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Updated 12:55 PM GMT+8, June 12, 2026 10 BANGKOK (AP) — Thailand’s Princess Bajrakitiyabha Mahidol, a lawyer and the eldest of King Maha Vajiralongkorn’s children, has died at 47, the Bureau of the Royal Household said. She died Thursday evening at a Bangkok hospital where she had been cared for since falling unconscious due to illness three years ago, according to the statement issued Friday. “This loss is not merely bad news announced to the people, but an immeasurable grief in the hearts of the entire nation,” Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said in a televised speech. He said the princess was “a pride of Thailand,” and that “her commitment to building a society of kindness, justice, and equality, will forever remain as a moral legacy for the nation, a guiding light for generations of Thais.” A small group of mourners gathered in an atrium at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, where the princess had been treated. Most held framed or laminated photos of her throughout the years. Pattamaporn Kaewkityakorn said she had arrived Thursday and spent the night there to show her support for the princess, unaware that the announcement of her passing would come the following morning. “I know she was sick, but I wished there were a miracle,” she said, her voice trembling. “I was saddened and shocked.” Bajrakitiyabha was active in justice reform efforts and best known for her Kamlangjai, or “Inspire,” project to help rehabilitate incarcerated Thai women ahead of their release. Bajrakitiyabha was hospitalized in December 2022 after falling unconscious while training dogs for an army exhibition. The palace said she had a mycoplasma infection, a bacterial infection usually associated with pneumonia. Her father’s New Year’s greeting card for 2023 showed King Maha Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida garbed in somber black, which many Thais saw as confirmation of the gravity of her condition. The princess was born on Dec. 7, 1978, to Vajiralongkorn, who was the crown prince at the time, and his then-wife, Princess Soamsawali. Vajiralongkorn has seven children by three of his four successive wives. Bajrakitiyabha was also known by the royal name Bajrakitiyabha Narendira Debyavati, used in formal state settings. Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti, the youngest of the king’s children, is the presumptive heir because sons take precedence in Thailand’s line of succession. But Bajrakitiyabha’s experience in public service raised speculation she was set to hold an important role in any future succession, perhaps as regent to a youthful monarch. Bajrakitiyabha studied law at Thammasat University then went to Cornell University in New York state, where she earned a master’s degree in law in 2002. She earned a doctorate at Cornell in 2005 with a dissertation concerning the protection of the rights of the accused. Scholarships to Cornell Law School and a program for the exchange of legal scholars between Thailand and Cornell were later established in her name. After working briefly at the Thai Mission to the U.N. in New York City, she returned home and worked as a public prosecutor. She renewed her diplomatic career with an appointment as Thailand’s ambassador to Austria from 2012 to 2014 before returning to her homeland to concentrate on criminal justice issues. In 2017 she was appointed a goodwill ambassador for the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime. In addition to working for the rehabilitation of female convicts, she was involved in other projects including a campaign to enhance the living conditions of women prisoners and promoting efforts to stem violence against women as an honorary U.N. goodwill ambassador for women. Her efforts led to the U.N. General Assembly adopting the “Bangkok Rules” on care and conditions for female prisoners. “Society cannot grow if there is instability and injustice,” Bajrakitiyabha said in a 2013 interview with The Associated Press. “Without the rule of law, without a good justice system, it’s always chaos,” she said. “I think the rule of law is a very important pillar to development, to economic growth, and of course to human rights.” Bajrakitiyabha is survived by her parents and siblings. ---------------------------------------------------- It is has been reported on the Internet, that she became sick after a Covid injection. The Thailand Government denies this.

There has been a leadership problem in Ohio for a while. Thank you for shedding light on this. Yes, I agree. A storm is coming. The GC wants to ignore this. Let NAD handle it. NAD wants to let the Union handle it. The result, no one is doing anything. And people are becoming angry and frustrated.

Adventist World, a magazine of the Seventh-day Adventist Church with a circulation of around 1.5 million, has ceased publication, with its final edition released in June. Merle Poirier, a former Adventist World staff member and current operations manager for Adventist Review, announced the closing of the 20-year-old publication in last month’s edition. “You hold in your hand the last issue of Adventist World,” she wrote. “Just let that sink in a bit. Even though I’ve known this day was coming, it’s still difficult for me to write, let alone read.” The Adventist Review, an old denominational publication that was restricted to North America, will take on the role that Adventist World had in distributing stories to the denomination worldwide. “[W]hen one is a person of faith and a follower of God, while times might be disheartening, we can never remain there long, because we know who is in charge,” wrote Poirier. “Adventist World’s race may be run, but it has done something that no other publication in our history has accomplished — established a worldwide path.” In comments emailed to The Christian Post, Poirier said the decision to merge Adventist World and Adventist Review came last year, with the same staff being in place. Piorier added that the merger is “really the best of both” publications, combining “the breadth of’ Adventist World and “the depth of” the Adventist Review regarding “its content.” “[Adventist World was] a bit more didactic, concentrating on fundamental beliefs, spiritual encouragement, Bible study, upbuilding faith, and more,” she said. “That does not mean that [Adventist Review] doesn’t have that type of content, but it is written from sometimes a different perspective.” Gerald A. Klingbeil, who served on the editorial team for the publication from 2009 to 2023, wrote in a piece that the publication had periodic “financial strains” and “very complex logistical challenges" when "producing a magazine in different regions and in distinct languages.” “I enjoyed working with a dynamic team, and as the first senior editor whose native language wasn’t English, I began to recruit new, younger, and more international authors whose insights, dreams, concerns, and ideas would be a blessing to a magazine printed in nearly two dozen languages reaching all continents,” he wrote. “Adventist World was a conscious move by the global Adventist Church to go beyond its U.S. roots and embrace the church in Africa, Central and South America, Asia, Europe, and the Pacific region.” Klingbeil went on to note that he believed the magazine was “a child of its age, during which connections and links became part of larger networks that brought the world closer together.” “The story of Adventist World is a timely reminder that Jesus’ body is global, connected, caring in solidarity, and embracing all age groups,” he added. Adventist World was officially launched in September 2005, having been championed by Jan Paulsen, president of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists from 1999 to 2010. “We think it is critical to the church, to the church’s witness, to the unity of the church that we have a voice that can speak to the whole world church, with the same message to all,” stated Paulsen before the inaugural edition was released. The initial rollout of the magazine included 1 million copies at an estimated cost of $2.5 million a year. The circulation eventually grew to around 1.5 million copies annually. Initially available in English, French and Spanish, it expanded to include over 20 different languages. --------------------------------------------------------------- This is very sad. It was a great publication. World-class articles and very relevant to our mission in Asia. We would get 1 copy for the church and member would take turns making presentations to the church, one article at a time. Sometimes in the 8:30 to 9:30 slot, sometimes in AY. Nothing was waisted. I believe our new president may have made a mistake in canceling this publication. It was vital to our world mission. The members felt connected to the world church through that magazine.

