Israel and Iran exchange attacks for a fifth day. Prosecutors provide chilling details in the shootings of Minnesota lawmakers. And Senate Republicans release their proposals for Trump’s agenda bill, with some differences from the House-approved version.
Here’s what to know today.
Israel and Iran trade attacks as Trump departs G7 summit to focus on the Middle East
Israel said it had killed Ali Shadmani, chief of staff of Iran’s armed forces and the country’s most senior military commander, as the conflict between the two countries entered its fifth day.
President Donald Trump cut short his time at the Group of Seven summit in Canada, the White House citing the conflict in the Middle East as the reason for his early departure. Later, Trump said his departure had “nothing to do” with a potential ceasefire between Israel and Iran, as French President Emmanuel Macron had suggested. During yesterday’s G7 meeting, Trump opposed — and then reluctantly supported — Israel’s military action against Iran. Also, U.S. officials said the Pentagon is expediting the deployment of an additional aircraft carrier and other ships to the Middle East.
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The strikes between Israel and Iran have shown little signs of slowing down. An Israeli Defense Forces spokesperson said its forces are focusing on attacking launch sites in Iran and thwarting unmanned aerial vehicles. And Iran’s targets include key military hubs, according to Iranian Student News Network, a semi-official state news agency.
Follow our live blog for the latest updates.
More coverage of the Middle East conflict:
- Israel’s stated intention in striking Iran was to stop it from producing nuclear weapons. But in the long run, the conflict may serve the opposite purpose.
Chilling details in the Minnesota shootings
The suspect accused in the shootings of two Minnesota lawmakers early Saturday was charged federally with two counts of murder and two counts of stalking and multiple state counts of second-degree intentional murder and attempted murder. Prosecutors also revealed chilling details about the shootings, which killed Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, and wounded state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette.
Authorities said there were more than 45 names of state and federal elected officials in multiple notebooks found in suspect Vance Boelter’s SUV and home. Boelter “used the internet and other tools to find their addresses and names, the names of the family members,” said Joseph Thompson, acting U.S. attorney for the District of Minnesota. “He conducted surveillance of their homes.”
According to Thompson, Boelter announced himself as police when he arrived at the Hoffmans’ home around 2 a.m. Saturday. After the couple realized Boelter wasn’t an officer, Boelter repeatedly shot Hoffman and his wife as he fled, then continued the alleged rampage.
Then, Boelter went to the homes of at least three other Minnesota state politicians with the intent to kill them. Two weren’t home, but Hortman and her husband were, officials said, and police arrived at the Hortmans’ home just as Boelter was standing in front of it. Boelter entered the home, fatally shot Hortman and her husband and fled, dropping his face mask and body armor along the way. Read the full story here.
More coverage of the Minnesota shootings:
- Boelter was a strong supporter of Trump, his roommate said. But those statements stood in stark contrast to the narrative and conspiracy theories that quickly spread online.
- Congressional lawmakers are now being told they can spend money from their office budgets on home security systems and campaign cash on private security, as well as request extra protection from Capitol Police. But the measures have done little to calm their nerves.
- Democratic Sen. Tina Smith of Minnesota said she confronted Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah about his “cruel” social media posts.
- Meanwhile, a Georgia man was indicted and accused of threatening sexual violence against Republican Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas and Deb Fischer of Nebraska.
Senate GOP’s proposals for Trump’s agenda bill
Republicans on the Senate Finance Committee released their portion of the massive bill for President Donald Trump’s agenda, with some fixtures from the House-passed package still in place. That includes extending the expiring Trump tax cuts, provisions to slash taxes on tips and overtime pay and new rules for Medicaid recipients.
But there are some differences. On Medicaid, senators have proposed limiting taxes on providers that help several fund their programs, a provision that Republican Sen. Josh Hawley called “not good.” Also differing from the House bill is a $10,000 cap on state and local taxes, or SALT, rather than the $40,000 cap that was a major sticking point in House negotiations.
The chamber’s goal is to pass a domestic policy package by July 4 and send it to Trump’s desk by the end of next month. Read the full story here.
More politics news:
- A federal jury found MyPillow founder Mike Lindell defamed a former Dominion Voting Systems employee after the 2020 election.
- Trump signed an agreement formally lowering some U.K. tariffs as the countries work toward a trade deal.
- The Trump Organization is launching a new wireless service — and rolling out a gold phone. The starting cost for a Trump Mobile monthly plan: $47.45.
Read All About It
- Operations at the world’s most visited museum, the Louvre, were brought to an abrupt stop by its striking staff, who say the institution is crumbling under the weight of mass tourism.
- Utah officials are investigating the role that so-called peacekeepers played in an innocent bystander’s fatal shooting at the “No Kings” demonstration in Salt Lake City last weekend. The victim, 39-year-old Arthur Folasa Ah Loo, was a celebrated fashion designer and former “Project Runway” contestant.
- Questions are surfacing about the detention of a 19-year-old college student who was arrested by ICE minutes after a brief traffic stop in Colorado.
- A California doctor agreed to plead guilty to illegally supplying ketamine to “Friends” star Matthew Perry before his accidental overdose death.
- The Oklahoma City Thunder burst to a double-digit lead early in Game 5 of the NBA Finals and held off a comeback attempt by the Indiana Pacers to win 120-109 and lead the series 3-2.
Staff Pick: Dangerous routes into the U.S.
There has been a more than 90% drop in the number of migrant apprehensions at the border since Trump took office, but it hasn’t stopped thousands of people to continue trying to reach the U.S. Smugglers, hoping to evade authorities, are taking migrants along more dangerous routes, investigative reporter Ronny Rojas writes for Noticias Telemundo. These “coyotes” have also adopted another method: sending migrants alone through inhospitable terrain while guiding them remotely with cellphones, a Border Patrol agent said.
Rojas’ look at how border crossings so far in the second Trump administration highlights the dangerous and sometimes deadly lengths people will go to reach the U.S., allowing a lucrative business to persist even in the face of stricter enforcement. — Elizabeth Robinson, newsletter editor
NBC Select: Online Shopping, Simplified
If you have acne-prone skin, finding a foundation that doesn’t cause irritation can be incredibly difficult. NBC Select editors tested over 50 foundations, from brands like Armani Beauty and Glossier, and shared their favorites Plus, we asked experts to recommend the best shampoo for thinning hair.
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