A zoo in eastern China is facing ridicule online after visitors discovered that one of its &#8220;zebras&#8221; was actually a donkey painted with black stripes.
Footage from Qingyun Mountain Folk Custom Amusement Park in Anqiu, located in China&#8217;s Shandong Province, shows the animal sporting crudely painted stripes intended to resemble a zebra. The disguise quickly fell apart, however, as visitors pointed to the animal&#8217;s long ears, distinctive coloring, and the presence of other donkeys in the same enclosure.
<a href="https://nypost.com/2026/06/19/world-news/zoo-paints-donkey-with-stripes-to-look-like-zebra-and-visitors-arent-wild-about-it/?utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=nypost">Images and videos</a> of the striped donkey spread rapidly across Chinese social media, where users mocked the zoo&#8217;s attempt to transform the animal into something more exotic.
Zoo staff later defended the stunt, insisting they never actually claimed the animal was a zebra. &#8220;We&#8217;re doing cosplay. We never said it was a zebra,&#8221; one staff member reportedly wrote online. &#8220;We didn&#8217;t even put up a sign saying it was a zebra! It&#8217;s just a joke, an abstract kind of thing meant to entertain visitors.&#8221;
According to local reports, park employees said they have carried out similar animal &#8220;makeovers&#8221; in the past as a way to amuse guests. The incident is the latest in a string of viral controversies involving Chinese zoos disguising animals as different species.
In 2025, <a href="https://people.com/zoo-in-china-accused-of-painting-donkeys-black-and-white-to-look-like-zebras-11680561">another zoo</a> in Shandong Province admitted to painting donkeys with zebra stripes after social media users exposed the deception. At the time, zoo officials defended the move as a harmless marketing gimmick and said the paint used on the animals was non-toxic.
Chinese zoos have also gained international attention in recent years for dyeing dogs to resemble other animals. In 2024, several zoos <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/01/world/asia/china-zoo-painted-dogs-pandas.html">painted Chow Chow</a> dogs black and white to resemble giant pandas. The animals became a major attraction after videos circulated online showing visitors posing beside the so-called &#8220;panda dogs.&#8221; Zoo officials defended the practice, arguing that the dyed dogs were clearly identified and that the process was no different than people coloring their hair.
A year later, another Chinese zoo drew criticism after painting Chow Chows orange and black in an attempt to make them <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/01/30/lifestyle/zoogoers-appalled-as-dogs-painted-to-look-like-tigers-in-ridiculous-gimmick/">resemble tigers</a>. The zoo later acknowledged that the animals were dogs and described the display as a promotional stunt.
The practice is not limited to China. In 2018, <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-44968509">a zoo in Egypt</a> faced international scrutiny after visitors alleged that donkeys had been painted to look like zebras. Similar incidents have occurred elsewhere, including <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/nov/04/gaza-zoology">in Gaza</a>, where zoo operators painted donkeys with stripes after struggling to acquire exotic animals due to import restrictions.
Animal welfare groups have criticized the practice, arguing that painting animals for entertainment can cause unnecessary stress and potential health risks.
<a href="https://www.peta.org/news/zoo-paints-donkeys-as-zebras-no-respect-for-animals/">PETA</a> previously warned that &#8220;no reputable animal-care facility would subject skittish animals like donkeys to the stress of being restrained and sprayed with chemicals like paint.&#8221;
Despite the criticism, the latest striped donkey has already become an online sensation, with many social media users focusing less on animal welfare concerns and more on the quality of the disguise itself.
&#8220;The zebra costume isn&#8217;t even convincing,&#8221; one commenter wrote online, while another joked that the donkey appeared to be wearing &#8220;half-finished pajamas.&#8221;

