‌

Tomorrow is Juneteenth in the United States, where the day commemorating the end of slavery has been recognized as a federal holiday since Joe Biden signed it into law in 2021. Markets will be closed in the US on Thursday, and look for your next Daily Read on Monday, June 23.

‌

Galveston, Texas, where the last enslaved people were finally freed, is the birthplace of Juneteenth, and the day will be celebrated across the nation. Here are some guides to what's happening in Atlanta, Baltimore, Fort Worth, Los Angeles, New York City, and Washington, DC.

Mideast Latest.

‌

Israel-Iran Conflict Enters Sixth Day as Trump Weighs Options (Bloomberg)

‌

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said he won’t yield to Israel, defying US President Donald Trump’s calls for an “unconditional surrender” and raising speculation Washington may join the Israeli attacks.

Trump's Shift in Tone Raises Prospect of US Intervention in Iran (Bloomberg)

‌

Diplomatic maneuvering from the White House and a series of Trump social media posts added to the perception the US leader is considering one of the more momentous steps of his presidency. Direct US military action alongside Israel would greatly improve the chances of permanently ending Iran’s path to a nuclear weapon — but would risk throwing the oil-rich region into widespread conflict.

US Officials: Iran Is Preparing Missiles for Possible Retaliatory Strikes on U.S. Bases (New York Times)

‌

Fears of a wider war are growing among American officials as Israel presses the White House to intervene in its conflict with Iran. If the United States joins the Israeli campaign and strikes Fordo, a key Iranian nuclear facility, the Iranian-backed Houthi militia will almost certainly resume striking ships in the Red Sea, the officials said. They added that pro-Iranian militias in Iraq and Syria would probably try to attack U.S. bases there.

‌

Other officials said that in the event of an attack, Iran could begin to mine the Strait of Hormuz, a tactic meant to pin American warships in the Persian Gulf.

NYC Votes.

‌

Candidate Accosted: NYC Comptroller and Mayoral Candidate Brad Lander Arrested at Immigration Court (Bloomberg)

‌

Lander allegedly locked arms with an undocumented immigrant in an apparent effort to shield the person from detention, according to a federal official. When agents moved in to arrest the individual, Lander allegedly refused to release his grip and pushed away the officer’s hands.

It was a dramatic scene in the courthouse. Click the image to see for yourself.

New York City Comptroller Brad Lander is placed under arrest by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and FBI agents outside federal immigration court in New York, on June 17.Photographer: Olga Fedorova/AP Photo

‌

New Poll Shows Close Race: Cuomo's Lead Over Mamdani Narrows Ahead of June 24 Election (New York Times)

‌

The Marist poll found that 38 percent of likely voters planned to rank Cuomo first on their ballots, compared with 27 percent for Mamdani. In a simulation of the city’s ranked-choice voting system, the former governor prevailed over in the seventh round. With less than a week to go before the June 24 primary, the results also showed signs of momentum for Mamdani, a 33-year-old democratic socialist running on an economic populist message.

NYC Voter Guide: Everything You Should Know About Early Voting and Ranked Choice Ahead of June 24 Election (New York Times)

‌

Early voting runs through Sunday, June 22, with Election Day on Tuesday, June 24. Eleven candidates are running in the Democratic primary for Mayor. Find your polling place here, and don't miss the Times' editorial on the election.

‌

Read Before Voting: Our Advice to Voters in a Vexing Race for New York Mayor (New York Times)

What I'm Reading.

‌

Debt Warning: House Tax Bill Boosts Deficit $2.8 Trillion, CBO Analysis Shows (Bloomberg)

‌

The new estimate is even bigger than a previous $2.4 trillion calculation, which hadn’t accounted for so-called dynamic effects. In a release Tuesday, the nonpartisan CBO said that higher interest rates from the bill would add $441 billion to deficits over a decade. The agency only saw an $85 billion reduction in borrowing thanks to economic effects, mainly through faster growth.

‌

While Republicans have argued their bill would stoke the economy, the CBO sees a marginal impact. Average annual growth would be 0.04 percentage point higher over the decade to 2034 as a result of the House’s tax and spending package. 

‌

Like A G6: Inside Trump's Dramatic Exit from the G7 Summit (Politico London Playbook)

‌

NO, CANADA: After 24 hours at a three-star Canadian hotel, Donald Trump had clearly seen enough. The president abruptly left the G7 summit a few hours ago, snubbing Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy and pushing the gathering to the brink of irrelevance. The White House said the decision to leave early was because of the conflict between Israel and Iran — and it looks like that situation could be about to deteriorate even further.

Tariff Anxiety Hits Consumers: US Retail Sales Drop for a Second Month, Dragged Down by Cars (Bloomberg)

‌

US retail sales fell for a second straight month in May, suggesting anxiety over tariffs and personal finances prompted consumers to pull back after an early-year spending rush.

