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1 for the road: 🎾 Serena's big return Serena Williams plays in a doubles match in Berlin last week. Photo: Ebrahim Noroozi/AP Serena Williams, 44, will play singles at Wimbledon after almost four years away from tennis. Williams has accepted a wild card to play both singles and doubles at the tournament, which starts next week. She'll play doubles with her sister Venus, who's 46. Her most recent singles match was a loss in the third round of the 2022 U.S. Open. Go deeper.

🏛️ Trump's Reflecting Pool triage Workers vacuum algae from the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool yesterday. Photo: Aaron Schwartz/Reuters President Trump ordered immediate repairs to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool yesterday after alleging vandalism had damaged the recently renovated landmark, Axios' Rebecca Falconer writes. The president said on Truth Social that he had personally inspected the damage. An administration official said five people had been arrested, five others cited and 14 police reports filed in connection with alleged vandalism at the pool. Via Truth Social Trump said Saturday that vandals "poured corrosive and destructive chemicals into the Pool." The National Park Service has poured hydrogen peroxide into the pool to treat the algae, which The Wall Street Journal notes can be used as a paint remover.

Lingo: Dexit Photo illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios. Photo: Samuel Corum/Getty Images "Dexit" — shorthand for companies ditching Delaware as their legal home — is gaining traction after Elon Musk's clash with the state's courts, Michael Steinberger writes in The New York Times Magazine. Why it matters: Delaware is the legal domicile of roughly two-thirds of Fortune 500 companies and "has become the de facto arbiter of U.S. corporate law." Keep reading (gift link).

🤖 Inside the data-center backlash Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios Only a small fraction of data- center opponents actually live near one, Axios' Megan Morrone writes from new polling by a consulting firm that counsels leading AI labs and tech startups. Why it matters: The findings by Milltown Partners, shared first with Axios, show data centers have become a stand-in for broader anger at an AI future many Americans don't want but fear they'll have to pay for. By the numbers: Milltown surveyed 6,872 registered voters between May 10 and May 20, recruited from online panels. The margin of error is 3 points. 49% support a moratorium on new data centers, while only 16% oppose. Just 8% of respondents who oppose data centers say they know of any data centers near their home. 🔬 Zoom in: The split suggests many voters aren't categorically anti-data center, but are wary of the pace and terms of the buildout. Both Steve Bannon on the right and Bernie Sanders on the left have attacked AI as a threat to working people. Milltown Partners researcher Tom Brookes says: "This isn't happening in a vacuum. The AI transformation is arriving at a time when Americans already feel angry, insecure and pessimistic." ⚡ The industry's response: Nvidia says one of the biggest complaints about data centers — water use — could become much less of a problem, Axios' Amy Harder writes. The company unveiled a new cooling system that it says can dramatically reduce the amount of water and energy needed to run AI data centers. More on the poll ... Nvidia's announcement.

🧠 Trump's Hoover fear President Trump said twice in two days last week that he doesn't want to be associated with Herbert Hoover, who served during the early years of the Great Depression. "I have one primary wish as president, in terms of people: I never want to be the late, great Herbert Hoover," he told Marc Caputo on "The Axios Show." Earlier, at his G7 press conference in France, Trump said: "I've studied presidents — some good, some bad, some great. … And the one president I did not want to be was the late, great Herbert Hoover." Why it matters: Trump often says out loud what he's really thinking, when most politicians would stifle such musings. Between the lines: Trump has spent years fearing that a single crash could swallow his presidency, the way the Depression swallowed Hoover's, Axios' Zachary Basu writes. Trump floated it as early as 2018, when he privately asked aides whether he could fire Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell — warning that Powell's rate hikes would "turn me into Hoover." Flashback: The split-screen illustration at the top of this story is a rerun from a story Mike wrote 7½ years ago, "Trump fears being turned into Hoover." In January 2024, Trump predicted an economic crash under President Biden and said he hoped it would land before the election "because I don't want to be Herbert Hoover." 🗳️ The parallels run deeper than rhetoric: Hoover — the 31st president, from 1929-1933 — and Trump were both elected as wealthy businessmen promising executive competence. Hoover signed the Smoot-Hawley tariffs, now remembered as a protectionist blunder that worsened the Depression. Trump made tariffs the core of his economic project, betting that the policy most associated with Hoover's failure could fuel a great American comeback. Read more. 📱 Go deeper: Watch Marc Caputo's interview with President Trump.

