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Bill Maher Corners JD Vance on Election Denial Rhetoric The vice president refused to break from Trump’s election denial, instead recasting 2020 as a tech censorship conspiracy. Bill Maher tried to corner JD Vance on election denial—but the vice president wriggled straight out. Maher pressed Vance on Friday’s episode of Real Time over the MAGAworld habit of crying fraud every time a Republican loses an election. “Under Trump, you guys have two outcomes that an election can be: Either we win or they cheated,” Maher said. “That s--t has to stop.” Maher raised the issue after admitting his own vote could be “in play” in 2028 if Democrats continue moving toward what he described as Democratic socialism, anti-capitalism, hostility toward Israel, and “Jew-hating.” “If this is where the Democratic Party is going… my vote is in play, OK?” Maher told Vance. But the comedian said Republicans had their own deal-breaker. “Trump can’t run again... so it’s either gonna be you or Rubio,” he said. “And that means the person who has to stop it would be you or Marco. Can you tell me you will do that? Will you bring us back to the middle, at least on that, where we concede elections?” Vance could not. “OK, Bill, so this is where I’m probably gonna lose you here,” Vance replied. Rather than give Maher a clean answer, Vance wrapped Trump’s repeated claims of election denial in a more respectable-sounding conspiracy theory. “I don’t think that we should not concede elections, but I don’t think that’s what’s going on,” Vance said. Vance said Trump’s “core argument” was about “problems that exist in 2020,” before trying to move the discussion away from vote counts in Georgia, Pennsylvania, and other battleground states. “The biggest criticism I had of the 2020 election is that you had technology companies that were quite literally censoring negative information about the left and promoting negative information about the right,” he added. Maher tried to drag Vance back to earth. “That was litigated,” Maher said, referencing Dominion Voting Systems’ defamation lawsuit against Fox News over false 2020 election claims. Fox settled the case in 2023 for $787.5 million. But Vance kept moving. “No, I’m actually trying to make the more middle-ground argument here,” he said. The vice president claimed the 2020 election was “rigged” in a “fundamental sense” because tech companies had “put their thumb on the scale in a way that completely obliterated the real open exchange of ideas.” “Now, by the way, it didn’t happen in 2024, but it happened in 2020, and it was a problem,” Vance added. Maher appeared to clock Vance’s real audience immediately. “Well, you’re gonna get a big pat on the back when you go back to the White House,” he said. https://www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/bill-maher-corners-jd-vance-on-election-denial-rhetoric/?

THIS DAY IN HISTORY June 27 1950 President Truman orders U.S. forces to Korea President Harry S. Truman announces that he is ordering U.S. air and naval forces to South Korea to aid the democratic nation in repulsing an invasion by communist North Korea. read more Sponsored Content by REVCONTENT 19th Century 1829 James Smithson, founding donor of the Smithsonian Institution, dies 1844 Religious founder Joseph Smith killed by mob African History 1976 Ebola breaks out in Sudan Arts & Entertainment 1922 First Newbery Medal for children’s literature awarded to Hendrik Willem van Loon Black History 2015 Activist Bree Newsome removes Confederate flag from South Carolina State House Inventions & Science 1985 Route 66 decertified Native American History 1864 Colorado governor orders ‘friendly Indians’ to report to Army forts for sanctuary World War II 1941 British intelligence breaks German “Enigma” key used on the Eastern Front