The first time the Hebrew word usually translated as "atonement" appears in the Bible is Genesis 6:14: "Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch." The word "pitch" is the same word often translated as "atonement." This word, in the LXX, is translated from the Greek ασφαλτω. This is the word from which the English "asphalt" is derived. This material was also used to build the tower of Babel and the craft which preserved the life of baby Moses in the river Nile. Its very basic meaning is to preserve, protect, seal, cover, hold things together. Atonement, in the Old Testament, was usually about cleansing from sin. Leviticus 16:30, for example, reads Le 16:30 For on that day shall [the priest] make an atonement <03722> for you, to cleanse <02891> you, [that] ye may be clean <02891> from all your sins before the LORD. The Hebrew word translated as atonement is כפר [kaphar]. Same word which describes the material which covered/ sealed/protected the ark of Noah and little Moses. The sanctuary altar was cleansed every day by an atoning sacrifice: Ex 29:36 (AV) And thou shalt offer every day a bullock [for] a sin offering for atonement: and thou shalt cleanse the altar, when thou hast made an atonement for it, and thou shalt anoint it, to sanctify it. The Hebrew word for atonement [כפר] is used in Psalm 65:3. The ESV translates the verse "When iniquities prevail against me, you atone for our transgressions." Other versions [NASB, NRSV] say God forgives our transgressions. Young's Literal Translation says God covers our sin. Isaiah 54:9 likens the flood to the wrath of God. The ark which preserved Noah had "atonement" all over and inside of it.

I first posted this three years ago. Last year I began studying for a second doctorate which will be in Community Care and Counseling: Traumatology. Something I see so often is how our biases lock us into a way for thinking and many people don't want to break free from them. The older I grow, and the more I work with people and their problems, the more I realize how harmful pride is and how common it is. The reason so many people get locked into a biased view of something is because of pride. This is even true for many brave souls that seek counseling. The unwillingness of many people to consider, accept and admit they were wrong about something is amazing.

Did Nicodemus make the case for Christians today to consider the teachings of Ellen G. White? Starting at minute marker 1:27 in the video clip below Nicodemus asks Schmuel, "So you would place limits on the Almighty?" In the episode, Nicodemus is making the case for the possibility that God could incarnate Himself as a Man. Nicodemus continues, "And if God did something that you felt contradicted the Torah, would you tell Him to get back in that box that you have carved for Him? Or would you question your interpretation of the Torah?" A bit later he says, "fear alone ensures we remain ignorant, asleep in the safety of rigid tradition." Then, "I don't want to live in some bleak past where God cannot do anything new, do you?" Finally, "Let's look to the ancient roads where the good way is and walk in it, as Jeremiah says. And still keep our eyes open to the startling and unexpected." This same argument being used in this episode to consider the incarnation of God can be used to consider an end-time prophet. Many Christians claim the gift of prophecy died with the disciples and cling to church tradition instead of applying Biblical tests to the claims of modern-day prophets. Click link to view the -> Scene from The Chosen

The compassion of Jesus is noted several times in the New Testament. I am currently reading the gospel of Mark during my daily devotions and read Mark 6:34. "When He went ashore, He saw a great crowd, and He had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd." The context of the verse is that Jesus was trying to get away from the crowds with His disciples to find a desolate place. Yet, when saw the crowd waiting for Him, He had compassion. A childhood friend of mine, Pastor Nate Furness, is now the pastor at Pacific Union College. He tells me that grace comes first. I see that in this episode. He shows compassion for the leper. He shows compassion for Simon's family situation. He shows compassion for the paralytic. As He was leaving, He stopped to look at Matthew, a look of compassion. Last week I made a post about Season 1 Episode 7 but I got the episodes confused and labeled that post "Episode 6 Responding to Light" . In 2023, I posted on Episode 6 and focused on a different theme. I will post that again in the comments below. Now, getting back to the theme of compassion, have you heard the ice cream song? We used to sing it with our children when they were young. There were times it would bring tears to my eyes because it is about me. When that song becomes about you, it may bring tears to your eyes too. I love Jesus better than ice cream, and ice cream is really good. I love Jesus better than ice cream, just like I know I should. Even when I disobey and don’t do the things I should, Jesus loves me better than ice cream, and ice cream is really good!

