US Strikes on Iran Spark Ongoing Debate

A week after President Donald Trump ordered U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, debate continues over the legality and effectiveness of the operation. Trump claims the attacks destroyed key sites and ended Iran’s nuclear ambitions, while U.S. intelligence assessments indicate the damage may have set back Iran’s program by only a few months. 

Bipartisan critics, including Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT), argue the strikes were illegal without congressional authorization. Proponents of the strikes say that Trump did not need prior congressional approval, with some citing what they view as the imminent danger in Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon.

 

Zohran Mamdani Wins Democratic Mayoral Primary in NYC Upset

Zohran Mamdani, a 33-year-old Queens assemblymember and democratic socialist, won New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary last Tuesday, defeating former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. With almost all precincts reporting, Mamdani’s lead appears insurmountable.

Mamdani, an immigrant from Uganda, has served in the New York State Assembly since 2021, championing progressive policies like fare-free transit and rent protections. His campaign was noted for energizing young and progressive grassroots voters.

Republicans have quickly framed the win as evidence of a leftward shift among Democrats. GOP leaders warned of what they perceive as his radical policies, while Democratic establishment figures, including Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer, have so far withheld endorsements.

Mamdani will face incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, running as an independent, and Republican Curtis Sliwa in the general election, with some Mamdani opponents calling on Sliwa to drop out to help consolidate the anti-Mamdani vote.

 

Sweeping “One Big Beautiful Bill” Nears Final Vote

The Senate on Monday entered the final stages of debate over the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” President Donald Trump’s sweeping legislative priority combining permanent tax cuts, increased defense and border security spending, and significant reductions to healthcare and nutrition programs. The bill, which narrowly passed the House last month, is now undergoing a marathon “vote-a-rama” in the Senate, with lawmakers considering a flurry of amendments ahead of a July 4 deadline for passage.

At nearly 1,000 pages, the bill is a centerpiece of Trump’s second-term agenda. It would make permanent the 2017 Trump tax cuts, expand tax breaks, such as exempting tips and overtime pay from federal income taxes, boost military spending by $150 billion, fund mass deportations, and resume border wall construction. To offset costs, the bill imposes cuts to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and eliminates many renewable energy subsidies enacted under the Biden administration.

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates the bill would increase the federal deficit by $3.3 trillion over the next decade. While the White House argues economic growth will offset these costs, independent analysts and many lawmakers remain skeptical.

Opposition has been fierce and largely partisan. Democrats call the bill a windfall for the wealthy at the expense of working-class Americans, citing cuts to health and food assistance. Even within the GOP, dissent has emerged: two Republican senators voted against advancing the bill, citing concerns over Medicaid cuts and the debt ceiling. The bill’s fate remains uncertain, with Senate passage in doubt and the House needing to approve any Senate changes before it can reach the president’s desk.

 

Marita Camacho Quirós, Costa Rica’s Former First Lady and Oldest Citizen, Dies at 114

Marita Camacho Quirós, Costa Rica’s former First Lady and the nation’s oldest person on record, passed away on June 20, 2025, in San José at the age of 114. Her extraordinary life, spanning over a century, left an enduring mark on Costa Rican history through her public service and social advocacy.

Born on March 10, 1911, in San Ramón, Alajuela Province, to farmers Salustio Camacho and Zeneida Quirós, she was the seventh daughter in her family. On April 16, 1932, she married Francisco Orlich Bolmarcich, a businessman and politician who later became Costa Rica’s 34th president from 1962 to 1966. Together, they adopted two children, Francisco José and Mauricio Orlich Camacho.

As First Lady, Camacho Quirós made history by joining her husband at the 1962 presidential handover ceremony, a first for Costa Rica. She devoted herself to improving children’s welfare, promoting shelters, schools, canteens, and community centers nationwide. Her efforts were pivotal in establishing the Hospital Nacional de Niños in 1964, and she supported housing initiatives for underprivileged families through Costa Rican Social Security. On the international stage, she accompanied President Orlich on key visits, meeting figures like Pope John XXIII, Francisco Franco, and U.S. Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson.

Camacho Quirós became a supercentenarian on March 10, 2021, reaching age 110, a milestone no other First Lady in history had achieved. In March 2023, she celebrated her 112th birthday, becoming the first Costa Rican to reach that age. She continued to break records, reaching 113 and 114, and at the time of her death was Costa Rica’s oldest living person, the world’s oldest former First Lady, and the ninth-oldest person globally.

Outliving her husband by over 55 years, she remained a symbol of resilience and service and a link to an era past.