There’s an old saying: There are no atheists in foxholes. Faith plays a large role in the lives of many service members (including, yes, uniformed atheists). The U.S. military has long provided religious support to service members who are naturally often far from home and their faith communities. Given that the First Amendment prohibits the government both from establishing a religion and from preventing its free exercise, the military’s formal provision of chaplains and religious services to those in uniform is understood to balance these competing constitutional demands.

Until now, that is. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth recently slashed the list of Pentagon-recognized religions and belief systems that service members can have reflected in their personnel records from more than 200 to just 31, with the majority of the remaining being Christian religions. Those who ascribe to one of the 180-plus now-deleted belief systems must instead list in their records either “no religion” or “other religion.” This change tilts military policy toward the unconstitutional establishment of religion and simultaneously limits its members’ free exercise of their chosen faith.

Religious resources aren’t merely a nice bonus for service members that the Pentagon chief can do away with just by snapping his fingers.

The list of recognized religions grew from 100 to more than 200 during the first Trump administration when the Pentagon’s  board of chaplains “recommended adding new faith and belief groups to standardize and better identify religious preferences recognized by the Military Services” in response to legislation mandating improved religious liberty protections. Despite such rationale, Hegseth says this larger list was “infected by political correctness and secular humanism” under previous administrations.

The defense secretary is now using the Pentagon’s previous rationale for expanding the list to drastically shrink it instead, stating that his purge is about “giving chaplains clear, usable information so they can minister to service members in a way that aligns with that service member’s faith background and religious practice.” Echoing the secretary, the Pentagon says this massive cancellation of faiths is simply an administrative exercise, one designed to allow chaplains “to quickly look at the religious composition of their units and determine how they structure resources to best provide for warfighters of all faith groups,” and to “provide the best data to support our chaplains in that effort.” Yet how does no data — indeed, deliberate ignorance of service members’ faiths, if they ascribe to one of the 180 now-cancelled religions — equate to better support?

Religious resources aren’t merely a nice bonus for service members that the Pentagon chief can do away with by snapping his fingers. Reasonable access to well-rounded military chaplains is a traditional component of military life, allowing soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen to freely practice their religious beliefs even if deployed to foreign battlefields.

It’s impossible for the Pentagon to provide a specific “religious military professional” — the phrase military regulations use for chaplains — for every possible faith; service members don’t have a right to a chaplain of their particular belief system. But military chaplains are expected and required to support the spiritual needs of all service members, not just those who hold one of the faiths the Pentagon still recognizes.

Specifically, the Pentagon’s regulation governing military chaplains states that their primary mission is to “meet the religious requirements and care for the spiritual needs of Service members” (and others, including family members). This regulation is grounded in the First Amendment and explains that the position of military chaplain “directly and indirectly supports the free exercise of religion by all Service members.” Religious ministry professionals must be “able to personally meet the religious requirements of persons in their assigned military units, potentially in isolated or combat environments.”

The Pentagon is burying its head in the sand regarding the faiths of the U.S. fighting forces.

Yet how can military chaplains meet the religious needs of their units’ members when they won’t know what faiths are actually represented, outside of the recognized few? Among faiths no longer recognized by the Pentagon are the Unitarian Universalist religious movement (to which John Adams belonged), deism (to which Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson subscribed), atheism, the Dutch Reformed Church, paganism, the African Methodist Episcopal Church and the Native American Church. These faiths count millions of Americans among their members.

Since when is ignorance “the best data”? Resources can’t be adequately structured to support service members of all faiths when the Pentagon is burying its head in the sand regarding the faiths of the U.S. fighting forces. The lack of information does not equal “useful” information — except if the intended use is to stop supporting those service members’ minority faiths and practices.

While service members can reportedly still list their faith of choice on their dog tags, that doesn’t mean a chaplain can understand their spiritual needs while they’re still alive. As religious military professionals, chaplains can’t best support those they are being essentially ordered not to see. It’s also unclear how this policy cancellation will affect the qualifications of already serving chaplains; their eligibility depends on the endorsement of religiously affiliated organizations, and surely some of those organizations are tied to religions that have lost Pentagon recognition.

Couple Hegseth’s and the Pentagon’s nonsensical reasons for this new policy with the secretary’s penchant for proselytizing his Christian faith to service members, and it’s clear that this massive purge isn’t about streamlining data or structuring resources. It’s about the Trump administration’s desire to support only certain religions, and therefore only certain service members. This move hinders other service members’ free exercise of religion, at least compared with those whose beliefs are represented. And it takes a large step in the direction of unconstitutionally “establishing” (by discriminatorily supporting) the religions that remain recognized by the military.

The Pentagon’s new policy means that some military members are now sacrificing to ensure that their fellow Americans enjoy a freedom of religion they no longer fully possess. That is not just deeply ironic; it is morally and constitutionally repugnant. And it should be added to the ever-growing list of mistakes by this White House that a future president and Congress will need to rectify.

The post Thanks to Pete Hegseth, some U.S. service members lost full freedom of religion appeared first on MS NOW.

<p>A TVI teve acesso ao relatório completo da auditoria que detetou as irregularidades.&#xa0;Amanhã, o atual presidente do SIRESP e o ex-secretário-geral-adjunto do MAI vão ser ouvidos no Parlamento para esclarecer este caso.</p>

O Marrocos será o primeiro adversário do Brasil na Copa do Mundo de 2026, no próximo sábado (13), às às 19h (horário de Brasília), em Nova Jersey. Atual campeã da Copa Africana de Nações —  o campeonato mais importante do continente —  a seleção marroquina é um dos destaques desta edição do Mundial.  Apelidado de Leões do Atlas, o time surpreendeu o mundo na Copa do Catar (2022), quando ficou em quarto lugar, à frente inclusive do Brasil, que terminou em sétimo, após eliminação para Croácia nos pênaltis.

Ao se tornar a primeira seleção do continente africano a chegar a uma semifinal de Mundiais, Marrocos ganhou a torcida de várias partes do mundo. Na Copa do Catar, os Leões do Atlas foram eliminados pela França, que depois seria vice-campeã, após derrota para a Argentina nos pênaltis.

Notícias relacionadas:

• Brasil encontra velhos conhecidos no Grupo C da Copa do Mundo.
• Desafiador Grupo I da Copa reúne França, Noruega, Senegal e Iraque.
• Clima instável do verão pode transformar Copa em teste de resistência.

“O Marrocos fez uma campanha histórica em 2022", lembrou a historiadora e comentarista esportiva da TV Brasil, Rachel Motta. Na avaliação dela, Marrocos será um adversário desafiador para o Brasil. “É um time que tem um dos melhores laterais da história, o [Achraf] Hakimi, enquanto a seleção brasileira tem muitos problemas do lado esquerdo”, pontuou a historiador, referindo-se ao jogador do Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).

قائمة المنتخب الوطني النسوي المستدعاة للتجمع الإعدادي

🗒️Squad list of our Women's National Team called up for the training camp #DimaMaghrib 🇲🇦 pic.twitter.com/hOxMqa1Aox

— Équipe du Maroc (@EnMaroc) June 1, 2026

Para a historiadora, Hakimi será bastante acionado no jogo, pressionando o ataque brasileiro, principalmente Vinicius Júnior que atua pela esquerda. A vitória é importante, uma vez que a posição de liderança na chave pode ser vantajosa no cruzamento do mata-mata (fase anterior às oitavas de final). Brasil e Marrocos estão no Grupo C, que inclui também Escócia e Haiti.

Além de Marrocos, outras nove seleções africanas disputam a taça do Mundial deste ano, com sede no Canadá, México e Estados Unidos. O número de delegações é inédito na competição, que pela primeira vez reúne 48 seleções, 16 a mais que na última edição no Catar. 

Abertura da Copa do Mundo

O Mundial começa nesta quinta-feira (11), com o jogo de abertura entre México e África do Sul, às 16h (horário de Brasília), no Estádio Azteca, na Cidade do México, capital do país. Os sul-africanos retornam ao Mundial após hiato de 16 anos.  A última participação foi quando a própria África do Sul sediou a Copa, em 2010. A edição foi a primeira realizada no continente africano. 

