Politics & World Affairs — June 16, 2026

Newsom says DOJ is investigating him. California Gov. Gavin Newsom alleged in a video that the Justice Department is targeting him at President Trump’s direction — calling it politically motivated. The allegation comes ahead of a potential 2028 presidential run.

Axios · Read more ↗

Election officials flag DHS as threat. Local voting officials told NPR they fear the Department of Homeland Security will seek to undermine midterm election results rather than help secure them. That would reverse its traditional role as an election security partner.

NPR News · Read more ↗

Kremlin critic shot dead in Poland. A Russian artist critical of President Vladimir Putin was shot and killed in the eastern Polish town of Biala Podlaska, a Polish prosecutor confirmed Tuesday.

Reuters · Read more ↗

Bank of Japan raises rates to 1%. Japan’s central bank lifted its benchmark interest rate to 1 percent — its highest level since 1995. The move continues a retreat from decades of ultra-low borrowing costs, driven in part by inflation pressures tied to the Iran war.

BBC World · Read more ↗

US-Iran deal leaves key questions open. Shippers said it could take weeks for confidence to return after any reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and fundamental issues in the US-Iran interim agreement remain unresolved, Reuters reported.

Reuters · Read more ↗