June 27, 2026 Good morning. Sometimes, our preference for certitude, our need to define things with conviction, closes us off from possibility. María Jesús Contreras Natural selection By Melissa Kirsch When Serena Williams retired from tennis in 2022, she was 40 years old, had won 23 Grand Slam singles tournaments, 14 more in doubles, and had spent 319 weeks as the No. 1 player in the world. She had “never liked the word retirement,” she said in an essay in Vogue, offering a reframing of her departure from the sport that she’d dominated for so many years: “Maybe the best word to describe what I’m up to is evolution. I’m here to tell you that I’m evolving away from tennis, toward other things that are important to me.” “Evolving away”! At the time, this phrasing seemed to offer a distinction without a difference — a “conscious uncoupling” from tennis. This week, though, when Wimbledon announced that Williams would play singles at the tournament for the first time in four years, the language seemed less poetic and more deliberate. She evolved away from tennis; now, it seems, at least for the moment, she has evolved back. We get to decide how we narrate our lives, and sometimes our preference for certitude, our need to define things with conviction, closes us off from possibility. I’m not asserting that Williams scripted her return to tennis four years ago. But I’m intrigued, now, by the way she framed her decision to leave the sport — for her fans, and, one imagines, for herself — not as a rejection of tennis, but as an embrace of her family, her business ventures, the other things in her life that matter to her. I’ve written about how much I value the practice of making “Away/Toward” lists, where you itemize the things in your life you want to move away from, the things you want to move toward. My “Away” lists are always a series of negatives I need to rid myself of — bad habits, soured relationships, unproductive ways of thinking. But I love the idea of looking at one’s life more objectively, without so much judgment: I’m evolving away from this person, this job, this particular chapter, and who’s to say I won’t evolve back? This openness with language seems particularly useful when you’re making a decision or change that’s difficult. Leaving tennis was painful for Williams. “I don’t want it to be over,” she said in her farewell essay, “but at the same time I’m ready for what’s next.” For most of us, this is the ideal “away” scenario: We love what we’re doing, but we’re leaving it, on our own terms, and we’re looking forward to the next chapter. Moving away from one thing without rancor, moving toward something else with enthusiasm. As Williams evolves back onto the court at the All England Club this coming week, I’m wondering about my own evolutions. Where can I narrate my own experience with more spaciousness? Celebrities’ purposely ambiguous public statements don’t often offer much in the way of wisdom, but in this case, I think there’s something to be heeded. What elements of our own lives could benefit from some less definitive framing? What are we leaving behind that, who knows, we might want to one day revisit? THE LATEST NEWS Venezuela Earthquakes The ruins of a residential building in La Guaira. Adriana Loureiro Fernandez for The New York Times Officials say the earthquakes in Venezuela this week killed at least 920 people and injured at least 3,300 others. The toll could still rise, as many people remained missing or trapped. These satellite photos show the trail of destruction down the northern coast. Search-and-rescue teams from around the world have arrived to help recover people from the rubble. The U.S. State Department has earmarked $150 million for relief efforts. The quakes exposed the fragility of Venezuela’s infrastructure. There are only three functioning ambulances serving greater Caracas, one doctor said. Firefighters are relying on cellphone lights. A hospital in the disaster zone is operating without running water. War in Iran The U.S. military said it had struck missile and drone storage locations in Iran, as well as coastal radar sites, in retaliation for Iran’s attack on a ship in the Strait of Hormuz. President Trump called Iran’s ship attack a “foolish violation” of the cease-fire. A U.S. defense official told The Times that yesterday’s attacks were not intended to revive the war. Around the World Vantor, via Reuters Crimea: Weeks of Ukrainian airstrikes have rattled the Russian-controlled peninsula. The authorities there declared a state of emergency after Russia said it had intercepted 660 drones overnight. China: A small aircraft flew into the tallest building in Beijing, sending debris and plane parts onto the street. Politics John Bolton, who was national security adviser during Trump’s first term, pleaded guilty to mishandling classified information. He faces up to five years in prison. Vice President JD Vance downplayed the Watergate scandal, saying that if it happened today it would be “like a 12-hour news story.” Times Exclusive: The administration is investigating whether Yale’s admissions practices hurt white and Asian applicants. The university has hired a high-powered law firm to try to reach a settlement. Other Big Stories Texas approved a common set of books that millions of public school students across the state must read. It includes Bible excerpts. The District of Columbia agreed to pay a settlement to a man who was arrested last year after