All Activity

June 20, 2026 Good morning. New York City’s temporary transformation by the Knicks’ resurgence offers a glimpse of a kinder, more connected world. María Jesús Contreras Game change By Melissa Kirsch Everyone in New York City is talking about the Knicks, but perhaps as notable as the team’s winning the N.B.A. championship after a 53-year drought is the fact that people here are talking to one another at all. The city’s famous indifference, the anonymity-preserving armor that most inhabitants wear every day, has been disintegrating since the N.B.A. finals began, and seemed to disappear entirely after the Knicks won the chip. In this transformed city, previously forbidding strangers are transformed into fellow fans. A blue-and-orange hat is a symbol of fellowship, license to start a conversation in line at the deli. You could stand in silence while waiting for the elevator, or you could ask the person next to you if he saw the game. You could let the old man in the Knicks Forever tee with matching neon sneakers shamble on by, or you could nod and give him a thumbs-up, which, miraculously, is returned. The feeling is one of temporary wonder: Can you believe Brunson and Co. came through? Can you believe you and I are talking to each other right now? New Yorkers mythologize their tendency to mind their own business as a form of self-sufficiency and sophistication. Unflappable, unconcerned with others, a perfect performance of what the sociologist Erving Goffman called “civil inattention,” acknowledging strangers with a respectful glance that never engages. Elsewhere this behavior would be seen as cold, antisocial, but in New York it’s become a modus vivendi. But regardless of where you live, you’ve likely experienced that feeling of separateness from the people around you. People are going about their lives, busy with their families and jobs, often too preoccupied to acknowledge others. It’s only when that invisible armor falls — when someone ventures a “How are you?” at the gym, when the cashier asks if the probiotic soda you’re buying is any good — that you realize you’ve been keeping yourself separate. New York in the thrall of the Knicks presents this shift in the extreme. It’s a crucible, a laboratory of connection made all the more notable for the trademark dispassion it’s replaced. I want to bottle this connection, this communal experience that’s so precious because it is, as my colleague Matt Flegenheimer put it, “good, gleeful, uncomplicated.” Knicks fever has given people an entrée to communicate with people they wouldn’t otherwise, a rare pathway to intimacy. Now that we’ve experienced it, now that we’ve admitted we want to connect with one another — that it feels good to chat and high-five and smile at people we don’t know — how do we perpetuate it? The British anthropologist Victor Turner called it “communitas,” that feeling of ecstatic kinship when our usual scripts are dispensed with, when we replace society’s regular structure with this warm “humankindness.” I’m already grieving the return to normalcy that will follow communitas, the inevitable retreat back into our eyes-down, you-talking-to-me bubbles of self-regard. But Turner cautioned against trying to institutionalize the good feeling. He saw resumption of normal life, with its clear boundaries and customs, as essential for a functioning society. People, he said, “return to structure revitalized by their experience of communitas.” If we can remember what it felt like to be this uninhibited, if we can remember that the guy we’d never in a million years think to talk to was once the guy in the OG Anunoby jersey we spent 10 delightful minutes dissecting plays with at a street-corner watch party, who knows what else is possible? The new season tips off in October. THE LATEST NEWS Iran Peace Deal Aftermath of a blast in Tyre, Lebanon. Hassan Ammar/Associated Press Negotiations between the U.S. and Iran were delayed amid fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. Israel later committed to an immediate cease-fire, an ambassador said. But the U.S. believes Israel is likely to continue military action in Lebanon, according to an intelligence report. The shaky peace deal and tenuous negotiations have added to the chaos and confusion for ships in the Strait of Hormuz. In his first public comments on the deal, Iran’s supreme leader said he disliked signing it “as a matter of principle.” Few nations have more to gain from the preliminary deal than India, which has been running dangerously low on fuel. Politics A National Park Service crew cleaning the Reflecting Pool on Friday. Alex Kent/The New York Times Washington’s Reflecting Pool seems to be rejecting its makeover: The water remains murky, and pieces of its new “American flag blue” coating are peeling off. