The Friday, June 19, 2026 Edition
Supreme Court Bars Gun Charges, Intel Gains on Apple Deal, and a Viking Sword Find
5 min read
Sports, Entertainment & Culture
Science & Technology
40
The number of crime scenes across three countries where investigators found DNA from the so-called 'Phantom of Heilbronn' — a mystery that consumed European law enforcement for 16 years. The suspected serial killer turned out to be a factory worker who had unknowingly contaminated cotton swabs used in evidence collection.
Source: Boing Boing
Today, June 19: USMNT faces Australia in a must-win 2026 World Cup Group Stage match, with Christian Pulisic's availability still uncertain due to a calf injury.
Today, June 19: Juneteenth is observed as a federal holiday, with commemorations and events across the country marking the end of slavery in the United States.
Sunday, June 21: Father's Day falls on Sunday — retailers and restaurants expect one of the highest-spending weekends of the year for the holiday.
This weekend: The 2026 FIFA World Cup group stage continues through the weekend, with several nations playing decisive matches that will determine Round of 32 advancement.
This weekend: The WNBA regular season continues with a full slate of games, with the Fever-Dream rivalry already drawing record early-season viewership attention.
- 1865Enslaved people in Texas learn of their freedom, the moment now celebrated as Juneteenth
- 1953Julius and Ethel Rosenberg are executed for passing nuclear secrets to the Soviet Union
- 1978Garfield the comic strip debuts in 41 US newspapers, launching an unlikely cultural icon
- 1991Soviet troops complete their withdrawal from Hungary after more than four decades
Israel Asked Facebook to Censor Iran War Content, Internal Documents Show
How internal documents reveal Israel asked Facebook to suppress content related to the Iran war — and what that says about government influence over social media moderation.
The Intercept · Sam Biddle
Canada Missed Chances to Inspect Titan Before Fatal Implosion
Why Canadian regulators had multiple opportunities to inspect the Titan submersible before its fatal implosion — and why none of those inspections happened.
Wired · Mark Harris
Before SpaceX IPO, Investors in China Secretly Acquired Stakes
How Chinese investors quietly and secretly acquired stakes in SpaceX before its anticipated IPO, raising national security questions that regulators are only now confronting.
Ars Technica · Justin Elliott and Joshua Kaplan, ProPublica
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