he played the “Imperial March” from “Star Wars” to protest the National Guard. Two weeks after breaking free from a game ranch in Texas’ Hill Country, an escaped giraffe named Gracie was found “fat and happy” a few miles away. THE WEEK IN CULTURE Film and TV Milly Alcock as Supergirl. Warner Bros.Entertainment “Supergirl” is a watchable (if derivative) bit of summer superhero entertainment, our critic writes, held up by a strong central performance from Milly Alcock. In “The Invite,” Seth Rogen and Olivia Wilde star as a millennial couple whose tense marriage gets a wild jolt from their neighbors. It’s a critic’s pick. “Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness,” a seven-episode historical sketch show starring Larry David and produced by Barack and Michelle Obama, premieres on HBO this weekend. Fine Arts A record Sotheby’s auction in London brought in £393.4 million with fees — about $521 million — across 25 works. The top earner: Amedeo Modigliani’s 1917 “Seated Nude With Necklace,” which sold for £48.2 million. As Europe broiled in a heat wave this week, some museums billed themselves as refuges. London’s Imperial War Museum called itself a space of “salvation” from the heat. A new National Geographic museum opened in Washington, D.C., this week. Here are five standout photographs from its collection. More Culture Eisa Davis and Lin-Manuel Miranda. Daniel Weiss for The New York Times Lin-Manuel Miranda is returning to Broadway: “Warriors,” his first musical since “Hamilton,” is set to open next spring. It’s based on the cult classic 1979 film about a street gang that has to fight its way from the Bronx to Coney Island. Major networks are taking a new look at microdramas, the vertically shot, mobile-first soap operas delivered in dozens of rapid-fire episodes. Will Canada be the next country to join the Eurovision Song Contest? Its broadcaster has joined the European Broadcasting Union, the requirement for entry in the competition. 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. RECIPE OF THE WEEK Dane Tashima for The New York Times By Melissa Clark Apricot Snack Cake Apricots and other stone fruits are coming into season in much of the country right now, and Kay Chun’s moist and rich apricot snack cake is a perfect use for the ones that have gone a bit soft. She calls for fresh apricots, but peaches, plums and nectarines work well, too. And while this is a delightful afternoon snack, it’s also lovely for dessert, preferably with some vanilla or butterscotch ice cream scooped on top. REAL ESTATE Gabriela Hasbun for The New York Times The Hunt: Three women wanted to start a family in the Bay Area. Could they find a house to do it in? Play our game. What you get for $900,000: An Italianate house in St. Louis. A stone house in Round Mountain, Texas. A farmhouse with outbuildings in Bovina, N.Y. Pick your favorite: In Mexico City, a colonial-style house, a house clad in terrazzo and a 1945 Art Deco-style home are all on the market for $1.3 million. LIVING The New York Times La Dolce Vita: Dreaming of an Italian getaway but not sure where to go? This quiz will help you find your ideal vacation spot. Move abroad: Countries are curtailing or even canceling their residency-by-investment programs, but there are still some appealing options available. Spread out the blanket: It’s picnic season! Be the ultimate host with these recipes and tips. ADVICE FROM WIRECUTTER How to stop your Brita from growing gunk Where you store your Brita pitcher matters. Mold can grow in humid environments where water is stagnant, and algae can grow when the pitcher is left out in the sun. Instead, store it somewhere cool and dim: in the fridge, in a cabinet or on a counter away from a window. Make sure to disassemble and hand-wash the pitcher with soap and water monthly, and dry it thoroughly before putting it back together — otherwise you might find mold in the spots where water is trapped. Lastly, don’t forget to replace the filter when it expires, especially if your current one seems clogged or your water is starting to taste funny. — Annemarie Conte and Tim Heffernan WORLD CUP The knockout rounds are about to get underway. No more settling for a draw or monitoring point differentials. It’s the phase of the tournament where one moment, action or mistake can define a team’s legacy, The Athletic’s Paul Tenorio writes. And that idea of legacy will be looming large on Wednesday, when the United States plays Bosnia and Herzegovina. It will be the lowest-rated team the U.S. has ever played in a knockout match, Paul notes. But the Americans can’t dwell on that. “Just one U.S. team, in 2002, has ever won a World Cup knockout game,” he writes. “This is a chance to change another narrative around the program. But to do that, you have to win.” More World Cup Cape Verde — the third-smallest country in tournament history, playing in its first World Cup — has advanced to the knockouts. It will play Argentina next. France crushed Norway, 4-1, behind a first-half hat trick by Ousmane Dembele. Brazil is home to the world’s largest Lebanese diaspora. That explains why fans in Lebanon, whose own team didn’t qualify, are all in on the Brazilians. Our correspondent Abdi Latif Dahir attended a watch party in Tripoli. See his video below. The New York Times NOW TIME TO PLAY Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangrams were magically and myalgic. 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

