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The ocean floor has been called Earth’s "largest and least explored habitable ecosystem."

The number of antisemitic incidents documented in Germany in 2025 rose slightly from the previous year to a record 8,725, the Berlin-based Federal Association of Departments for Research and Information on Antisemitism (RIAS) said in its annual report on Wednesday.

"Late Spring Buyer Rush": US Pending Home Sales Just Surged By The Most In Almost 2 Years

Pending home sales in the US were expected to rise for the fourth straight month in May and they did with a huge beat (+3.8% MoM vs +0.9% MoM exp - above the highest analysts estimate), which was slightly offset by a downward revision for April (from +1.4% to +0.3%).

That is the best monthly improvement in pending home sales since Sept 2024 and that lifted sales by just over 2% YoY.

“A late spring buyer rush - even with mortgage rates not budging - is an indication of pent-up housing demand and consumers’ acceptance of above-6% mortgage rates as the new normal,” NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun said in a release.

The Pending Home Sales Index is now at its highest since Nov 2025, after bouncing back from record lows in January...

There has been a notable decoupling between rates and pending sales with the recent rise in rates coinciding with a rise in sales (but of course, sales are lagged relative to rates, by typically a month or more)...

Pending sales climbed in all US regions, with the Northeast leading with an 8.7% increase over the month. Yun noted the Northeast is picking up following a period of low inventory and rising home prices.

As a reminder, because houses typically go under contract a month or two before they’re sold, the pending home sales data tend to be a leading indicator of closings that are captured in the monthly previously owned home sales reports.

Tyler Durden Wed, 06/17/2026 - 10:07

Customize your bedtime and morning routines for a gentler, deeper rest.

Customize your bedtime and morning routines for a gentler, deeper rest.

The "Gossip Girl" alum filed a letter to the court, saying that she would have trouble meeting the June 22 deadline she was given to file her brief.

The "Gossip Girl" alum filed a letter to the court, saying that she would have trouble meeting the June 22 deadline she was given to file her brief.

Anti-police activists are demanding the release of body camera footage after an LAPD officer shot and killed a family dog while celebrating the New York Knicks’ NBA championship win in Canoga Park over the weekend.

DOJ Sues New York Health Officials Over Alleged Fraud In Medicaid Homecare Program

Authored by Aldgra Fredly via The Epoch Times,

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) on June 16 sued New York health officials and a Georgia-based company over an alleged fraud scheme involving the state’s $10 billion Medicaid homecare program.

The lawsuit names state Health Commissioner James McDonald, state Medicaid Director Amir Bassiri, and financial management services company Public Partnerships LLC as defendants.

In its lawsuit, the DOJ asked the court to issue an injunction barring the defendants from making “false statements and misrepresentations” about New York’s Consumer Directed Personal Assistant Program (CDPAP) and prevent what it called the company’s “siphoning of funds from the federal coffers.”

“New York’s failure to police a favored vendor that unlawfully siphoned millions of dollars of Medicaid funding is egregious and betrays the public trust,” Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate of the DOJ’s Civil Division said in a statement.

CDPAP is one of New York’s largest health benefit programs. It provides home care through lay caregivers to Medicaid patients with disabilities or significant medical needs.

The lawsuit states that more than 250,000 patients and more than 300,000 caregivers participated in the program as of 2024. That same year, the New York Legislature passed a statute consolidating management of CDPAP from hundreds of existing fiscal intermediaries to a single fiscal intermediary.

The DOJ alleged that the New York Health Department awarded Public Partnerships the contract to manage CDPAP through a “sham bid process” in late 2024.

The Justice Department accused Bassiri of being part ​of an effort to disqualify other qualified bidders after he had “personally scored” Public Partnerships’ successful bid.

According to the complaint, Bassiri was part of last-minute email exchanges with other states, in which Health Department officials said they were “under some sort of ‘pressure from our Governor’s Office’” to see if other bidders were qualified.

The DOJ accused the state health department of enabling the company to generate “millions of dollars in excess revenues” from the program by “billing at hourly rates in excess of those anticipated by New York prior to the contract award.”

The department said that Public Partnerships’ self-dealing and New York’s failure to enforce the contract’s terms erased the cost savings the program’s transition was expected to deliver.

“New York’s backroom deal with PPL has cost taxpayers millions of dollars and cast countless Medicaid patients to the curb,” Assistant Attorney General Colin McDonald for the DOJ’s National Fraud Enforcement Division said in the statement.

Public Partnerships has denied the allegations. The company said in a statement to multiple news outlets that it won the contract “through a transparent, competitive process.”

“We strongly disagree with the characterizations in the complaint and will respond fully through the appropriate legal process,” the company said.

In a statement, the New York Department of Health called the lawsuit baseless and lacking merit.

The department said the courts have confirmed that the process of hiring Public Partnerships “was accomplished through a fair and legally sound competitive bidding process.”