HONDURAS-ENVIRONMENT-ANIMALS-ZOO-CRISIS

Zoo Can’t Get A Zebra, Tries Cosplay Instead

Animals

China

The United States Men&#8217;s National Team punched its ticket to the knockout stage of the World Cup Friday, defeating Australia 2-0 at Lumen Field in Seattle and securing advancement from Group D with a match to spare.
Playing in front of a packed Seattle crowd, the Americans overcame the absence of star midfielder Christian Pulisic and delivered one of their strongest performances of the tournament, moving one step closer to winning the group.
The United States took control early and never looked back.
Australia gifted the Americans the opening goal when a defensive miscue resulted in an own goal in the first half, giving the U.S. an early advantage and energizing the home crowd.
The Americans doubled their lead just before halftime when defender Alex Freeman found the back of the net, finishing off a well-worked attacking sequence to put the United States firmly in control heading into the break. Neither team scored in the second half.
The United States entered the match knowing a victory would secure a place in the knockout rounds after opening tournament play with a victory over Paraguay. Australia also entered the contest with three points after defeating Turkey on matchday one, making Friday&#8217;s showdown a pivotal battle atop Group D.
Despite being without Pulisic, who was ruled out with a calf injury suffered during the opening match, the Americans showed little sign of missing one of their most important players. Head coach Mauricio Pochettino turned to Ricardo Pepi in the starting lineup
The victory continues a strong run of form for the United States at Lumen Field. The Americans remain unbeaten in Seattle and improved upon a record that already ranked among the team&#8217;s best at any domestic venue. Friday&#8217;s result also marked another successful chapter in the growing rivalry between the United States and Australia. The Americans defeated the Socceroos 2-1 in their most recent meeting in October and now add another significant victory to the series.
With advancement secured, the United States will now turn its attention to its final group-stage match as it seeks to lock up first place in Group D and improve its positioning for the knockout round. The Americans entered the tournament facing questions about depth and consistency, but through two matches they have answered those concerns with back-to-back victories and a place in the tournament&#8217;s final bracket.

USA v Australia: Group D – FIFA World Cup 2026

Team USA Takes Major Step Forward In Home-Field World Cup Run

Sports

World Cup

The 22-year-old son of Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) has raised $30 million for a financial trading startup that is already valued at $300 million, according to a report, drawing attention to the young entrepreneur&#8217;s rapid rise as his mother remains one of the cryptocurrency industry&#8217;s most influential allies in Washington.
Theodore Gillibrand, who graduated from Stanford University this week, secured the funding round for American Perpetuals Exchange Corporation (APEC), a startup that plans to offer perpetual futures contracts tied to U.S. equities and stock indexes. Venture capital firm Lux Capital reportedly led the investment round, which values the company at $300 million.
The fundraising effort comes as Sen. Gillibrand has spent years positioning herself as a leading Democratic advocate for cryptocurrency and digital asset legislation. She partnered with Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) on major crypto regulatory proposals and played a key role in advancing the GENIUS Act, which established a federal framework for regulating stablecoins.
&#8220;My son is a grown adult starting his own independent business,&#8221; Gillibrand said in a statement to the <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/06/19/business/kirsten-gillibrands-22-year-old-son-raises-30m-for-trading-startup-as-dem-champions-crypto-in-dc/">New York Post</a>. &#8220;I have no involvement in it whatsoever. That said, I&#8217;m enormously proud of him and wish him nothing but the best.&#8221;
According to <a href="https://fortune.com/2026/06/18/theodore-gillibrand-senator-kirstin-gillibrand-apec-american-perpetuals-exchange-corporation-lux-capital/">Fortune</a>, APEC intends to seek approval from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission to offer perpetual futures contracts, a type of derivative that allows traders to speculate on asset prices without owning the underlying assets and without traditional expiration dates.
While perpetual futures have become popular in cryptocurrency markets, APEC said its platform will focus on U.S. equities and stock indexes rather than digital assets. &#8220;The American Perpetuals Exchange Corporation will be offering perpetual futures on U.S. equities,&#8221; a company spokesperson said. &#8220;There will be no cryptocurrencies on the platform and the platform is not built on blockchain technology.&#8221;
Theodore Gillibrand previously worked as a fellow at crypto-focused venture firm Paradigm and interned at Andreessen Horowitz, one of Silicon Valley&#8217;s most prominent investors and a major player in the cryptocurrency sector.
The size of the fundraising round and the company&#8217;s reported valuation have attracted attention given Gillibrand&#8217;s age and the startup&#8217;s early stage. According to Fortune, the company has not yet launched its trading platform and must still obtain regulatory approval before offering its products to investors.
&#8220;It is clear that the future of these markets is not in offshore and unregulated foreign entities but rather in a regulated and institutional American company,&#8221; Theodore Gillibrand said in a statement.