Outros destaques 

Além da África do Sul e do Marrocos, a historiadora Rachel Motta destaca outras seleções relevantes do continente africano, como Senegal, Gana e Egito.  Ela lembra do amistoso entre brasileiros e egípcios no último sábado (6) para destacar o potencial dos Faraós, como são chamados.

“Eles têm jogadores de ponta, como [o atacante Mohamed] Salah e o [ponta-direita Mahmoud] Trezeguet, e chances sim de ir para a próxima fase”, projetou a comentarista. 

O Egito retorna à Copa após ficar de fora da última edição. O país, pioneiro na matemática, foi a primeira nação africana e árabe a disputar o Mundial, em 1934, na Itália. 

O Senegal também disputa o Mundial pela quarta vez e terá no elenco a estrela e referência do esporte no país, o atacante Sadio Mané, atualmente no clube saudita Al-Nassr. O time chega com bagagem de três Copas consecutivas e a memória do sucesso da campanha na Copa do Japão (2002), quando chegou às quartas de final. 

“O Senegal é uma seleção de ótimo nível, porém, enfrenta uma das chaves mais difíceis disputando contra França e Noruega”, ponderou a comentarista esportiva. 

Sadio Sadio Sadio ❤️ 🇸🇳 pic.twitter.com/FBqgKR8bzQ

— Football Senegal (@FootballSenegal) January 20, 2026

Já Gana, pela vez consecutiva da Copa, busca um resultado igual ou superior ao do Mundial da África do Sul (2010), quando chegou às quartas de final. A seleção, conhecida pelo apelido de Estrelas Negra, foi eliminada pelo Uruguai, após um episódio controverso. Após empate em 1 a 1 no fim da prorrogação, o uruguaio Luis Suárez usou as mãos para evitar um gol. Na cobrança do pênalti, o jogador Gyan acertou o travessão e não marcou.

“São jogadores muito habilidosos, raçudos, com um futebol bonito de ver”, ressaltou Motta. Ela  disse que o país se espelha no futebol brasileiro e lembrou que Gana já foi comandada pelo técnico Carlos Alberto Parreira, no final da década de 1960.

A Argélia, apelidada de Raposa do Deserto, disputou o último Mundial no Brasil, em 2014. A seleção protagonizou uma partida épica nas oitavas de final, no Estádio Beira-Rio, em Porto Alegre, contra a Alemanha — o mesmo time que marcou sete gols contra o Brasil na semifinal, no Mineirão. A seleção argelina acabou perdendo por 2 a 1, mas exigiu esforço do goleiro adversário, com várias chances de gol.

Seleções estreantes 

Esta edição da Copa do Mundo também é marcada pela presença de seleções estreantes ou com menos experiência no torneio. De Cabo Verde, um país insular no Oceano Atlântico, a seleção apelidada de Tubarões Azuis chegam com auto-estima alta, formado por um time de jogadores oriundos da diáspora. Uma boa parte deles, atuando na Europa.

A República Democrática do Congo retorna ao Mundial depois de mais de 50 anos, contornando a epidemia de ebola no país. A classificação se deu depois da vitória contra a Jamaica, na repescagem.  Antes, o país ainda competia como Zaire.

 

De apenas Egito em 1934 para 10 seleções em 2026

Estes foram os países africanos que representaram o continente no Mundial de futebol, sendo a primeira aparição em 1934 com o Egitohttps://t.co/3jbUwhpBYt
📊📸 CAF
-----#FIFAWorldCup | #FIFAWorldCup2026 pic.twitter.com/R3hIoW1kKm

— Federação Cabo-verdiana de Futebol (@fcfcomunica) June 4, 2026

Para Rachel Motta, a diversidade é um dos pontos positivos desta edição do torneio e marca a valorização dos jogadores africanos. Segundo a comentarista, esses atletas ganham cada vez mais espaço no futebol europeu, com “nível técnico mais refinado”. Além disso, muitas seleções africanas recorreram aos descendentes que nasceram ou moram fora dos próprios países e, por isso, passaram a ser chamadas de “seleções da diáspora”, termo que se refere à dispersão de pessoas africanas pelo mundo em função do contexto político e social.

Riscos

Apesar do bom momento, Rachel Motta chama atenção para as adversidades que delegações e profissionais do ramo podem encontrar no Mundial. No início desta semana, o árbitro somali Omar Abdulkadir Artan teve negada a entrada nos Estados Unidos. Ele é considerado um dos principais nomes da arbitragem africana.

“Os Estados Unidos estão em guerra com outro país, o Irã, então, se a gente for pegar pelos artigos que tratam de ética, os regulamentos da Fifa e a própria Carta da ONU [Organização das Nações Unidas], que dizem promover direitos humanos e a paz através do futebol, os Estados Unidos não poderiam sediar uma Copa do Mundo”, argumentou a historiadora.

Seleções africanas no Mundial 2026

África do Sul 

Argélia 

Cabo Verde 

Costa do Marfim

Egito 

Gana 

Marrocos

República Democrática do Congo o

Senegal 

Tunísia

A contestação de multas de trânsito voltou ao centro do debate depois de uma investigação televisiva ter mostrado a existência de escritórios de advogados que se apresentam como especialistas em Direito rodoviário e prometem elevadas taxas de sucesso na anulação de coimas.

De acordo com a CNN Portugal, o bastonário da Ordem dos Advogados, João Massano, vai enviar vários sites de advogados para apreciação dos conselhos de disciplina da Ordem, por considerar que alguma da publicidade encontrada pode ultrapassar os limites aceitáveis da profissão.

Publicidade levanta dúvidas disciplinares

Em causa estão páginas de escritórios que promovem serviços de contestação de multas de trânsito, perda de pontos na carta ou inibição de conduzir. Segundo a investigação do Exclusivo da TVI, citada pela CNN Portugal, alguns desses sites apresentam mensagens muito apelativas para condutores que querem evitar pagar coimas ou ficar temporariamente sem carta.

João Massano admite que ficou preocupado com o teor da publicidade. O bastonário considera que alguns exemplos podem “ultrapassar aquilo que é aceitável” do ponto de vista disciplinar, embora sublinhe que a decisão cabe aos conselhos competentes da Ordem dos Advogados.

Contestar multas é legal

O bastonário faz uma distinção importante. Contestar uma multa de trânsito é um direito dos cidadãos e faz parte do funcionamento normal do Estado de direito. Se um condutor entende que foi autuado de forma injusta, ou se existem fundamentos legais para impugnar a contraordenação, pode recorrer a um advogado e apresentar defesa.

O problema, segundo João Massano, não está na prestação desse serviço jurídico, mas na forma como alguns escritórios o publicitam, podendo criar a ideia de que é possível escapar sistematicamente às consequências de infrações rodoviárias.

Taxas de sucesso muito elevadas

A investigação da TVI apontou para escritórios que indicam taxas de sucesso entre 90% e 100% quando contactados por condutores interessados em contestar multas. Segundo a CNN Portugal, essas percentagens estão relacionadas com fragilidades do sistema punitivo do Estado, nomeadamente com a falta de meios da Autoridade Nacional de Segurança Rodoviária.

Quando há impugnações ou reclamações administrativas, muitos processos acabam por prescrever antes de haver uma decisão final. Na prática, isto pode levar a que condutores evitem pagar a coima ou cumprir sanções acessórias, não por inexistência da infração, mas por incapacidade do sistema em concluir o processo dentro dos prazos.

Sistema frágil favorece quem conhece a lei

A conclusão mais sensível do trabalho é que, em muitos casos, quase só paga a multa ou fica sem carta quem desconhece os mecanismos legais disponíveis ou não recorre a apoio especializado em Direito rodoviário.

Esta realidade cria uma desigualdade evidente entre condutores. Quem tem informação, recursos e acesso a advogados especializados pode conseguir arrastar o processo até à prescrição. Quem não conhece essas vias tende a pagar a coima ou aceitar a sanção. O tema ganha especial relevância num país onde a sinistralidade rodoviária continua a preocupar as autoridades e onde o Governo tem anunciado intenção de endurecer medidas no Código da Estrada.

Ordem quer avaliar limites da publicidade

A publicidade dos advogados tornou-se mais ampla após alterações legislativas recentes. Há cerca de dois anos, os profissionais passaram a ter maior margem para promover os seus serviços. Ainda assim, João Massano entende que essa abertura não deve permitir mensagens que possam ser consideradas incompatíveis com a dignidade da profissão. Por isso, o bastonário vai remeter os sites em causa para avaliação disciplinar. Caberá aos órgãos competentes da Ordem verificar se houve ou não infrações deontológicas.

