Big changes coming to July Social Security checks
There could be some big changes in your July Social Security check. That’s because the government is collecting overpayments, meaning the administration paid you more benefits than you were due. Those affected should have received a notice back in April. The Social Security Administration it would begin withholding 50% of benefit payments to those who were overpaid […]
Senate OKs advancing ‘big beautiful bill,’ Republican who voted no won’t run again
The Senate took another step toward passing what President Donald Trump calls his “big, beautiful bill” after a late-night vote on Saturday, June 28. However, with a looming deadline and some Republicans against the legislation, it’s still not a done deal. One of the Republicans who voted not to advance the bill, Sen. Thom Tillis, […]
Jury deliberations begin Monday in Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ federal criminal trial
Jury deliberations are set for tomorrow in the Sean “Diddy” Combs federal criminal trial. Jurors heard closing arguments on Friday, June 27. The Associated Press reports that defense attorney Marc Agnifilo accused the government of targeting Combs. This led to Judge Arun Subramanian instructing jurors not to consider why or how the government obtained the indictment. Agnifilo, […]
People protest over construction of detention center ‘Alligator Alcatraz’
A number of groups protested against the construction of an immigrant detention center in Florida being called “Alligator Alcatraz” over the weekend of Saturday, June 28. It’s being called that because the site includes an abandoned 10,500-foot runway that’s surrounded by swampland filled with alligators and pythons. The Associated Press reported that hundreds of protestors, […]
Hurricane experts express concern over satellite data loss impacting forecasts
A hurricane-tracking satellite that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration calls “vital” will shut down permanently on Monday. Last week, the agency announced the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) will cease operations due to budget cuts. A hurricane specialist in Florida expressed his concern to the New York Times. “This is an incredibly big hit for hurricane forecasts, […]
Israel’s ‘Operation Narnia’ to strike Iran was years in the making
It sounded like the plot of a Hollywood action movie. Years of secret planning. A network of spies laying the groundwork. And one shot to make it all work, with dire consequences if it didn’t. This was how Israel pulled off a surprise attack on Iran on June 13, killing most of the Islamic Republic’s […]
GOP senators push to cut intelligence office led by Tulsi Gabbard
Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., is leading a Republican effort to dramatically reduce the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), proposing a 60% workforce cut. His bill would cap staffing at 650 employees, down from about 1,600, according to a senior Senate aide, cited by NBC News. Cotton has criticized ODNI as a bloated […]
Two decades later, Apple Podcasts still remains a cultural force
On June 28, 2005, Apple released iTunes 4.9. The update included support for discovering, downloading and subscribing to podcasts — even though the term wasn’t widely used at the time. Apple had quietly laid the groundwork for an audio revolution. Where did the word ‘podcast’ come from? The word “podcast” was coined in 2004 by […]
Americans detained for trying to launch bottles into North Korea, police say
South Korean authorities detained six United States citizens on Friday, June 26, for attempting to send plastic bottles filled with items across the sea to North Korea. Police said they apprehended the group on Ganghwa Island before they could release the bottles, which carried rice, U.S. currency, miniature Bibles and USB drives. South Korea designated […]