Kirsten Gillibrand

Dem Senator’s 22-Year-Old Son Somehow Rakes In $30 Million For New Company

Business

Congress

Insider Trading

Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R-NJ) will return to Capitol Hill on June 30 after nearly four months away from Washington due to an undisclosed medical issue, ending an absence that became a national political story and created a vulnerability for Republicans defending what has become a competitive House seat.
Kean&#8217;s political adviser, Harrison Neely, <a href="https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2026/06/18/congress/tom-kean-return-00967295">confirmed</a> Thursday that the congressman plans to return to in-person work at the end of the month after missing more than 135 House votes since March 5.
&#8220;Congressman Kean is eager to return to in person work on June 30 and resume a full schedule,&#8221; Neely said. &#8220;He plans to be fully transparent regarding the nature of his health issue and you should expect to hear from him in person June 30th.&#8221;
The announcement marks the first time Kean&#8217;s team has provided a specific date for his return after months of public speculation about his condition. His office has repeatedly attributed the absence to a personal medical issue but has declined to provide details.
The two-term Republican represents New Jersey&#8217;s 7th Congressional District, a closely contested seat that has changed hands between the parties in recent election cycles. Kean defeated Democrat Tom Malinowski in 2022 and successfully defended the seat in 2024, but Democrats view the district as one of their best pickup opportunities in the 2026 midterms.
Kean is expected to face Democratic nominee Rebecca Bennett, a former Navy helicopter pilot and healthcare executive who won her party&#8217;s nomination earlier this month.
His prolonged absence has become a central issue in the race.
While Kean has remained active through social media statements and campaign communications, he has not appeared publicly in Washington or throughout his district since early March. The lack of information surrounding his condition fueled media scrutiny and questions from political observers about how the absence might affect both his re-election prospects and the House Republican Conference&#8217;s narrow majority.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) <a href="https://www.c-span.org/clip/news-conference/speaker-johnson-says-he-expects-nj-rep-tom-kean-to-return-soon-from-extended-absence/5200527">previously defended</a> Kean, telling reporters that the congressman was dealing with a legitimate medical issue and would eventually provide details about his condition.
In May, Johnson said he had spoken with Kean and expected him to return. More recently, the speaker acknowledged he had encouraged the New Jersey Republican to be transparent about his health situation.
Despite the absence, Kean has continued to receive support from top Republicans, including President Donald Trump. Earlier in June, Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116677963449948858">endorsed</a> Kean&#8217;s re-election bid, writing on Truth Social that the congressman was &#8220;working tirelessly&#8221; and giving him his &#8220;Complete and Total Endorsement for Re-Election.&#8221;
The return announcement comes as both parties prepare for what is expected to be one of the most expensive and closely watched House races in the country.
Democrats have already begun highlighting Kean&#8217;s absence, while Republicans argue the congressman deserves privacy while recovering from a medical issue. Bennett has largely avoided directly criticizing Kean&#8217;s health situation but has argued voters deserve active representation in Washington.
Kean, whose father, former New Jersey Governor Tom Kean Sr., remains one of the state&#8217;s most popular political figures, previously told local media that his condition is not chronic and will not affect his cognitive abilities.
According to Neely, the congressman intends to provide a full explanation of his medical issue upon his return to Capitol Hill on June 30, ending months of speculation surrounding one of the House GOP&#8217;s most closely watched members.

Visit Of The Bipartisan Delegation Of The U.S. Congress In Kyiv

GOP Rep Set To Return To Congress After He Went MIA For Months

House of Representatives

New Jersey

Republican

Tom Kean

The catastrophic implosion of the Titan submersible that killed all five people on board during a voyage to the Titanic wreckage in 2023 was caused by fundamental design flaws, a defective carbon-fiber hull, and a lack of regulatory oversight, according to a final investigative report released Wednesday by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada.
The 136-page <a href="https://www.tsb.gc.ca/eng/medias-media/communiques/marine/2026/m23a0169-20260617.html">report</a> delivers a damning assessment of OceanGate, the company behind the doomed expedition, concluding that the vessel&#8217;s construction and testing failed to follow accepted engineering standards.
“The investigation determined that the as-built properties of the Titan’s carbon fibre cylinder were never validated to ensure they met the theoretical values used in the design process and that the construction and testing of the Titan did not follow standard engineering practices,” investigators wrote.
According to the report, OceanGate never verified whether the vessel&#8217;s carbon-fiber pressure hull could withstand repeated dives to depths of approximately 12,500 feet, where the wreck of the Titanic rests. Investigators found that while the company tested the vessel to extreme depths, it failed to adequately assess how repeated exposure to immense underwater pressure would affect the hull over time.
“As a result, OceanGate did not know for how long the Titan’s pressure hull would remain structurally intact when used repeatedly for dives to the depth of the Titanic,” the report states. Investigators also examined unused sections of the same material used to construct Titan and discovered structural defects that compromised the vessel&#8217;s integrity. 
Beyond the engineering failures, Canadian investigators said broader regulatory shortcomings allowed the submersible to continue operating despite significant safety concerns. “When it came to the Titan, critical information existed across multiple federal government organizations, but no one was responsible for connecting the dots,” Transportation Safety Board Chair Yoan Marier <a href="https://abcnews.com/Business/titan-submersible-disaster-caused-design-flaws-company-failures/story?id=133964969">said</a>. “Without a complete picture of the operation, the Titan continued to operate in Canada without regulatory oversight.”
The agency issued six recommendations aimed at strengthening oversight of submersible operations and addressing safety management failures identified during the investigation. The findings largely mirror conclusions reached by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board last year, which determined that Titan&#8217;s carbon-fiber pressure vessel contained multiple structural anomalies and failed to meet necessary durability requirements.
The Titan imploded on June 18, 2023, during its 88th dive. Contact with the vessel was lost roughly two hours after it began descending toward the Titanic wreck site approximately 435 miles south of Newfoundland. After an international search effort failed to locate the vessel intact, debris recovered from the ocean floor confirmed a catastrophic implosion.
All five people aboard were killed, including OceanGate co-founder and CEO Stockton Rush, Titanic expert Paul-Henri Nargeolet, British businessman Hamish Harding, Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood, and Dawood&#8217;s 19-year-old son, Suleman.
The report comes months after the U.S. Coast Guard&#8217;s Marine Board of Investigation concluded that, had Rush not been killed, investigators would have recommended criminal manslaughter charges be considered by the Department of Justice.
OceanGate ceased operations shortly after the disaster. In a statement following the report&#8217;s release, a company spokesperson said OceanGate had fully cooperated with investigators and again offered condolences to the families of those killed. “We appreciate the professionalism shown by the TSB and the thoroughness of its investigation and final report,” the company said.