Bastonário quer nova alteração à lei

João Massano defende ainda que a Assembleia da República deve voltar a discutir os limites da publicidade dos advogados. Na perspetiva do bastonário, a lei atual pode estar a permitir interpretações demasiado abertas, dando margem a práticas que considera prejudiciais para a imagem da advocacia. A intenção é que o Parlamento volte a impor alguns limites, evitando situações que, segundo o responsável da Ordem, não são aceitáveis na profissão.

Debate entre direito de defesa e segurança rodoviária

O caso coloca frente a frente dois princípios importantes. Por um lado, qualquer cidadão tem direito a defender-se de uma contraordenação e a recorrer aos meios legais previstos. Por outro, a utilização sistemática de falhas administrativas para evitar sanções pode fragilizar a prevenção rodoviária. As multas de trânsito não servem apenas para punir. Têm também uma função dissuasora, sobretudo em infrações associadas a velocidade excessiva, álcool, telemóvel ao volante ou outras condutas perigosas.

Se o sistema permite que muitos processos prescrevam quando são contestados, o problema deixa de estar apenas nos condutores ou nos advogados e passa a estar também na capacidade do Estado para fazer cumprir a lei.

O que está agora em causa

Para já, não está em causa a proibição de advogados contestarem multas de trânsito. Esse serviço continua a ser legítimo. O que será avaliado é a publicidade feita por alguns escritórios e a eventual promessa implícita ou explícita de resultados praticamente garantidos.

A decisão ficará nas mãos dos conselhos disciplinares da Ordem dos Advogados. Mas o debate já abriu uma questão maior: se o sistema rodoviário permite que tantas multas prescrevam, a resposta poderá ter de passar não apenas por regras deontológicas, mas também por reforço de meios e maior eficácia na tramitação dos processos.

Leia também: Tem um destes? Centenas de carros desta marca chamados à oficina em Portugal por risco de incêndio

The battle over President Donald Trump’s “anti-weaponization” fund is heading to federal court for the first time this week despite the administration’s claims that the fund is dead. Federal judges in both Washington and Virginia are scheduled to hear arguments over bids to block the Department of Justice from taking steps to actualize what critics are calling a “slush fund.” 

U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema in Virginia has already temporarily blocked the DOJ from launching the nearly $1.8 billion fund until she has heard arguments about its legality. The DOJ has acknowledged it intends to comply with that court order, which is set to expire this Friday. 

The hearings come as the DOJ has backed off the fund in public statements. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche announced the reversal at a congressional hearing on June 3.

“We’re not moving forward with the fund, period,” Blanche said.

“Not moving forward ever?” pressed Rep. Grace Meng, D-N.Y.

“Correct,” Blanche responded. At the same time, he would not commit to rescinding the fund in writing despite repeated pleas from Meng to do so. 

The DOJ is now relying on that testimony as evidence to show the courts the legal challenges are moot. In a court document filed Friday afternoon, the DOJ indicated in writing for the first time that it was not proceeding with the fund.

“This dispute concerns an Anti-Weponization Fund that has not been set up and is now not going forward,” wrote Andrew Block, a DOJ attorney. He also argued the case is “not justiciable,” meaning it is not a matter the federal court has jurisdiction to decide.

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, the nonprofit watchdog group that brought this Washington-based challenge, is not satisfied with the department’s apparent cancellation of the fund. Responding to the government’s filing, the group argued the DOJ has provided no evidence that it is actually backtracking and pointed to its refusal to rescind the fund in writing. 

“So long as the Fund’s charter documents remain in effect, nothing stops [the Trump administration] from illegally siphoning, at any given moment, nearly $1.8 billion in taxpayer dollars from the Treasury’s Judgement Fund to an unidentified ‘Designated Account’ and rapidly disbursing those funds to whomever they want under a shroud of secrecy, in violation of the Constitution and multiple federal transparency and funding statutes,” CREW lawyers wrote. 

They maintained Blanche’s comments are not legally binding, saying, “The Acting Attorney General’s remarks had no legal effect whatsoever on the May 18 Agreement, which by its terms can be modified ‘only by written agreement of the Parties.’” (The May 18 agreement refers to the settlement of Trump’s lawsuit against the IRS, which created this “anti-weaponization” fund. That agreement also had an addendum that purports to give Trump immunity from IRS audits, and that addendum has not been challenged in any of these lawsuits.)

In a D.C. District Court on Wednesday afternoon, U.S. District Judge Richard Leon will weigh the fund’s future in the case brought by CREW, even as the fund remains blocked by Brinkema’s order in the Virginia-based challenge. 

Across the Potomac in Alexandria, Virginia, the plaintiffs who brought that challenge, a coalition of former Jan. 6 prosecutors and nonprofit organizations, are asking the judge for more time to gather information about the fund before they argue over its future. 

The coalition wants the DOJ to clarify its public statements, including those Blanche made to Congress, about its intentions for the fund. They are also seeking further substantiation from the DOJ beyond the those comments that it is actually being scrapped. 

They specifically highlighted Trump’s continued public defense of the fund in various interviews conducted after Blanche’s congressional testimony. In a pretaped interview with “Meet the Press” that aired June 7, Trump said, “I think the weaponization fund is a great idea, and so do many other Republicans. You have to get it approved.” 

Brinkema is still weighing the request for more information, and the hearing remains set for Friday morning. 

These legal battles are playing out as another brews in the background. U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams, who was overseeing the Trump lawsuit against the IRS that ultimately yielded the settlement agreement, has ordered additional briefing after having initially dismissed the case. That order stemmed from a request to reopen the case filed by 35 former federal judges, who argued the settlement “is a product of collusion and itself a fraud on the court.”

Williams requested Trump respond to allegations of collusion by Friday and address specifically whether the dismissal was premised on deception and whether she should reopen the case because she was a “victim of a fraud.”

These are just a few of the cases actively challenging Trump’s nearly $1.8 billion fund, which seeks to compensate individuals who allege they have been politically targeted or victimized by the DOJ. With the initial legal tests this week, the key question is how these judges will respond. Will they accept the DOJ at its word and dismiss the cases, or will they insist on a more formal binding order to prevent the DOJ from ever following through with  this fund? At this point, its fate — and this latest test of executive authority — lies with the judiciary.

The post DOJ says ‘anti-weaponization’ fund is dead. The lawsuits are still moving ahead. appeared first on MS NOW.

VTM

No concelho de Montalegre, por exemplo, os produtores dão conta que os ataques têm sido frequentes nas últimas semanas, atingindo, sobretudo, ovinos e bovinos.

À VTM, Rafael Azevedo, da União dos Produtores de Gado Lesados pelos Lobos, realçou que os ataques “acontecem quase diariamente” e que os prejuízos se acumulam sem resposta eficaz. Só desde domingo, foram “pelo menos 10” os animais atacados.

“Isto tem sido diário. Os criadores já não sabem o que hão de fazer”, frisa, acrescentando que muitos produtores já equacionam abandonar a atividade.

The post Ataques de lobo multiplicam-se e agravam dificuldades dos produtores appeared first on A Voz de Trás-os-Montes.

This is the June 10, 2026, edition of “The Tea, Spilled by Morning Joe” newsletter.Subscribe hereto get it delivered straight to your inbox every Monday through Friday.

JOE’S NOTE

Donald Trump assured us last year that Iran’s nuclear program had been “obliterated” after he launched attacks against three of the country’s nuclear facilities. 

On June 24, 2025, Trump wrote: “It was my great honor to Destroy All Nuclear facilities & capability.” 

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also declared that same week that thanks to the leadership of President Trump, “Iran’s nuclear ambitions have been obliterated.”

Reporters who dared to cite an intelligence assessment that contradicted the administration’s fantastical claims had their patriotism questioned.

And yet, earlier this year when Trump officials were trying to justify their coming war with Iran, they had the temerity to warn that the Islamic Republic was only two weeks away from building a nuclear weapon. 

There were, of course, no apologies for members of the media who had accurately called out the president’s previous lies. 

