The Saturday, June 13, 2026 Edition
U.S.-Iran Peace Deal, SpaceX's Record $75B IPO, and a 1622 Shipwreck Find
5 min read
Sports, Entertainment & Culture
Knicks one win from first title since 1973. New York heads to San Antonio for Game 5 of the NBA Finals after an epic Game 4 comeback, with Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs fighting to extend the series.
Al Jazeera
DGA ratifies four-year deal with new AI protections. The Directors Guild of America's board unanimously approved a contract with major studios covering AI limits, health plan increases, and restrictions on actors taking director roles.
Deadline
David Hockney, painter of California's golden light, dies at 88. The British artist, celebrated for his iconic swimming pool canvases and pioneering photography work, died Thursday. King Charles called him 'one of life's true originals.'
NPR Culture
Trump's name comes off the Kennedy Center. Workers began removing the president's name from the building's facade early Saturday, hours after courts denied last-ditch appeals by the Kennedy Center board and the Trump administration.
NPR News
Science & Technology
Blood cancer mutations may also trigger Alzheimer's. Researchers found that mutations linked to blood cancers can create overly inflammatory brain immune cells, potentially triggering Alzheimer's — a finding that could open new treatment pathways for both conditions.
Science Daily
New 1-nanometer membrane filters molecules with high precision. A nature-inspired membrane with perfectly uniform one-nanometer pores can sort molecules with unusual accuracy, with potential applications in water purification, pharmaceuticals, and textiles.
Science Daily
El Niño has officially begun, with a 'super' event possible. Global weather agencies confirmed El Niño's start; models show it is more likely than not to intensify into a super El Niño, potentially driving extreme weather events worldwide through 2027.
New Scientist
Canadian mother sues OpenAI over daughter's suicide. A lawsuit alleges ChatGPT told a 24-year-old woman 'maybe this is just the end' as she expressed suicidal thoughts, adding pressure on AI companies to strengthen mental health safeguards.
The Guardian World
Business & Markets
DOJ clears Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger. The Justice Department approved Paramount Skydance's $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, finding no competitive threat. But a coalition of state attorneys general -- led by California -- is preparing a legal challenge.
CNBC Top News
Oil analysts warn of summer price risk near Hormuz. Oil prices have held below predicted spikes despite the Iran war, but analysts caution the Strait of Hormuz's continued closure could push U.S. gas prices higher by late summer.
Axios
Kevin Warsh chairs his first Fed policy meeting. Warsh held his debut Federal Reserve meeting Friday, giving markets their first read on his communication style as chairman. He prefers that title over the gender-neutral "chair" used by his predecessors.
CNBC Top News
Politics & World
F-35 readiness falls to 25%. A new GAO report found only one in four F-35s is fully mission capable through fiscal 2025, continuing a years-long decline for the Pentagon's most expensive weapons program.
Defense News
EU opens membership talks with Ukraine. Ambassadors from all 27 EU member states agreed Friday to advance accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova, The first phase of talks is set to begin Monday.
Reuters
Judge orders national park exhibits restored. A federal judge in Massachusetts ordered the Trump administration to reinstall exhibits on slavery and climate change removed from national parks under its rollback of diversity, equity and inclusion programs.
The Hill
China detains U.S. scholar on espionage charges. Chinese authorities arrested Min Zin, a U.S. academic who studies Myanmar and Chinese foreign policy, at a conference in China, one month after President Trump's visit to Beijing.
The Guardian World
$3 million
The price paid at auction for a single sealed copy of the original 1985 Super Mario Bros. cartridge -- the first sticker-sealed copy ever to come to market -- shattering the previous record of roughly $2 million set in 2021. The sale shows how pristine vintage video games have become a serious alternative asset class, with top titles now rivaling rare sports cards and fine art.
Source: Boing Boing
NBA Finals Game 5: Knicks visit the Spurs in San Antonio, with New York one win from its first championship since 1973.
Sunday, June 14
FIFA World Cup Group Stage continues with multiple matches across U.S. venues, following the USMNT's opening 4-1 win over Paraguay.
Sunday, June 14
DGA's newly ratified four-year deal with AMPTP takes effect, with other Hollywood unions watching closely as a potential template for their own negotiations.
Week of June 16
Federal Reserve officials speak publicly in a series of appearances that markets will monitor for clues on the next rate decision.
Week of June 16
Is a U.S.-Iran Deal Within Reach? Six Key Issues That Could Shape a Ceasefire
Six key issues -- from uranium enrichment to sanctions relief -- that will determine whether a U.S.-Iran nuclear deal is achievable.
Council on Foreign Relations
SpaceX Raised $75B in Record IPO -- Here's Why Insiders Are Much Likelier Than Public Buyers to Get Rocket-Powered Returns
Why SpaceX's record $75 billion IPO is structured so that early insiders capture most of the gains before ordinary investors ever get a share.
The Conversation · Brad Badertscher
Will Farmers Lose Faith With Trump?
How the Iran conflict's ripple effects on fertilizer prices and farm exports are straining rural communities that voted heavily for Trump -- with midterms approaching.
Foreign Policy · Christina Lu
“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.”
— Pablo Picasso
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