Senator urges FAA to reject any pressure from Trump over triumphal arch

Sen. Tammy Duckworth sent a letter Thursday urging the head of the Federal Aviation Administration to resist any pressure from President Donald Trump to prioritize construction of his planned triumphal arch over aviation safety.

Government seeks to halt the first U.S. reparations program for Black people

The federal government on Tuesday asked a judge to halt the United States’ first reparations program that offered Black people in a small Illinois city $25,000 for 20th century race-based housing discrimination, joining an existing lawsuit that called the program unconstitutional.

Australia's Iconic Surfers Paradise Comes Alive for SeaFire International Fireworks Competition

The Gold Coast’s iconic beachfront will once again become a stage for one of Australia’s most spectacular fireworks events, with SeaFire 2026 returning to Surfers Paradise this Saturday, June 20. Now celebrating its 13th year, the internationally acclaimed fireworks competition is expected to attract around 40,000 spectators.

BREAKING NEWS: Two trains collide north of London

LONDON (AP) – Emergency services rushed to the scene of a collision Friday between two trains north of London, and photos posted on social media showed victims with bandages around their heads. The trains collided south of the town of Bedfordshire on lines connecting St. Pancras station in central London to communities in central England.

Editorials from The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian and others

Excerpts from recent editorials in the United States and abroad:

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine wants to abolish death penalty

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – Republican Gov. Mike DeWine said Tuesday that Ohio should abolish the death penalty, saying it is no longer a deterrent to violent crime, confirming his change of heart on the policy he helped write as a state legislator 45 years ago.

Indiana receives flexibility from Trump on federal education spending

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Trump administration is giving Indiana more flexibility over how it decides to spend its federal grant money, the third state to receive such exemptions from the Education Department as it seeks to “return education to the states.”

Top Asia Pacific Breaking News: Latest Updates

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) – Cambodia’s Supreme Court on Friday upheld the incitement conviction of a prominent opposition politician while suspending the remainder of his sentence, keeping him out of prison but unable to practice politics for years and renewing questions about the government’s efforts to quash criticism.

Today in History: June 19, Union troops arrive in Galveston on 'Juneteenth'

Today is Friday, June 19, the 170th day of 2026. There are 195 days left in the year. This is Juneteenth. Today in history: On June 19, 1865, Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, with news that the Civil War was over and that all remaining enslaved people in Texas were free – an event celebrated as the Juneteenth national holiday in the U.S.