Fast-forward to March of this year. Once again, Donald Trump and Pete Hegseth questioned the patriotism of reporters asking about White House claims that Iran’s military capabilities had been obliterated by a week of intense U.S. airstrikes.

Yesterday, we learned that extreme claim was also false when the Islamic Republic somehow managed to shoot down an Apache helicopter over the Strait of Hormuz. 

Trump responded to the Iranian attack by ordering strikes against several strategic targets across Iran — proving once again that members of the media had accurately called out the president and the secretary of defense for overstating the success of their military operations. 

Again, no apologies to the media. Just more bluster, more bombs, and more bullshit. 

Americans now know better because they see the bitter reality staring them in the face every time they fill up their gas tanks.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“We’ve won. Let me say we’ve won. You know, you never like to say too early you won. We won.”

— President Donald Trump on March 11

CHART OF THE DAY

ON THIS DATE

On June 10, 2018, NASA’s Opportunity rover sent its last message from the surface of Mars. Originally expected to serve a three-month mission, Opportunity functioned for over 14 years, traveling more than 28 miles across Mars and revealing fascinating discoveries about the planet’s geology.

WHAT THEY SAID

David Ignatius on President Trump’s limited options

“President Trump’s problem is he can’t finish this war. It’s a war that he desperately wants out of, but can’t seem to find an acceptable formula yet.”

Jonathan Martin on the strain of war

“Politically, it’s straightforward. Gas prices are going to keep going up, and that’s going to increase Trump’s political burden. And that is the burden Trump is putting on his candidates this fall.”

Willie Geist on new reporting on the Epstein files

“Donald Trump absolutely did not want to talk about this. JD Vance was the voice saying, ‘We’ve got to get it out there,’ but Trump would just snap at people bringing it up, which opens the question of why is he so defensive about this?”

U.S. FACING QUESTIONS OVER FIFA WORLD CUP VISA DENIALS

Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, draped in the Somali flag, is surrounded by fans following his arrival in Mogadishu on June 9, 2026.

Questions are growing about who the U.S. is allowing to attend the FIFA World Cup.

U.S. officials confirmed that Omar Artan, a Somali referee set to officiate, was barred from entering the country after flying into Miami on Saturday. He would have been the first Somali to referee at the World Cup.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection told MS NOW that the denial was related to “vetting concerns.” Multiple reports cited “an anonymous official” who said — without providing evidence — that Artan was denied for “association with suspected members of terror organizations.”

Iran is also accusing the U.S. of barring members of its team staff, though U.S. officials have said visas for Iranian “athletes and necessary support staff” were issued.

The International Sports Press Association president also says “many” reporters from Iran and some African countries have been denied the necessary visas. The Department of Homeland Security did not comment on those specific cases.

EXTRA HOT TEA

2032

— The year by which Social Security funds are expected to hit a “critical low.” The drop will reportedly be partly driven by reduced immigration and Trump’s tax cuts.

ONE MORE SHOT

Serena Williams competing in — and winning! — her Round of 16 doubles match at the HSBC Championships 2026 women’s tennis tournament at The Queen’s Club in London.

CATCH UP ON MORNING JOE

The post Social Security funds to hit a “critical low” in 2032 appeared first on MS NOW.

This is an excerpt from the June 10, 2026, edition of “The Tea, Spilled by Morning Joe” newsletter.Subscribe hereto get it delivered straight to your inbox every Monday through Friday.

Asked about the numbers this morning, President Trump said: “I love the inflation.”

Q: Are you concerned about the latest inflation numbers that came out this morning?TRUMP: No, I love it. I love the inflation. You know why? Because as soon as this war is over — do you know we've been taking out millions of barrels of oil? You know who doesn't know? Iran until right now.

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) 2026-06-10T16:08:03.927Z

Meanwhile, wage growth continues to lag behind the rise in the cost of living, for which 70% of Americans blame President Trump. As my colleague Steve Benen writes:

Perhaps most importantly, NBC News’ report emphasized that inflation’s rise “has surpassed wage growth,” which necessarily exacerbates the affordability crisis gripping American consumers.

Kevin Hassett, the director of the National Economic Council and the top economist at the White House, has argued in recent weeks that rising inflation should be blamed on Democratic policies in blue states. Those claims, like much of what Hassett has to say, have been thoroughly discredited.

And no one is buying it. The latest national CNN poll found that 77% of respondents, including a majority of Republican voters, agreed that Trump’s policies have increased the cost of living. The same poll found that just 30% of Americans approve of the president’s handling of the economy, a career low for the Republican across both terms. That mirrored the results of the latest national Associated Press poll.

There’s no reason to assume those results won’t continue to get even worse.

CATCH UP ON MORNING JOE

The post Cost of living soars to highest level since 2023 appeared first on MS NOW.

---

---

U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters today that in the wake of overnight attacks between the U.S. and Iran, strikes on Iran will continue. Meanwhile, Iranian officials say they are “reviewing” whether to continue peace talks after one of the most serious exchanges of fire between the two nations since the April 8 ceasefire.

The latest round of attacks and counterattacks touched off after U.S. Central Command launched three waves of strikes on targets in southern Iran in retaliation for what Trump said was Iran’s downing of an AH-64 Apache helicopter, reportedly by an Iranian Shahed drone. Iran denied attacking the Apache. You can read more about that incident here.

Khatam Al-Anbiya Central Headquarters: Iran‌ Delivers Powerful Response to US Onslaughthttps://t.co/5CvDlDqlc9 pic.twitter.com/4sdTjd31Bk

— Fars News Agency (@EnglishFars) June 10, 2026

Though damage assessments are still ongoing in the wake of Iranian missiles and drones launched across the Middle East overnight, a U.S. official told TWZ Wednesday morning that so far, there have been no injuries among U.S. personnel reported and no indication yet of any damage to American installations. That’s despite Iranian claims to the contrary.

“Iran launched multiple missiles and drones and just about all were intercepted according to initial reflections from assessments that are ongoing,” the official told us, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss operational details. “No reports of harm to any U.S. personnel; not aware of any damage to our locations at this time.”

However, as we have noted in the past, similar U.S. assessments during the height of Epic Fury were later contradicted by reports of wide-spread damage from Iranian attacks.

Iranian officials said they again launched attacks on the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet Headquarters in Manama, Bahrain, as well as Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan and targets in Kuwait.

Several videos emerging overnight claimed to show missile interceptions and explosions resulting from the latest Iranian kinetic actions.

Some showed missile interceptions over Muwaffaq Salti. As we have frequently noted, the base has been a major staging area for U.S. airpower in the region. It came under Iranian attack before the ceasefire, with an AN/TPY-2 missile defense radar there having been notably targeted.

Footage shows air defense interceptors engaging incoming Iranian ballistic missiles over Jordan.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) says it targeted Jordan’s Muwaffaq al-Salti Air Base, along with 20 other U.S. military sites across the region. pic.twitter.com/RxKHsNaQur

— Egypt's Intel Observer (@EGYOSINT) June 10, 2026

Additional video shows what appears to be an explosion in the distance as viewed from a CCTV camera in Manama in the wake of a claimed Iranian missile launch at Fifth Fleet headquarters. The extent of the damage, if any, is unknown.

CCTV footage shows an explosion in Bahrain’s capital Manama after what authorities say was an Iranian missile strike.

Iran’s IRGC says it hit US military bases in Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan in retaliatory attacks for US strikes in the Strait of Hormuz. pic.twitter.com/4eKzhBa1np

— Al Jazeera Breaking News (@AJENews) June 10, 2026

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)-connected Tasnim News Agency also posted a video it claims shows an attack on the Fifth Fleet. The short video shows what appears to be an explosion in the distance and again, there is no way to tell what, if any damage, was caused.

ویدئوی منتشرشده در منابع عربی از اصابت به پایگاه آمریکا در بحرین pic.twitter.com/fW37dLXui6

— اخبار فوری جنگ (@WarNewsIr) June 10, 2026

The Kuwaiti Foreign Affairs Ministry condemned the latest Iranian strikes and said the nation “reserves its full right to take all necessary measures to preserve its security and defend its territories and vital facilities, in accordance with international law and the United Nations Charter.”

