress “was really scared” about starring in “Every Brilliant Thing.” Who does she look to for inspiration? The Knicks, of course.

JD Vance on the Morality of the Trump Administration

(Thu, 18 Jun 2026 20:17:58 +0000)

I asked the vice president what is Christian about this White House.

Trump and Netanyahu Have Really Stepped in It Now

(Fri, 19 Jun 2026 00:01:41 +0000)

America and Israel have snatched defeat from victory.

Jean Houston, ‘Midwife of Souls’ Who Advised Hillary Clinton, Dies at 89

(Fri, 19 Jun 2026 00:38:38 +0000)

The author of books like “The Possible Human,” she held workshops that drew on mythology, psychology and the experiential ethos of Esalen. But she refused to be called a guru.