Exclusive: Researchers call for urgent investigation of risks to babies of tablets, smartphones and other digital devices https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/jun/27/screen-time-damage-under-twos-development-study?

To stop and confuse the reformation movement, omissions and changes were made in the English bible.

Venezuela quake death toll reaches 920 as interim president vows to save ‘as many as possible’ Delcy Rodríguez says foreign rescue teams are arriving as anger grows at official response and limited resources https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jun/26/delcy-rodriguez-interim-president-venezuela-earthquake-death-toll?

Fourth toddler dies in France as Europe’s brutal heatwave forecast to shift east Scientists say hot spell is worst ever, with nearly half of region’s 850 largest cities facing unprecedented heat stress https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/jun/26/europe-heatwave-shift-east-child-deaths-france-cities-heat-stress?

June 27, 2026 Vessels of Wrath “What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction?” (Romans 9:22) Most of us have met people who appear to be beyond salvation. We may even judge them to be “vessels of wrath fitted to destruction.” Is there any hope for them? Consider some of the characters Jesus interacted with: the woman at the well, tax collectors, lepers, cripples, the demon-possessed, the woman caught in adultery, and the thief on the cross. These were outcasts and seemed to be without hope. But God tells us, “As I live . . . I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live” (Ezekiel 33:11). Clearly, Jesus did not come “into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved” (John 3:17). Despite appearance, words, or actions, no one is beyond saving. Christians are instructed to witness to and pray for all who don’t know Jesus as their Savior, not judge their spiritual standing. We are exhorted to love them and preach the gospel to them, for the gospel exists “to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins” (Acts 26:18). The “vessels” Paul mentions are people who persistently rebel against God, and only He knows whether they will be hardened or saved. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:9). We not only can’t know all His ways, but we aren’t supposed to! Do you know someone who appears beyond redemption: a family member, friend, or even foe? Prayerfully place them in Jesus’ saving hands. Our God is gracious and merciful, and miracles happen! MJS