بيان صادر عن وزارة الخارجية
الأربعاء 10 يونيو 2026

تُعرب وزارة الخارجية عن إدانة دولة الكويت واستنكارها وبأشد العبارات، استمرار الاعتداءات الإيرانية الآثمة والمتكررة على دولة الكويت، والتي كان آخرها اليوم، في تصعيد جديد يُضاف إلى سلسلة الاعتداءات الإيرانية المتواصلة، ويُعد… pic.twitter.com/7H1TFQNqMv

— وزارة الخارجية (@MOFAKuwait) June 10, 2026

Iran said its latest volley of kinetic actions were in response to what U.S. officials say were strikes on 20 Iranian targets in response to the helicopter downing.

The United States and Iran traded strikes overnight.

20 Iranian targets were hit by U.S. forces, including air defense systems and radar sites.

Iran responded with missiles and drones toward Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan. pic.twitter.com/vl3fK4bO85

— Trey Yingst (@TreyYingst) June 10, 2026

This latest flurry of strikes prompted comments about the future of diplomacy from both sides.

During a morning press conference, Trump said “we hit ’em hard yesterday, and we’re going to hit ’em again hard today, in case you miss it, in case you don’t turn on your television set, and we’ll see what happens with the deal.”

.@POTUS on Iran: "We hit them hard yesterday and we're going to hit them again hard today… And we'll see what happens with the deal. We were really close to a deal — but they keep tapping us along. They keep playing us for suckers because you know what? They dealt with some… pic.twitter.com/ScvGn14QFQ

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) June 10, 2026

Earlier on Wednesday, Trump told Fox News that there may be additional U.S. attacks that focus on “Iranian power plants and bridges.”

NEW: President Trump tells me he "may keep going" with strikes against Iran and is getting closer to targeting Iranian power plants and bridges.

The President also spoke about the U.S. military helicopter that was downed saying that an Iranian drone lodged between the two… pic.twitter.com/j5aQEIzi9s

— Trey Yingst (@TreyYingst) June 10, 2026

The president’s comments to Fox follow statements he made on his social media outlet saying Iran has taken too long to agree to a peace deal.

“Iran’s Military is a complete and total mess,” Trump said on Truth Social. “Much of it, like their Navy and Air Force, doesn’t even exist anymore – They have been completely defeated. Iran is all talk and no action. The Bully of the Middle East is DEAD!!! They’ve taken too long to negotiate a deal that would have been great for them, now they will have to pay the price!!!”

Trump did not elaborate on what that price may be.

pic.twitter.com/3wfggfeEo2

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) June 10, 2026

As we noted earlier in this story, Iran is reassessing the future of diplomatic negotiations aimed at ending the US-Israeli war against the country, according to the official Iranian IRNA news outlet.

“We have to review it,” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei told IRNA. “Diplomacy and the battlefield are not separate matters; rather, they run alongside and complement each other in safeguarding Iran’s interests and security.”

​Baqaei stressed that Iran’s military and diplomatic tracks operate in coordination.

“Wherever the Armed Forces deem it necessary, they respond to the enemy with authority and strength, and last night’s events showed that Iran’s brave Armed Forces do not hesitate in defending the country,” he posited.

ایرانی وزارت خارجہ کے ترجمان اسماعیل بقائی کا کہنا ہے کہ حملوں کے بعد امریکا کے ساتھ مذاکرات کا ازسرنو جائزہ لے رہے ہیں، امریکا اور اسرائیل بار بار جنگ بندی کی خلاف ورزی کررہے ہیں۔

انہوں نے کہا کہ مذاکرات کو آگے بڑھانے کیلئے پرسکون ماحول بہت ضروری ہے، بدقسمتی سے واشنگٹن کے… pic.twitter.com/1nGcYA3fmN

— SAMAA TV (@SAMAATV) June 10, 2026

Despite the flare-up in fighting and posturing by both sides, negotiations appear to be continuing.

“Following consultations with the United States, Qatari negotiators headed to Tehran this morning to meet with the Iranians in an attempt to bridge the remaining gaps,” CNN reported on its Arabic channel, citing a source. “The visit indicates that diplomacy remains active, despite an exchange of fire between Iran and the United States overnight—marking one of the most significant tests of the ceasefire to date. A US official told CNN that the United States believes these strikes will not derail the negotiations.”

مصدر دبلوماسي لـCNN: مفاوضون قطريون توجهوا صباح الأربعاء إلى طهران لسد الفجوات المتبقية مع أمريكا https://t.co/IIkMnAmHkt

— CNN بالعربية (@cnnarabic) June 10, 2026

At issue remains the future of Iran’s nuclear ambitions, the ongoing closure of the Strait of Hormuz, Tehran’s ballistic missile arsenal and support for proxies and the easing of U.S. sanctions. Whether the increased fighting between the two sides will derail these efforts remains an open question.

UPDATES

Iran claims it downed another U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drone overnight. While TWZ can’t verify that, we have noted that the loss of dozens of these drones to Iran and the Houthis have forced the U.S. Air Force to scramble for replacements.

لحظهٔ انهدام پهپاد MQ9 در آسمان شهرستان جم بوشهر در شب گذشته pic.twitter.com/aUe1eR5nRZ

— خبرگزاری فارس (@FarsNews_Agency) June 10, 2026

A cargo ship came under small arms fire 88 nautical miles south of Balhaf, Yemen in the Gulf of Aden, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) monitoring organization.

“A cargo vessel has reported being approached by one craft with 6 armed persons onboard,” UKMTO explained. “There was an exchange of fire between the small craft and the cargo vessel’s Armed Security Team resulting in the small craft turning away. Authorities are investigating. Vessels are advised to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity to UKMTO.”

While details about who was involved are scant, this is the first attack in the region, near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, since the Houthi rebels of Yemen threatened to shut the vital waterway down in support of Iran last week. You can read more about the implications of the Iranian proxy group closing the Strait on the U.S. military and the global economy in our prior reporting here.

UKMTO WARNING 065-26

Click here to view the full warning.https://t.co/ushxdE2mx0#MaritimeSecurity #MarSec pic.twitter.com/vtHpdNUm4Z

— UKMTO Operations Centre (@UK_MTO) June 10, 2026

In a post on X, CENTCOM on Wednesday announced it disabled an oil tanker trying to run the blockade of Iranian ports.

The incident took place at 11:14 p.m. on June 9, when a U.S. aircraft “fired precision munitions” into the engine room of the Palau-flagged M/T Settebello as it transited the Gulf of Oman.

The ship was attempting to transport oil from Iran, the command added.

In addition to the ships it disabled, CENTCOM said it has “redirected 134 ships that complied, and allowed 42 vessels supporting humanitarian aid to pass since initiating the blockade on April 13.”

You can read more about the other seven ships hit by CENTCOM here.

CENTCOM:

At 11:14 p.m. on June 9, U.S. forces disabled an oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman for the second consecutive day after another vessel violated the ongoing blockade by attempting to transport oil from Iran.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) disabled Palau-flagged M/T… pic.twitter.com/UkVgPoJUOt

— Clash Report (@clashreport) June 10, 2026

When it comes to the Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman region, Trump took to social media to say the ongoing blockade of Iranian ports has devastated Tehran’s economy.

“The Fake News Media refuses to report how EFFECTIVE the U.S. Naval BLOCKADE is, the most successful Blockade in the history of Naval Warfare,” the president proclaimed on Truth Social. “NOTHING GETS THROUGH unless we want it to. IT IS A STEEL WALL! Iran is doing ZERO business, not paying their military, or any of their bills, and quickly becoming a FAILED NATION! Lots of oil is getting out. Praise be to Allah!”

President Donald J. Trump has taken to Truth Social again decrying the "fake news media" coverage of the naval blockade of Iran saying that it is a "STEEL WALL", Iran is doing "ZERO business, not paying their military or any of their bills, and quickly becoming a FAILED NATION!"… pic.twitter.com/DcCHVebRX7

— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) June 10, 2026

However, in a post on X, the Windward trade intelligence group said that “five Iranian-trading [liquified petroleum gas] LPG carriers have broken the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports,” Windward stated. “Four discharged in India, one in Pakistan. All five used the same playbook, spoofing and AIS blackouts to mask loading and destination. Yet all signaled their exit and/or entry through Hormuz via AIS. Three were already U.S.-sanctioned. A fourth sanctioned June 6. Two operated under false flags, making them legally stateless.”

However, the crude oil blockade is holding, Windward added. 