Titanic tourist submersible disappear on an expedition to explore the famed shipwreck

Final Titan Report Reveals What Caused Deadly Submersible Implosion

OceanGate

Titanic

A Pennsylvania minor league baseball team announced it will forfeit a scheduled game after several players refused to wear special Pride Night jerseys. 
The York Revolution, a member of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, said Tuesday that its June 18 game against the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs would not be played after multiple players declined to participate in the team&#8217;s annual Pride Night promotion.
&#8220;It is with great disappointment that the York Revolution have issued important changes to our 11th Annual Pride Night on Thursday, June 18,&#8221; the team said in a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/yorkrevolution/posts/pfbid02C21Y73hPhcXpHDYeY91qtkT49C2JLcGJFLiXLrKaEURprpeo6PWQ9smuSYjBiFwcl">statement</a>. &#8220;Most significantly, the scheduled game between York and Southern Maryland will not be played and Pride will still be hosted as a free admission event.&#8221;
According to the club, several players informed team officials they would not wear the jerseys planned for the event. The organization said it chose not to require players to wear the uniforms and instead moved forward with the Pride Night celebration instead of a game.
&#8220;Unfortunately, several of our players have refused to wear the scheduled Pride Night jersey and the club decided that hosting the event is more important than forcing players to wear jerseys they are not comfortable with and playing the game,&#8221; the team said.
The Revolution said the game will be recorded as a forfeit. Tickets purchased for the contest will be treated as a rainout and may be exchanged for any remaining regular-season home game, subject to availability.
The team also announced a $10,000 donation to the Rainbow Rose Center, an LGBTQ advocacy organization serving York and Adams counties, according to the <a href="https://www.ydr.com/story/news/local/2026/06/18/york-revolution-forfeits-game-after-players-pride-jersey-protest/90602046007/">York Daily Record</a>.
&#8220;As a small token of our regret for the last-minute change of plans and support for our LGBTQIA+ representing partners, we are making a $10,000 donation to the Rainbow Rose Center,&#8221; the statement said.
The Rainbow Rose Center — a group that, according to its <a href="https://www.rainbowrosecenter.org/who-we-are/">website,</a> “builds a vibrant community of belonging where LGBTQIA+ individuals in York and Adams Counties are supported, affirmed, and able to thrive” — said it was disappointed that the game would not be played but expressed appreciation that the organization chose to continue hosting Pride Night.
&#8220;For more than a decade, this event has represented far more than a baseball game,&#8221; the center said in a statement. &#8220;It has been a celebration of visibility, belonging, and community.&#8221;
The center added that it remained grateful that the baseball team &#8220;chose to prioritize the continuation of Pride Night” over a baseball game. “Ensuring that LGBTQIA+ community members and supporters still have a space to gather, celebrate, and be seen.&#8221;
The free event will proceed at WellSpan Park from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday and will include music, limited concessions, and batting practice on the field. The York Revolution is scheduled to return to regular game action at home on June 19.
The team did not identify the players who declined to wear the Pride Night jerseys, and it has not announced whether any disciplinary action will be taken.

