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The Democrats must confront their gerontocracy

The Democrats must confront their gerontocracy

Helen Lewis writes: Last week, something happened that is extremely rare in Washington, D.C., but completely normal outside of it: People openly described an octogenarian as frail and overdue for retirement. The subject of discussion was Eleanor Holmes Norton, the District of Columbia’s nonvoting congressional delegate, who turned 88 on Friday. Recently, several D.C. figures have questioned her ability to serve. Beverly Perry, a senior adviser to Mayor Muriel Bowser, went on the record to say that it was “hard”…

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First images from Vera C. Rubin Observatory show 10 million galaxies

First images from Vera C. Rubin Observatory show 10 million galaxies

  Live Science reports: After decades of preparation, the Vera C. Rubin Observatory released its first images to the world in a live stream on Monday (June 23). The photos, taken by the world’s largest digital camera, are highly-detailed and show relatively large areas of the sky. In a televised news conference, scientists from the observatory revealed new details about the images that far surpass the “sneak peek” images released earlier in the day. In fact, an awe-inspiring spiral galaxy…

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It now appears more likely than ever that Iran will try to develop nuclear weapons

It now appears more likely than ever that Iran will try to develop nuclear weapons

Isaac Chotiner interviewed James M. Acton, the chair and co-director of the Nuclear Policy Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace: One point that opponents of the Obama deal have made is that Iran could have been using hidden sites to enrich uranium beyond what was allowed. But you have argued that that isn’t actually a case for military action. Why? One of the big challenges with all I.A.E.A. [International Atomic Energy Agency] inspections everywhere is, Does the I.A.E.A….

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After U.S. military strikes, Iran could reconsider its nuclear strategy

After U.S. military strikes, Iran could reconsider its nuclear strategy

Seyed Hossein Mousavian writes: On Sunday, US President Donald Trump publicly announced: “The US military carried out massive precision strikes on the three key nuclear facilities in the Iranian regime: Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan. I can report to the world that the strikes were a spectacular military success. Iran’s key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated.” Following the attack, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that the use of force by the United States against Iran today is…

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‘Caught between a devil, a monster and a wildcat’

‘Caught between a devil, a monster and a wildcat’

Middle East Eye reports: There had been growing speculation in recent days that further and larger strikes would hit Iranian nuclear facilities – especially Fordow, which is buried deep underground. However, military experts had said only US bunker-busting bombs could destroy the facility, and that Israel doesn’t have that capability. As a result, many Iranians were worried an American attack might be coming soon. Milad, 35, was one of them. He lives in the northwestern city of Mashhad, 900km from…

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Provision in GOP tax bill that would threaten judicial power breaks Senate rules, says parliamentarian

Provision in GOP tax bill that would threaten judicial power breaks Senate rules, says parliamentarian

HuffPost reports: A provision in the GOP’s tax-and-spending bill that would make it nearly impossible for anyone to sue the Trump administration for breaking laws is on track to be stripped from the bill after the Senate parliamentarian said it violates the chamber’s rules. This provision, which is in Senate Republicans’ version of the One Big Beautiful Act, would require anyone seeking an emergency court order ― that is, a temporary restraining order or a preliminary injunction ― against the…

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‘It felt like kidnapping,’ Mahmoud Khalil says in first interview after release

‘It felt like kidnapping,’ Mahmoud Khalil says in first interview after release

The New York Times reports: Mahmoud Khalil sat in a Manhattan apartment dotted with posters and signs calling for his freedom and described the moment 105 days before when plainclothes immigration agents had handcuffed him in the building lobby. “All the ‘Know Your Rights’ information and fliers I read and familiarized myself with were useless,” Mr. Khalil said. “There are no rights in such situations.” “It felt like kidnapping,” he said. Mr. Khalil, a 30-year-old Columbia University graduate and U.S….

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The people being disappeared by ICE in Los Angeles

The people being disappeared by ICE in Los Angeles

Emily Witt writes: On Tuesday, June 17th, Nancy Urizar was at her job working in the fund-raising department of a Jesuit boys’ high school in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Watts when her phone rang. “It was just a normal day for me,” she said. “It was twelve, and I had just come back from lunch.” On the other end of the line was her father’s landlord. Some friends of her dad’s had come over, the landlord told her, and…

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Trump is trying to minimize, ignore or even erase the experiences and history of Black people in the U.S.

Trump is trying to minimize, ignore or even erase the experiences and history of Black people in the U.S.

The New York Times reports: On the occasion of Juneteenth, a day that commemorates the end of slavery, President Trump took a moment to complain that the national holiday even exists. “Too many non-working holidays in America,” Mr. Trump wrote on social media, just hours after his press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, made a point of noting that White House staff had shown up to work. The president’s decision to snub Juneteenth — a day that has been cherished by generations of Black…

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U.S. enters war against Iran

U.S. enters war against Iran

Every time America is on the verge of greatness, we get involved in another foreign war. There would not be bombs falling on the people of Israel if Netanyahu had not dropped bombs on the people of Iran first. Israel is a nuclear armed nation. This is not our fight. Peace is… — Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) June 21, 2025 🇾🇪⚡🇺🇲 | Houthis Say Striking Nuclear Facilities Is ‘Beginning’ Of Real War Mohamed al-Farah, a senior member of Yemen’s…

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Imagine the dictatorial powers Trump will wield if America goes to war with Iran

Imagine the dictatorial powers Trump will wield if America goes to war with Iran

Robert Kagan writes: I can think of nothing more perilous to American democracy right now than going to war. Think of how Trump can use a state of war to strengthen his dictatorial control at home. Trump declared a state of national emergency in response to a nonexistent “invasion” by Venezuelan gangs. Imagine what he will do when the United States is actually at war with a real country, one that many Americans fear. Will he tolerate dissent in wartime?…

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Iranians are uniting behind an anti-war message

Iranians are uniting behind an anti-war message

Nahid Siamdoust writes: Over the Islamic Republic’s four and a half decades, Iranians have tried hard to reform the system from within. They have been thwarted by their own government, but also by the breakdown of the nuclear agreement with the U.S. and other parties when Trump withdrew during his first term, the extreme sanctions that ensued and the recent peace negotiations that Netanyahu hijacked. They are now in an impossible position. On the one hand, many rejoice at seeing…

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WSJ: Stephen Miller has amassed more power in the White House than anyone else

WSJ: Stephen Miller has amassed more power in the White House than anyone else

The Wall Street Journal reports: Stephen Miller wanted to keep the planes in the air—and that is where they stayed. When a federal judge in March told the Trump administration to turn around flights of deported migrants headed to El Salvador, senior officials hastily convened a Saturday evening conference call to figure out what to do. If they didn’t return the passengers, they would be defying a court order, some administration officials worried. Miller, who is President Trump’s deputy chief…

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