“No Iran-trading VLCC tracked in Asia via Malacca, Sunda, or Lombok since May 4,” the organization noted.

Five Iranian-trading LPG carriers have broken the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports. Four discharged in India, one in Pakistan.

All five used the same playbook, spoofing and AIS blackouts to mask loading and destination. Yet all signaled their exit and/or entry through Hormuz via… pic.twitter.com/iWBqGHSrBl

— Windward (@WindwardAI) June 10, 2026

U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth is scheduled to visit CENTCOM headquarters in Tampa, Florida, today to discuss the ongoing situation with the head of that command, Adm. Brad Cooper, and engage with troops.

Secretary Hegseth will be traveling to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and Tampa, Florida today to engage with troops at GTMO and CENTCOM, per Pentagon.

— Kellie Meyer (@KellieMeyerNews) June 10, 2026

Despite efforts to quell the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, the Israeli Air Force continues to strike targets in that country.

“Over the past day, the IDF struck Hezbollah infrastructure sites in the area of Tyre and in several areas in southern Lebanon,” the IDF stated on Telegram.

“In the area of Tyre, the IDF struck six infrastructure sites used by the Hezbollah terrorist organization to advance terror attacks against the State of Israel and IDF soldiers operating in southern Lebanon,” the IDF added. “Among the infrastructure struck was a site used by Hezbollah terrorists to launch explosive drones toward IDF soldiers.”

In southern Lebanon, “the IDF struck ready-to-use Launchers, terrorists who operated in the area in which IDF soldiers are operating, and additional terror infrastructure sites,” it claimed.

השמדת תשתיות טרור מהן הופעלו רחפני הנפץ נגד כוחותינו: חיל-האוויר וכוחות יחידת האיסוף 869 ממשיכים לפעול בדרום לבנון.

במהלך השבועיים האחרונים, הכוחות חיסלו בשיתוף חיל-האוויר יותר מ-20 מחבלים שפעלו לקידום מתווי טרור והיוו איום על כוחותינו. בנוסף הכוחות השמידו מספר תשתיות טרור… pic.twitter.com/Mysi9BMXHW

— Israeli Air Force (@IAFsite) June 10, 2026

Hezbollah, meanwhile, attacked a gathering of Israeli troops with a missile, according to Tasnim.

Hezbollah Strikes Israeli Military Gathering with Missile pic.twitter.com/TJUCOT3lvS

— Tasnim News Agency (@Tasnimnews_EN) June 10, 2026

The ongoing Israeli incursion into southern Lebanon and continuing presence in Syria has raised tensions with Turkey. Any direct conflict flaring up from the long-simmering animosity between two of the region’s most powerful militaries – though extremely unlikely – would be a far bigger deal than a dertailment of U.S.-Iran peace talks.

“We are fully aware of what the ultimate objective of the delusion of ‘Greater Israel’ is,” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Wednesday, adding that Israel’s actions in Lebanon and Syria now threaten Turkey.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan:

Israel's attacks on Syria and Lebanon have reached a point where they also threaten Turkey.

Turkey's security begins not in Hatay, but in Aleppo, Damascus, and Beirut. pic.twitter.com/YKRqbRugQ2

— Ariel Oseran أريئل أوسيران (@ariel_oseran) June 10, 2026

The Turkish leader’s statements sparked a harsh response from Netanyahu.

“The antisemitic tyrant Erdogan, who perpetrates genocide against the Kurds, supports the terrorist organization Hamas, oppresses his own people, and imprisons political rivals, is the last one who can preach morals to the State of Israel,” the Israeli leader retorted. “The State of Israel and the IDF, the most moral army in the world, will continue to act forcefully against Iran and its proxies that threaten the Middle East and the entire world.”

הרודן האנטישמי ארדואן שמבצע רצח עם בכורדים, תומך בארגון הטרור חמאס, מדכא את בני עמו ושם בכלא יריבים פוליטיים הוא האחרון שיכול להטיף מוסר למדינת ישראל.

מדינת ישראל וצה"ל, הצבא המוסרי ביותר בעולם, ימשיכו לפעול בעוצמה נגד איראן ושלוחותיה שמאיימות על המזרח התיכון ועל העולם כולו.

— Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) June 10, 2026

The latest events in the Mideast region show that there is no immediate end in sight to the hostilities and we will continue to monitor developments here given the ongoing impacts on the U.S. military and global economy.

UPDATE: 3:01 PM EDT –

Trump claimed the price of oil will fall because of how much has been secretly moved out of the region.

“We’re taking about millions of barrels of oil,” the president told reporters Wednesday afternoon.

.@POTUS on Iran: "Did you know we've been taking out millions of barrels of oil? Nobody knows it. You know who doesn't know about it? Iran — until right now. We took out, the other night, 22 ships." pic.twitter.com/2odiLYXDJ3

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) June 10, 2026

On his Truth Social, Trump claimed that last month, he “directed our Great U.S. Military to execute a secret mission to support Oil Tankers and other Commercial Ships through the Strait of Hormuz.”

“Today, I am pleased to announce that this effort has resulted in more than 100 MILLION Barrels of Oil making its way through the Strait, and into the Open Market,” he added. “More than 200 Commercial Ships have safely traveled through the Strait. This wildly successful effort is because the UNITED STATES of AMERICA CONTROLS the Strait of Hormuz — NOT Iran. Their military is defeated, and their economy is lost. It’s over for Iran!”

BREAKING: President Trump says he directed the US Military to execute a “secret mission” in the Strait of Hormuz which resulted in over 100 million barrels of crude oil crossing through Hormuz. pic.twitter.com/bSYeetbHH4

— The Kobeissi Letter (@KobeissiLetter) June 10, 2026

However, TankerTrackers.com clarified that the president was referring not to Iranian oil, but Arab oil.

There is now a public misunderstanding regarding President Trump’s statement. It is not Iranian oil that he is talking about. Those are still trapped. Instead, it appears to be the secured convoys of Arab oil into the Gulf of Oman via the Strait of Hormuz. This explains why… https://t.co/fEgyzY3gnX

— TankerTrackers.com, Inc. (@TankerTrackers) June 10, 2026

UPDATE: 3:39 PM EDT –

Hegseth thanked troops at CENTCOM headquarters in Tampa, Florida, for their efforts in the Middle East.

.@SECWAR spoke with troops at U.S. Central Command:

“On behalf of the President of the United States—on behalf of the American people—I want to say how proud we are of the work @CENTCOM has undertaken.” pic.twitter.com/SkDuqzS3UW

— DOW Rapid Response (@DOWResponse) June 10, 2026

UPDATE: 4:12 PM EDT –

The Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) “has expressed deep concern and strong condemnation of the attack on the tanker MT Settebello,” according to the organization.

“I strongly condemn any act from any party that endangers the lives of seafarers and the safety of international shipping,” said Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez. “This is simply unacceptable. My thoughts are with the families of the three missing seafarers and with all those awaiting news of the crew members.”

Two Indian seafarers died and one was reported missing after the attack, according to The Hindu.

Two casualties including cadet, fitter and ch engineer are reported missing…@FSUIINDIA @IMOHQ @ITFglobalunion pic.twitter.com/z8qZPYRWx1

— FSUI (@FSUIINDIA) June 10, 2026

Contact the author: howard@twz.com

The post Overnight Attacks Rattle U.S.-Iran Ceasefire (Updated) appeared first on The War Zone.

Researchers examining the remains of an Iron Age woman in northern Scotland have found signs that her brain may have been intentionally removed more than 2,000 years ago.

The discovery, made at a burial cairn in Sutherland, also revealed long-distance family connections, suggesting prehistoric communities maintained social and cultural ties across wide areas of Scotland.

The findings were published in the journal Antiquity and come from an investigation of two individuals buried in a low stone cairn at Loch Borralie, near the northwestern tip of mainland Scotland. The burial contained the remains of an adult woman and a juvenile boy.

Rare glimpse into Iron Age burial practices

Understanding funerary traditions in Iron Age Britain has long been difficult because human remains rarely survive. Soil conditions often destroy bone over time. North-west Scotland is one of the few regions where environmental conditions have preserved skeletal remains, offering researchers a rare opportunity to study how ancient communities treated their dead.

Researchers from the United Kingdom and the United States examined the remains to determine who the individuals were, where they came from, and whether they were related to each other or other groups in the region.

