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Dem who sued to remove Trump’s name from Kennedy Center now says venue becoming ‘lifeless husk’ in fresh fight

Dem who sued to remove Trump’s name from Kennedy Center now says venue becoming ‘lifeless husk’ in fresh fight

Those in charge at the Kennedy Center have been accused by Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, of purposely allowing the Washington, D.C., venue to languish into a “lifeless husk” by not resuming regular shows and programming. Beatty, an ex officio board member of the Kennedy Center, initially filed the lawsuit against President Donald Trump in December 2025, when the board decided to install signage displaying his name alongside Kennedy’s on the building. According to a court filing Friday, Beatty’s legal team argued the current board, with Trump as chairman, is in violation of a May court order by “refusing to take any steps to maintain the Center’s operations, and will effectively close the Center as a performing arts venue come July 5, 2026.” “They plan to turn the Kennedy Center into a lifeless husk,” Beatty’s lawyers wrote. JONATHAN TURLEY: TRUMP’S KENNEDY CENTER NAME CHANGE WILL KEEP LAWYERS BUSY FOR YEARS Lawyers for the Kennedy Center responded by saying, “The Court’s order did not affirmatively require the Board to reschedule programming that had previously been canceled or to seek new programming.” Fox News Digital reached out to the Kennedy Center and the White House for additional comment. The order from U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper prevented the Kennedy Center from initiating its planned two-year closure for renovations. Cooper also ordered Trump’s name taken off the building, which happened last weekend. Cooper’s 94-page order last month did not explicitly say that shows must immediately resume, given that there are “at least some plans to restart rehearsals, performances and educational programming.” FEDERAL JUDGE ORDERS TRUMP’S NAME REMOVED FROM KENNEDY CENTER, SAYS ONLY CONGRESS CAN RENAME IT He did say that the board “bears an affirmative duty to carry out the Center’s programming and maintain a memorial to President Kennedy. It may not simply stop putting on shows altogether.” The Kennedy Center said its management would begin presenting recommendations for plans to reopen. The venue’s lawyers said the board is considering several options, including a full closure with no programming, a partial closure that would keep some areas open to the public and allow performances in unaffected spaces and a phased repair plan that would revive a full programming schedule. A vote on these options, which they say have not been finalized, will be held in mid-July, Kennedy Center lawyers said. TRUMP FIRES KENNEDY CENTER BOARD MEMBERS CITING DRAG SHOWS, APPOINTS HIMSELF CHAIRMAN The battle over the Kennedy Center began in February 2025, shortly after Trump was inaugurated for a second time as president. He replaced several trustees on the board, while also appointing himself a trustee. The new Trump-allied board then elected him chair, enabling him to fire the previous president of the center, Deborah Rutter.  In a speech in May 2025, he claimed that, under Rutter’s leadership, the board “wasted millions and millions of dollars and handed us a budget deficit of $26 million.” “In addition, the programming was out of control with rampant political propaganda, DEI, and inappropriate shows. We had some very inappropriate shows, to put it — I think, to put it very nicely,” Trump added. Also in May 2025, the new board stripped all 23 ex officio members of voting rights. Members of this category include notable Democrats, such as Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, as well as Trump administration officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Education Secretary Linda McMahon among them. In February, Trump announced the two-year closure on Truth Social, which was later blocked as a result of Beatty’s lawsuit. The saga culminated on June 13, when workers began removing Trump’s name from the Kennedy Center. The sign previously said “The Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Memorial Center For The Performing Arts.”

Biden scores temporary court victory as Trump-appointed judge delays release of Hur investigation materials

Biden scores temporary court victory as Trump-appointed judge delays release of Hur investigation materials

