NEWS - THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2026 - NEWS
A unanimous Supreme Court ruled for gun rights and against drug laws in a flip of longstanding federal law that prohibited drug users from possessing a gun. LA Times
VOA VIEW: It must be retained.
Merlin Lu said he was protesting President Donald Trump and was not using the cross as a historical symbol of hate and intimidation against Black people. New York Post
Dramatic shift in market sentiment came after Federal Open Market Committee left rates unchanged but signaled that inflation remains its top concern. New York Post
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Amanda Nicole Johnson was found slumped over in a Ford F-150 pickup truck in front of a gas pump, asleep with a cigarette in her hand, according to a report. New York Post
VOA VIEW: That won't fly.
Midrange attacks, using upgraded drones that Ukraine produces in huge numbers, are causing fuel shortages and complicating troop rotations. New York Times
VOA VIEW: Russia is causing problem.
The reversal comes after the Senate passed a bipartisan bill on Wednesday to block the removal of deep-sea monitoring instruments. New York Times
The department, citing high default rates, is reducing interest rates on federal student loans by up to 1 percentage point for two years. New York Times
Big tech companies and small start-ups are using social media to hype new tools that allow students to trick teachers and A.I. detectors. New York Times
Despite its advantages, work-from-home arrangements have significantly deepened Americans’ isolation and distress. New York Times
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President Donald Trump has declared that oil is flowing again and the stock markets are “roaring” following his newly sign memorandum of understanding. OANN
President Donald Trump said he shared a “very good” conversation with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the G7 summit in France, adding that the two countries are in the midst of trade negotiations. OANN
The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that 14 suspects have been charged in connection with a cocaine trafficking operation that allegedly involved dealers openly selling drugs near a Washington, D.C., elementary school, often in broad daylight, according to the indictment. OANN
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released new details about one of the suspects behind the thwarted terror plot against the UFC Freedom 250 White House event, announcing that the “suspected ringleader” was found to be a Mexican illegal alien. OANN
VOA VIEW: He should pay dearly.
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The United States Coast Guard (USCG) seized a total of more than 225,000 pounds of cocaine through Operation Pacific Viper, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed. OANN
A visitor from Atlanta turned a $5 slot machine bet into a life-changing fortune Tuesday morning at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino, walking away with a Megabucks jackpot worth over $10.3M, one of the largest slot wins the off-Strip property has ever recorded. Washington Times
D.C. Council member Janeese Lewis George, a Democrat and self-described socialist, is set to become the next mayor of the District after her main competitor, former Councilman Kenyan McDuffie, conceded Thursday. Washington Times
VOA VIEW: She should not win.
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Chicago Alderman Ray Lopez is making a second push to hold parents financially responsible for their children's participation in increasingly violent street takeovers, putting him at odds with Mayor Brandon Johnson, who has resisted punitive measures in favor of investment in youth programming.
"You know what doesn't cost you money? Paying attention to your kid," Lopez said. "That's exactly what parents need to do right now." Washington Times
VOA VIEW: They should be.
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva warned U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday not to meddle in Brazil's October presidential election after Trump made his latest criticism of Brazil over judicial moves against Lula's political rivals. Washington Times
How does a bus driver who doesn't speak English get a commercial license in America? The answer, investigators say, is more complicated than anyone expected. Washington Times reporter Susan Ferrechio explains what went wrong and what's being done to fix it. Washington Times
Tropical Storm Arthur, the first named storm of the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, weakened to a post-tropical cyclone after making landfall. It formed off the Gulf Coast of Texas. CBS
The New York Knicks are planning to visit the White House, owner James Dolan said Wednesday, marking a first for an NBA Finals winner during President Trump's time in office. CBS
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The Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C., underwent a big overhaul, and all looked well until algae bloomed, turning it all green again. CBS
U.S. inflation is expected to remain elevated through the end of the year, Fed officials say in their latest forecast. CBS
Jackson Lahmeyer had been backed by President Trump, although the president dropped his endorsement shortly before Lahmeyer dropped out. CBS
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After more than a decade since it was announced, the Obama Presidential Center and Library officially opens to the public in Chicago's Jackson Park on June 19, 2026. CBS
VOA VIEW: An expensive ugly mess.
The Consumer Price Index rose last month at a 4.2% annual rate amid a spike in U.S. energy prices. CBS
The vast majority of data centers globally face either acute risk from climate change events or chronic risk from ongoing climate issues like extreme heat. CNBC
The U.S. defense secretary also said it was "shameful" that European allies refused to give U.S. forces access to bases to strike Iran. CNBC
A bill the Senate Armed Services Committee approved would prevent defense contractors from buying back their stock without Pentagon approval. CNBC
All detainees at "Alligator Alcatraz" in the Florida Everglades have been transferred to other facilities, DHS says, citing hurricane season concerns. FOX News
An 18-year-old Indian tourist died after spooked horse pulling carriage through Central Park bolts, striking another carriage and overturning Wednesday. FOX News
DHS demands Virginia Gov. Spanberger intervene after illegal immigrant allegedly charged with sexual battery of a 5-year-old girl in Woodbridge. FOX News
The U.S. Coast Guard opened fire to disable a boat smuggling 25 Chinese nationals near Key Biscayne, Florida, after it refused to stop, DHS says. FOX News
Russia came under the largest attack from Ukrainian drones in two years with a key oil refinery in the capital struck for the second time this week. UPI
Israel carried out strikes on Lebanon on Wednesday as leaders prepared to sign the Iran-United States cease-fire Friday. UPI
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee has advanced legislation to repeal decades-old sanctions imposed on Syria. UPI
The Senate has confirmed Michelle Steel, a former two-term Korean American congresswoman, as the United States' ambassador to South Korea. UPI
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Thanking the U.S. support and showing defiance against China's intentions, Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te issued a stern five-point message of independence Sunday, rebuking China as "the root cause of regional instability" and "the destruction of regional peace." All sides are saying something different.
"Taiwan will not, under pressure, give up national sovereignty and dignity, or its democratic and free way of life," the president wrote in a Facebook post, as translated by multiple sources. "Taiwan will never be sacrificed or traded." Lai's comments were his first direct response to the summit last week in Beijing between President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping that raised concerns in democratically governed Taiwan about the potential of a Chinese invasion.
Trump remains mum on new weapons sales to Taiwan, but stressed the U.S. was "not looking to have somebody say, 'Let's go independent because the United States is backing us'." Long-term Taiwan-U.S. security cooperation and arms sales were based on the Taiwan Relations Act, Lai said, referencing the 1979 law that mandates the sale of weapons to the island. "This is not only a U.S. security commitment to Taiwan, but also the most important deterrent force over the years against actions that undermine regional peace and stability," he wrote.
Lai's five-point Facebook message was a stern rejection of China's claims of control over Taiwan, and a call for Trump's self-defense assistance:
- "First, Taiwan is the defender of the status quo of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the region."
- "Second, China is the root cause of regional instability and changes to the status quo."
- "Third, defending the status quo of the Republic of China is not an issue of 'Taiwan independence.'"
- "Fourth, Taiwan-U.S. security cooperation and arms sales are key elements in maintaining regional peace and stability."
- "Fifth, Taiwan is at the heart of global core interests, and peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait must never be sacrificed or traded."
