Stories Speak Volumes: June 8-12
A Round-Up of National and International News
Compiled by
There are so many stories making up the mosaic of national/international news that we can’t cover them all every week. The biggest stories now seem to be: Israel and Iran, the Trump presidency (lawfare and judges), immigration (migrants and illegals), wars, weaponization of government (the deep state) against Trump and conservatives, our nation’s debt, massive inflation, climate change controversy and related expenses of government, industry attempting to address these issues, the Chinese threat, national security, abortion, taxpayer cuts, Ukraine peace, and hatred and violence against Christians. Here are just a few:
Karen Bass, Nithya Raman Projected Winners in the Primary for Los Angeles Mayoral Race as Spencer Pratt Falls
June 8: Breitbart by Paul Bois
Karen Bass and Nithya Raman are now the projected winners in the primary for the Los Angeles mayoral race and will likely face each other in November’s runoff as reality television star Spencer Pratt falls to third place.
Decision Desk HQ called the race for Nithya Raman to secure the number two spot behind incumbent Karen Bass on Sunday, with roughly 87 percent of the votes in. Bass earned 34.68 percent while Raman won 27.12 percent.
Spencer Pratt earned 26.69 percent of the vote and had been in the lead ahead of Nithya Raman since election night; his lead over Raman steadily declined as mail-in votes were tallied throughout the week. Bass had secured her place in the runoff on June 2. Spencer Pratt has not yet conceded the election and even said earlier on Sunday that his campaign may wait until July 6 to count all votes.
The Los Angeles mayoral race is non-partisan, but both Karen Bass and Nithya Raman are registered Democrats, while Pratt is a registered Republican.
Steven Spielberg Says ‘Disclosure Day’ Will Leave Christians Questioning Their Faith in God
June 8: Breitbart by Simon Kent
Half a century after Steven Spielberg challenged audiences to think about what lies beyond the starry canopy that defines our universe in Close Encounters of the Third Kind, the director is again challenging accepted precepts of faith and singular belief in a supreme being.
Disclosure Day is the 79-year-old’s first summer movie in a decade. Disclosure Day is set to hit theaters June 12.
Trump Puts Thune on the Ropes Over Parliamentarian as SAVE America Act Showdown Explodes
June 8: Red State by Teri Christoph
President Trump has taken his campaign to get Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough handed her walking papers directly to Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD). In a Truth Social post Monday afternoon, the president called on Thune to “immediately fire the Parliamentarian, who treats Republicans, and everything that they stand for, horribly!”
The Senate parliamentarian is appointed by the Senate majority leader, and serves as “a nonpartisan advisor to the chamber on procedural issues, interpretation of Senate rules, and legislative activity.” Amongst his or her duties:
- Provide advice and assistance on legislative rules and procedures
- Advise the presiding officer on the appropriate procedure, statements, and responses during a meeting of the Senate
- Offer written guidance on procedural questions
- Recommend the referral of measures to the appropriate committee
- Maintain and publish procedural rules
President Trump is eager to get the SAVE America Act passed ahead of the midterm elections later this year, and clearly sees MacDonough as an obstacle because all she has to do is say it can’t be included in a reconciliation bill and it’s dead in the water.
And that matters because reconciliation is the one path Republicans have to get around the Democrat filibuster and pass Trump’s agenda with a simple majority. If MacDonough says the SAVE Act is “election policy” instead of “budget policy,” Democrats can force it back into the regular Senate process, where it needs 60 votes.
Republican Steve Hilton Advances in California Gubernatorial Race
June 8: Breitbart by Elizabeth Weibel
California Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton advanced in the state’s gubernatorial race and will compete against former Biden administration Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Xavier Becerra. Becerra received 2,177,556 votes, or 27.67 percent of the vote, while Hilton received 1,975,062 votes, or 25.10 percent of the vote, according to Decision Desk HQ. Democrat gubernatorial candidate Tom Steyer came in third place with 1,759,328 votes, or 22.36 percent of the vote.
President Donald Trump endorsed Hilton in April, describing him as a “truly fine man” who has watched as California “has gone to Hell” under Democrat leadership.