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has blocked the promotions of around 20 female and minority officers, and possibly more. That isn’t a coincidence, The Times has found. Inside Hegseth’s war on diversity. The Trump administration plans to begin phasing out AIDS funding for South Africa, according to a State Department statement. Other Big Stories The dramatic explosion of a fuel storage facility in Moscow this week, which sent its lid soaring, seemed to symbolize Ukraine’s resilient strength. But the blast may have been caused by an errant Russian defense missile. A Knicks superfan in Los Angeles cheered so loudly that neighbors reported a possible emergency. A responding police officer killed her dog. Tropical Storm Arthur, the first named storm of the season, has drenched a swath of the Southeast from Texas to the Carolinas. At least three people have died. THE WEEK IN CULTURE Film and TV Ariel Fisher for The New York Times Matt Smith, the former “Doctor Who” star, plays a murderous prince in the upcoming season of HBO’s “House of the Dragon.” Blood spatter looks great on him. “Toy Story 5” finally puts Jessie, the cowgirl doll voiced by Joan Cusack, in charge. The character was originally envisioned as a talking succulent called Señorita Cactus. Robin Hood is usually seen as a noble outlaw who confronts tyranny. But what if he was actually a marauding killer? Michael Sarnoski’s “The Death of Robin Hood” takes that idea seriously. James Burrows, a master of the TV sitcom who helped create “Cheers” and directed more than 1,000 episodes of other shows including “Taxi,” “Frasier” and “Friends,” died at 85. Music Popcast’s semiannual mailbag episode is back. Is Geese the Joe Biden of rock? Was Maroon 5 a pop-rap gateway drug? Do people think Adele is lazy? Listen here. Laufey, the Grammy-winning Icelandic vocalist, keeps dissonance at the center of her creative process. Read her essay about it. A judge ordered a man to stay away from the pop star Sabrina Carpenter for five years after he tried to get into her home more than a dozen times. More Culture Mathias Eis The American artist James Turrell invites viewers to gaze up through an opening inside a huge dome in his latest “skyspace” installation. Restorers have fixed a gap on the side of the Parthenon, the grand temple in Athens, that had been empty for more than 220 years. Subscribers always win. Here’s why. You can now save 75% on your first year of a New York Times Games subscription. Discover all of our word and logic games (and play past puzzles), earn badges for your achievements, plus more. Time is running out though, so subscribe today. REAL ESTATE Kare and Scott Beckett Kendrick Brinson for The New York Times The Hunt: With about $600,000 to spend, a couple and their two young kids searched for a three-bedroom home in Atlanta. What did they pick? Play our game. What you get for $1.875 million: a converted firehouse in Milwaukee; a 19th-century house in Salem, Mass.; or a house with water and mountain views on Bainbridge Island, Wash. For sale: One seven-story basket. Used to be a company headquarters. Asking price: $8.5 million. LIVING Karsten Moran for The New York Times Hugo spritz: Has the Aperol spritz met its match? Black market: People are buying what they believe to be a weight-loss drug from WhatsApp groups and Chinese labs. What is it, really? Male mental health: Dads get postpartum depression, too. Researchers say men are at highest risk three to six months after their babies are born. ADVICE FROM WIRECUTTER How to pick the perfect vacuum There are countless vacuums on the market. Selecting the right one comes down to the kind of home you live in and your priorities. If you despise lugging out an unwieldy machine, get a cordless stick vacuum. If you live in a larger home, have wall-to-wall carpeting or deal with shedding pets, a plug-in upright or canister vacuum can give you the deepest clean, removing fur and dust and filtering allergens. Finally, for anyone in a smaller, pet-free apartment with only a couple of rugs, a robot vacuum may just do the trick. — Evan Dent WORLD CUP Alex Freeman of the U.S. scores against Australia. Lindsey Wasson/Associated Press The United States beat Australia, 2-0, in a feisty and physical game before a rowdy Seattle crowd. It’s the first time since 1930 that the U.S. has started a World Cup with two wins, and the Americans are now assured a spot in the knockout rounds. They have looked so good that U.S. fans are starting to wonder: Could this team actually, you know, do it? Other results from yesterday: Morocco all but sealed its place in the knockout rounds with a 1-0 win over Scotland. Brazil earned its first win of the World Cup with a 3-0 trouncing of Haiti. Week 1 breakdown There’s lots of soccer to be played still, but we now have seen every team take the pitch at least once. The Athletic’s soccer experts reflected on the first round of group play. Here are a few of their takes: Most impressive team Simon Hughes: France. They weren’t great against a very powerful opponent in Senegal and still won, 3-1. Most disappointing team Charlie Scott: Ghana. The only way they could score against Panama was from three yards out, in front of an open goal. Best player Carl Anka: It’s still Messi. His remarkable hat trick against Algeria reminded us that he is (probably) the greatest player to ever do it. After one round, who do you think is going to win it? Jack Lang: On the basis that you shouldn’t let one result overturn an opinion you have held for months, I’ll stick with Spain. Matt Slater: Is it really being left to me to say it? Do I have to? Cowards! It’s coming home. (England.) NOW TIME TO PLAY Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangram was immediacy. Take the news quiz to see how well you followed this week’s headlines. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Crossplay, Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your weekend with The Times. — Melissa Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Host: Sam Sifton Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Evan Gorelick, Brent Lewis, Lara McCoy, Karl Russell Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Editorial Director, Newsletters: Jodi Rudoren