‌

The value of retail purchases, not adjusted for inflation, decreased 0.9%, the most since the start of the year and restrained by autos, Commerce Department data showed Tuesday. That followed a downwardly revised 0.1% drop in April, marking the first back-to-back decline since the end of 2023.

Tariff Anxiety Hits the Housing Market: The Housing Market Was Supposed to Recover This Year. What Happened? (New York Times)

‌

Don't Miss Today's Daily Read Podcast: Click here to listen to the latest episode of the AI-generated companion of today's newsletter on Spotify. It's also available on Apple Podcasts.  Take a listen today.

Today in AI: OpenAI and Microsoft Tensions Are Reaching a Boiling Point (Wall Street Journal)

‌

Today in Defense Innovation: House Proposes Manufacturing Network to Boost Wartime Arms Production (Defense News)

‌

The directive echoes a recommendation made in a report released in January by entrepreneur and former chair of the Defense Innovation Board Mike Bloomberg. Authored by several defense experts and former Department of Defense officials, the report offers a path forward for mobilizing the industrial base. It also specifically advocates for the creation of a Civil Reserve Manufacturing Network that would establish “ready-to-scale defense production” and calls for Congress to fund it as soon as Fiscal Year 2026.

Danger for the US: Obama, Back in Public Eye, Offers a Careful Warning of a Democratic Slide (New York Times)

‌

Former President Barack Obama warned about the risks of autocracy during an appearance on Tuesday night with the writer Heather Cox Richardson. He said that the country was “dangerously close” to allowing its government officials to act in a way “consistent with autocracies,” offering a veiled rebuke of the Trump administration that was delivered with his trademark caution.

‌

Investigation: Inside DOGE’s Chaotic Takeover of Social Security (New York Times)

‌

Throughout the early months of this Trump presidency, Elon Musk and his allies systematically built a false narrative of widespread fraud at the Social Security Administration based on misinterpreted data, using their claims to justify an aggressive effort to gain access to personal information on millions of Americans, a New York Times investigation has found.

Congrats! Bloomberg Named Best Order and Execution Management System for Front Office Solutions at 2025 Global Markets Choice Awards (Bloomberg Press Announcement)

‌

Congrats to the Stanley Cup Champions! Panthers Beat Oilers 5-1 to Become Repeat Stanley Cup Champion (Bloomberg)

‌

The Florida Panthers became the NHL’s first back-to-back winners since Tampa Bay in 2020 and ’21 and the third team to do it this century.

Experience the Thrill: 'Passengers' Runs through June 29 at the Perelman PAC (PACNYC.org)

‌

Critics are calling 'Passengers' "stunning", "story-filled", "breathtaking" and "worth-the-trip". As the Times reports, the show has not been without its behind-the-scenes challenges, including having to retool after a performer's injury. Don't miss this dazzling, genre-bending show that has everyone talking. Click here to get tickets. And consider becoming a member to support all of the PAC's incredible artistic endeavors.

Weekend Guide.

‌

Juneteenth: Faith and Freedom (PBS)

Rasool Berry travels throughout Texas to discover how the Juneteenth holiday illuminates faith and an ongoing fight for freedom. Film includes conversations with Ms. Opal Lee, the 98-year-old retired schoolteacher who is recognized as the "grandmother of Juneteenth."

‌

The Gilded Age (HBO and HBO Max)

Julian Fellowes's sprawling period drama returns this Sunday for its third season. Phylicia Rashad, who directed the Pulitzer and Tony Award-winning play 'Purpose', joins as Mrs. Elizabeth Kirkland, while fellow Tony Award-winner Brian Stokes Mitchell, most recently seen in the Shirley Chisolm biopic 'Shirley', will portray her husband, Pastor Frederick Kirkland.

‌

NBA Finals (ABC and ESPN)

The Oklahoma City Thunder are one win away for the franchise's first championship. They take on the Indiana Pacers Thursday night at 8:30pm ET. If necessary, a Game 7 will be played on Sunday at 8pm.

‌

Portrait of Ailey (Ailey.org)

Conceived and directed by Ailey II Artistic Director Emerita Sylvia Waters in collaboration with Dominique Singer and the Ailey Archives, this exceptional film series charts the course of Alvin Ailey’s life, from his early childhood influences to his professional collaborations with composers, designers, and generations of dancers. 

Best of Late Night.

‌

On the military parade that was timed to coincide with Donald Trump's 79th birthday:

‌

“It was basically a $50 million version of when a 5-year-old shows you every car in his Hot Wheels collection.” 

— Jimmy Kimmel

‌

“This was less a show of overwhelming force and more like a military museum getting in its steps.” 

— Jon Stewart

‌

“You know, after all his talk about how this wasn’t a birthday party for him, it kind of seemed like a birthday party for him.”

— Jimmy Kimmel

‌

On Don Jr.'s announcement that the Trump family is launching a cell phone service, "Trump Mobile":

‌

“That guy will do anything to try to get his father to answer his phone calls.”

— Jimmy Kimmel

‌