Karen Bass, Nithya Raman Ready for L.A. Mayoral Race Primary as Spencer Pratt Pushed Aside
June 9: Breitbart by Simon Kent
Left-wing candidate Nithya Raman looks set to oppose incumbent Karen Bass in the Los Angeles mayor’s runoff in November, multiple reports Tuesday forecast, with Republican candidate Spencer Pratt pushed to the electoral wayside only after mail-in votes were added. Pratt’s candidacy sat in second place after polls closed last Tuesday, but slipped in the standings as soon as mail-in vote counting began.
Raman, a Democratic Socialist on the Los Angeles City Council, held 28.5 percent of the votes as of late Monday, advancing past Republican Spencer Pratt who was at 25.8 percent, according to the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk. A slew of outlets including NBC News and CNN also projected Raman had secured enough votes to advance to move on despite the primary ballot count yet to be finished.
AFP notes the second-place candidate will go head-to-head in November with incumbent Bass, a Democratic former congresswoman first elected to lead the second-largest U.S. city in 2022, who has come under fire during her time in office.
Jim Jordan Reveals SPLC Coordinated with Biden and Paid $4 Million To Manufacture Hate Groups, Incite Violence
June 9: Gateway Pundit by Jordan Conradson
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan dropped a bombshell during a Committee Hearing on Tuesday, revealing how the far-left Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) worked in coordination with the Biden Administration to manufacture right-wing extremism.
The Judiciary Committee held a hearing titled “The Southern Poverty Law Center: Manufacturing Hate, Part II,” where the Southern Poverty Law Center’s Interim President and Chief Executive Officer, Bryan Fair, was called to testify.
Previously, the Committee revealed that “between 2014 and 2023, the SPLC allegedly funneled more than $3 million in donor funds to individuals associated with violent extremist groups like the Ku Klux Klan, the United Klans of America, and the National Socialist Party of America (American Nazi Party), among others.”
Steve Hilton Slams California Election System for Spencer Pratt’s Loss
June 9: California Post by Titus Wu
Republican candidate for governor Steve Hilton, who is on track to advance from the primary to face off against Democrat Xavier Becerra in November, was angry Tuesday over the loss of Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt.
Part of his fury was directed at California’s top-two primary system, where the top two vote-getters regardless of political party advance to the general election. In the mayoral race, that means far-left councilwoman Nithya Raman will face incumbent Democratic Mayor Karen Bass.
Hilton added that he wants to end the “ridiculous” top-two system that now leaves Los Angeles voters with no room for change. It’s an idea that some Democrats have even supported, including California Democratic Party chair Rusty Hicks. A ballot proposal was filed to offer that change.
Pratt, a registered Republican, has gone viral for his relentless and compelling campaigning style, which featured shared AI-generated ads and a knack for generating publicity. Conservative figures nationwide have heaped praise on his run, which also attracted independents.
Karmelo Anthony Found Guilty in Murder Trial, Sentenced To 35 Years in Prison: Anthony Was Found Guilty of Murdering 17-Year-Old Austin Metcalf
June 9: Dallas Observer by Emma Ruby
After nearly three hours of deliberation, a jury sentenced Karmelo Anthony to 35 years in prison for the 2025 murder of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf. A Collin County jury has found 19-year-old Karmelo Anthony guilty of murdering 17-year-old Austin Metcalf at a Frisco ISD track meet last year.
The ruling was announced Tuesday afternoon after seven days of trial and three hours of jury deliberation. Murder was the highest charge Anthony faced, although the jury was allowed to consider manslaughter or acquittal. He will now face between five and 99 years in prison. The case will now proceed to the sentencing phase.
Social media videos show that in the moments leading up to the verdict being read, a crowd gathered outside of the Collin County Courthouse and some began chanting, “Free Karmelo.” In the trial’s early days, national attention was paid to the fact that every potential Black juror was struck from the jury pool. Anthony is Black and Metcalf was white, a detail that has fueled the controversy surrounding the case.
In being found guilty of murder, the jury agreed that Anthony “knowingly and willingly caused the death of another person” through his actions. Anthony and Metcalf were track athletes attending different high schools when they met last April. Witnesses called by prosecutors claimed that Anthony attempted to sit near Metcalf’s team tent at the meet and was asked to move but refused.