Southern Maryland Blue Crabs vs Lancaster Barnstormers

Baseball Team Forfeits Game Over Pride Jerseys

Minor League Baseball Team Would Rather Forfeit Game Than Skip Pride Night

Luigi Mangione has abruptly withdrawn a psychiatric defense claiming &#8220;extreme emotional disturbance&#8221; that his attorneys seemed poised to make the centerpiece of his upcoming New York murder trial over the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
Court filings submitted Thursday show Mangione&#8217;s legal team formally withdrew a notice indicating they planned to pursue a psychiatric-based defense in the case. The filing offered no explanation for the sudden reversal.
The move comes just one day after Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Gregory Carro disclosed that Mangione intended to argue he was suffering from an “extreme emotional disturbance” at the time of Thompson&#8217;s killing.
Had the defense succeeded, it could have significantly altered the stakes of the case. Under New York law, a successful extreme emotional disturbance defense does not result in an acquittal but can reduce a murder conviction to first-degree manslaughter, carrying a substantially lighter sentence.
Mangione, 28, is accused of gunning down Thompson outside a Manhattan hotel on December 4, 2024. Prosecutors allege the killing was carefully planned and have pointed to journals and writings recovered after his arrest that they say demonstrate premeditation.
According to prosecutors, one entry discussed targeting the healthcare executive at an investor conference and described the attack as “targeted” and “precise.”
The psychiatric defense <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-defense-strategy-luigi-mangione-is-betting-everything-on?author=Trinity+Gentry&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=The+Defense+Strategy+Luigi+Mangione+Is+Betting+Everything+On">emerged publicly</a> Wednesday when Judge Carro revealed that defense attorneys had filed notice of their intent to pursue the strategy. Legal observers immediately questioned whether the argument would be difficult to square with evidence suggesting months of planning.
The defense&#8217;s withdrawal leaves unanswered questions about what prompted the sudden change.
In a separate order Thursday, Carro ruled that records related to the psychiatric defense would remain sealed, according to <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/luigi-mangione-psychiatric-defense-murder-rcna350793">NBC News</a>. As a result, any evaluations, expert opinions, or legal arguments connected to the abandoned strategy will not be made public.
A spokesperson for Mangione&#8217;s legal team declined to explain the reversal when asked by the <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/06/18/us-news/luigi-mangione-bizarrely-withdraws-extreme-emotional-disturbance-defense-claim-1-day-after-filing-it/">New York Post</a>.
The shift represents a notable, if rapid, turn in a case that has drawn national attention since December of 2024. Thompson&#8217;s killing sparked widespread discussion about the American healthcare system, with supporters portraying Mangione as a symbol of righteous anger with the insurance industry while opponents have condemned the shooting as a calculated act of political violence.
Just a day earlier, the psychiatric defense appeared to become one of the central battlegrounds of the trial. Now, with the strategy withdrawn and related records sealed, Mangione&#8217;s attorneys will head toward trial without a defense that could have reduced a potential murder conviction.
Mangione has pleaded not guilty to state and federal charges. His New York murder trial is scheduled to begin on September 8.

US-JUSTICE-CRIME-MANGIONE

Luigi Mangione Defense Abandons Controversial Courtroom Tactic

Luigi Mangione Defense Takes A Sudden Turn Away From Controversial Strategy

Georgia&#8217;s Democrat senator Jon Ossoff has made healthcare one of the central themes of his 2026 re-election campaign. In speeches, social media posts, and interviews, the first-term lawmaker particularly speaks about protecting mothers, preserving labor and delivery services, and ensuring that women have access to quality maternity care.
But those arguments have increasingly collided with another part of his record.
Last year, Ossoff <a href="https://x.com/ossoff/status/1968345283227795584?s=20">blasted</a> Republicans over closure of labor and delivery services at St. Mary&#8217;s Sacred Heart Hospital in Lavonia, warning that women in northeast Georgia would be forced to travel farther to give birth safely. The message was straightforward: women need access to maternity care, and policymakers should protect it.
Yet when the debate shifts from hospital access to questions of biological sex and gender identity, Ossoff has taken a markedly different position.
Among the votes drawing renewed scrutiny is his <a href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1172/vote_117_2_00319.htm">opposition</a> to a Senate motion that sought to define pregnancy-related programs around the biological reality of pregnancy itself. The proposal would have clarified that federal pregnancy programs are intended for those capable of becoming pregnant. Ossoff voted against it, along with all other Democrats.
That vote may seem obscure compared to a hospital closure or a Medicaid debate, but it raises a larger question: if pregnancy and maternity care are issues specifically affecting women, why oppose efforts to define them as such?
Healthcare has become one of the senator&#8217;s <a href="https://georgiarecorder.com/2025/12/22/bookman-republicans-need-to-accept-that-most-americans-think-health-care-should-be-available-to-all/">preferred political battlegrounds</a> ahead of the midterms. Ossoff routinely frames debates through the language of mothers, pregnant women, and families. His criticism of the St. Mary&#8217;s decision was built around the image of women going into labor and needing care close to home.
At the same time, his voting record reflects support for a broader Left-wing framework that increasingly avoids sex-based definitions in favor of language based on so-called gender identity.
Ossoff posted his criticism of the GOP over St. Mary&#8217;s labor and delivery services closure as the Republican-controlled Congress and the Trump administration scaled back some health spending. The hospital, however, said the decision followed roughly 18 months of review and was driven by a combination of factors, according to reporting by the <a href="https://dailycaller.com/2025/09/22/jon-ossoff-big-beautiful-bill-rural-hospital/">Daily Caller</a>. 
Among the reasons for the decision were physician recruitment challenges, demographic changes, and declining utilization rates. Financial records also showed the facility had struggled for years before the announcement, yet Ossoff reduced the issue to a partisan attack.
Now, the debate is no longer simply about healthcare. It is about whether voters see Ossoff as a principled advocate or a politician whose definitions change depending on which argument is most useful at the moment. For a candidate asking Georgians to trust him on healthcare, that distinction could matter even more in the coming months. 
In Tuesday&#8217;s runoff election for the GOP primary, Georgia Republicans elected U.S. Rep. Mike Collins (R-GA) to face off against Ossoff in November. Collins entered Tuesday&#8217;s election after an endorsement from President Trump. November&#8217;s general election is expected to be one of the most closely watched Senate races in the country.
Ossoff did not respond to a request for comment.

