Knicks owner James Dolan loses battle with NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani

Story by 

Qwame Skinner

Fri, June 12, 2026 at 8:38 AM PDT·

3 min read

The New York Knicks were up 3-1 in the NBA Finals after hosting the San Antonio Spurs for Games 3 and 4 and splitting the homestand. Unfortunately, much of the discourse surrounding the game was dominated by matters unrelated to basketball, namely United States President Donald Trump, New York Knicks owner James Dolan, and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

Fox in Meltdown over Booing of Trump as Polls Turn Brutal

THE NEW REPUBLIC
The Daily Blast With Greg Sargent
June 10, 2026
PODCAST
As Trump gets mercilessly booed at the Knicks game and Fox spins wildly to erase it, a data analyst parses new polls showing Trump cratering—and explains why he’s entered a downward spiral.

The following is a lightly edited transcript of the June 10 episode of the Daily Blast podcast. Listen to it here.

Knicks Defeat Spurs in Thrilling NBA Finals Finish to Clinch First Championship in 53 Years

The New York Knicks won Game 5 of the NBA Finals
By Anna Lazarus Caplan 

Published on June 13, 2026, 11:32PM EDT

NEED TO KNOW

• The New York Knicks are NBA champions
• The team won the Larry O'Brien Trophy for the first time in 53 years
• Jalen Brunson led the way with 45 points and won the Finals MVP award
• After 53 years, the New York Knicks are NBA champions!

The Milkman

by Annie Waldman 

June 9, 2026, 7:00 am 

Mark McAfee, CEO and founder of Raw Farm. Sarahbeth Maney for ProPublica

Reporting Highlights

• Raw Milk on the Rise: Driven by political shifts and wellness trends, unpasteurized milk has moved from a fringe obsession to a widespread movement rooted in institutional distrust.
• The Myth of Safety: Despite stringent hygiene efforts, contamination from deadly bacteria like E. coli and salmonella remains an inherent, unavoidable risk in unpasteurized dairy.
• A Political Shield: As raw milk continues to sicken consumers, high-level lawmakers and government officials are championing the industry’s expansion rather than curbing the danger.

The New Trouble With China: Pentagon designates Tech Giants Alibaba, Baidu and BYD as Military Companies

Beijing Lashes Out at Pentagon's New Designation of Chinese Military Firms, 

Politico reports

Source:  POLITICO 

June 13, 2026

China’s Ministry of Commerce has responded vehemently to the Pentagon’s recent update to its list of companies identified as having ties to the military, Politico reports. The ministry accused U.S. authorities of “abusing state power” and undermining the consensus reached between President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping regarding the stability of U.S.-China relations during their recent meeting in Beijing.

Canada's Carney says middle-power countries shouldn't compete for favor with the U.S.

World

Jun 13, 2026 

12:39 PM EDT 

By Rob Gillies, Associated Press 

DUBLIN (AP) — Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney continued his efforts to pivot away from the United States and align with Europe, meeting with the leader of Ireland on Saturday ahead of the upcoming G7 summit and saying middle-power countries shouldn't compete for favor with America.

“One Of The Most Horrifying Sentences Written This Century”: Elon Musk Is The World’s First Trillionaire, And People Are NOT Having It

By Dannica Ramirez, BuzzFeed Staff

“Democracy is not compatible with wealth this concentrated.”

Posted on Jun 12, 2026

Well, folks, amid rising unemployment rates, gas, and grocery prices in the US (among other things), Elon Musk just became the world's first trillionaire. Yes, a TRILLIONAIRE. SpaceX just went public, and Elon's more than $766 billion stake in the company, paired with his Tesla stake, boosted his net worth to approximately $1.05 trillion. Again, a TRILLION DOLLARS. And, unsurprisingly, the people are tired, disgusted, horrified, and everything in between. Here's how the internet — including Gavin Newsom and Bernie Sanders — is reacting to Elon Musk's trillionaire status:

Judge orders Trump administration to restore signs changed at national parks

By Kaanita Iyer
2 hr ago
A federal judge in Massachusetts has ordered the Trump administration to restore all signs that were changed or removed at national parks across the country as part of President Donald Trump’s controversial directive last year.

Pakistan Announces Potential US-Iran Agreement Within 24 Hours as Tel Aviv says the deal endangers Israel’s security

A deal will be signed on Sunday and the Strait of Hormuz will reopen amid ceasefire extension, says Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Israel strongly disagrees...

June 13, 2026

Source: The Financial Times and 

The Times of Israel

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced on Saturday that the US and Iran could electronically sign a deal to extend their ceasefire and reopen the crucial Strait of Hormuz within the next 24 hours, according to the Financial Times. President Trump stated that the deal with Iran is "scheduled to be signed tomorrow," and the Strait of Hormuz will be "open to all." Yet, Israeli officials have expressed concerns that the deal endangers Israel’s security, fails to address the war's key objectives, and undermines U.S. military leverage over the Iranian regime.

John F. Kennedy's Honor restored after Trump's Name Removed from Historic Landmark. Now, Trump faces another lawsuit

By Yiannis Damellos

Saturday, May 13, 2026

Tens of thousands of people tuned in, and several hundred showed up in person to watch workers restore the honor of John F. Kennedy, as President Donald Trump’s attempt to tack his name onto the JFK-adjacent landmark at the Kennedy Center collapsed in real time.