Woody (from Toy Story) actually has a last name — it’s Pride. James

If You Build It View in browser If there’s one thing Donald Trump wants Americans to understand, it’s that he knows how to build. At a Pennsylvania petrochemical plant in 2019, he told workers, “I was a good builder. I built good. I love building.” Talking to reporters in the spring: “What I do best in life is build.” During last year’s Kennedy Center Honors, Trump joked that he has “two jobs”—the second being, naturally, construction. Even as past ventures have flopped, Trump continues to position himself as the kind of big-shot developer who blasts through red tape and never takes no for an answer. This is the president who once wooed voters by promising to build a “big, beautiful” wall along the southern border. Who, he argued on the 2016 campaign trail, was better positioned to make it happen? In his second term, he’s been focused on redesigning the landscape of Washington, D.C., in his own image. But earlier this week, Trump showed he’s willing to delay the construction of something that Americans have clearly indicated they need. On Tuesday, lawmakers passed the biggest housing bill in a generation, the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act. Co-sponsored by Senators Elizabeth Warren and Tim Scott, it’s a bipartisan omnibus with reforms meant to encourage development and push down prices. Trump needs the win; at the moment, most Americans disapprove of the president’s handling of the economy. But on Wednesday, Trump abruptly canceled the signing ceremony for the bill. It will remain canceled, he wrote on Truth Social, until Congress passes the SAVE America Act, a completely unrelated and highly controversial piece of voter-ID legislation. (He’s called it his “No. 1 priority” ahead of the midterm elections.) The stalled bill targets a pressing national concern. About a third of American households spend more than a third of their income on rent and mortgage payments, and almost four out of five voters identify the cost of housing as an extremely or very important issue. That Trump halted the signing shows that he’s willing to use a bipartisan bill as collateral—even if it means sacrificing the prospect of affordable housing for Americans. Although the move is within his procedural rights, it’s also toothless: Because the bill has passed both the House and the Senate, it is set to become law in 10 days with or without the president’s signature. And even if Trump decides to veto it, Congress (barring a sudden reversal) has the supermajority required to override a veto. Plus, the president can’t unilaterally force the passage of the SAVE America Act, which faces staunch opposition from Democrats. Quantifying the extent of the country’s housing crisis is difficult (some analysts think the United States is short 6 million units, whereas others think the number is closer to 2 million), but experts tend to agree that building more housing in high-need areas could help. The ROAD to Housing Act isn’t a panacea, and many of its proposals will take effect only in the long term. But by fast-tracking environmental reviews and encouraging legislators to loosen zoning restrictions, among other proposals, the bill aims to incentivize new construction. Trump has delivered mixed messages on housing affordability throughout his second term. White House press releases make passing mention of increasing housing supply, and Trump released an executive order in March directing agencies to loosen regulatory barriers to building homes. His push for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to buy up mortgage bonds turned out to have little lasting effect on rates. But lately, the president’s own comments have focused on the needs of existing homeowners. “I don’t want to drive housing prices down; I want to drive housing prices up for people that own their homes,” he said earlier this year. Homeowners of course do want their investments protected, but the housing bill’s incentives for developers to build would not automatically depress the value of all American homes. And in some cases, encouraging more construction could promote economic growth and increase land values in the long run. Although the administration has taken steps to address the housing crisis, its efforts have at times been misdirected. In an attempt to protect individual landlords (known as mom-and-pop owners), who currently dominate the real-estate market, Trump issued an executive order in January aimed at curbing the influence of institutional investors—a nebulous umbrella term for some larger firms. Parts of the housing bill echo this idea. But, as my colleagues have explained, the panic over institutional buying’s effect on housing prices seems to be overblown. Although big corporate landlords pose a real problem in certain communities (corporations are more likely to evict tenants, and can neglect maintenance and upkeep), institutional investors own less than 1 percent of single-family homes nationwide. Whether Trump is a “good” builder is a question best left to architecture critics, and perhaps to his creditors. But it’s undeniable that he builds. With his proposed triumphal arch, his modifications to the Reflecting Pool, and his renovation of the White House, he has attempted to reorganize the seat of government around his own aesthetic preferences. His recently announced presidential library, which may also be a hotel, could permanently alter the Miami skyline. The ROAD to Housing Act may still be a victory for this administration—and the president may even claim credit for the effort to make housing more affordable. But he has yet to prove to the American people that he will build for them, and not just for himself. Related: Trump’s giant face is everywhere. The latest ploy to help Republicans win elections

Unauthorized immigrants and the economy Immigration is among the most important economic and political issues and a main topic of discourse and debate among policymakers and the public. But misperceptions persist about many fundamental aspects of this crucial topic, such as: https://www.epi.org/publication/unauthorized-immigrants/?

Done With Windows? This Linux Distro Makes It Easy to Switch If you can't upgrade to Windows 11, or don't like what you've seen of it, install Linux Mint instead. Here's how to make the switch to an open-source operating system and install apps. https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/done-with-windows-this-linux-distro-makes-it-easy-to-switch

DALLAS (AP) — Texas’ education board on Friday approved a required reading list for more than 5 million public school students that includes Bible stories, widening conservative efforts to bring Christian teachings into U.S. classrooms. https://apnews.com/article/texas-education-board-reading-list-bible-vote-eb6ea9e23e303da0ca2da6132889e020?

🌡️ Heat wave coming Graphic: NOAA A "heat dome" is forecast to bring dangerously high temperatures to much of the eastern half of the U.S. next week. The extreme heat could last through July 4 celebrations. NOAA forecasters write: "Widespread temperatures into the 90s to low 100s, combined with high humidity, will result in heat indices approaching or exceeding 105-110 in many places." "Overnight lows will also be quite warm, with some record high minimums possible, bringing little to no relief from the heat in the nighttime hours." ⚠️ Cities from Minneapolis and Chicago to Nashville and Atlanta will be under extreme heat risk next week, NOAA says. Such conditions affect "anyone without cooling/hydration as well as health systems, industries, and infrastructure." 🥵 Meanwhile: The heat wave baking Europe this week wouldn't be possible without climate change, a World Weather Attribution rapid study found.