THIS DAY IN HISTORY June 20 1975 “Jaws” released in theaters "Jaws," a film directed by Steven Spielberg that made countless viewers afraid to go into the water, opens in theaters. read more Sponsored Content by REVCONTENT 19th Century 1875 Mountain man Joe Meek dies American Revolution 1782 Congress adopts the Great Seal of the United States Arts & Entertainment 1981 Stars on 45 single reaches the top of the pop charts Asian History 1900 Boxer Rebellion reaches Peking’s diplomatic quarter Civil War 1863 West Virginia enters the Union Cold War 1963 United States and Soviet Union agree to establish a nuclear “hot line” Crime 1947 Bugsy Siegel, organized crime leader, is killed European History 1789 Third Estate makes Tennis Court Oath Inventions & Science 1941 Ford signs first contract with autoworkers’ union World War I 1919 German cabinet resigns over Versailles deadlock

Communities across China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan celebrated the Dragon Boat Festival yesterday as competing teams paddled colorful, long dragon-shaped boats through rivers and harbors before crowds of spectators. See photos here. The holiday dates back more than 2,000 years; it's traditionally linked to a poet and government official named Qu Yuan, who, according to legend, drowned himself in China's Miluo River after his kingdom of Chu fell to the rival state of Qin. Villagers raced out in boats to search for him and tossed rice into the river to protect his body from fish, inspiring today's races and the festival food zongzi, a sticky rice dumpling wrapped in leaves. Dragon boats can stretch more than 40 feet long and require crews of up to 20 people paddling in sync to the beat of a drum. The dragon symbolizes power and good fortune in Chinese culture. Watch how the boats are built here.

‘A kind of massive rave’: Paris braces for 2m revellers as Fête de la Musique returns amid heatwave warnings Officials expand safety measures as French capital prepares for huge annual street celebration https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jun/20/paris-braces-tourist-influx-street-festival-fete-de-la-musique?

Cabinet loyalists tell Starmer he has the weekend to set out timetable for exit Ministers say PM faces being forced out by party if he does not act, with one calling his departure inevitable https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/jun/19/keir-starmer-pressure-andy-burnham-wes-streeting-allies-not-fight-leadership-challenge?

‘It’s Russian roulette’: alarm as Europe backs critical minerals mines in water-stressed regions Exclusive: European Commission planning to rewrite key law to allow water-intensive mines in regions suffering from drought https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/jun/20/europe-backs-critical-minerals-mines-water-stressed-regions?

‘It’s a big mistake’: Israelis feel betrayed and angry after Iran peace deal In ‘middle Israel’ there are fears Iran could rebuild stronger – and there is particular ire for Donald Trump https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jun/20/israelis-betrayed-angry-after-iran-peace-deal-donald-trump? ps:And don't forget your own PM he's as much to blame as trump!! Trump hails Iran deal that fixes nothing except a problem his war caused Deal will leave things almost exactly as they were before feckless war of choice started https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jun/15/analysis-us-iran-peace-deal-nuclear-talks-resume? ps:Exactly!!!!!!!!!!