“We knew that in the north-west of Scotland, including the Northern and Western Isles, the circulation and deposition of human remains were particularly prominent,” said lead author Dr. Laura Castells Navarro of the University of York.

Evidence points to deliberate brain removal

To investigate the burial, researchers combined osteological analysis, isotope testing, and ancient DNA studies.

The most striking discovery involved the adult woman. Researchers found fine cut marks on the inside of her skull and identified unusual modifications to several long bones, including the upper arm, forearm, and thigh bones. The bones had been shaped so that their ends tapered into points.

According to the researchers, the evidence suggests the woman’s brain was intentionally removed after death, and some of her bones were deliberately carved before burial.

The purpose of these actions remains unclear. However, researchers believe the treatment may indicate that the woman held a special place within her community.

“The motivation behind the extensive manipulation of the skeletal remains of Individual 1 is very difficult to interpret,” Castells Navarro said. “However, the care with which she was reassembled and deposited in the cairn possibly suggests she commanded a level of reverence and respect by her community.”

DNA reveals connections across Scotland

The study also uncovered evidence of extensive mobility among Iron Age communities.

Isotope analysis indicated that both individuals likely spent their childhoods about 80 kilometers southeast of Loch Borralie. Ancient DNA revealed genetic links to people living in Orkney, roughly 175 kilometers northeast of the site, and Applecross, around 225 kilometers to the southwest.

Researchers also determined that the woman and the boy were closely related, most likely maternal second cousins.

The findings suggest that family groups moved regularly around Scotland’s northern coast and islands while maintaining relationships across considerable distances.

“More broadly, our research shows that prehistoric maritime communities periodically moved around the north coast and Northern Isles of Scotland, possibly in small groups,” Castells Navarro said. “This movement allowed for the spread and maintenance of cultural practices and traditions.”

New clues to prehistoric social networks

Taken together, the evidence of possible brain removal, deliberate bone modification, and long-distance family connections points to a complex society linked by shared traditions and social networks.

While researchers cannot determine exactly why the woman’s remains were altered, the burial suggests that some Iron Age communities maintained ongoing relationships with the dead and practiced funerary rituals that extended far beyond simple burial.

The findings provide a rare glimpse into beliefs and customs that shaped life in prehistoric Scotland more than two millennia ago.

VTM

O reconhecimento foi formalizado através de anúncio publicado em Diário da República a 2 de junho e distingue uma tradição secular, profundamente enraizada nas comunidades de Mouçós, Lamares e localidades vizinhas.

A decisão resulta de um longo processo de investigação e documentação coordenado por Vítor Nogueira, que permitiu demonstrar a relevância histórica, social, religiosa e identitária desta manifestação. Mais do que a imponência do andor, o reconhecimento abrange todo o património de saberes, práticas, rituais e formas de organização comunitária que lhe estão associados.

The post Andor da Senhora da Pena é Património Cultural Imaterial appeared first on A Voz de Trás-os-Montes.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup, which begins this week, is expected to bring millions of visitors from dozens of countries to the United States. I have tickets to the World Cup finals next month, and I’m finding it hard to contain my excitement at my opportunity to watch what I know will be the pinnacle of competition in a sport loved by billions of fans worldwide.

But as a doctor, I can’t help but think about how dangerously unprepared the United States is to meet the public health demands of hosting the largest sporting event in U.S. history. The World Cup will bring with it significant public health risks, bringing people from all corners of the world together, where infectious diseases can easily travel and become amplified in enclosed, semiconfined spaces such as stadiums, bars and restaurants.

As a doctor, I can’t help but think about how dangerously unprepared the United States is.

I know firsthand how infectious diseases spread in mass gatherings. As a Muslim performing the Hajj in Mecca, I saw some people contract meningitis, and I was one of the countless others on that spiritual pilgrimage who became infected with an upper respiratory infection. Mass gatherings of the size of the Hajj or the World Cup provide ideal conditions for infectious diseases, heat illness, crowd injuries and foodborne outbreaks to occur.

As a practicing physician who writes and speaks about public health, I have little confidence that the U.S. is prepared for the part of its World Cup-hosting duties that includes ensuring the safety of the health of millions of visitors.

The World Cup comes to a United States that remains scarred by the Covid-19 pandemic. There’s rising mistrust of vaccines, worsening healthcare staff shortages and the re-emergence of infectious diseases that had been eliminated. More than 2,000 cases of measles in the U.S. this year serve as a reminder of what happens when public health information officials such as Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. traffic in misinformation instead of work to preserve public health. Thanks in no small part to Kennedy, vaccine hesitancy is on the rise, and the kindergarten rate of vaccination is below the 95% rate necessary to confer protection upon the larger community.

Although a recent hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship on the Atlantic posed a low risk to the general American public, if it had gotten out of hand, the U.S. would not have been prepared. If cases had spread across the country, we would not have been able to sufficiently test and identify cases because the lab test that detects the virus is only available at a handful of special laboratories throughout the country. And the silence from HHS and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was worrisome. Because public health only succeeds when and where there is clear, transparent communication, officials at those agencies should have held a national press briefing to answer the public’s questions. But they didn’t. According to an Annenberg Public Policy Center poll from March, only 43% of Americans trust public health communications from federal agencies.

The pillars of a strong public health infrastructure are early recognition of diseases, clear communication and trust, all of which appear to have been eroded lately. That’s why it seems unlikely that the U.S. could respond effectively to a major public health threat on our soil during the World Cup or at any time in the near future.

There’s little evidence that the U.S. implemented a proactive approach to the World Cup.

Our public health infrastructure has been underfunded for decades, surveillance systems have been gutted, and hundreds of critical CDC and HHS workers have been laid off. The greatest threats to a successful World Cup, then, may not be terrorism or violence, but an inability to manage predictable health emergencies at scale.

There’s little evidence that the U.S. implemented a proactive approach to the World Cup. To the contrary, it appears the country will react passively if havoc occurs. A proactive approach would have included strengthening infectious disease monitoring at airports, improving hospital surge planning, investing in public health infrastructure such as vaccine research, and rebuilding trust through transparency.

When I look at my World Cup tickets, I am filled with excitement, but I can’t shake the feeling that our country isn’t prepared for public health crises that may occur in the coming weeks.

The post As a fan, I’m excited for the World Cup. As a doctor, I’m worried. appeared first on MS NOW.

Contando com uma talentosa geração de jogadores, a Inglaterra é uma das equipes apontadas como favoritas para conquistar o título da Copa do Mundo de 2026, que será disputada nos Estados Unidos, no México e no Canadá entre os dias 11 de junho e 19 de julho. O English Team inicia a competição no Grupo L, ao lado de Croácia, Gana e Panamá.

A equipe comandada pelo técnico alemão Thomas Tuchel tem como protagonista o centroavante Harry Kane. Jogando pelo Bayern de Munique (Alemanha) o atacante quebrou uma escrita incômoda, conquistou o seu primeiro título de expressão da carreira. Porém, o jogador de 32 anos de idade ainda busca um troféu defendendo a seleção de seu país.

Notícias relacionadas:

• Copa terá cerimônias de abertura separadas no México, Canadá e EUA.
• Ancelotti diz que Brasil pode competir com melhores equipes do mundo.
• Vinicius Júnior diz que Brasil não é favorito para Copa do Mundo.

Another one for the all-time top scorer 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿@HKane | @England pic.twitter.com/Apfikyu8Xq — FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) March 26, 2023

Para tentar alcançar este objetivo Kane está muito bem acompanhado por jovens valores como o meio-campista Jude Bellingham, do Real Madrid (Espanha), e o ponta Bukayo Saka, do Arsenal (Inglaterra).

Com uma geração tão talentosa, a torcida inglesa tem a esperança de que a equipe volte a conquistar o troféu de uma Copa do Mundo após um hiato de 60 anos (o único título mundial do English Team foi alcançado em 1966).

O principal adversário da Inglaterra no Grupo L será a Croácia. Com ótimas campanhas nas duas últimas edições da Copa (vice-campeonato em 2018 e 3ª posição em 2022), a equipe do técnico Zlatko Dalic chega com um grupo envelhecido.