Jon Ossoff

Jon Ossoff Opposed Measure To Block Men From Receiving Maternity Care

Democrats

Georgia

Businessman Rick Jackson has won the Republican nomination for governor of Georgia, defeating Trump-endorsed Lt. Gov. Burt Jones in one of the most expensive and closely watched primary battles of the 2026 cycle.
Decision Desk HQ projected Jackson as the winner Tuesday night, capping a campaign in which the healthcare executive spent more than $100 million of his own fortune to overcome endorsements from both President Donald Trump and outgoing Republican Gov. Brian Kemp. Jackson will now face former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, who secured the Democratic nomination in May, in what is expected to be one of the most competitive governor&#8217;s races in the country.
The result represents a rare setback for Trump&#8217;s endorsement operation. The president backed Jones nearly a year ago and repeatedly reaffirmed his support throughout the campaign. Kemp, despite his often-complicated relationship with Trump, <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2026/06/16/georgia-brian-kemp-senate-governor-races-00962993">joined</a> the President and also endorsed Jones on Sunday.
Yet Jackson&#8217;s massive personal spending transformed the race. A relative political outsider, Jackson built statewide name recognition through an unprecedented advertising blitz centered on immigration enforcement, tax cuts, healthcare manufacturing, and his personal story of growing up in Georgia&#8217;s foster care system before becoming a billionaire entrepreneur.
The contest also revealed an unusual split within the Trump political orbit. While President Trump stood firmly behind Jones, Donald Trump Jr. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/house-divided-don-jr-praises-governor-hopeful-running-against-trumps-pick">publicly praised</a> Jackson on the eve of the election, highlighting his investments in domestic pharmaceutical manufacturing and energy infrastructure. Trump Jr. stopped short of issuing a formal endorsement but described Jackson as a &#8220;good man&#8221; who had helped advance America First economic priorities.
&#8220;Regardless of what happens in the Georgia Governor&#8217;s race tomorrow, we should celebrate the patriots building up MAGA and an America First economy like Rick Jackson has,&#8221; Trump Jr. wrote Monday. Jackson&#8217;s victory suggests that enormous personal wealth and outsider appeal can still overcome even the combined political weight of political kingpins like Trump and Kemp in a Republican primary. The race was widely viewed as a test of influence for both men. Trump remains the dominant figure in Republican politics nationally, while Kemp leaves office as one of the most popular governors in the country and a potential 2028 presidential contender.
Attention now shifts to the general election, where Jackson will face Bottoms, the former Atlanta mayor and Biden administration official who has long been considered one of Georgia Democrats&#8217; strongest statewide candidates.
With Georgia continuing to occupy the center of the nation&#8217;s political battleground map — perhaps only behind Pennsylvania in swing-state importance — the Jackson-Bottoms contest is expected to become one of the most closely watched governor&#8217;s races in America this November.

GOP Gubernatorial Candidate Rick Jackson Holds Primary Election Night Event

Trump And Trump Jr. Split In Georgia. Voters Chose One.

