Opinion

Almanac for June 17, 2026

Today is Wednesday, June 17, the 168th day of 2026. There are 197 days left in the year. Today in history: In 1994, after leading police on a slow-speed chase on Southern California freeways, O.J. Simpson was arrested and charged with murder in the deaths of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ronald Goldman. (Simpson was acquitted of the murders in a criminal trial in 1995, but held liable in a civil trial in 1997.) Also on this date: In 1775, the Revolutionary War Battle of Bunker Hill resulted in a costly victory for the British, who suffered heavy losses. In 1885, ...

Removal of Trump name from Kennedy Center a metaphor?

In what could be a metaphor for things to come, workers removed President Trump’s name from the Kennedy Center in Washington. U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper ruled the rebranding of the Kennedy Center as the “Trump Kennedy Center” violated the law, writing, “Congress gave the ...

Trump signals swift return of Russian oil sanctions at G7

EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France (AP) — The United States could soon reimpose sanctions on Russian oil shipments after President Donald Trump and fellow leaders at the Group of Seven summit of major industrialized democracies moved Tuesday to put the war in Ukraine back on top of their agenda, more ...

Editorial cartoon for June 16, 2026

Almanac for June 16, 2026

Today is Tuesday, June 16, the 167th day of 2026. There are 198 days left in the year. Today in history: In 1963, the world’s first female space traveler, Valentina Tereshkova, 26, was launched into orbit by the Soviet Union aboard Vostok 6. Tereshkova spent 71 hours in flight, circling the Earth 48 times before returning safely. Also on this date: In 1858, accepting the Illinois Republican Party’s nomination for the U.S. Senate, Abraham Lincoln said the issue of slavery in the United States had to be resolved, declaring, “a house divided against itself cannot stand.” In ...

Red Cross needs donors — and offers e-gift cards

The American Red Cross has an urgent need for donors and is counting on people to act now and book a time to give blood or platelets. Donors of all blood types and those giving platelets are needed to keep a strong supply of lifesaving blood products on hospital shelves into the summer, the Red Cross states in a news release. As summer heat ramps up, so do people’s plans, which could lead to postponed appointments or less opportunities to give ─ an especially troubling scenario at a time where the Red Cross has experienced an alarming drop in scheduled donations in ...