Former President Joe Biden has won another three weeks to block the release of audio recordings and transcripts tied to special counsel Robert Hur’s classified documents investigation after a federal judge granted a temporary injunction while a federal appeals court reviews his challenge. The recordings stem from Biden’s interviews with Mark Zwonitzer, the ghostwriter of his 2017 memoir, “Promise Me, Dad.”  U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich, a Trump appointee, on Friday issued an injunction pending appeal that prevents the Justice Department from releasing the materials while the D.C. Circuit considers the case. The order came just hours after Friedrich denied Biden’s request for a preliminary injunction that would have stopped the release altogether. The legal battle could determine whether Americans ever hear the recordings that helped shape Hur’s decision not to prosecute Biden over his handling of classified documents. The audio has been the subject of intense scrutiny because Hur raised questions about Biden’s memory in explaining why he declined to bring charges against Biden for mishandling classified documents. GREGG JARRETT: RELEASE THE BIDEN TAPES AND LET AMERICANS HEAR THE TRUTH FOR THEMSELVES Although the Justice Department previously released audio from Biden’s interviews with Hur, the recordings at the center of the current legal battle involve separate conversations between Biden and Zwonitzer. Hur’s 2024 report repeatedly referenced Biden’s recorded conversations with Zwonitzer. The special counsel described some exchanges as “painfully slow” and said Biden at times struggled to recall events and relay information, observations that fueled scrutiny of the Biden’s cognitive abilities during an election year. The Heritage Foundation and its Oversight Project director, Mike Howell, have spent more than two years seeking the recordings and transcripts through FOIA requests. Heritage Foundation officials have argued the public has a strong interest in reviewing the materials referenced throughout Hur’s report, particularly because the special counsel relied on the recordings in explaining his decision not to pursue criminal charges. Biden has been fighting to keep the potentially embarrassing recordings under wraps. CNN HOST SUGGESTS ROBERT HUR ‘UNDERSOLD’ EXTENT OF BIDEN MEMORY LAPSES DURING SPECIAL COUNSEL INTERVIEW After Friedrich denied Biden’s motion for a preliminary injunction Friday, Biden’s legal team immediately sought emergency relief to preserve the status quo while appealing the decision. In an emergency filing, Biden’s attorneys argued that disclosure would effectively end the case before appellate judges could review the legal questions involved. They maintained that once the recordings are released, any privacy protections would be permanently lost, and the appeal would become largely moot. The filing also stressed that the FOIA litigation has already been pending for more than two years and argued there was no urgent public need requiring immediate disclosure of conversations that occurred roughly a decade ago between Biden and his ghostwriter. Biden’s attorneys noted that the former president is now a private citizen who neither holds nor is seeking public office. OBAMA-APPOINTED JUDGE WITH TIES TO ANTI-TRUMP CONSPIRACY THEORY HIT WITH MISCONDUCT COMPLAINT The Justice Department initially withheld the recordings and much of the transcript material under several FOIA exemptions. Earlier this year, however, the department reversed course and determined the records could be released with redactions after concluding that significant public interest existed in understanding evidence relied upon by Hur during his investigation. After the Justice Department announced plans to release the recordings, Biden filed suit in May to stop the disclosure, claiming the audiotapes contain private conversations that should remain protected from public release and, if released, would be in violation of the Privacy Act. His legal team argued that the department’s decision violates the Privacy Act and constitutes arbitrary agency action under the Administrative Procedure Act. Leading Biden’s legal effort is Amy Jeffress, a partner at Washington-based law firm Hecker Fink and a former Justice Department national security official. Jeffress has served as the primary attorney advancing Biden’s challenge to the release of the materials and signed the recent emergency filing seeking to prevent disclosure while the appeal proceeds. Jeffress has also drawn attention because she is married to U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper, an Obama appointee who recently ruled against the Trump administration in a high-profile dispute involving the Kennedy Center. Cooper’s ruling prompted criticism from some Trump allies and conservative commentators who pointed to the judge’s family connection to Biden’s attorney, suggesting a conflict of interest may be at play in Cooper’s work.