June 26, 2026 Good morning. Sam’s traveling and will be back on Monday. Iran struck a container ship in the Strait of Hormuz, undermining efforts to restore shipping there. And we have a report below from journalists on the ground in Venezuela. But we will start in Washington. Kenny Holston/The New York Times Protected no more By Tom Wright-Piersanti I’m the news editor of The Morning. The Supreme Court sided with President Trump in two big tests of his immigration crackdown, granting his administration the power to expel hundreds of thousands of migrants and to turn away others at the southern border. The justices allowed the Trump administration to end humanitarian protections that permit people from Haiti and Syria to live and work legally in the United States. The migrants had been shielded by a program, known as Temporary Protected Status, that Congress had created in 1990 to provide temporary legal status to people fleeing war, natural disasters or other crises. The ruling clears a path for the potential deportation of 350,000 Haitians and 6,100 Syrians. And it’s likely to have implications for T.P.S. holders from about a dozen other countries. In the other case, the justices said the Trump administration could turn away migrants seeking asylum along the U.S.-Mexico border by physically preventing them from crossing into the United States, where federal law would have entitled them to try to claim asylum. Both rulings were split along ideological lines, 6 to 3. Our Supreme Court reporter Ann Marimow explains their significance: Taken together, the opinions from the court’s conservative majority signaled deference to the president’s ability to set the nation’s immigration policy, as the justices prepare in the coming days to issue more rulings that will decide how much power to give Mr. Trump across his boundary-pushing agenda. The race factor The matter of race was central to the T.P.S. case, Adam Liptak writes. Trump has a history of derogatory statements against Haitians: He has accused them of “poisoning the blood” of the nation, accused them of “eating the pets” of their neighbors, and described their home country as a “shithole” that is “filthy, dirty, disgusting.” If discrimination was “a motivating factor” in Trump’s determination, the leading precedent said, it would violate the Constitution’s equal protection clause. But Justice Samuel Alito, writing for the majority, concluded that Trump’s comments had not cleared that bar. The president’s statements, he wrote, were not “overtly racial.” Justice Elena Kagan, in her dissent, was incredulous. “The references — of filth, disease and primitiveness — are shot through with racial stereotypes and tropes,” she wrote. For more The justices also struck down a Hawaii law that required permission to carry guns onto private property. In another case, the justices overturned a jury award for a man who had claimed that the weedkiller Roundup caused him to develop cancer. The court will return next week to weigh in on other major tests of presidential power. See the cases that remain. (We have made this article free for Morning readers. You’ll find more free articles below.) SEARCHING THE RUBBLE Adriana Loureiro Fernandez for The New York Times; Federico Parra/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images; Maxwell Briceno/Reuters Isayen Herrera, a freelance reporter for The Times, reported yesterday from La Guaira, a port city near Caracas, Venezuela, that is one of the areas hit hardest by a pair of devastating earthquakes. At one collapsed building, she reported, no emergency crews came. No firefighters. No medical workers. So the residents, in flimsy helmets, were attempting rescues themselves. They could hear their loved ones trapped inside the rubble: Tap. Tap. Tap. “They’ve pulled out a lot of dead people,” said Yorliana Colmenares, who believed her boyfriend was among those under the crushed walls and knotted wire. “Injured people, children, animals.” The Venezuelan government put the official death toll at 235 with more than 4,300 injured, but those numbers were expected to rise significantly. Hundreds of people are trapped in the rubble or missing. There is growing fear about the toll in shantytowns, where many people live in precarious hillside homes. International rescue teams were arriving early this morning to help with the desperate search for survivors. The quakes slammed a country struggling to emerge from a decade-long depression that prompted millions to emigrate and wiped out infrastructure, including for health care. The disaster is an unexpected test for the new, forced alliance with the United States months after the Trump administration arrested and removed Venezuela’s longtime president, Nicolás Maduro. Among the missing is a 35-year-old man who was deported this year from Florida, where he worked remodeling homes, under the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration. In videos posted on social media, one woman likened the experience of living through the quakes to being inside a horror movie. A man who was in a Caracas shopping mall told The Times, “Everyone was just kind of waiting for the building to fall on top of them.” Adriana Loureiro Fernandez, a photographer who lives in Venezuela, witnessed horrific scenes of collapsed buildings and spoke to survivors trying to cope with the aftermath. She describes the experience in the video below. Click to watch. The New York Times WORLD CUP FEVER And now back to Tom, our resident sports fanatic, for an update about the action on the field. Every four years, I and millions of my fellow Americans cosplay as hard-core soccer fans. We relearn the offside rule and Google what “V.A.R.” stands for. We set aside our aversion to ties. We’re all in — until the U.S. team inevitably flames out and we lose interest. This time, though, the U.S. is not flaming out, and we’re not losing interest. It helps that we’re hosting most of the matches. How can you not love seeing Scottish fans depleting Boston’s beer supply? Or Brazilians dancing in the sands of Miami Beach? Or thousands of the real hard-core American soccer lovers disrupting traffic in Seattle with a raucous march to the stadium? Team U.S.A. last night. Patrick T. Fallon/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images And yes, it helps that the U.S. is outperforming expectations. Our guys won their first two matches — a feat not achieved since the inaugural 1930 World Cup — before dropping their final match of the group stage last night, 3-2, against Turkey (or was it Türkiye?) after having already clinched the top spot. Next up is the round of 32, otherwise known as the knockout round, in which the U.S. will face Bosnia and Herzegovina on July 1 in Santa Clara, Calif. If we win there, there’s a good chance it’ll be Egypt or South Korea a few days later. A deep run in the World Cup. What better way to celebrate our 250th birthday? More from yesterday’s matches: Ecuador defeated Germany 2-1, earning a spot in the knockout stage. Ivory Coast reached the knockout stage for the first time, with a 2-0 win over Curaçao. Japan and Sweden played to a 1-1 draw, propelling Japan to a round-of-32 game against Brazil on Monday and sending Sweden to the knockout stage as a third-place team. The knockout rounds are starting to take shape. But the rules deciding who plays whom are, frankly, too confusing to figure out on your own. This handy page from The Athletic does the math for you. THE LATEST NEWS Politics Trump’s abrupt decision not to sign a bipartisan housing bill left some Republicans wondering if he was trying to sabotage his own party’s chances in November. The housing bill may still become law — even without Trump’s signature. Here’s how that would work. A one-time tax on billionaires, intended to fund health care programs, will be on the ballot in California in November. Around the World In South Sudan. Ed Ram for The New York Times Many teachers in South Sudan haven’t been paid in a year. They keep coming to work anyway. Z.ai, a tech start-up from China, released an A.I. model that is nearly as powerful as those of Anthropic and costs much less to use. King Charles III released details of his personal income taxes, the first monarch in Britain to do so. The heat wave roasting Europe would not have happened without global warming, researchers say. Other Big Stories Apple raised the prices of its Macs and iPads, citing the rising cost of computer memory and chips driven by the A.I. boom. The Pentagon is again requiring flu vaccinations for all recruits in basic training, reversing an order from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, after an outbreak at a base in Texas. John Bolton, a former top adviser to Trump who became one of his most outspoken critics, is expected to plead guilty today to mishandling classified information. He could go to prison. OPINIONS The New York Times Louise Perry thinks the sexual revolution helped men more than it helped women. She chatted with Ross Douthat about how to fix that. Play the video above to watch their conversation. Trump’s reflecting pool fiasco is the perfect symbol for his clownish presidency, Michelle Cottle writes. (This link is free.) 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. MORNING READS Ready for liftoff? The Artemis missions and the SpaceX I.P.O. have more people dreaming of a visit to the stars. Can space tourism get them there? (This link is free.) Chimp chuckles: Humans aren’t the only species that laughs. Scientists tickled apes and got a familiar reaction. Brown or blue? A French ophthalmologist invented a controversial procedure that can change eye color. (This link is free.) Late night hosts graded the attractions at the Great American State Fair. Your pick: The most clicked link in The Morning yesterday was about Dianna Russini, a former N.F.L. reporter for The Athletic. TODAY’S NUMBER 11,000 — That’s how many gallons of whiskey were produced at George Washington’s Mount Vernon estate before his death, a historian said, making it the largest whiskey distiller in the United States at the time. The distillery burned down after Washington died, but it was revived in 2001 and is now celebrating its 25th anniversary. (This link is free.) RECIPE OF THE DAY David Malosh for The New York Times Vaughn Vreeland’s recipe for Italian heroes solves a perennial problem of packing sandwiches for a picnic or beach day: the wilted lettuce. Instead, his heroes use a slaw made with cabbage and red onions, which offers the same crunch and freshness as shredded romaine with even more sturdiness. STAGE FRIGHT Tim Lahan What’s happening with the Broadway musical? Just two seasons ago, 14 new musicals opened on Broadway. Last season, though, it was down to six. And only two have been announced to open this year. The industry is optimistic that the form is just in a weird moment, and not vanishing for good, Michael Paulson reports. But there are some systemic challenges: For one, he writes, the theater industry’s focus has shifted toward plays starring well-known actors, which are generally cheaper to produce than musicals and more likely to make money. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS Marki Williams/The New York Times Wirecutter Wear sneakers that look good in the office and at the park. Wirecutter has some stylish options. (Check out their favorite Prime Day deals, too, before the sales end.) Keep the dentist at bay with a simple, free habit: rinsing with water after meals. Read a swoony Sapphic novel. Ashley Herring Blake, a romance author, recommends some of her favorites. Take our news quiz. GAMES Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangram was fixated. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections, Crossplay and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. 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