Politics

Two people were shot Tuesday afternoon inside a Delaware hospital, prompting a massive police response, a campus lockdown, and an active search for the suspected gunman.
 The shooting occurred around 3:30 p.m. at Wilmington Hospital, a ChristianaCare facility in Wilmington, Delaware, per <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/search-underway-suspect-after-2-people-shot-inside-delaware-hospital-police">Fox News</a>,.
According to the Wilmington Police Department, officers responding to the scene located two victims suffering from gunshot wounds inside the hospital. Authorities have not released the identities of the victims or provided an update on their conditions.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
BREAKING: Heavy police presence at a hospital in Wilmington, Delaware following reports of a shooting. <a href="https://t.co/e90rdP8vGi">pic.twitter.com/e90rdP8vGi</a>
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) <a href="https://x.com/Breaking911/status/2066986046072459388?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 16, 2026</a></blockquote>
Law enforcement sources told local media that preliminary information suggests the shooting involved hospital employees, with one employee allegedly opening fire on two coworkers.
Police said a suspect has been identified, though officials have not publicly released the individual&#8217;s name. Authorities are <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/06/16/us-news/details-of-us-iran-deal-revealed-timeline-for-us-withdrawal-300b-fund-hormuz-passage/">actively searching</a> for the suspect and investigating a possible vehicle connected to the shooting.
Following the incident, Wilmington Hospital was placed on lockdown and the emergency department was diverted as officers secured the campus. Video from the scene showed hospital employees being escorted from the building with their hands raised while heavily armed law enforcement officers established a perimeter around the facility.
&#8220;At this time, police have located two gunshot victims,&#8221; the Wilmington Police Department said in a statement. &#8220;The hospital remains locked down and police continue to ask the public to avoid the area.&#8221;
ChristianaCare confirmed the shooting and said it is working closely with law enforcement.
&#8220;This is an active police investigation,&#8221; the hospital said in a statement. &#8220;We are taking all appropriate steps to ensure the safety of our patients, caregivers and visitors.&#8221;
The motive remains unclear, and the investigation is ongoing.

President-Elect Biden And Vice President-Elect Harris Receive Second Round Of COVID-19 Vaccination

Two Shot In Delaware Hospital, Suspect Remains At Large

Crime

Shooting

Violent Crime

After months of global attention focused on the conflict with Iran and instability in the Middle East, President Donald Trump signaled Tuesday that the United States is preparing to turn its attention back toward Russia&#8217;s war in Ukraine, including the possible return of sanctions on Russian oil exports.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the Group of Seven summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, Trump suggested the temporary easing of some sanctions on Russian oil could soon come to an end now that energy markets have stabilized following and an agreement with Iran has been reached.
“Soon we&#8217;ll be able to do that because the oil is now flowing,” Trump <a href="https://apnews.com/article/g7-iran-ukraine-trump-macron-zelenskyy-e7fad4eabaae8181f70fa5a0b9e499b2">said</a>. “We&#8217;re in a position to do that soon.” The comments mark one of the clearest indications yet that the administration is preparing to resume economic pressure on Moscow after spending much of the spring focused on preventing a broader regional war in the Middle East.
During the height of the Iran conflict, Washington eased certain restrictions on Russian oil shipments in an effort to keep global energy prices from spiraling upward. Oil markets have since calmed following the Gulf ceasefire and the reopening of shipping lanes through the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump told reporters that Iran would soon be “back in the rearview mirror,” allowing the administration to return its focus to ending the war in Ukraine.
The shift comes as European allies are dramatically increasing pressure on the Kremlin. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced a fresh round of sanctions targeting Russia&#8217;s energy sector, financial networks, and the so-called “shadow fleet” of vessels used to circumvent Western restrictions on oil and liquefied natural gas exports.
The new British measures expand sanctions to more than 600 vessels connected to Russia&#8217;s energy trade and target networks accused of helping Moscow acquire Western technology and move money around the globe despite existing restrictions.
“Putin should roll back his tanks, end his barbaric strikes and come to the negotiating table,” Starmer <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jun/15/starmer-g7-sanctions-russia-nuclear-energy-support-ukraine">said</a> while announcing additional support for Ukraine&#8217;s energy infrastructure.
Canada unveiled its own sanctions package Tuesday, targeting 162 individuals, entities, and vessels linked to Russia&#8217;s war effort. Meanwhile, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is pushing a new sanctions package aimed at Russia&#8217;s banking, energy, and trade sectors.
The coordinated pressure campaign comes after another <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/one-of-christianitys-holiest-sites-set-ablaze-in-russian-strike">major Russian attack</a> on Ukraine. Hours before the G7 summit opened, Russia launched hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles against Ukrainian cities, killing at least 11 people and damaging civilian infrastructure.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky joined G7 leaders Tuesday for discussions centered on increasing military aid and tightening economic pressure on Moscow.
“The entire Seven supports Ukraine unanimously today,” Zelensky said following the meeting. According to several European officials, leaders at the summit broadly agreed that additional economic pressure will be necessary to force Russian President Vladimir Putin back to the negotiating table.
Some European officials entered the summit uncertain whether the Trump administration would support tougher measures after months of focusing primarily on the Middle East. Those concerns appear to have eased following Trump&#8217;s remarks and the administration&#8217;s willingness to revisit sanctions now that energy markets have stabilized.
While Trump campaigned on ending the Russia-Ukraine war quickly, negotiations have proven far more difficult than anticipated. The president acknowledged Tuesday that resolving the conflict remains challenging but insisted he would continue pushing for an end to the fighting.
“The whole thing is ridiculous,” Trump said. “So, yeah, I&#8217;m going to do whatever I can.”
With the Iran crisis cooling and Western leaders increasingly aligned on raising the cost of Russia&#8217;s war effort, sanctions appear poised to become a central tool once again in the international campaign against Moscow.