©️aptain Modric.@HNS_CFF | #FIFAWorldCup

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) August 8, 2023

O meio-campista Luka Modric é o grande destaque. O veterano, que, após marcar época pelo Real Madrid (Espanha), defende o Milan (Itália), continua sendo a referência técnica da equipe croata mesmo aos 40 anos de idade.

Além de Modric, a Croácia deposita a esperança de uma boa campanha no zagueiro Joško Gvardiol, que defende o Manchester City (Inglaterra), no atacante Ivan Perišić, atualmente no PSV (Holanda), e no meio-campista Mateo Kovacic, do Manchester City.

A terceira força do grupo é o time de Gana, que disputará sua quinta Copa do Mundo, após as campanhas em 2006, 2010, 2014 e 2022. Comandadas pelo experiente técnico português Carlos Queiroz, as Estrelas Negras chegam à competição em um momento de instabilidade.

🇬🇭 Ghana have qualified for #FIFAWorldCup 26!#WeAre26 pic.twitter.com/VwZc0EqKlB

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) October 12, 2025

Os principais valores da equipe estão no ataque: Mohammed Kudus, do Tottenham (Inglaterra), Iñaki Williams, do Athletic Bilbao (Espanha), Kamaldeen Sulemana, da Atalanta (Itália) e Antoine Semenyo, do Manchester City.

O último componente da chave é o Panamá, que joga uma Copa do Mundo pela segunda vez na história, após a campanha no Mundial de 2018, quando não superou a fase de grupos. O comando da equipe está nas mãos do técnico dinamarquês Thomas Christiansen.

🇵🇦 Panama will play at #FIFAWorldCup 26!@aramco | #WeAre26 pic.twitter.com/pr8ndatIPD

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) November 19, 2025

Dentro das quatro linhas o principal nome é o meio-campista Adalberto Carrasquilla, que atualmente defende o Pumas (México).

Alors que l’équipe de France s’apprête à disputer une compétition internationale majeure, la visite ministérielle organisée à Clairefontaine a viré à la séquence embarrassante. La ministre des Sports, Marina Ferrari, aurait offert aux joueurs des pierres aux prétendues vertus porte-bonheur, sous le regard d’Emmanuel Macron. Une initiative qui interroge.

À quelques jours du début de la compétition, les joueurs de l’équipe de France avaient surtout besoin de calme, de préparation et de concentration. Pourtant, la séquence rapportée par Le Canard enchaîné a déplacé l’attention vers un tout autre sujet : la distribution par la ministre des Sports de pierres supposées favoriser les performances sportives. Une pour chaque joueur.

La lithothérapie au service de l'État

Les joueurs de l’équipe de France n’avaient nul besoin de talismans. Leur métier exige préparation physique, tactique et mentale de haut niveau, pas des cailloux aux vertus autoproclamées.

Coupe du monde 2026 : La ministre des Sports apporte ses pierres à l’édifice | Le Canard enchaîné

Venue déjeuner avec l’équipe de France avant le Mondial, Marina Ferrari a cru bon d’offrir aux Bleus des pierres aux prétendues vertus porte-bonheur et thérapeutiques.……

Le Canard enchaînéUrbs and Camille Eider

Selon Le Canard enchaîné, la ministre aurait expliqué aux joueurs, Kylian Mbappé inclus, que le jaspe bleu possède des "vertus dynamisantes" et "donne la force d'atteindre ses objectifs", tandis que le cristal de roche "réduit le stress et l'anxiété" et "peut atténuer les douleurs musculaires". Kylian Mbappé et ses coéquipiers, comme le président de la République, seraient restés circonspects face à cette scène surréaliste.

Ce n’est pas la première fois que la sphère publique française flirte avec l’irrationnel, mais le timing et l’origine du geste interpellent. À quelques semaines d’une Coupe du monde exigeante, où chaque détail compte, une ministre de la République transforme une visite officielle en distribution de porte-bonheur.

Une catastrophe – le sport Français au bord de la crise, par Michel Goldstein

L’enjeu des Jeux dans la tourmente. L’après Jeux Olympique de Paris 2024 devait être un renouveau pour le sport français,

Le Courrier des StratègesRédaction

Derrière l’anecdote se profile une stratégie classique : associer l’image du pouvoir à celle d’une équipe populaire. Les ministres viennent en photo, les éloges pleuvent en cas de victoire, les critiques en cas d’échec. Les joueurs, eux, sont priés de performer.

Réactions médiatiques et malaise institutionnel

Sur les plateaux des Grandes Gueules, la séquence a suscité des réactions virulentes. Olivier Truchot ironise: "on n'a qu'à embaucher un marabout à la place de la ministre des Sports", tandis que plusieurs intervenants ont dénoncé une confusion entre croyance personnelle et fonction publique.

[Podcasts] L’intégrale des Grandes Gueules du mercredi 10 juin 2026 avec Fatima Aït Bounoua, Antoine Diers et Abel Boyi - 09h/12h

3 heures de débats où toutes les opinions sont les bienvenues. A la table des Grandes Gueules, les esprits s’ouvrent et les points de vue s’élargissent. Pour cette 20ème saison, Alain Marschall et Olivier Truchot, accompagnés des GG issues de la société civile, mêlent information et divertissement.…

RMCRMC

Le débat ne porte pas tant sur la lithothérapie en elle-même que sur sa promotion implicite par une représentante de l’État. La professeure Fatima Aït-Bounoua a rappelé que la question centrale résidait dans la position institutionnelle de la ministre, tandis que d’autres chroniqueurs ont souligné une dérive symbolique dans un univers sportif structuré par la rationalité et la performance.

Abel Boyi renchérissait : "croyances spirituelles relèvent du privé ; les étaler dans l’espace public relève du grand n’importe quoi", en renvoyant opportunément au principe de laïcité si volontiers brandi par ce même gouvernement dès qu'une autre croyance s'aventure dans l'espace public.

Le football français va-t-il ouvrir la voie à une faillite de la société mondialisée du spectacle ?

La mondialisation n’a pas concerné que l’économie et le commerce : la culture elle-même, au sens large, a subi un

Le Courrier des StratègesÉric Verhaeghe

Au final, cette affaire de « pierres porte-bonheur » illustre moins une croyance individuelle qu’un déséquilibre institutionnel : celui d’un pouvoir cherchant à s’inviter partout, même là où la seule exigence devrait être la préparation, la discrétion et l’efficacité.

Reste désormais à savoir si les coéquipiers d’Ousmane Dembélé vont suivre ses recommandations. Au terme d’une préparation contrastée avec une défaite inquiétante contre la Côte d’Ivoire (1-2) suivie d’une victoire plus convaincante face à l’Irlande du Nord (3-1), les Bleus ouvriront leur Coupe du monde 2026 par un rendez-vous explosif contre le Sénégal, le 16 juin à 21 heures, dans le New Jersey.

VTM

Em comunicado, o movimento sustenta que o Decreto-Lei n.º 30/2021 atribui à Direção-Geral de Energia e Geologia (DGEG) a competência para constituir comissões de acompanhamento de projetos mineiros quando tal se justifique, integrando representantes dos municípios, juntas de freguesia e associações locais e ambientais. Por isso, “a questão jurídica é central e não pode ser ignorada”, considera.

Segundo o movimento, a estrutura anunciada pela empresa concessionária da Mina da Borralha é uma iniciativa privada, criada e organizada pelo próprio promotor do projeto, não reunindo os requisitos de independência previstos na legislação.

The post “Movimento Não às Minas” questiona legalidade de comissão da Mina da Borralha appeared first on A Voz de Trás-os-Montes.

VTM

Integrado na unidade curricular de Gastrotecnia e enquadrado no projeto ReFOOD4North, o concurso pretende estimular a criatividade e a inovação dos alunos, promovendo soluções alimentares que conciliem qualidade nutricional, sustentabilidade ambiental e acessibilidade económica.

Para Carla Gonçalves, docente da unidade curricular, a ligação entre a universidade e o tecido empresarial tem um papel fundamental na motivação dos alunos. “Este tipo de iniciativas com ligação às empresas motiva os estudantes a demonstrarem aquilo que valem e querem muito que o seu valor, aprendido dentro das portas da Universidade, passe para a sociedade”, afirmou.

The post Carapau crocante vence terceira edição do Nutri Challenge da UTAD appeared first on A Voz de Trás-os-Montes.

---

---