Explosive report unearths prominent union money trail labeled a ‘stunning betrayal’ of MAGA members

Explosive report unearths prominent union money trail labeled a ‘stunning betrayal’ of MAGA members

FIRST ON FOX — A major railroad union is under fire after a watchdog report alleged its leadership funneled money to support Democratic causes that opposed the Trump administration, undermining many of its own MAGA members while also spending millions on questionable expenses. Leaders of the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees Division (BMWED-IBT), one of the nation’s largest rail unions representing 37,000 members, are accused of using union resources to support Democratic priorities through their spending, according to a report released by the American Accountability Foundation (AAF). “The leadership’s progressive alignment is a stunning betrayal of the large proportion of its working-class members who support the MAGA agenda and President Trump’s leadership,” the report said.  “BMWE’s one-sided partisanship is evidenced by its attacks on the Trump agenda and its broad support for Democratic causes.” NATION’S 2 LARGEST TEACHERS UNIONS FUNNELED NEARLY $50M TO LEFT-WING GROUPS, WATCHDOG REPORT SAYS The report described the union’s leadership as “leftward bent,” citing attacks on Trump during his first term, including claims he was “undoing Obama’s legacy” and that his deregulation efforts were “dangerous.”  Additionally, the report found the union supported left-leaning causes such as Black Lives Matter, abortion and universal health care, while opposing Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” and maintaining ties to Democratic organizations and prominent Democrats, including Reps. Jesús “Chuy” García, D-Ill., and Dina Titus, D-Nev. The report added that the union’s leaders have displayed a “stunning betrayal” and abandoned “the will” of their large MAGA member base, underscoring a growing disconnect between organized labor leadership and many “rank-and-file” union members. “While the broad support for the Trump-Vance agenda by industrial union members has been widely reported on, news of this nearly decade-old realignment has apparently yet to reach the leadership of the Brotherhood of Maintenance and Way Employees Division (BMWE) union whose dues-paying members repeatedly cast ballots for President Trump,” the report said. Beyond the union’s political alignment, the report examined BMWED-IBT’s spending practices. LARGEST PUBLIC-SECTOR UNIONS SPENT EYE-POPPING AMOUNT ON LEFT-WING POLITICS — 86% FUNDED BY MEMBER DUES The union allegedly sent more than $441,098 to “left-wing” organizations, including the Center for American Progress, a leading progressive think tank; more than $100,000 to the National Democratic Club across multiple years; and the National Teamsters Hispanic Caucus, according to the report. The report said both the National Democratic Club and the National Teamsters Hispanic Caucus are known for their stances against the Trump administration’s immigration policies. The report further examines the Teamsters’ Democrat, Republican, Independent Voter Education (D.R.I.V.E.) PAC, which BMWED-IBT joined after its political action committee merged into the PAC in 2004, saying the PAC heavily favored Democrats in its political spending by donating about $13.76 million to Democratic Party committees compared with about $729,846 to Republican committees. Recent polling shows that labor unions like BMWED-IBT consist of a large number of workers who support Trump, including Teamsters polling that shows a 60-40 breakdown in favor of Trump and exit polling from the 2024 election that shows working-class voters without a college degree went 56% for Trump and 42% for Harris.  Not only did the report point to the union’s Democratic associations, but also what it described as “massive wasteful spending,” claiming that roughly two-thirds of headquarters employees earned six-figure salaries in 2024, while the average BMWED-IBT member earned $61,692. SENIOR TRUMP OFFICIAL REVEALS VISIT THAT SET ‘TRAJECTORY’ FOR ELECTION VICTORY The report said BMWED-IBT President Tony D. Cardwell earned $233,492 and Secretary-Treasurer Dale Bogart earned $206,709 that year, adding members of BMWED-IBT Local Lodge 1020, a local union, pay nearly $100 per month in dues “that goes to subsidizing the salaries of union leadership.” Additionally, the report alleges BMWED-IBT spent more than $18 million from 2017 to 2024, including $7.25 million on hotels and conferences, $5.44 million on legal fees, $2.71 million on promotional items and merchandise and $2.11 million on travel. The union allegedly spent $2.33 million at casinos and resorts alone during the same period, including a $522,281 payment to Caesars Entertainment in 2023, according to the report, which argues the spending shows leadership’s priorities are not in the right place. “While hardworking rank-and-file members of the Brotherhood of Maintenance and Way Employees Division Union are busting their backs, making an average of $60K per year, woke union bosses live like kings and have wasted millions in union dues on progressive activism, hotel stays and casino trips,” AAF President Tom Jones told Fox News Digital. “The BMWE Union is completely out of touch with its members and is actively betraying the very Trump-supporting workers it claims to support.” The union pushed back strongly against the report in a statement to Fox News Digital. “Since taking over leadership of the BMWED-IBT in 2022, our union has operated at a budget surplus,” Cardwell said. “In fact, it was one of our most prioritized goals to become fiscally responsible and diligent stewards of the memberships’ money. We are accomplishing this goal.” Cardwell said the union’s work “on Capitol Hill or in any statehouse nationwide” is focused on “securing the best policy and protections” for members, saying that it donates to lawmakers from either party who support railroad workers because “party affiliation is not a determining factor for our political arm – support of working railroaders is the only thing that matters.” “No dues dollars are allocated to political lobbying,” Cardwell said. “The only money donated to politicians comes from our Teamster PAC, which is and has always been voluntarily funded. It is vital that we have a voice in the political realm and this is how we accomplish it, with impartiality and the goal of achieving the best policies and legislation possible for our members.” Despite the union’s Democratic ties, BMWED-IBT has collaborated with Republicans on key rail safety legislation, including Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., who recently introduced the Secure Tracks Act, which would require railroad companies to use both human and automated track inspections. Cardwell said the union has “garnered more Republican support on the Hill than in