Microsoft CEO takes on AI rivals Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella is taking on OpenAI and Anthropic with a rival AI vision: cheaper models, more user control and political messaging that wins the public's trust, The Wall Street Journal reports. "You can't say: Hey, all white-collar jobs are gone, and this could even be a weapon, and we will use all the power to build data centers," Nadella told the Journal. The public, he predicted, won't tolerate just a few models and companies "doing all of the learning for the world." Why it matters: Nadella, who has long played the role of elder statesman in the AI race, didn't directly name OpenAI or Anthropic. But his blistering critique "made clear that Microsoft is seeking to steer the AI race away from a future dictated and controlled by frontier model-builders." 💡 The context: Nadella previewed his criticisms in an essay on X a week ago. "In my view," he wrote, "our priority has to be building a frontier ecosystem, not just a frontier model, so value flows broadly across every company, every industry, and every country." Journal gift link.

Trump's messy peace Photo illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios. Photos via Getty Images Breaking: In a joint statement at the end of yesterday's U.S.–Iran summit in Switzerland, Qatari and Pakistani mediators said "encouraging progress has been made" during 18 hours of negotiations. Here's the backdrop: Last Wednesday, the U.S. and Iran signhed a deal to end the war. Since then, Iran said it was closing the Strait of Hormuz again (though it didn't in practice, per U.S. officials), Israel intermittently bombed Lebanon, and President Trump threatened to seize and toll the strait, kill Iran's peace negotiators, and send Syria in to fight Hezbollah. Why it matters: A week after the ceasefire deal was announced, both the U.S. and Iran are pushing it to the limit, Axios' Ben Berkowitz and Barak Ravid write. At the same time, the two sides met in Switzerland to hammer out a longer-term nuclear agreement — a sign that both sides remain engaged despite significant differences. 🇨🇭 Driving the news: High-level talks at the Bürgenstock resort, which concluded early this morning local time, are being led for the U.S. by Vice President JD Vance, with envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. They ran nearly nonstop into the night and went ahead even after Iran said it was closing the strait, a U.S. diplomat said. Representatives from the U.S., Iran, Pakistan and Qatar appeared pleased with the talks' progress, according to the diplomat. The U.S. and Iran agreed on a roadmap for reaching a final nuclear deal within 60 days, according to the joint statement by Qatari and Pakistani mediators. 💥 Friction points: To make the deal stick, several things need to happen. 🇮🇱 Israel and Hezbollah must keep a fragile ceasefire. 🇮🇷 Iran must continue to allow commerce to flow through the Strait of Hormuz. 👀 What we're watching: Technical teams will remain in Switzerland to continue negotiations. Go deeper: Inside the marathon talks.

THIS DAY IN HISTORY June 22 1944 FDR signs G.I. Bill President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs the G.I. Bill, an unprecedented act of legislation designed to compensate returning soldiers for their efforts in World War II. read more Sponsored Content by REVCONTENT American Revolution 1775 Congress authorizes the issue of Continental currency Arts & Entertainment 2001 Blockbuster hit movie “The Fast and the Furious” released Civil War 1864 Confederates strike back in the Battle of Jerusalem Plank Road Crime 2011 Notorious Boston mobster Whitey Bulger is arrested Exploration 1611 Henry Hudson set adrift by mutineers World War I 1898 Author Erich Maria Remarque born World War II 1941 Germany launches Operation Barbarossa—the invasion of Russia 1945 Battle of Okinawa ends

Starmer says he’ll resign as UK prime minister, roiling British politics yet again LONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Monday he will resign, forced out by his own party after missteps and mistakes soured voters’ goodwill following a landslide election victory two years ago on a promise of steady leadership and economic growth. https://apnews.com/article/keir-starmer-resignation-pressure-burnham-uk-politics-8aa1c427418c487fe644f5d5c40d1518? ps:It's amazing how quickly other countries act when someone has been known to even know Epstein!!!!! But not this country!! He could be your best friend for years and claim he had no idea!!!!! And walk away and be worshiped as if he were God!!!!!