We’ve been here before, and we know what comes next White supremacy has always been used to usher in massive economic inequality https://www.epi.org/blog/weve-been-here-before-and-we-know-what-comes-next-white-supremacy-has-always-been-used-to-usher-in-massive-economic-inequality/? Trump unveils new Air Force One, a converted Qatari 747 New craft, called VC-25B Bridge, had provoked protest since $400m jet wildly exceeds limit on unsolicited gifts https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jun/19/trump-air-force-one-qatar?

Nicodemus and Jesus have the famous John 3:16 conversation in this episode. The writers of The Chosen have both Matthew and Nicodemus struggling to understand what the miracles of Jesus mean. The two characters are coming from opposite ends of the religious spectrum. Nicodemus is a highly respected scholar among the Pharisees. Matthew is a tax collector who has sold his soul to Rome and willingly cooperates with them to oppress Israel. Two distinct reactions take the two characters on two different paths to the light their eyes have been opened to. Matthew immediately accepts the invitation to follow Jesus. He abandons everything. He is drawn to Truth. This is an example of a sudden conversation. The writers of The Chosen have Jesus invite Nicodemus to follow Him and that is not in the Bible. However, it does represent a class of people that hear the gospel and are slow to respond. This type of conversion is what the psychologist, William James, called the educational variety. The person approaches truth as a skeptic but with a willingness to learn and give up previous beliefs they held as true. The complete conversion of Nicodemus does not happen until much later in the ministry of Jesus. However, at this point we see the wheels begin to turn. I identify with the educational variety of conversion because that is how I came to Christ. I was raised in a back-slidden Seventh-day Adventist home. I quit attending church on a regular basis after 8th grade. I had doubts not only about Adventism but about Christianity itself. Statistically it was highly unlikely that I was born in the "true" religion and if I was, it was even more unlikely that I was born into the denomination with the most "light". I started on a spiritual quest in college that eventually brought me to the Adventist church which was not where I expected it to take me. Matthew was the great sinner. His conversion was sudden. Nicodemus was the religious scholar. His conversion took time. God is patient and His love is never ending. Both types of conversions are authentic and probably have a lot to do with the person's cognitive development in childhood and the young adult years. Those that convert suddenly need the support of friendship and to be given responsibilities in the church. They can fall away. Those that experience the educational variety of conversion need church members not to give up on them. Once their conversion happens, they do not fall away often and are very loyal believers.

PALERMO, CA – An officer with the Oroville office of the California Highway Patrol (CHP) has received California’s highest honor for bravery after his rapid response helped save the lives of two kindergarten students wounded during a shooting at Feather River Adventist School, according to a report by Hannah Gutierrez of KRCRTV News. https://atoday.org/chp-officer-receives-californias-highest-valor-award-for-response-at-feather-river-adventist-school/ ps:So after posting this article it seems that there's a problem clicking on the link: "according to a report by Hannah Gutierrez of KRCRTV News. Not sure if they've changed something or the article was deep 6ed??

Statues of Mysterious Classical Figures Found Near Caesarea A spectacular discovery has emerged near the town of Binyamina along the coast of Israel. Archaeologists uncovered two marble statues, known as protomes, depicting the head and upper torso of Greco-Roman figures. The statues date to around 1,700 years ago and were found in an unusual context: buried face down inside the wine pit of a Roman-Byzantine winepress. Oddly, the statues were deliberately placed there, face down, when the winepress went out of use. https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/biblical-artifacts/artifacts-and-the-bible/statues-of-mysterious-classical-figures-found-near-caesarea/? Did Jesus Exist? Searching for Evidence Beyond the Bible After two decades toiling in the quiet groves of academe, I published an article in BAR titled “Archaeology Confirms 50 Real People in the Bible.”a The enormous interest this article generated was a complete surprise to me. Nearly 40 websites in six languages, reflecting a wide spectrum of secular and religious orientations, linked to BAR’s supplementary web page.b Some even posted translations. https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/people-cultures-in-the-bible/jesus-historical-jesus/did-jesus-exist/?