🇺🇸 Pics for the road! Photo: Jen Golbeck/AP This was the view from the top of the 110-foot Ferris wheel at Freedom 250's Great American State Fair on the National Mall yesterday. Photo: Tom Brenner/Reuters Visitors rode the Ferris wheel yesterday at the fair, which'll run through July 10. If you're going.

🌋 Cluster of quakes Data: USGS. Map: Danielle Alberti/Axios Several strong earthquakes have recently rocked areas in or near the "Ring of Fire," the world's most seismically and volcanically active area, Axios' Alex Fitzpatrick writes: Devastating magnitude 7.5 and 7.2 earthquakes in Venezuela left at least 188 people dead, with many more injured or missing. Magnitude 5 or higher quakes have struck since Wednesday in California, Japan, the Philippines and Papua New Guinea. 🔎 Zoom in: Clusters of strong earthquakes are rare but not unprecedented. Scientists have been researching whether large quakes in one area can trigger more elsewhere. The Venezuela earthquakes — too strong for either to be a foreshock or aftershock — are connected because they likely occurred on the same fault. There's no evidence that the rest of the quakes are directly related. Get the latest.

💻 AI price shock Data: Apple. Table: Courtenay Brown/Axios The enormous sums of money going into the AI race are driving up costs throughout the economy. That's now becoming increasingly apparent to ordinary Americans who might have thought that AI's impact would be primarily on their jobs, Axios' Courtenay Brown and Nathan Bomey report. 📈 Apple provided the clearest evidence yet yesterday, raising prices by as much as 25% on MacBook and iPad models — and blaming soaring memory chip costs due to AI demand. The same memory squeeze is now hitting gaming consoles. Also yesterday, Microsoft announced price increases of as much as $150 on Xbox consoles — which comes after Sony and Nintendo recently made similar moves. The bottom line: For the past few decades, consumer gadgets were one of the few areas where prices reliably fell. The AI infrastructure boom is reversing that.