Legendary TV sitcom director James Burrows died Friday at age 85. Called the “Steven Spielberg of Sitcoms,” Burrows directed more than 1,000 episodes of “Cheers,” “Friends,” and other hit TV shows. The Los Angeles native began directing episodes of “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” in 1974. He then worked on “The Bob Newhart Show,” “Taxi,” and others before cocreating “Cheers” in 1982. Burrows directed nearly 90% of the episodes, including the 1993 series finale, which became the second-most-watched finale in television history after “M*A*S*H.” (Read a case for the show’s enduring legacy.) Burrows went on to direct episodes of “Friends,” “Frasier,” “Will & Grace,” and “The Big Bang Theory,” among others. In all, he directed 75 pilot episodes that became series, winning 11 Emmy Awards. He was renowned for navigating multicamera situational comedies. Explore the enduring popularity of laugh tracks in sitcoms.

Because the English language is so complex, every day the average person will create a sentence that has never been said before. English is hard? Nooooooooo. Because that's why! Don't you see how? James

Police Chased the Wrong Man, Then Shot Him and Watched as He Bled Out In the early hours of January 6, 2026, two 911 callers near Ypsilanti, Michigan, reported a white van driving erratically. https://theintercept.com/2026/06/18/police-killing-michigan-john-jenuwine/? Israel Asked Facebook to Censor Iran War Content, Internal Documents Show Israel’s government asked Meta to censor social media content about its ongoing war against Iran, according to internal documents viewed by The Intercept. https://theintercept.com/2026/06/18/israel-facebook-censor-content-moderation-iran-war/? FBI Tried to Flip Anti-ICE Protesters Into Informants John Mark Rozendaal was just trying to play music. https://theintercept.com/2026/06/20/fbi-ice-delaney-hall-protest-informants/? ICE’s Unseen Toll in Minneapolis: Suicide Helpline Calls More Than Doubled During Surge More than six months after federal agents descended on Minnesota, the toll of the immigration crackdown on the Twin Cities continues to mount. https://theintercept.com/2026/06/18/ice-minneapolis-mental-health-human-rights-watch/? Trump-Loving Crypto Super PAC Finally Backs a Democrat: Ritchie Torres A crypto super PAC that has praised President Donald Trump and previously endorsed an all-Republican slate of candidates has finally found a Democrat it can get behind: New York Rep. Ritchie Torres. https://theintercept.com/2026/06/19/crypto-donations-ritchie-torres-fellowship-pac/? Chud the Builder Fantasized About “Race War.” Now He’s Charged With Attempted Murder. The situation has only gotten worse for Dalton Eatherly, the race-baiting online pest better known as “Chud the Builder.” Earlier this spring, Eatherly was out on bond after being arrested in Nashville on theft, disorderly conduct, and resisting arrest charges after allegedly walking out of a restaurant on an almost $400 tab. Days later, prosecutors say he went on to do something far more serious: allegedly shooting and nearly killing a man outside the Montgomery County Courthouse in Clarksville, Tennessee. https://theintercept.com/2026/06/19/chud-the-builder-streamer-tennessee-shooting-bail/? The Surprising Reaction Inside Iran to Its War Victory The White House has been desperate to find a way out of the quagmire of its own making in Iran, leading to the remote signing on June 15 of a memorandum of understanding that promises extraordinary concessions to the Islamic Republic. Stipulations once deemed a “nightmare for Israel” by American politicians and dismissed by President Donald Trump as “not acceptable” — such as total sanctions relief and the unfreezing of billions of dollars of funds held abroad — are now reality. Despite attempts by the Trump administration to spin this as an achievement of all of America’s goals and an “unconditional surrender” by Iran, the deal has been met with skepticism, derision, anger, and mockery by Democrats and even some Republicans, pushing close Trump allies such as Fox News host Mark Levin and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz to admonish the president for doing the “unthinkable” by capitulating to Iran. https://theintercept.com/2026/06/20/iran-war-deal-ceasefire/? Undercover Cops Infiltrated Delaney Hall ICE Protest to Spy and Make Arrest Detectives with the Newark Police Division of the city’s Department of Public Safety went undercover to infiltrate protests outside U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Delaney Hall detention facility earlier this month, according to court records obtained by The Intercept. https://theintercept.com/2026/06/18/undercover-police-ice-protest-delaney-hall-nj/? The Performative Ceasefire in Gaza Over the last few years, the world has seen unspeakable violence, death, and devastation from Israel’s war on Gaza. During that time, global perception has shifted as the scale of Israel’s destruction grew, with the death toll climbing to more than 73,000 people. Since the October 2025 “ceasefire,” Israeli military attacks have killed more than 1,000 Palestinians in Gaza. https://theintercept.com/2026/06/19/israel-gaza-ceasefire-tariq-kenney-shawa/?

