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Almanac for June 16, 2026

Local columns

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 ...

California Gov. Newsom says Trump’s DOJ investigating him

Local columns

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday accused the Justice Department of launching a politically-motivated investigation into him and his wife, saying the Trump administration was targeting him as he weighs a presidential bid. Newsom, a longtime ...

Red Cross needs donors — and offers e-gift cards

Editorial

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 ...

Swiss voters appear to reject setting population cap at 10M

Local columns

GENEVA (AP) — Nearly 55% of voters in Switzerland on Sunday rejected an initiative championed by the top right-wing party to cap the rich Alpine country’s population at 10 million, early results showed. The populist Swiss People's Party, which has the most seats in parliament, has stirred ...

A requiem for privacy

Local columns

When President Donald Trump appointed an obviously unqualified friend, a home builder executive, to be acting director of national intelligence, he inadvertently triggered attention to Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. The director of national intelligence is the head ...

Almanac for June 15, 2026

Local columns

Today is Monday, June 15, the 166th day of 2026. There are 199 days left in the year. Today in history: In 1904, more than 1,000 people died when fire erupted aboard the steamboat PS General Slocum in New York’s East River; it remained the deadliest individual event in the New York area until 9/11. Also on this date: In 1215, England’s King John placed his seal on the Magna Carta (“the Great Charter”), which curtailed the absolute power of the monarchy. In 1775, the Second Continental Congress voted unanimously to appoint George Washington head of the Continental Army. In ...