In Trinidad and Tobago Erton Köhler calls Adventists to be available for God to use them. https://adventistreview.org/news/be-part-of-gods-miracle-gc-president-tells-mission-leaders-and-hopefuls/

In general, the SDA Church welcomes all at their worship services who come in peace and do not disrupt the services. Yes, I have attended SDA Churches where such a homosexual couple came in peace and was welcomed to worship, but not to become members. Ther is an exception to the above. People convicted, or perhaps charged, with criminal activity, such as sexual crimes, may be highly restricted from worshiping in a SDA congregation. They may be allowed to attend if certain restrictions are followed. They may be restricted from all contact with children. They may be required to have an adult monitor with them at all times while on church property. They may be required to agree that their past history can be made public to all to are interested it. I agree with the above.

These people are either stupid or diabolical. In Laos, there are posted signs warning of the danger foreigners pose to young children. Years ago, in Malaysia there was a young person who identified as an ESL teacher and a Christian missionary. He thus gained the confidence of people. In turn, he molested children. He was so proud of himself, he prepared a book on child molesting in Asia for publication on the dark web. He returned to his home in Great Britain for some reason. He was promptly arrested, convicted, and sent to prison. He was killed in prison by other inmate/s. There was an SDA prison inmate, convicted of child molesting. His lawyer told him he could beat the case if he just kept his mouth shut. He felt so guilty and ashamed of what he had done, he spoke about it too freely, disclosing information which got him convicted. Very charming and grandfatherly type man. Upon his prison arrival, he was escorted by a couple of inmates to a private place and given the beating of his life. Not killed, he was lucky. Not all pedophiles are ashamed. They have the forehead of a harlot (Jeremiah 3:3). Not all survive the beating.

Correction: Protecting Young people who are not actually same sex attracted but long for companionship can easily be identified by older, more experienced predator types. Pathfinders should be warned of the dangers these individuals pose.

Recently a secular fashion magazine decided to do an article on the health benefits of being a Seventh-day Adventist. They invited me to weigh in as an “expert witness”. I share below the question the reporter asked and my answer. I thought you might find it worth your time to read: (Reporter’s Question)What are ten […] The post Adventist Principles and Health appeared first on Jon Paulien's Blog. View the full article

Very interesting. Mrs white never addressed this. However, she might have been too early for it. I can tell you, in this side of the world it is forbidden. However, it is slowly working its way into social gatherings. I find this funny : https://www.ldsdaily.com/entertainment/church-publishes-updated-guidelines-on-beverage-consumption/

China executes 3 convicted of sex crimes against minors China executes 3 convicted of sex crimes against minors - People's Daily Online Although most were young girls, one boy was a victim. Likely in the future, more homosexual pedophiles will have the opportunity to experience a bullet to the back of the head. There won't be any "pride" protests over this, either. Some years ago a gay man murdered his mother because she would not give him money. She disapproved of his homosexual lover. He was arrested. Prior to his execution, he was interviewed for a television program. As he was being led to the place of execution, his last words to the interviewer were ~ 我会去天堂吗 [Will I go to heaven?].

For an interesting history of Mormon views on caffeinated drinks, including coffee, see this: Dialogue_V14N03_80.pdf Search "coffee" in the document.

🇮🇹 Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Italy's conservative leader, sharply rejected President Trump's reported claim to Italian broadcaster La7 that she "begged" for a photo with him at the G7 summit. "Neither I nor Italy ever beg," she said, per a translation of her video statement. Go deeper.

Israel and Hezbollah agree to halt fighting, officials say, as US-Iran talks hang in the balance JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group agreed Friday to halt the heavy fighting in southern Lebanon that had threatened to unravel an interim agreement between the United States and Iran to end their war, officials said. Neither Israel nor Hezbollah immediately confirmed the truce. https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-israel-lebanon-oil-june-19-2026-635ad6f41610df8355d24cc301a75fc4?