President Trump Attends G7 Summit In Evian, France

Trump Says Iran Will Soon Be In ‘Rearview Mirror,’ Wants Sanctions Back On Russian Oil

A bombshell new report released by Restore Britain, led by Member of Parliament Rupert Lowe, alleges that at least 250,000 British girls have been subjected to rape, trafficking, torture, and sexual exploitation by organized migrant rape gangs over the past several decades.
The 218-page report describes the scandal as one of the greatest institutional failures in modern British history — and paints a devastating picture of systematic abuse stretching back 50 years and accuses politicians, police, social services, schools, healthcare providers, and local authorities of repeatedly failing to protect vulnerable children.
“The evidence put to the Inquiry confirms that this scandal constitutes one of the most horrendous failures in the history of the country,” the report states.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The Rape Gang Inquiry Report.<a href="https://t.co/EuKgGWBRhS">https://t.co/EuKgGWBRhS</a> <a href="https://t.co/SD5G9HPVtV">pic.twitter.com/SD5G9HPVtV</a>
— Rupert Lowe MP (@RupertLowe10) <a href="https://x.com/RupertLowe10/status/2066873370239537189?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 16, 2026</a></blockquote>
According to the inquiry, vulnerable girls, often preteens — overwhelmingly white and from working-class backgrounds — were targeted by organized networks operating across towns and cities throughout the United Kingdom. Victims were allegedly groomed with gifts, alcohol, drugs, and attention before being transported to houses, hotels, restaurants, and apartments where they were repeatedly raped by groups of adult men.
When asked how many men had abused her, one victim, identified only as Chloe in the report, responded, “Hundreds. Hundreds and hundreds and hundreds.”
The report alleges that victims were trafficked between cities, filmed for blackmail, forced into abortions, and in some cases subjected to forced pregnancy, religious conversion, marriage, and overseas trafficking. There were also cases of girls as young as 13 being admitted to sexual health clinics with cases of Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, and Genital Warts.
Restore Britain argues that the true scale of the abuse remains unknown but cites previous estimates suggesting at least 250,000 girls may have been victimized nationwide. The figure stems from extrapolations based on major inquiries conducted in places such as Rotherham and Telford. However, the report adds that “the scale, nature, and characteristics of group-based child sexual exploitation remain impossible to quantify precisely due to inconsistent data collection and historical suppression.”
The inquiry claims it identified evidence of grooming gang activity in at least 149 local authority districts across Britain.
One of the report&#8217;s most damning conclusions concerns the ethnic and religious background of offenders. Citing court records, previous inquiries, and witness testimony, the report argues that a disproportionate number of perpetrators came from Pakistani Muslim backgrounds.
The report points to previous analyses suggesting that approximately 87% of those convicted in major group-based child sexual exploitation cases carried distinctively Muslim names. It further argues that authorities were often reluctant to confront the issue directly out of fear of accusations of racism or concerns about community relations.
“Political correctness, fear of accusations of racism, and fear of losing electoral support from certain demographics have taken precedence over the protection of British children,” the report states. The inquiry reserves some of its harshest criticism for government institutions.
According to the report, police frequently ignored complaints, failed to pursue known offenders, and in some cases treated victims themselves as criminals. Social workers allegedly dismissed concerns raised by parents and whistleblowers, while schools and healthcare providers failed to intervene despite obvious warning signs.
The report also accuses successive governments of avoiding a full accounting of the scandal. While the Labour Party receives particular criticism for resisting deeper investigations, the report argues that Conservative governments also failed to pursue meaningful reforms despite years of mounting evidence.
The publication comes amid renewed national debate over grooming gangs following the release of Baroness Louise Casey&#8217;s government-backed <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-audit-on-group-based-child-sexual-exploitation-and-abuse">review</a>, which concluded that authorities had often failed to properly collect ethnicity data and had been reluctant to investigate patterns that could inflame racial tensions.
Restore Britain is calling for a series of sweeping reforms, including tougher sentencing, expanded deportation powers for foreign offenders, mandatory ethnicity recording, institutional accountability measures, and a comprehensive review of past cases.
The organization also says it intends to publish additional witness testimony and pursue legal action against individuals and institutions it believes helped enable the abuse.
For many Britons, however, the report&#8217;s most disturbing conclusion is not merely the scale of the crimes themselves but the allegation that authorities knew what was happening for years and repeatedly failed to act.
If the report&#8217;s findings are accurate, the scandal represents not simply a criminal failure, but a profound failure of Britain&#8217;s political and governing institutions to protect some of the country&#8217;s most vulnerable children.

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Drew Berkemeyer