👀 Administration slows OpenAI release Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios. Stock: Getty Images OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is getting the Mythos treatment: He learned during a conversation Wednesday with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick that OpenAI will have to initially limit release of its next model, GPT-5.6, to only a small set of government-approved partners. I'm told the administration made the move because of the model's "Mythos-like" capability — a reference to the Anthropic model that has formidable power for both cyber defense and cyberattacks. Why it matters: This marks the first time the U.S. government has preemptively asked an American AI company to restrict the launch of a model before release, Axios' Ashley Gold and Sam Sabin point out. Between the lines: A source tells Axios that OpenAI has been proactively working with the administration on the GPT-5.6 model release since before Anthropic revoked access to its frontier models, Fable 5 and Mythos 5, over a rare Commerce Department directive. The White House has been looped in on the capabilities of OpenAI's new model and has been able to preview its abilities. OpenAI hopes to get the model to a larger group next week. Behind the scenes: Lutnick wanted to be sure all relevant parts of the government test and approve the model, a second source told us. This source said the government intervened because GPT-5.6 has Mythos-class power, not because the administration is suddenly taking a heavier hand. "This is what's happening with models of that caliber," the source said. The models are so powerful that the administration wants to be sure the companies have adequate safeguards in place, the source added. Go deeper.

The cost of blind loyalty Photo illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios. Photo: Cheriss May/NurPhoto via Getty Images President Trump trained elected Republicans to obey him, even when they disagreed. Elected Republicans trained Trump to expect obedience, even as his demands grew impossible to satisfy. Why it matters: Years of Republicans submitting to Trump, often against their own judgment, have curdled into a rolling crisis as Washington nears the likely end of the GOP's two-year monopoly, Jim VandeHei and Mike Allen write in a "Behind the Curtain" column. 🥊 The big picture: Trump has spent his second term steamrolling his own party, confident the lawmakers he humiliates will keep voting his way. You see it everywhere: He canceled the signing of a landmark bipartisan housing bill just hours before the ceremony — trying to strong-arm the Senate into passing the SAVE America Act, a sweeping voter ID bill with no realistic path to 60 (or even 50) votes. He dismissed the housing bill — which his own White House had called "one of the most significant pieces of housing affordability legislation in American history" — as "of minor importance." He berated the "Four Republican Losers" in the Senate who voted this week to rein in his Iran war powers, calling the rebuke "poorly timed and meaningless." (Hours after his barrage, Republicans passed a symbolic reversal.) He blew up a bipartisan scramble aimed at renewing the government's FISA surveillance powers, demanding the SAVE Act on voting rules be bolted on. He let the authority lapse rather than back down. He yanked his own intelligence nominee, Jay Clayton, from a confirmation hearing hours before it began, leaving the nation's spy agencies under an acting director both parties distrust. He refused to brief Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) and other senators on his Iran deal until after the text was finally released, leaving them to defend terms they hadn't seen. He blindsided senators by proposing a $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization" fund just as they moved a $70 billion immigration package, defending Jan. 6 rioters who attacked the building where the senators work. 👀 Between the lines: Trump is governing like a term-limited president with little patience for Congress, few concerns about the midterms and an insatiable appetite for executive power. Republican lawmakers are still stuck with Senate rules, swing-state politics and the long-term consequences of his maximalist demands — like blowing up the filibuster to pass the SAVE Act. "I don't think about Americans' financial situation," Trump told reporters in May when asked whether domestic economic pressure was shaping his Iran negotiations. "I don't care about the midterms," he said to his Cabinet two weeks later, dismissing the idea that Iran could wait him out on peace talks. 🏛️ What we're hearing: The first sustained check on Trump's second-term power is coming from rebellious GOP senators, especially those whose careers he cut short for insufficient loyalty. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), beaten in a Trump-backed primary, was initially among those voting to curb the president's Iran war powers. Trump and Cassidy got in a shouting match during a closed-door Senate lunch. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), who chose retirement over a humiliating primary, has become the face of GOP resistance in the Senate — publicly savaging Trump nominees, opposing any move to weaken the filibuster and vowing to "do everything I can" to block the SAVE Act. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), who voted with Trump 99% of the time before Trump backed a primary challenger anyway, joined Tillis and Cassidy in refusing to advance attorney general nominee Todd Blanche over concerns about the "anti-weaponization" fund. Top Republicans tell us Trump's response — lashing out ineffectively — could be a preview of how he'll play his cards over the next 2½ years as his power wanes. He'll technically be a lame duck after November's midterms. A favorable midterm environment could hand Democrats the House, even with Republicans' redistricting edge. The Senate is in play, too. "The Senate is now behaving like the Senate," said a longtime Trump ally who knows Congress well. "More to come. If he loses the Senate, his presidency will be effectively over. Yet he's acting like it doesn't matter."

