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- Rips appear in new sealant of Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool amid algae bloom
- Drone strike on football team bus raises concerns over Belarus’s role in Ukraine conflict
- Bruno Le Maire advocates core European coalition of six countries
- Supreme Court limits gun bans for marijuana users in landmark ruling
- Ukrainian drones attack Moscow refinery causing significant fire damage
- Dozens of countries warn of potential atrocities as violence escalates in Sudan’s el-Obeid
- Shoppers welcome Zellers’ return to Toronto with nostalgia and excitement
- Trump criticises opponents of Iran deal amid bipartisan backlash
A Black Lives Matters protest in London regarding Chris Kaba.
Looks like the white, middle class organisers forget to invite any black people.
In the wake of death of UK political prisoner, Peter Lynch, who was fast tracked into prison for essentially shouting in the street.
The grandfather was ultimately sentenced to death.
Pakistani family who attacked police at Manchester Airport, STILL haven't even been charged.
Tiny ‘Black Lives Matter’ crowd gathers outside the Old Bailey courtrooms to protest the not guilty verdict of the police officer who shot violent criminal Chris Kaba.
Kaba rammed his car repeatedly into armed police officers’ cars.
BLM is finished in the UK.
UK public borrowing exceeds official forecast in September
Government borrowing overshot official projections in September, which is a sign of the difficult fiscal position that the Chancellor faces as she puts the finishing touches on her first tax and spending budget.
June 19, 2026
2:00 am
Get you up to speed: Rips appear in Reflecting Pool’s new sealant, chosen by Trump, after algae turn water green
Algae turned the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C. a fluorescent green while a tear was spotted in the recently applied sealant. Workers were seen removing algae, and the Department of the Interior confirmed the water is now “crystal clear.”
Workers have initiated clean-up operations using hydrogen peroxide and a “nanobubbler” to control future algae growth in the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, which recently underwent renovations costing more than $14 million. A spokesperson from the Department of the Interior acknowledged the algae bloom as part of the normal startup process following eight weeks of construction and indicated that additional details regarding the tear in the sealant used are still forthcoming.
The Department of the Interior stated that the algae outbreak in the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is “part of the normal startup process” and is being addressed, with workers currently using hydrogen peroxide and a “nanobubbler” to maintain water quality. Following reports of a tear in the sealant, further inspection and potential repairs will be necessary to ensure the longevity of the recent renovations.
What remains unclear — The Department of the Interior has not disclosed the cause of the tear in the recently applied sealant on the Reflecting Pool floor.
Rips appear in new sealant of Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool amid algae bloom
President Trump’s efforts to spruce up the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool faced a snag this week, with algae turning the water a fluorescent green hue while rips appeared in an “American Flag Blue” surface handpicked by the president.
The century-old Reflecting Pool has long faced problems with leaks, algae and faulty plumbing. In April, the president launched an effort to address the pool’s “terrible” condition, part of a slate of spring cleaning projects in Washington, D.C., ahead of the nation’s 250th birthday — as Mr. Trump seeks to put his architectural stamp on the city.
Mr. Trump had the pool’s stone flooring coated with a sealant he called the “latest and greatest filament” and an “industrial-grade” variation of swimming pool liner. He told reporters he personally chose the sealant’s color: “American Flag Blue.” Federal contracts for the project were valued at more than $14 million.
But several days ago, after water was pumped back in, a sheen of green algae appeared.
Photo by Emily Alff/Sipa USA via AP Images 
A Department of the Interior spokesperson told WTX US News last weekend the algae outbreak was “part of the normal startup process” and would be cleaned out shortly.
“What you are seeing is residual algae from the supply lines which have been sitting dormant for eight weeks while construction has been taking place,” the spokesperson said. “President Donald J. Trump is an expert builder who has fixed the Reflecting Pool for good unlike the failed and extremely costly attempt by Obama and Biden.”
Workers were seen in recent days removing algae from the Reflecting Pool, and on Tuesday morning, crews dumped bottles of hydrogen peroxide into the water.
Mehmet Eser/Anadolu via Getty Images 
AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin 
The Department of the Interior said on social media Wednesday that the water is now “crystal clear,” and workers were “vacuuming up the dead algae.” Moving forward, the agency said it is using an advanced tool called a “nanobubbler” to prevent algae from reappearing in the Reflecting Pool.
Then, on Thursday, a tear was spotted in part of the material that was applied to the floor of the pool. WTX US News has reached out to the Department of the Interior for more information.
Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images 
The Trump administration’s renovations mark the second time in less than 20 years that the Reflecting Pool was overhauled, following a more than $30 million project early in the Obama administration. Despite those efforts, the pool still faced algae blooms and needed to be emptied out periodically to clean out algae, goose droppings and other detritus.
Mr. Trump vowed in April to make the Reflecting Pool “beautiful” and “the way it’s supposed to be.” At one point, when workers were installing the new sealant, the president rode in his motorcade onto the dried-out pool floor — which is the length of about 12 Olympic-sized swimming pools — and inspected the job.
It’s the latest renovation project in and around D.C. spearheaded by the Trump administration. The president’s team also repaired fountains throughout the city, tore down the White House’s East Wing to make way for a ballroom, attempted to close the Kennedy Center for renovations, and drew up plans for a gigantic triumphal arch across the river from the capital in Virginia.
The real estate developer-turned-politician has taken a personal interest in many of the projects, displaying mock-ups and speaking at length about the plans during White House events.
Mr. Trump and his administration have cast the renovations as much-needed efforts to beautify national landmarks they argue were neglected for years.