Trump-backed de la Espriella holds razor-thin lead in Colombia’s election as rival challenges vote BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Political outsider Abelardo de la Espriella held a razor-thin lead in Colombia’s presidential election with nearly all the votes counted Sunday, in a runoff vote marked by people’s fears of a renewed internal conflict. https://apnews.com/article/colombia-presidential-election-espriella-cepeda-petro-a20f9dca2f33a7c72cd7deaa04578e5b?

In the past 70 years, the subject of the Salem Witch Trials has been hijacked by the political left as a historic example of the authoritarian nature of the "patriarchy". Arthur Miller used the trials as an allegory for "anti-communist hysteria" in his famous 1953 play, The Crucible. As we now know, however, Joseph McCarthy was mostly right when he warned about an insidious and organized Marxist takeover of America's social and educational institutions. A more nuanced historic analysis shows that witchcraft was indeed a problem in the colonies just as it was a problem in Europe. Not so much because of "black magic" or dark curses, but because "witches" were often early representations of social malcontents causing problems in Christian communities just as they cause problems in the western world today. There were false accusations, there's no doubt. But the narrative that most or all witch burnings were unjustified is simply false. The reason women (and some men) were accused of being witches and burned at the stake was because they willfully engaged in highly destructive anti-social behaviors. The local witch was often the village abortionist, a seller of poisons, and the town prostitute or harlot plying her "trade" at a time when there was zero tolerance for this kind of behavior. It should be noted that the practice of casting out or executing sociopaths, psychopaths and other people with destructive social tendencies (considered black magic) is common among religious groups around the world, not just in Puritan towns and Christian society. This includes Native American tribes that feminists tend to idolize. When human beings lived in small villages, broken and dangerous people were much easier to identify and remove before they did significant damage. In the new era of metropolitan isolation within mass population centers, they easily blend into the crowd. Sometimes they are even celebrated as "visionaries" by Hollywood and the media. Modern feminists proudly draw connections to the subversive world of witches because they tend toward delusional fantasies of dominance. Women, by their biological nature, lack any real ability to project power, so they fabricate notions of magical influence in their minds. Some of the most popular women's trends today revolve around concepts of New Age "manifestation", which is just a modern way of believing in magic. It's not surprising that feminists in the US in 2026 are flocking to "witchcraft communes", an idea recently applauded in a expose by The Guardian. The outlet notes: "Witchcraft retreats...have proliferated across the US and Europe over the last decade. The practice they’re built around resists easy definition. Equal parts ancient folk magic, herbal remedies and self-soothing rituals, it encompasses everything from the spellcasting done by self-directed pagans to solitary practitioners who scatter protective salts around their homes. If you buy a crystal, that’s witchcraft. If you practice manifestation, that’s witchcraft..." "The retreat boom was foreshadowed by an interest in witchcraft that has grown since the counterculture movement in the 1960s, says Helen Berger, a Harvard Divinity School-based sociologist of religion and one of the leading scholars of contemporary paganism. While it’s hard to really identify a single catalyst driving women to witchcraft, Berger sees a pattern: spikes in alternative spirituality tend to coincide with spikes in anti-authoritarianism. In 1968, for example, several feminist groups co-opted occult imagery, adopted the acronym Witch..." The reason witchcraft appeals so much to women on the political left is because leftist movements operate on the