Poll spells disaster for Republicans in 2026 midterms

By Thérèse Boudreaux |

The Center Square

17 hrs ago 

Five months out from the 2026 midterm elections, Republicans’ chances of maintaining control of Congress appear grim, new polling shows.

The Center Square’s newest Voters’ Voice Poll revealed that 47% of U.S. registered voters surveyed would vote for a Democratic candidate if elections were held today, while only 41% would vote for a Republican. Nine percent of voters haven’t made up their minds yet.

US kills leader of Venezuela's Tren de Aragua gang in airstrike, Trump says

2 hours ago
Tom Bennett

Washington DC

Trump posted footage of what appears to be the airstrike, showing a green building with a nearby shed being blown up

The US military has killed the leader of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua in an airstrike, President Donald Trump has announced.

Iran war live: US, Tehran signal peace deal within reach but not signed yet

By Zsombor Peter, 

Federica Marsi, 

Christine Maguire and 

Yashraj Sharma
Published On 13 Jun 2026

• Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said a memorandum of understanding with the United States to end the war “has never been closer”, stressing also that media speculation about the deal should cease “pending its finalisation”.
• US President Donald Trump reposted the Iranian foreign minister’s statement on his Truth Social platform after earlier blasting Iran for alleged leaks to state media regarding details of the memorandum, calling the reports “fake news”.
• Shehbaz Sharif, prime minister of Pakistan, who has mediated talks between Tehran and Washington, said the “final, agreed-upon text of the peace deal has been reached”, adding that “next steps” still need to be finalised.
• Israeli attacks on Lebanon have continued, killing at least 3,711 people and injuring 11,483 others since March, including two paramedics wounded on Friday.

Two courts, one message: Trump's political shortcuts won’t be allowed to stick

June 12, 2026

Sources: Washington Post, CNBC

A pair of federal rulings this week dealt fresh setbacks to President Donald Trump’s effort to expand his influence through government-funded and political channels—first by blocking a planned Justice Department compensation program critics call a “slush fund,” and then by refusing to delay the removal of Trump’s name from the Kennedy Center.

Billionaires Moving to Nevada Isn’t a Luxury Relocation—Bernie Sanders Says It’s Evidence We Need to Tax the Rich

By Yiannis Damellos

June 12, 2026

Sources: Bloomberg, Yahoo Finance

Incline Village, Nevada—an upscale lakeside community near Lake Tahoe with about 9,300 residents—is suddenly becoming a destination for the ultra-wealthy. Billionaires are relocating there partly for the lifestyle, but also because the Nevada address can mean lower taxes and more wealth-protection opportunities. 

As one report put it, the market is “pulsing” at the high end: in the first quarter of 2026, single-family home sales in the area reportedly jumped to roughly $232 million, up from $30.6 million a year earlier. In the town’s own words (and locals’ observations), the rich are increasingly outbidding everyone else—leading to the nickname “Income Village.”

Feds will abruptly dismantle system monitoring climate change, oceans

Critics say the move to retire the $360 million system doesn't make sense. The National Science Foundation cites new scientific priorities.

Dinah Voyles Pulver / Updated June 11, 2026, 

The National Science Foundation is dismantling the Ocean Observatories Initiative’s deep‑sea monitoring arrays years ahead of schedule, sparking criticism from scientists who warn the loss will hurt climate research, fisheries management and national‑security forecasting.

Home alone: Europeans are ready to defend themselves

European Power European Security

Jana Kobzová @jkobzova.bsky.social on Bluesky
Co-director, European Security Programme
Senior Policy Fellow
Paweł Zerka @pawelzerka.bsky.social on Bluesky Senior Policy Fellow 

Policy Brief 10 June 2026

Illustration by Chris Eichberger

Summary

• Amid geopolitical turmoil, Europeans are taking nuanced and realistic positions that demand tough choices from their leaders.
• A major new ECFR poll shows Europeans embrace self-reliance and are clear-eyed about Donald Trump—but do not expect a permanent break from the US.
• They back Ukraine—but are anxious about bringing it into the European Union now or sending troops there.
• They know they face an energy crisis—but remain solidly opposed to Russian fossil-fuel imports.
• Leaders therefore have the public’s backing to pursue strategic autonomy without posturing, to seek out new mechanisms for supporting Ukraine, and to push ahead on energy sovereignty.

Trump says US ‘ended the war with Iran,’ though Tehran has yet to confirm a deal

 Live Updates 
The president said earlier Thursday that he expected a signing ceremony for an agreement in the coming days. But an Iranian official denied any final deal had been reached.
Updated 12:29 AM EDT, Fri June 12, 2026

Here's the latest

• Trump touts progress: President Donald Trump claimed the US has “ended the war with Iran,” after earlier Thursday announcing a “great settlement” that he said would resolve the conflict and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Trump said Vice President JD Vance could attend a signing ceremony in Europe in the coming days.

• No confirmation from Tehran: Despite Trump’s pronouncement, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson has said the country did not yet reach a final decision on any agreement, according to state media. The spokesperson said reports of a deal were “merely speculation.”

• Recent escalations: Trump vowed earlier Thursday to take Kharg Island, which handles roughly 90% of Iran’s crude exports. Tehran said it targeted US bases in the region overnight for a second consecutive day, following US strikes across Iran.