Turkiye knocked out of World Cup 2026 after 1-0 defeat to 10-man Paraguay

Turkiye knocked out of World Cup 2026 after 1-0 defeat to 10-man Paraguay

With two defeats in two group games, Turkiye have been knocked out of the World Cup. By Reuters Published On 20 Jun 202620 Jun 2026 Ten-man Paraguay eliminated ⁠Turkiye from the 2026 World Cup ⁠with a courageous defensive effort to seal a dramatic 1-0 win after suffering a dismissal before half-time, with the ⁠fastest goal of the tournament proving the difference. Fired up after their humiliating 4-1 opening match defeat by the United States, Paraguay went ahead when Matias Galarza wound up from 25 metres (27 yards) and fired a ‌low rocket home after 64 seconds on Friday evening to eclipse Ismael Saibari’s 71-second strike in Morocco’s 1-0 win over Scotland hours before. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list Spurred on to the sound of beating drums in the San Francisco Bay Area, Paraguay defended resolutely to withstand the Turkish onslaught and played the second half with 10 men, after ‌Miguel Almiron was sent off for remarks made to Mert Muldur with his hand covering his mouth. The win by the South Americans means the US were confirmed as Group D winners after their earlier 2-0 victory over Australia in Seattle. Turkiye’s coach, Vincenzo Montella, said his players fought to stay in the tournament and it was an outcome everyone had to accept. “I’m sad, but ‌I’m ‌also very proud of my players. They gave everything right up until the final whistle. That’s what football’s like,” he said. Paraguay’s goalscorer Galarza said it was one of the best days of his life. “We showed our quality fighting spirits even with one player down. God wanted this to happen for Paraguay ‌more than ever before,” said the 24-year-old, on loan at Atlanta United from River Plate. Turkiye’s’s Merih Demiral and Deniz Gul react after a late chance went wide [Eloisa Lopez/Reuters] Turkiye dominated the match, with 79 percent possession at one point, but they paid the price for their atrocious finishing, logging 32 attempts but no goals in ⁠almost a carbon copy of their high-shooting opening match loss ⁠to Australia. Advertisement Turkiye were inventive and always threatening but fell apart in front of goal, with a slew of chances for Juventus forward Kenan Yildiz and Real Madrid’s Arda Guler. Paraguay defended solidly and looked ⁠dangerous on the break in their few chances. Known as “La Albirroja” (the white and red), Paraguay last played in the World Cup in 2010, where they ⁠were eliminated by eventual champions Spain in the quarterfinal, which has been their best-ever run in the tournament. Paraguay’s Matias Galarza celebrates scoring the winning goal [Eloisa Lopez/Reuters] Paraguay’s red card Almiron was sent off in first-half stoppage time after the exchange with Muldur, with the dismissal confirmed by the video assistant referee (VAR) as ⁠Paraguay led 1-0. It was the first instance of the new rule being applied ‌at the World Cup. Players who cover their mouths with their hand, ⁠arm or shirt in confrontational situations ⁠receive a red ⁠card. The rule came into effect after Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni was accused ‌of making discriminatory slurs to Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr ‌with ‌his mouth covered. Paraguay’s Miguel Almiron argues with referee Ivan Barton [Darren Yamashita/IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters] Adblock test (Why?)