A tough lark in the parks Crowds on the Mist Trail at Yosemite National Park last summer. Photo: Apu Gomes/Getty Images Sky-high airfares will likely fuel another huge season for America's national parks as travelers seek cheaper getaways. They may find huge crowds, long waits and understaffed facilities. The New York Times reports: "This year, staffing remains sharply reduced, and some parks have scrapped their reservation systems, already leading to gridlock at popular sites." "In addition, steep new fees for foreign visitors have caused confusion at entry gates, resulting in delays." ✂️ The Trump administration cut permanent Park Service staffing by 25%, part of its broader trims across the federal government. That's left some parks with fewer staff to manage traffic and parking, clean up facilities, and help distressed hikers. It could also affect long-term park management. Visitors at Yellowstone National Park's Old Faithful in May. Photo: Mario Tama/Getty Images 🏔️ Some popular parks — Arches, Glacier, Yosemite — recently scrapped timed entry systems meant to reduce crowding. That makes them easier to enter, but good luck getting a parking spot. 🦞 Our thought bubble, from Axios' Alex Fitzpatrick: I'm visiting Acadia soon, where overcrowding has been a huge issue. My plan: Get up early for the most popular hikes, and explore some of the lesser-visited areas later in the day. Another idea: Pick an under-the-radar national (or state!) park to visit this summer. Some to consider: Isle Royale (Michigan), Badlands (South Dakota), North Cascades (Washington). N.Y. Times gift link.

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of State Marco Rubio joined Israel and Lebanon’s ambassadors to the U.S. Friday to announce a framework agreement that was described as a first step toward peace following months of conflict between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. https://apnews.com/article/rubio-israel-lebanon-c263a75ad99ef5120ad8f9f65bed5911? US airstrikes again hit Iran as Tehran strikes Bahrain and Kuwait, further imperiling interim deal DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The U.S. military launched a second round of airstrikes Saturday targeting Iran at President Donald Trump’s direction as Tehran hit both Bahrain and Kuwait, underscoring rising tensions that threaten the interim deal between the two nations to stop the war. https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-israel-war-hormuz-strait-june-27-2026-dca83ec0b72f498eea7146df5311b39c?

Fault lines: Pentagon funding Republicans are splintered over how to get the Pentagon the roughly $1.5 trillion it says it needs, including $67 billion in emergency supplemental spending. Why it matters: The Iran war is complicating bipartisan negotiations on defense funding, and it's far from certain the GOP can hold together and use budget reconciliation for party-line votes. House Speaker Mike Johnson wants another version of the "big, beautiful bill" to serve as a catch-all for GOP legislative priorities. Johnson has said the SAVE Act "has to be done" and has said it can be attached to reconciliation. Senate Majority Leader John Thune wants to pass supplemental spending via a bipartisan process. Thune told Punchbowl News that using reconciliation for the supplemental should be Plan B, not the starting spot. He's also resistant to attaching the SAVE Act to reconciliation, which could have issues with the parliamentarian. Between the lines: If Republicans do plow ahead on a third reconciliation bill, the budget offsets would put moderates in a tricky spot. The bottom line: This is starting to sound like the summer '25 fight over the "one big, beautiful bill." — Justin Green

The GOP's new favorite Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios Senate Republicans are elevating Colombia as a role model for U.S. voting rules — and using California as their foil. 😓 Why it matters: Republicans don't have the votes to jam through President Trump's SAVE Act, but conservatives want to keep up the pressure on GOP leaders. Colombia just elected Abelardo de la Espriella, a populist business owner who secured President Trump's endorsement. The country requires voters to present a national ID card, relies on paper ballots and does not generally allow mail-in voting. Republicans want the U.S. to follow suit. 🎤 What we're hearing: Some GOP senators are considering a hearing with California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) and Colombian officials to compare election processes, Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) told Donald Trump Jr. on a podcast. "We always first invite before we consider a subpoena," Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) told us, when asked about the possibility of subpoenaing Newsom for such a hearing. Johnson said Republicans need to determine the best witnesses "to contrast the Colombian election with the fiasco in California." "Colombia just had an election with only paper ballots, no mail-in ballots, voter ID, proof of citizenship. They counted the ballots in three hours. That sounds like what President Trump has been proposing," Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) wrote in a Dear Colleague letter ahead of Senate Republicans' lunch with Trump on Wednesday. 🚪 Behind the scenes: At a closed-door lunch Tuesday, Moreno told senators that Colombian officials were confused when he asked what happens if someone shows up to vote without an ID, because it doesn't happen, sources familiar with the lunch told us. Moreno was in Colombia during the country's election last week. 🛑 The big picture: Trump has blown up the congressional schedule with his demands that lawmakers pass the SAVE America Act, which requires voter ID, proof of citizenship for registration and restricts mail-in voting. There is no clear path for passing such a bill through the Senate, with Democrats opposed and even some Republicans uncomfortable with the mail-in voting measures in particular. That has not stopped Trump allies from continuing to push for federal voting reforms. — Stef Kight