THIS DAY IN HISTORY June 26 1948 U.S. begins Berlin Airlift The Berlin Airlift begins. U.S. and British pilots begin delivering food and supplies by airplane to Berlin after the city is isolated by a Soviet Union blockade. read more Sponsored Content by REVCONTENT 1990s 1993 President Clinton punishes Iraq for plot to kill George H.W. Bush 21st Century 2003 Former U.S. Senator Strom Thurmond dies Ancient Americas 1541 Francisco Pizarro, conqueror of the Incas, assassinated Arts & Entertainment 1975 Sonny and Cher’s divorce becomes final Civil War 1862 Rebels strike Union at the Battle of Mechanicsville Inventions & Science 1974 Pack of chewing gum becomes first-ever item scanned with a UPC barcode 1956 Congress approves Federal-Aid Highway Act 1959 St. Lawrence Seaway officially opened LGBTQ+ History 2015 Same-sex marriage is made legal nationwide with Obergefell v. Hodges decision 2003 Lawrence v. Texas is decided U.S. Presidents 1844 President John Tyler weds his second wife 1963 John F. Kennedy claims solidarity with the people of Berlin World War I 1917 First U.S. troops arrive in France World War II 1945 United Nations Charter signed

> US stock markets close mixed (S&P 500 -0.0%, Dow +0.1%, Nasdaq -0.5%) | US Personal Consumption Expenditures Price Index—key inflation metric monitored by the Fed—rose 4.1% year over year in May, highest level in three years (More) > Apple shares drop 6% after it raises prices for MacBooks and iPads due to higher memory chip and storage costs (More, w/price hikes) | Microsoft raises Xbox console prices for third time in 13 months due to higher component costs (More) > Dating app Bumble reportedly exploring sale amid slow growth | Inside the dramatic story behind Bumble's founding—including a Russian billionaire and a Tinder cofounder (More)

The Lithium Boom Is Heating Up Lithium stock prices have more than doubled in the past year in response to ballooning costs and shortages. $ALB climbed 165%. $SQM, 136%. But the real winner may be a $1B private stock, EnergyX. This unicorn’s tech can recover up to 3X more lithium than traditional methods at speeds 500X faster. Now, after opening America’s largest lithium facility of its kind and announcing a new potential $600M/year project in Utah, they’re preparing to unlock up to 13M tons of lithium. Industry leaders like General Motors and POSCO have already invested. Join them as an EnergyX investor before the 7/16 deadline.*

> IBM unveils world's first sub-1-nanometer chip technology, expected to enable significantly more powerful computers without a corresponding energy increase (More) | How small is a nanometer? (More) > Gene editing enables scientists to see an early human embryo in detail, revealing a master gene crucial to development; finding may improve IVF outcomes and reduce pregnancy loss (More) | Understand the gene-editing technique (More, w/video) > Astronomers discover two planets the size of Jupiter but lighter than cotton candy; they are likely composed primarily of helium and hydrogen (More)

David Clayton-Thomas, lead singer of the Grammy-winning band Blood, Sweat & Tears, dies at age 84 (More) | Listen to "Spinning Wheel," one of the band's hits written by Clayton-Thomas (More)

'Peppa Pig' Contract Doesn't Fly Nearly 1,000 people have signed an open letter condemning contracts requiring child actors to sign over their voices to AI. The letter comes after Hasbro, which owns the “Peppa Pig” brand, reportedly updated its contracts to include the clause. The new contracts come after Hasbro presented an AI version of Peppa Pig this year, in partnership with ElevenLabs. It’s not clear if six-year-old Harriette Cox, who began voicing the character last year, licensed her voice for the project. (See part of the demo via LinkedIn.) Child advocates say kids are too young to sign over rights to their voices or images indefinitely. If they refuse, however, they risk losing out on business opportunities. “Peppa Pig” is a Nick Jr. show with tens of millions of YouTube subscribers. The animated series is one of dozens of entertainment projects owned by Hasbro; adaptations of Monopoly, My Little Pony, Magic: The Gathering, and Furby are currently in development.

Trumpy USPS Boss Admits He Plans to Cause Election Chaos President Trump’s postmaster general gave a worrying answer about delivering mail-in ballots. President Donald Trump’s postmaster general told senators that under a newly proposed rule, the U.S. Postal Service would refuse to deliver mail-in ballots in states that withhold their voter rolls from the Trump administration. The USPS is considering a new rule that would require states to provide the names, addresses, and ballot barcode numbers for anyone who requests a mail-in ballot, effectively providing the Trump administration with a federal absentee voter database. Asked during a Homeland Security Committee hearing Wednesday whether USPS would deliver election mail if states refuse to hand over their voter lists, Postmaster General David Steiner responded unequivocally. “Under our proposed regulation, no,” he replied. “We would tell the state that we need the manifest.” The move comes as White House insiders have expressed alarm about Republicans’ chances in the November midterm elections in the face of Trump’s record-low approval ratings and widespread voter dissatisfaction with the war in Iran and the cost-of-living crisis. The proposed rule would require state election officials to hand over the list at least 30 days before ballots are sent out under state law, and voters who aren’t on the list wouldn’t receive a ballot. It cites Trump’s March executive order seeking to create lists of eligible voters and restrict mail-in voting, which Trump has repeatedly described as “cheating” despite mailing in his own ballots. At least five lawsuits have challenged the executive order, which was in jeopardy Thursday after a federal judge ruled the Trump administration was trying to unlawfully interfere with states’ administration of federal elections. The Constitution explicitly grants states the authority to run elections while giving Congress a limited oversight role. During the Homeland Security Committee hearing, ranking Democrat Sen. Gary Peters of Michigan said the proposed rule was illegal and would “coerce” states into providing the Trump administration with sensitive voter data. The Justice Department last summer asked nearly every state for copies of their statewide voter registration lists. When officials from 30 states and the District of Columbia refused, the administration sued to try to obtain the information. So far, nine federal district courts and the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals have ruled in favor of the states, CBS News reported Wednesday. “This is basically a back-door way for the federal government to get voting information that states control under the U.S. Constitution,” Peters told Steiner. “You are going to make a decision that people cannot vote by mail… That’s unacceptable.” Steiner responded to the criticism by saying the rule was not an attempt to federalize elections, but rather sought to ensure “the right ballots are going to the right people.” The American Postal Workers Union, however, issued a statement this month saying it was “deeply alarmed” by the proposed change, which it called an “unconstitutional attack on the millions of Americans who vote by mail.” “The union rejects the premise that the USPS has to comply with the Executive Order” underpinning the new rule, the statement said.Public comments on the proposed change can be submitted until July 2, while the executive order instructs the postal service to issue its final rule by the end of the month. https://www.thedailybeast.com/trumps-postmaster-general-david-steiner-admits-usps-wouldnt-mail-absentee-ballots-in-under-new-rule/? ps:How much more pathetic can this administration get??