same value system - Meaning, they have no values. The problem is, Atheism leaves an emotional and spiritual void, leaving people desperate for answers to questions that scientific explanation does not satisfy. The occult promises people answers, but without all those nasty rules and responsibilities commonly attached to Christianity. In other words, witchcraft is a religion for people who think they are above moral obligation. People who think they can revolt against the natural order. In this way, witchcraft and feminism are fundamentally the same thing. The Guardian continues: "Clauré hosts at least two witchcraft retreats a year, in Savannah, Georgia and Salem, Massachusetts; prices run anywhere from $2,700 to $5,200 to attend. She says women are searching for something beyond the slumber party Ouija board rituals that loosely inspired her retreats in the first place. “The patriarchy is not good for anybody, men or women,” Clauré says. “Women have been inherently drawn to [witchcraft spaces] after being demonized or called hysterical or stigmatized. We’re so [censored] sick of it that we’re gonna do things our way, whether you call it crazy or not.”..." "“If you look at the larger social gestalt right now, in which power is being systematically taken away from women and queer people, the traditional witch is the opposite of ‘right’ society,” says Sabina Magliocco, a professor of anthropology and religion at the University of British Columbia and a former Guggenheim fellow. “But if ‘right’ society is depriving women of rights, is excluding women, is saying that it is perfectly fine to sexually abuse women, that there aren’t going to be any consequences, then maybe being the opposite of right society is aligning with the forces of justice.”" It's impossible to distinguish between the political rhetoric of modern witchcraft and feminists; they are symbiotic. Fantasies of victimhood usually coincide with societal expectations. Liberal women see basic laws, social norms and meritocracy as "oppressive". But really, they are narcissists who refuse to accept that the entire world does not revolve around them and their wishes. This is who witchcraft appeals to. The wider implications are serious, and not because these women have any real magical powers. Rather, feminism and similar movements are a psychological plague that spreads, rotting nations from within. If they face backlash it's not because they are female or queer, it's because they deliberately engineer disruption and encourage degeneracy that breaks society down. They revel in chaos. The witches of old were burned at the stake for such behavior; behaviors which the "Patriarchy" kept in check before they infested the greater community. Feminists are lucky that they're only mocked or shunned in modern times. https://www.zerohedge.com/political/feminists-are-increasingly-joining-witchcraft-communes-fill-spiritual-void

Extreme heat expected again at the Grand Canyon after 3 hikers die in heat-related incidents GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, Ariz. (AP) — Visitors to Grand Canyon National Park are being warned about extreme temperatures that will hit the popular destination early next week after a recent increase in heat-related incidents in the inner canyon, including the deaths of three hikers. https://apnews.com/article/extreme-heat-grand-canyon-8ab303cc459a96503c46708bfc12d262?

France restricts public alcohol consumption and outdoor sports as heat wave bakes parts of Europe PARIS (AP) — France endured sizzling temperatures on Sunday, with trains, concerts and sports events canceled and authorities cracking down on drinking alcohol in public, as an exceptional heat wave unfurled across parts of Europe. https://apnews.com/article/heat-wave-france-europe-music-day-337471b5950543447c92010ca1081a8d?

Ukrainian attacks prompt Russian-held Crimea to halt civilian gasoline sales Officials in Russia-occupied Crimea suspended civilian gasoline sales Sunday as Ukraine ramped up attacks on fuel supplies on the Black Sea peninsula. https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-was-crimea-gas-fuel-1bd4d0980a353fa0f8221040215e6435?