Windows 11 Is About to Change in a Way You'll Actually Notice Windows 11 26H2 is shaping up to be less about flashy features and more about fixing everyday annoyances users have complained about for years. https://www.pcmag.com/news/windows-11-is-about-to-change-in-a-way-youll-actually-notice?

NOTE: As a congregational SDA pastor, I have had situations whereone of the partners was a SDA and the other was a member of another denomination. I have always urged the sDA member to attend services on sunday with their partner. I havde we lcomed their partner to attend my servicces on Saturday. As a Feceral chaplain I have attended many Catholic services on sunday morning. I considerd such to be part of my duties. The Priest always welcomed me, but never considered me to be a convert. The Biblical Sabbath is muchmore than a worship service.

There are 7 days in a week. God may be worshiped on any/all of those 7 days. * SDA pastors hold worship services on Saturday and Sunday evenings. Take your pick. One of those is the Biblical first day of the week. * SDA pastors serving in chaplaincy positions hold worship services on Sunday mornings. In my service as a Federal chaplain, I have held more worship services on Sunday morning than I have held on Saturday as a a pastor of a SDA Chruch. * My service as a Fderal Chaplalin was endorsed by the General Conference who was fully awaare that I held Sunday w orship services. NOTE, IF the General Conference had not approved of wah tI did, they could have removed me from my federal position. Federal Chqaplains only serve with the permission of tlheir denominaiton. * The Sabbath is much more than a worswhip service, It is a 24 hour day devoted to God. In all of my life I have kept Saturday, the 7th day, as a Sabbth. I have never kept Sunday as a Sabbath. * If you think that mere worship on a day makes it a Sabbath, you lneed to review the Biblical and SDA teaching, as youy clearly donot understand them.

Since the local congregation doesn't actually own the building, who profits from the arrangement? Does the local congregation who, in theory, paid for the building keep the money, or is it paid to the denomination? The denomination allows congregants to attend services in a building they own, even though congregants paid for the building. My guess is that if the administration wanted to rent out the church to a homosexual advocacy group for "pride" meetings, the local congregation could find themselves locked out if they oppose it. This might sound impossible but at least one church member found herself banished from a couple of pro-gay SDA churches, one of which she had attended for years prior to “inclusion.” Just as they compelled congregations to accept female pastors, admin could install gay clergy. If you give your money to an organization like SDA, you shouldn't be surprised if homosexuals, female pastors, and Sunday keepers are “shoved down your throat." Nothing you can do about it. Normally, "Who pays the fiddler calls the tune." Not in Adventism. Pay your tithe and protest homosexuality, you could be banished. Suppose a gay congregation wants to rent an SDA building, see your donations at work?

Orthodox Jews who are careful Sabbath observers will sell a 1/7 interest in their business to a Goy. If the Goy chooses to open on Sabbath, it doesn't concern the Sabbath keeper. He doesn't own the business on that day.

US strikes Iran in response to a drone attack on a ship WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. struck Iran on Friday in response to a drone attack a day earlier on a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz. It’s the most significant test yet to an interim understanding reached a week ago by the two countries to begin working to end their months-long war and reopen the pivotal waterway. https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-israel-war-hormuz-strait-june-26-2026-8c1a77eb82d25f00de814958114c7296? US says it struck Iran targets after attack on cargo ship in the strait of Hormuz Strikes against military facilities were in response to drone attack a day earlier on a cargo vessel https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jun/26/us-says-it-struck-iran-targets-after-attack-on-cargo-ship-on-the-strait-of-hormuz?