It added: “We look forward to the day where these disingenuous attacks can stop and our partners in Washington can look to New York as a model for how to improve to control costs and root out abuses while preserving and improving quality of care.”

A spokesperson for New York Gov. Kathy ​Hochul said, “New York’s decision to move to a single fiscal intermediary has already saved taxpayers more than $1 billion while deterring ‌fraud, ⁠waste and abuse.”

Hochul is not a defendant and was not accused of wrongdoing.

The Epoch Times reached out to both McDonald and Bassiri for comment but did not receive a response by publication time.

Tyler Durden Wed, 06/17/2026 - 09:55

"These are the kind of events that bring the nuts out," White said.

Keith Jesperson, the "Happy Face" serial killer who has been trading prison letters with Gilgo Beach killer Rex Heuermann, is warning that the hulking former architect could face a reality check when he's shipped upstate this month.

President Trump and Vice President JD Vance maintain that the prematurely circulating details of the 12-point memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the sides is only a draft and subject to change.

After blasting her former colleagues via X on Tuesday, the 41-year-old tweeted that the vice president "handled it all very well."

After blasting her former colleagues via X on Tuesday, the 41-year-old tweeted that the vice president "handled it all very well."

A Georgia sheriff’s chief deputy is accused of stealing department firearms to fuel a secret drug addiction, according to investigators. Thomas County Sheriff’s Office (TCSO) Chief Deputy Ron James, 55, was first investigated after a meth pipe was found in his police vehicle — and he was then found to have taken and then traded...

“Virtual Reali-Tea” co-hosts Danny Murphy and Evan Real are recapping season 10, episode 20 of “Summer House.” The Bravoverse blessed fans with one last post-reunion episode, so you know VRT has you covered. Lindsay Hubbard sits down with Amanda Batula to discuss her relationship with West Wilson. Ciara Miller was shocked that West and his...

“Virtual Reali-Tea” co-hosts Danny Murphy and Evan Real are recapping season 10, episode 20 of “Summer House.” The Bravoverse blessed fans with one last post-reunion episode, so you know VRT has you covered. Lindsay Hubbard sits down with Amanda Batula to discuss her relationship with West Wilson. Ciara Miller was shocked that West and his...

No FISA Without SAVE Act: Trump Calls Out 'Dumocrat' Double-Cross," Keeps Pulte As Acting DNI

Just two years after Donald Trump urged Congress to kill Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act while on the campaign trail, he's now livid that Democrats won't help Republicans pass it.

Trump took to Truth Social early Wednesday morning with a lengthy post accusing 'Dumocrats' of breaking a bipartisan deal on FISA reauthorization - and announced a series of moves that throw a wrench into Senate plans for both intelligence leadership and surveillance powers.

According to Trump, Republicans played themselves - after agreeing with Democrats to accelerate the removal of Acting DNI William Pulte (by fast-tracking Jay Clayton’s confirmation) in exchange for Democratic support on renewing FISA Section 702 surveillance powers. Now, however Democrats are threatening to vote against FISA anyway. 

“The Republicans wound up having fulfilled their commitment, but Dumocrats broke the Deal.”

As a result, Trump said he is canceling today’s Senate hearing for Jay Clayton as permanent DNI. He will not move Clayton out of his current role as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York until Jamie McDonald (a Sullivan & Cromwell partner and Trump’s former personal lawyer, recently nominated to replace him at SDNY) is confirmed - including clearing the “blue slip” process.

In the meantime, Bill Pulte will remain as Acting Director of National Intelligence - who Trump picked to replace Tulsi Gabbard after she said in May she was leaving the administration in June to spend time with her husband following his cancer diagnosis. Pulte has been a controversial pick over his lack of intelligence experience - which led to Trump nominating U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Jay Clayton to be the next DNI.

Southern District of New York U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton at Johnson Houses on Dec. 17, 2025. USAO Southern District of New York/Screenshot via The Epoch Times

Trump explicitly linked his approval of FISA renewal to passage of the SAVE America Act - his priority legislation requiring photo ID, proof of citizenship for voter registration, and strict limits on mail-in ballots.

“Therefore, to add a slight bit of intrigue but, for the Good of the Nation, and the People of our Country, I will not approve FISA without THE SAVE AMERICA ACT going along with it. Not complicated, actually, the Republicans fell into a trap.”

The SAVE America Act - which requires Americans to show proof of citizenship to register to vote and a valid ID to cast a ballot, has stalled in the Senate after the House passed the legislation in February. 

Tyler Durden Wed, 06/17/2026 - 09:20

The Grammy Award winner underwent many life changes — including his dramatic weight loss that Bunnie Xo publicly supported — before filing for divorce.

The Grammy Award winner underwent many life changes — including his dramatic weight loss that Bunnie Xo publicly supported — before filing for divorce.