NPR News Now - NPR News: 06-14-2025 12PM EDT

Episode Date: June 14, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Louise Schiavone. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is calling it a politically motivated assassination. Minnesota State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark were fatally shot at their home early this morning. We're here today because an unspeakable tragedy has unfolded in Minnesota. My good friend and colleague, Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, were shot and killed early this morning in what appears to be a politically motivated assassination. Our state lost a great leader and I lost a dearest of friends.

In a separate shooting, State Senator John Hoffman and his wife were attacked. They remain hospitalized. Both Hortman and Hoffman were members of the Democratic Farmer Labor Party. Police say a suspect, who has not been apprehended, was wearing what appeared to be a police uniform and was driving what appeared to be a police cruiser. In Washington, D.C., festivities are already underway to mark the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army. A big march begins at 6.30 tonight.

Protests across the nation are also slated. In Texas, despite the presence of National Guard troops sent to San Antonio and elsewhere, organizers say they expect their events to be peaceful. Texas Public Radio's Jerry Clayton has more. Lead San Antonio organizer, Alex Savella, is with the 50-51 movement, who's sponsoring the event. He expects the rally in March to go smoothly.

We're going to have more peacekeepers than we've ever had before. We've had the support of San Antonio PD, so we're confident that it will go off without any problems. The peacekeepers are trained volunteers working with 5051 who will be deployed among the protesters. They're the first line of defense in terms of spawning anyone that is suspicious or just calming down, you know, someone that does eventually agitate the crowd in some way.

Sabela says he expects a large crowd this evening. I'm Jerry Clayton in San Antonio. Israel says nine top scientists were killed in strikes aimed at crippling Iran's nuclear program. The operation, dubbed Rising Lion, began yesterday amid fears that Tehran was nearing a nuclear weapon. Rebecca Rossman reports. Israel's military says it killed nine senior nuclear scientists, all with decades of experience

in Iran's weapons program. Israeli officials called their deaths a quote, significant blow to Tehran's nuclear capabilities. More than 70 people were killed and over 300 injured in the strikes. Four top Iranian security chiefs were also killed. The offensive damaged Iran's main nuclear site at Natanz. Iran responded Friday with retaliatory strikes, killing at least three people and wounding dozens more in Israel. It's the most intense fighting

between the two countries in decades, raising fears of a wider regional conflict. Rebecca Rossman, NPR News, Istanbul. This is NPR News in Washington. Indian authorities have vowed to introduce all safety recommendations made by investigators into the crash on Thursday of a passenger plane in Ahmedabad. More than 270 people died when the Air India plane crashed into a hostel housing medical students.

One passenger on the aircraft, which was traveling to London, survived. The BBC's Warren Bull has more. Addressing the media, India's Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said the flight data recorder from the Boeing 787 was still being decoded and the cause of the crash was as yet unknown. He said all similar planes in the Air India fleet were being inspected. Mr Naidu said the personal stories of those who lost their lives were heart-wrenching. One couple reportedly died after changing their flight plans by several days, while two doctors had been traveling with their three children, hoping to settle in the UK.

The BBC's Warren Bull reporting. British soccer star David Beckham and his former Spice Girls wife Victoria are now Sir David and Lady Beckham. King Charles Knighting Beckham, as part of a collection of honors announced on the occasion of the King's birthday, hundreds are on today's list for a variety of accommodations. Actor Gary Oldman also nighted, and musical stage star Elaine Page is now a dame, as is Emma Bridgewater, famous for her pottery brand. In hockey, the Edmonton Oilers play the Florida

Panthers tonight for game five of the Stanley Cup final, their series tied 2-2. In basketball, last night in Indianapolis, the Oklahoma City Thunder tied the NBA series 2-2, beating the Pacers. I'm Louise Schiavone and P.S.