NPR News Now - NPR News: 06-15-2025 5PM EDT

Episode Date: June 15, 2025

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President Trump has spent the first few months of his term testing the limits of presidential power. He's tried to upend decades of established trade policy and foreign policy, and taken over powers long ceded to Congress. NPR's podcast, Trump's Terms, curates the network's coverage of the Trump administration. It helps you follow the latest and understand what it means. Trump's Terms. Listen in the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Janene Herbst. Israel has launched a new wave of strikes on Iran's capital Tehran today, fueling concerns that the fighting could escalate into a wider regional conflict. The rare daytime assault came as Iran hit back at Israel again, with some getting through Israel's protective system.

Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Michael Leiter. So there's about 10 to 15 percent of these ballistic missiles that get through. We sustained significant attacks last night. We have over 10 fatalities and hundreds wounded. The Iranian Health Ministry says there are more than 200 casualties since the beginning of the fighting. This has both countries assessed the damage. Meanwhile, President Trump is warning Iran against hitting American assets.

Former CENTCOM commander General Joseph Votel says such a strike would be dealt with quickly. If U.S. assets, U.S. military or embassies or other things are attacked, I would expect that there would be a very swift response to that by the United States, as it should be. Both men speaking their two ABCs this week. President Trump leaves today for the G7 in the Canadian province of Alberta. The annual meeting of advanced economies comes amid high international tensions with the Iran-Israel conflict and tariffs that Trump himself imposed. And here's Danielle Kurtzleben has more. The White House has said Trump hopes to talk about a range of topics, including migration,

critical minerals, and trade. Trump has imposed tariffs on goods from all fellow G7 members. It is likely that he will talk to other leaders about striking deals on tariffs. Several non-G7 leaders have been invited, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Mexican President Claudia Scheinbaum, meaning Trump could have one-on-one conversations with them. Trump's last Canadian G7 ended with him insulting then Prime Minister Justin Trudeau over tariffs. This year's summit may also be tense between the US and Canada, as Trump has repeatedly said he wants the country

to be the 51st state. Danielle Kurzleben, NPR News. Danielle Pletka A manhunt is underway for Vance Belter, the suspect in the shootings in Minnesota yesterday that left one state lawmaker dead, another one wounded. MPR's Meg Anderson has more. Meg Anderson Early Saturday morning, Minnesota State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband were killed in their home by a man impersonating a police officer. In another attack, State Senator John Hoffman and his wife were also shot in their home. They survived.

State police said they found a hit list of individuals inside the suspect's car. That list included his victims and other prominent Democrats. Governor Tim Walz has called it a targeted political attack. That would make it part of a larger trend of rising political violence in the country. In a study last year, researchers found nearly half of the state lawmakers they surveyed had experienced threats or attacks. Meg Anderson, NPR News. You're listening to NPR News from Washington.

A new South African study finds the dehorning rhinos significantly reduces their poaching. Some rhino species are critically endangered. Kate Bartlett has more. Tourists traveling to South Africa's national parks might be disappointed to see one of the region's most iconic animals without its famous horn. But researchers say the removal of their horns could be saving their lives. New research in the journal Science found removing the horn sought after by poachers

reduced the killing of the rhinos by almost 80 percent, and the process does not hurt the animal conservationists say. The horn is falsely believed by many in Asia to hold medicinal properties, driving the massive illegal trade. Poaching remains high in South Africa, with over 100 rhinos killed in the first three months of this year alone. For In Piano News, I'm Kate Bartlett in Johannesburg. At the weekend box office, How to Train Your Dragon debuted in the top spot with an estimated $83 million in ticket sales.

The live-action adaptation of the beloved animated franchise follows the unlikely friendship between a young Viking named Hiccup and a dragon called Toothless. In second place, Lilo and Stitch, the hybrid live-action remake with $15 million, pushing its total domestic take to more than $386 million. In third place, Materialists with $12 million. It's a modern-day New York love story. I'm Janene Herbst, and you're listening to NPR News from Washington. The best kind of celebrity interview is one where you find out that the person who made listening to NPR News from Washington.