Witnesses broadly agreed that Metcalf attempted to shove Anthony following a verbal altercation, at which point Anthony pulled a knife from his backpack and stabbed Metcalf in the heart. Metcalf died moments later. During the trial, the jury was shown video evidence, 911 calls immediately following the stabbing, and autopsy evidence that showed the heart wound.
U.S. Hits Iran Again After Trump Said Tehran Has Been ‘Tapping Us Along’ In Talks
June 10: Breitbart by Joshua Klein
The U.S. military launched a fresh wave of strikes against multiple targets in Iran on Wednesday evening after President Donald Trump warned Tehran would “pay the price” for dragging out negotiations aimed at ending the conflict.
The operation followed a day of increasingly sharp warnings from Trump, who accused Tehran of stalling negotiations and warned the regime would face consequences for delaying a response to Washington’s latest proposal.
U.S. officials told multiple media outlets that Wednesday night’s operation targeted military infrastructure, including ammunition depots, command-and-control nodes, warehouses, air defense systems, and radar facilities.
Wednesday’s operation marked the second consecutive night of U.S. strikes against Iran, as the Trump administration intensified pressure on Tehran while continuing to insist that a negotiated agreement remains within reach.
Melania Trump Launches First-Of-Its-Kind Foster Youth Accounts to Give Children Asset Ownership
June 11: Breitbart by Jasymyn Jordan
“This is an important day for our nation and for the first lady,” Marc Beckman, executive senior adviser to first lady Melania Trump, said on Breitbart News Daily, previewing a new foster care initiative aimed at giving foster youth financial resources as they enter adulthood.
The senior adviser said the accounts complement the first lady’s education support for foster youth through “Fostering the Future scholarships.” Beckman said the combination of education assistance and a financial account “allows for these individuals to be independently wealthy, and they can go and take care of themselves.”
Slater asked about a separate artificial intelligence event hosted by the first lady. Beckman said Trump had launched the “Presidential AI Challenge nationwide” and called it “the single largest American youth AI initiative.”
Trump Announces His Official DNI Nominee
June 11: Red State by Bob Hoge
On Thursday, the president announced he has decided on his nominee to be permanent director, and it’s the Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton. He will need to be confirmed by the Senate to take on the role.
Vance Says US-Iran Deal Has ‘Potential to Remake the Region and Lead to Lasting Peace’
June 12: Fox News by Greg Norman-Diamond
Vice President JD Vance said Friday that a deal being finalized between the U.S. and Iran “has the potential to remake the region and lead to lasting peace. I’m seeing a lot of fake information about a potential deal to reopen the Strait and end Iran’s nuclear weapons program. First, the Iranians are not receiving any cash, and no funds are being released for simply signing a deal or attending a meeting,” Vance wrote on X.
“The deal is structured to ensure that the U.S. and its allies’ concerns are prioritized, and that if the Islamic Republic of Iran meets its obligations, then economic benefits will flow to them and to the entire region,” he continued.
Fed Up Over Palisades Fire Fallout, Karen Bass’ Brother Takes Matters into His Own Hands
June 12: Western Journal by Randy DeSoto
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass’ brother is suing the city she leads because of the destruction of his Malibu home in the January 2025 wildfires. The fact that her own brother is accusing her, in effect, of being incompetent, has to be an embarrassment for the mayor, who is up for re-election in November.
L.A. Material reported, “Kenneth Bass and his wife, Cindy, filed their suit against the city on May 18.” Mayor Bass was in Africa attending the inauguration of the president of Ghana during the wildfires.
Mike Hernandez is co-founder of the Citizens Journal–Ventura County’s online news service and writes for CitizensJournal.net and MountainTopMedia.com. He is a former Southern California daily newspaper journalist and religion and news editor, writer of “Prayer Over News Daily” and edits the weekly “Stories Speak Volumes” and other columns. Mr. Hernandez mentors citizen journalists with trainings held every other month (on Saturdays at Shasta Bible College and online) and can be contacted at MikeHernandezMedia.com.