President Donald Trump’s name has been removed from the facade of the Kennedy Center, but inside the renowned performing arts venue, a difficult financial picture is forcing tough choices. A federal judge is demanding the center continue to operate during renovations. But plummeting ticket sales, artist withdrawals, political controversies and a diminished staff have made restarting a full-scale programming schedule a challenge, multiple sources familiar with the operation told CNN. The historic arts center on Friday asked the judge for more time to comply with deadlines in an ongoing lawsuit as its board explores avenues for renovation.
https://edition.cnn.com/2026/06/19/politics/kennedy-center-renovation-options-lawsuit-deadlines
Since most butterflies live a short time, fluttering between colorful flowers for a few weeks before dying, a few rare exceptions have stumped scientists. Now, some long-lived tropical butterfly species are shedding light on the secrets of longevity. Butterflies belonging to the Heliconius genus, which inhabit the tropical rainforests of South and Central America, have lifespans that vary wildly. The Dione juno butterfly lives for 14 days after reaching adulthood, while Heliconius hewitsoni lives for 348 days — nearly 25 times longer. Other Heliconius species also have impressively lengthy lives, enduring between 106 to 277 days, according to a study on the phenomenon published Tuesday in the journal Nature Communications. Some scientists have speculated that Heliconius’ extended adulthood is due to the insects consuming an enhanced diet, rather than relying purely on carbohydrates like other butterflies.
https://edition.cnn.com/2026/06/19/science/tropical-butterfly-longevity
US President Donald Trump’s comments to an Italian media outlet about the country’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni have sparked a fresh diplomatic incident. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani announced Friday that he was canceling a planned trip to the United States, where he was slated to meet with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in response to Trump’s reported remarks. Tajani called Trump’s claims “offensive,” while Meloni said they were “completely fabricated.” It is the latest dip in the deteriorating relationship between the once-close leaders and a further fracture between the US and its European allies, coming after signs of repair at the G7 summit this week in France.
https://edition.cnn.com/2026/06/19/politics/italy-trump-meloni-tajani
https://edition.cnn.com/2026/06/19/politics/video/trump-meloni-italy-g7-beg-photo-vrtc
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni could have denied Trump’s claim that she begged him to take a photo together, and left it at that. Instead, she went much further. She posted a video on X Friday that made a show of standing up to Trump and linked the episode to his ill treatment of allies. “I can only say that it’s a shame he doesn’t have the same determination with the enemies of the West, with the enemies of the United States, with leaderships with which he instead appears much more accommodating,” Meloni said.
https://edition.cnn.com/2026/06/19/politics/trump-foreign-leader-rebukes