Iran war day 113: Tehran presses US over Lebanon ceasefire

Iran war day 113: Tehran presses US over Lebanon ceasefire

Iran presses US over Lebanon as Israeli strikes test fragile ceasefire and broader peace efforts. Published On 20 Jun 202620 Jun 2026 Iran says it is ready to move forward with diplomacy with the United States, but insists Washington must ensure Israel complies with the agreement to end the war. Tehran has repeatedly said the deal requires an end to hostilities across the region, including in Lebanon. The comments come as a US official told Reuters that Israel and Hezbollah have agreed to a ceasefire in Lebanon, despite reports of continued Israeli attacks. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the US has a “commitment and responsibility” to ensure the deal is upheld on all fronts. Here is what we know: In Iran: Iran sees Lebanon as “a test” of US leverage over Israel: Muhanad Seloom of the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies said Tehran is watching whether the US can “actually control or rein in the Israeli side”, calling Lebanon “a test” of Washington’s influence. “If the United States is not able to stop Israel from attacking Lebanon,” he said, “who will guarantee that in the future Israel won’t attack Iran itself?” For Iran, he added, it is crucial to see whether the US can “guarantee that Israel will abide by the terms of any upcoming agreements”. Linking Lebanon to Iran-US deal could backfire: Former US official Mark Kimmitt said it was “very, very unwise” for Iran to make an end to Israel’s war in Lebanon a condition of the agreement. “They can’t control what Hezbollah is going to do, and the United States doesn’t control what Israel is going to do,” he told Al Jazeera, adding that while Washington and Israel have “overlapping interests”, they do not have “identical interests”. Attempting to tie the two conflicts together, he warned, is “going to blow back in Iran’s face”. Analyst sees long road to a broader US-Iran agreement: Ali Vaez, Iran project director at the International Crisis Group, said the MoU is likely to hold but warned that turning it into a broader agreement will be “very difficult” and “very ambitious” within the 60-day timeframe. Citing the technical complexity of the negotiations and the deep mistrust between Washington and Tehran, Vaez said both sides will likely remain in “MoU-land for a period of time” because “there is no better alternative”. Advertisement In the US: Trump frustrated with Israel: Signs of tension between Washington and Israel are growing as the Trump administration pushes for a “complete ceasefire on all fronts, including Lebanon, Hezbollah, and Israel”, while Israeli forces continue strikes and ground operations in Lebanon. Analysts say Lebanon remains the deal’s greatest vulnerability, with Trita Parsi of the Quincy Institute arguing that Tehran is “not joking” about its demand for a ceasefire and Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon. US to host new Israel-Lebanon peace talks next week: The Trump administration has announced a new round of talks between Israeli and Lebanese officials in Washington on June 23 and 25, aimed at advancing a “lasting peace”. The US has described direct negotiations as the only viable path to Lebanon’s reconstruction and economic recovery, though the process remains complicated by Hezbollah’s rejection of the talks and ongoing disagreements over calls for the group’s disarmament. In Lebanon: Israeli strikes cast doubt on Lebanon ceasefire: Israeli attacks continued in southern Lebanon after a ceasefire with Hezbollah took effect, raising questions about the truce’s viability. The deal, brokered by Qatar, the US and Iran, was meant to prevent the Lebanon conflict from undermining wider US-Iran peace efforts, but strikes continued almost immediately after the deadline despite both sides signalling support for the agreement. Adblock test (Why?)

NEET UG 2026: 12 suicides in 37 days, what went wrong?

NEET UG 2026: 12 suicides in 37 days, what went wrong?

Following the cancellation of NEET-UG 2026 and the announcement of a retest, at least 12 aspirants across India died by suicide. Their stories have renewed concerns about academic pressure, mental health, financial burdens and the emotional toll of competitive examinations like NEET.