📺 1 for the road: Hot new TV tech A new Samsung RGB TV on display at CES in Las Vegas in January. Photo: Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images Best Buy will be the exclusive national retailer for new RGB LED TVs — a rollout it calls the biggest change in TV tech in over a decade, Axios' Kelly Tyko reports. RGB LEDs use thousands of red, green and blue backlights for better colors and contrast, Wired explains. 🤩 Incoming Best Buy CEO Jason Bonfig said: "It's not just a spec change — the colors are physically produced differently, and it's something you'll notice immediately." Models will start at $999, in sizes from 50 to 116 inches. Go deeper.

🍎 Apple is hiking MacBook and iPad prices, blaming the "rapid expansion of AI data centers" for causing an "extraordinary surge in demand for memory and storage." The company said: "We know this is not welcome news, and we are working tirelessly to find solutions." Go deeper.

A new paper published in Frontiers in Nutrition argues that current public health recommendations for exercise and protein intake are largely aimed at preventing deficiency, not helping people achieve the best possible long-term health, independence, and quality of life. The paper tackles several fundamental questions: How much protein do people really need? What types of exercise offer the greatest benefits? And what does the latest research show? According to author Dr. Chris Macdonald (Fellow of Lucy Cavendish College, University of Cambridge, and Director of the Better Protein Institute), a growing body of evidence suggests that people may benefit from higher levels of physical activity and protein consumption than current guidelines typically recommend. "Public health advice often focuses on the minimum people need to avoid problems," said Dr. Macdonald. "But many people want to know what they should do to remain strong, independent, and mentally sharp throughout life." Exercise and Healthy Aging The paper reviews research linking regular exercise to a wide range of health benefits, including a lower risk of death, better mental health, stronger cognitive function, and greater resistance to age-related decline. The evidence also suggests that combining aerobic activities such as walking, running, or cycling with resistance training may provide especially powerful benefits. Dr. Macdonald argues that physical activity should be viewed not only as a way to avoid disease, but also as a tool for maintaining strength, mobility, and independence throughout life. Protein Intake Beyond Minimum Requirements The review also takes a closer look at protein recommendations. Current UK guidelines are based primarily on preventing protein deficiency in sedentary adults. However, the paper points to newer research suggesting that physically active people, older adults, and pregnant women may benefit from significantly higher protein intake. The review further highlights evidence that higher-protein diets can support fat loss (due to increased satiety and thermic effect), making them beneficial for body composition as well as overall health. Importantly, the paper notes that higher protein consumption is not limited to meat-based diets. With thoughtful meal planning, plant-based diets can also provide sufficient protein, as demonstrated by the growing number of vegan powerlifters and bodybuilders. From Minimum Health to Optimal Health Rather than replacing existing recommendations, Dr. Macdonald suggests supplementing them with guidance focused on what he calls "optimal health outcomes." He argues that people would benefit from clearer and more practical information about how exercise and nutrition can support long-term physical and cognitive performance. In addition to updating guidelines, Dr. Macdonald believes there needs to be a shift in how society views exercise and protein intake. "… high-intensity exercise and high-protein diets are often associated with bodybuilders and superficial aesthetic goals. However, high-intensity exercise and high-protein diets also empower the general population to extend their lifespan and healthspan. Therefore, it is less about having 'abs' and a 'beach body' and more about being able to lift up, play with, and even remember, your grandchildren thanks to a strong and resilient body and mind. When we see a stereotypical image of a hunched-over slow, fragile person with ill health, in their later years, it seems like an inevitable consequence of "Father Time," however, I propose that in most cases, it is evidence of a non-evidence-based lifestyle. In short, we should not be quick to normalize and accept the consequences of a largely sedentary lifestyle; we should proactively empower people to reclaim their health and their independence. The reduction in unnecessary suffering would be profound." https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260622091429.htm