Critics, however, have called some of the projects self-aggrandizing and accused Mr. Trump of making dramatic changes without getting permission from Congress or input from the public. Several of the projects drew lawsuits, and a judge blocked the administration from closing the Kennedy Center or renaming it to add Mr. Trump’s name.
AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta 
June 19, 2026
2:00 am
June 19, 2026
1:00 am
Get you up to speed: Drone strike on young football team bus could drag Belarus into Russia-Ukraine war | News World
A drone attack on a bus in Russia’s Bryansk region resulted in one woman dead and eight others injured, including six children. The bus was carrying young footballers from the Rechytsa Youth Sports School when the incident occurred, with Ukraine denying any involvement and Russia alleging a Ukrainian attack.
A significant investigation is underway to determine who ordered the drone strike on the Rechytsa Youth Sports School’s coach, with implications that could affect Belarus’s involvement in the ongoing Ukraine-Russia conflict. Belarusian officials have pointed to reported missteps by private contractors, alleging that the selected route for the trip was dangerously close to frontline areas.
Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko has called for an investigation into the drone strike, stating, “If someone is provoking us and trying to drag us into the war, I think it will end badly for those who are trying to do this.” Meanwhile, concerns are growing that the incident may exacerbate tensions between Belarus and Ukraine, as analysts suggest it could be a strategic move to disrupt their relations.
What remains unclear — Investigators have yet to determine who ordered the drone strike on the bus carrying young footballers.
Drone strike on football team bus raises concerns over Belarus’s role in Ukraine conflict
Ukraine today accused Russia of a cynical provocation over a drone attack on a bus that left one woman dead and eight people injured (Picture: social media / east2west news)
A crucial probe to find out who ordered a drone strike on a bus carrying young footballers could determine the fate of the Ukraine-Russia war.
Conspiracy theories are swirling as to who chose to destroy the Rechytsa Youth Sports School’s coach, an attack that could drag Belarus into the war raging across its border.
The football coach’s wife was killed with six of the young footballers hurt as they were travelling from their hometown of Homiel to Russia’s Gelendzhik on Wednesday.
A swarm of drones were reportedly spotted descending on the team bus carrying 88 people to a holiday camp close to the frontlines of the conflict between Kyiv and Moscow.
The President of Belarus, Aleksandr Lukashenko, who is in a delicate balancing act between his friend Vladimir Putin and Ukraine, has demanded to know the truth behind the strike.
‘If someone is provoking us and trying to drag us into the war, I think it will end badly for those who are trying to do this,’ he said.
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‘We are behaving calmly. Some people do not like that Belarus is a peaceful state, and that is why all this is happening.
An investigator works on the site of a ‘Ukrainian’ drone attack on a bus (Picture: REUTERS)
‘We hear statements, justifications, and various versions. But we need the truth. And we are waiting for this truth or a real, fair, honest answer from Ukrainian state officials, military personnel, and people.
‘In any case, we will establish the truth; it will not be a big problem,’ he said.
Although Lukashenko says he is not rushing to draw any conclusions, at least according to him, the drone is of Ukrainian origin. But he did suggest it could have been purchased by bad actors and suggested children shouldn’t leave Belarus without official permission.
Russia launched a terror investigation blaming Ukraine while Kyiv described the claim as ‘an information provocation by the Kremlin’.
Back home, Belarusian papers blasted Lukashenko’s 24-hour late response, which was seen as a move to assuage Ukraine.
Others even blamed the driver of the trip which had been privately organised by parents.
Dzmitry Aleinikau, deputy chairman of the Homiel Regional Executive Committee, blamed private contractors.
‘The carriers selected a dangerous route that ran practically through a frontline area,’ Aleinikau said.
Pro-government Telegram channel, the Belarusian Front, even suggested that independent media had known about the attack in advance, pointing to an article warning about the risks posed by drones in that area.
Is all what it seems?
Political analyst Vital Tsygankou posed the thought the strike may have been a political move intended to worsen relations between Minsk and Kyiv something the Kremlin will benefit from.
He added the strike will rock Belarusians who have been ignoring the conflict just outside its border.
‘The people will realise that the war is actually very close’, he said. ‘And it is clear that the Belarusian authorities want to avoid fueling panic above all else.
‘The entire message of Belarusian propaganda is: “We have peaceful skies; nothing is happening here.” But in this case, something is happening to Belarusians who have ventured only a little beyond the country’s borders.’
Russia accused Ukraine of another drone attack on a bus which it said killed eight civilians and wounded 11 more in occupied Donetsk.
Russia blamed Ukraine for an earlier strike on a bus in occupied Donetsk on June 3
(Picture: REUTERS)
Vladimir Putin is said to be ‘actively pressuring’ Belarusian dictator Lukashenko to enter the war on his side, according to UK Defence Journal editor George Allison.
At the same time, work on infrastructure which would be key to an invasion, like roads and artillery positions, has been ongoing in the former Soviet state along its border with northern Ukraine for months.
All this has sparked fears that Belarus, whose leader has been closely aligned with Putin for decades, is prepared to go beyond vocally supporting Russia to take an active part in the conflict.
Speaking from around 50 miles (70km) from the Belarusian border, Allison told WTX: ‘Ukraine has warned repeatedly this year that Russia is building up military infrastructure in Belarus, including new roads and artillery positions along the northern border.
‘Kyiv says Moscow has been actively pressuring Lukashenko to commit Belarusian forces to the conflict, and claims to have details of direct conversations between Putin and the Belarusian leader.’
Allison said Russia had already been using Belarusian territory to ‘enhance’ its drone operations against Ukraine.
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