Ten years on, Brexit still divides Britain and casts a pall over its economy Ten years ago, the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union in a referendum that forges political identities to this day and that shattered a half-century project to get closer to the continent. Brexit, short for British exit, became a reality on June 23, 2016, when 52% — or more than 17 million people — voted to leave the EU. Though the margin was narrow, the vote led to the most dramatic shake-up of the U.K. economy and society since World War II. Read more. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Starmer is on the precipice as pressure builds for the UK leader to resign Who is Andy Burnham, the lawmaker seeking to replace Keir Starmer

Trump tries to blame Reflecting Pool woes on vandalism, without offering substantiation President Donald Trump on Saturday announced that federal authorities had made “multiple arrests” of people he said were vandalizing the Reflecting Pool as he struggled to explain why the $14-million-plus rehabilitation project he launched for the nation’s 250th anniversary seemingly backfired. He offered no details to substantiate his claim and agencies responsible for law enforcement and upkeep on the National Mall did not respond to requests for comment. Read more. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Kennedy Center says it isn't required to reschedule shows after judge blocks 2-year closure President Donald Trump unveils the new Air Force One, a converted Qatari jet Trump deepens the dustup with Italy's Meloni, who says his 'unprovoked attacks are senseless' Warsh's gamble: A quieter Federal Reserve could mean volatile markets, higher rates Friction between Trump and Republican senators is growing before the pivotal midterm elections

🍻 Foreign fans meet U.S. tipping culture Illustration: Maura Losch/Axios Millions of World Cup visitors are experiencing American cuisine for the first time, and there's one menu item that's completely foreign: tipping. Many restaurants in host cities are adding 20% gratuities to customers' bills this summer to accommodate international fans who might otherwise accidentally stiff their servers, Axios' Josephine Walker reports. Tipping isn't customary in many countries, but in the U.S., tips are central to workers' pay. Anne Calimano, who co-owns Hurley's Saloon in Manhattan, told the New York Post her bar has been jam-packed with the NBA Finals and the World Cup, and her staff has learned to roll with the confusion. "They know they're not going to get the 20% or whatever. And they're fine because they're busy and they're making money." Keep reading.

🇮🇹 Trump's Italian feud President Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's war of words over a factually contested photo op request at the G-7 exploded yesterday, with the one-time friends blasting each other in angry terms on social media. Why it matters: Even as Trump lavishes praise on American adversaries like China's Xi Jinping, close allies are increasingly willing to split with him, Axios' Ben Berkowitz writes. ⚡ Catch up quick: The controversy erupted earlier this week when Trump claimed Meloni begged him for a photo together at the global gathering in France. Trump took to Truth Social yesterday to again insist she'd begged for a picture in an effort to improve her poll numbers, and to accuse her of being ungrateful for American support. "he wants to be friends again in order to get her 'numbers up.' No thanks!!!" Trump wrote. Meloni blasted Trump in an Instagram post: "[M]y popularity is none of your concern. I suggest you focus on yours." 🔎 Between the lines: The U.S.-Italy relationship has grown strained in recent months over the war in Iran. At one point, Italy denied U.S. aircraft permission to land at its bases. Meloni, in her Instagram post, defended that decision as a matter of protecting Italian sovereignty. ps:So pathetic!!!!!!!

🏛️ Draining the swamp Photo: Anna Rose Layden/Getty Images Above, you see algae-ridden water being drained from the bottom of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool yesterday. Trump wrote on Truth Social last night: "We met with contractors today, will probably be forced to release and drain much of the water in order to do the necessary repairs, but will have them done as quickly as possible." He blamed "terrible Vandals," and said there'll be many more arrests, even though the algae's return was foreseeable. Catch up quick: Crews have been working to kill the algae bloom that's tinted the pool green since the $14.7 million renovation wrapped with hydrogen peroxide. More recently, the fresh "American flag blue" paint at the bottom of the pool appeared to be peeling away and floating in the water. One person arrested by U.S. Park Police was David Hearn, a 67-year-old cyclist and former Olympian. Hearn told The Washington Post he "didn't destroy or break or peel anything" and was arrested after reaching down to touch a piece of already-peeled paint floating in the pool. More on the arrest (WP gift link).