Scientists found that a common saturated fat, palmitic acid, may promote processes linked to type 2 diabetes, including inflammation and impaired insulin function. Meanwhile, oleic acid—the main fat in olive oil—shows protective effects that could help keep metabolism on track. Credit: Shutterstock Researchers are taking a closer look at how different types of dietary fat may influence the risk of type 2 diabetes, a disease that affects millions of people worldwide and is linked to serious health complications and premature death. A new review published in Trends in Endocrinology & Metabolism (Cell Press) explores the contrasting effects of two major fatty acids found in the diet: palmitic acid and oleic acid. The work was led by teams from the CIBER Area for Diabetes and Associated Metabolic Diseases (CIBERDEM) at the University of Barcelona. "Palmitic acid, a saturated fatty acid widely found in foods, is associated with impaired insulin sensitivity, whereas oleic acid, abundant in olive oil, may have a protective effect against these metabolic disorders," says Professor Manuel Vázquez-Carrera, from the UB's Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, the UB Institute of Biomedicine (IBUB), the Sant Joan de Déu Research Institute (IRSJD) and CIBERDEM. Other contributors include Ricardo Rodríguez-Calvo of CIBERDEM at the Pere Virgili Institute for Health Research (IISPV), Marta Tajes of the CIBER Area for Cardiovascular Diseases (CIBERCV) at the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), and Walter Wahli of the University of Lausanne (Switzerland). According to Vázquez-Carrera, the findings suggest that the type of fat people consume may be more important than the overall amount. "This review highlights the significant role of the quality of dietary fat, rather than the total amount consumed," notes Professor Manuel Vázquez-Carrera, who is a group leader at CIBERDEM at the UB. How Palmitic Acid May Promote Diabetes The researchers examined evidence showing that palmitic acid can trigger several biological processes linked to metabolic disease. As Xavier Palomer (UB-IBUB-CIBER-IRSJD), the article's first author, says, "at the molecular level, palmitic acid promotes the accumulation of potentially toxic bioactive lipids, fosters low-grade chronic inflammation, and contributes to the dysfunction of cellular organelles, such as the endoplasmic reticulum and the mitochondria." The team notes that these cellular changes "are closely linked to impaired insulin action and the progression of metabolic disease." Oleic Acid Shows Protective Effects The picture looks quite different for oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat found in high amounts in olive oil. According to the review, oleic acid encourages the body to store fats in forms that are metabolically less disruptive and have little effect on normal cellular function. It also helps maintain healthy insulin signaling in important metabolic tissues, including the liver, muscles, and adipose tissue. Researchers say oleic acid may also offset many of the harmful effects associated with palmitic acid. This could help explain why eating patterns rich in monounsaturated fats, including the Mediterranean diet, are consistently linked to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes and other metabolic disorders. Improving Nutrition Strategies for Diabetes Prevention The authors emphasize that more targeted research is needed to better understand differences seen across population studies. "It is important to consider variables such as the source of fatty acids, their dietary context, interactions with other nutrients, and different food processing methods," says Manuel Vázquez-Carrera. The researchers believe that gaining a clearer understanding of these factors will improve scientists' ability to evaluate how different fats affect metabolic health. In turn, that knowledge could support the development of more effective dietary approaches for preventing and managing type 2 diabetes. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260621060318.htm

A minimally invasive procedure for chronic knee pain is helping some patients find significant relief without undergoing major surgery. For Cynthia Schraf-Fletcher, 74, the results were "remarkably" successful. Nearly a year after receiving genicular artery embolization (GAE) on her right knee, Schraf-Fletcher says the improvement is comparable to the total knee replacement she previously underwent on her left knee. "I couldn't be more pleased," says Schraf-Fletcher, who had the procedure performed by Leigh Casadaban, MD, MS, assistant professor of radiology at the University of Colorado Anschutz School of Medicine. Today, she says everyday activities such as gardening and riding a stationary bicycle are far more enjoyable because of the reduction in pain. How Genicular Artery Embolization Works GAE is an outpatient procedure designed to ease chronic knee pain by reducing blood flow to inflamed areas within the joint. By targeting abnormal blood vessels associated with inflammation, the treatment can help decrease swelling and discomfort. "For treating osteoarthritis in the knees, we often think of medications, physical therapy, maybe a steroid injection, and then on the far end of the spectrum is a total knee replacement. There really hasn't been anything for patients in between," Casadaban, a vascular interventional radiologist, says. "GAE is a promising minimally invasive procedure that may fill that spot for people who have failed conservative treatments but are not yet ready to have a major surgery." According to Casadaban, people with mild to moderate osteoarthritis tend to benefit the most. Patients with more advanced disease can also undergo the procedure, although the effects are generally less durable. "We find about 70% of patients have phenomenal results. They cut their pain scores in half, sometimes more. We have a few patients with no pain at all after the procedure," Casadaban says. "Patients that have tried a lot of other treatments and haven't had pain relief are happy to get back to their normal activities." After experiencing complications from knee replacement surgery, Schraf-Fletcher was eager to explore another option. Looking back, she says choosing GAE was the right decision. What Happens During the Procedure? GAE typically takes between one and two hours and is performed under conscious sedation. During the procedure, an interventional radiology team makes a small incision near the crease of the leg. Using X-ray imaging and contrast dye for guidance, doctors advance a tiny catheter through the femoral artery until it reaches the genicular arteries around the knee. Once in position, the team releases microscopic beads that block blood flow to the abnormal vessels located in the painful areas identified by the patient. Patients are monitored for several hours afterward and are usually able to return home the same day. Doctors generally advise taking it easy for a few days during recovery. Originally developed in Japan a little more than a decade ago, GAE has steadily gained attention worldwide. Since 2021, the FDA has granted "breakthrough device status" to multiple devices related to the procedure in the United States. Research Suggests Long Lasting Pain Relief Early and ongoing research continues to produce encouraging results. "The theory is that GAE reduces inflammation inside the knee joint, and symptom relief can last years," Casadaban says. "Four-year data published in Japan shows that if you have one outpatient procedure, your pain relief can last for those four years. In the U.S., we now have two-year data, which shows that if you have a good response, pain relief can last two years. That really speaks to the theory that we're hopefully modifying something in the joint." Casadaban is currently leading two clinical trials at CU Anschutz. One study is examining changes in knee fluid among patients receiving GAE. The other is evaluating a temporary arterial treatment device called Nexsphere-F, which blocks small blood vessels in the knee that may contribute to inflammation and pain. Expanding Beyond Knee Osteoarthritis Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease that affects millions of people each year and can occur in many different joints throughout the body. Although GAE is currently used only for knee conditions, Casadaban says researchers and physicians are beginning to explore its use for other painful musculoskeletal disorders, including frozen shoulder, tennis elbow, and plantar fasciitis. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260622091502.htm