NPR News Now - NPR News: 06-15-2025 2PM EDT

Episode Date: June 15, 2025

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The news can feel like a lot on any given day, but you can't just ignore it when big, even world-changing events are happening. That's where the Up First podcast comes in. Every morning and under 15 minutes, we take the news and pick three essential stories so you can keep up without getting stressed out. Listen now to the Up First podcast from NPR. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Louise Schiavone. A suspect in a shooting of two Minnesota lawmakers remains at large.

Vance Belter is suspected of shooting and killing former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark. And he's suspected of shooting Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette, who are both recovering after surgery. Catherine Richard of Minnesota Public Radio has more. Bellter is described by law enforcement as armed and dangerous, and the FBI has offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to his arrest. Around the state, current and former legislators are remembering former Minnesota House Speaker

Melissa Hortman, who Bellter is suspected of fatally shooting. Hortman, who served for two decades, was known for being a strong leader who was able to build consensus. And she's credited with ushering through big democratic priorities like universal lunch for students and gun restrictions. Belter is also suspected of shooting Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette. Both underwent surgery on Saturday. Yvette Hoffman is awake and alert, according to her nephew. There are no updates on John Hoffman's condition. For NPR News, I'm Katherine Richard.

Israel is carrying out strikes on Iran targeting oil depots and military buildings. Israel says at least 10 people were killed overnight in Iranian missile strikes. Israeli President Isaac Herzog visited the site of one such strike near Tel Aviv. We are seeing here the enormous destruction of an Iranian missile, but we are determined. We are determined to change the fate of the region, to lead it towards peace by undermining Iran's capability to threaten us existentially and threaten the region as a whole. The growing conflict is expected to be top of mind for world leaders who are gathering in Canada this coming week for the annual G7 summit.

A Washington, D.C. parade marking the U.S. Army's 250th anniversary unfolded late yesterday without incident. Elsewhere in multiple locations there were protests against President Trump. Vermont Public's Nina Keck has this from Rutland, Vermont. John Walter of Ludlow, Vermont says he was disgusted by President Trump's plans to hold a military parade in Washington DC. So he came to Rutland to join the no kings demonstration. There's more corruption and more illegality going on with this administration.

It makes the Nixon stuff look childish. And hopefully these protests here and around the country will make people stop just a little bit and say, maybe we can't go that far. Charlotte Gerstein called recent immigration enforcement actions by the Trump administration disturbing and terrifying. She came to the rally dressed as Lady Liberty and held a sign that read love liberty, protect due process now. For NPR News, I'm Naini Keck in Chittenden, Vermont. This is NPR. In Ahmedabad, India, search and recovery efforts continue in the aftermath of an Air India crash Thursday.

At least 270 people are known dead after the passenger jet fell from the sky shortly after takeoff and onto a medical college hostel. One passenger survived with relatively minor injuries and he remains hospitalized. The aircraft's black box has been recovered and is being analyzed. Survivors of the 2017 London high-rise fire that killed 72 people have been marking the eighth anniversary of that tragedy. Vicki Barker reports from London. Logan Gomez, remembering the victims at one of the church services held in the shadow of Grenfell Tower. The dead came from 19 national backgrounds.

An official inquiry found a chain of failures by government and the private sector left residents living in a 24-story tinderbox. Police and prosecutors say any criminal charges are at least a year away. Saturday evening, survivors and loved ones staged a silent march to the building, likely the last time the anniversary will be marked in this way. Later this year, crews will be dismantling the high-rise, a process expected to take two years. For NPR News, I'm Vicki Barker in London. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is calling attention to the recall of more

than a million power banks from the China-based anchor innovations. Certain Power Core 10,000 power banks pose the risk of fires and explosions due to an overheated lithium-ion battery. I'm Louise Schiavone, NPR News. Hey everybody, it's Ian from How To Do Everything. On our show, we attempt to answer your how-to on battery. I'm Louise Schiavone, NPR News.