5 things to know for June 17: Israel-Iran, G7, Spending bill, NIH grants, Mike Lindell
Britain's foreign intelligence service, MI6, will be led by a woman for the first time in its history. Blaise Metreweli, who is currently head of the technology and innovation teams, will become chief of the Secret Intelligence Service in the fall. For fans of the James Bond movies, that means Q just became M.
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As Israel and Iran trade strikes for a fifth day, civilians in both countries are paying the price. At least 224 people in Iran and 24 people in Israel have been killed. Schools in Tehran have been turned into bomb shelters and emergency bases, while citizens seeking to evacuate the capital ahead of Israeli strikes have been stymied by fuel shortages. People in Israel are trying to avoid Iran's missiles by gathering in bomb shelters where they sit, glued to their phones and TVs, waiting for the latest updates. Amid the escalating conflict, Israel has publicly justified its unprecedented attack as an effort to stop Iran from building a nuclear bomb. However, US intelligence assessments show Iran was not actively pursuing a nuclear weapon and was up to three years away from being able to produce and deliver one to a target.
President Donald Trump abruptly left the Group of 7 summit in Canada due to 'what's going on in the Middle East,' and directed his national security staff in Washington to meet in the Situation Room. How Trump intends to handle the situation is unclear as he has been sending mixed signals. He posted 'Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!' on his social media platform, but did not explain why. On Monday, he initially signaled his intention not to sign a joint statement calling for de-escalation between Israel and Iran. However, when the G7 leaders released the statement later in the day, an official said it had Trump's blessing. Trump also told European leaders that discussions were underway to obtain a ceasefire between Israel and Iran. Overnight, he took to Truth Social to deny ever saying that.
The GOP-led Senate Finance Committee released its proposal for President Trump's agenda bill on Monday and it includes some notable changes. While the committee wants to keep many of the provisions contained in the legislation that the House approved last month, it is also calling for:
* Deeper cuts to Medicaid* Raising the debt limit by $5 trillion* Lowering the cap on state and local tax deductions* Slowing the elimination of some clean energy tax cuts* Lowering the child tax credit from $2,500 to $2,200 but making it permanent* Limiting tax relief on tips and overtime* Making some business tax breaks permanent
Senate Republicans hope to pass their package by next week so the two chambers can work out a final deal to send to President Trump by July 4.
A federal judge ruled on Monday that it was illegal for the Trump administration to cut certain research grants at the National Institutes of Health because they focused on gender identity, diversity, equity or inclusion. US District Judge William Young called the administration's process for terminating these grants 'arbitrary and capricious.' He also said it was clear that what was behind the government's actions was 'racial discrimination and discrimination against America's LGBTQ community.' The ruling is expected to be appealed.
A federal jury in Colorado has found Mike Lindell guilty of defaming a former employee of Dominion Voting Systems. Eric Coomer, who was the security and product strategy director at the voting equipment company, sued the MyPillow founder and conspiracy theorist for calling him a traitor and accusing him of stealing the 2020 election. Lindell and other allies of President Trump continue to falsely claim that his 2020 loss to Democrat Joe Biden was due to widespread fraud and blamed Dominion's voting machines. The jury awarded Coomer $2.3 million in damages.
Perry's doc takes plea One of the physicians accused of providing ketamine to actor Matthew Perry ('Friends') has agreed to plead guilty to four counts of distribution. Perry died in 2023 of 'acute effects' of ketamine and subsequent drowning.
Trouble At HomeThe popular home goods chain filed for bankruptcy and may close some locations.
Record-breakerTwo-time Olympic gold medalist Mondo Duplantis has broken the pole vault world record for the 12th time.
Stand up guysActor Al Pacino and film producer Andrea Iervolino ('Maserati: The Brothers') recently met with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican. Iervolino described the meeting as 'a moment of profound spiritual and cultural inspiration.'
Good eatsThe 2025 James Beard Awards were announced on Monday night. Outstanding restaurant honors went to eateries in Minneapolis, Minnesota and Boulder, Colorado.
$50 millionThat's how much Philadelphia Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie has donated to launch an autism research institute.
'This tragedy must become a moment for us to come together. Hold your loved ones a little closer. Love your neighbors. Treat each other with kindness and respect. The best way to honor our parents' memory is to do something, whether big or small, to make our community just a little better for someone else.'
— Sophie and Colin Hortman, in a statement following the murder of their parents, Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark.
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BustedA tourist sat on a crystal-covered chair in Verona's Palazzo Maffei and broke it. The piece by Italian artist Nicola Bolla has since been restored.
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CNN
33 minutes ago
- CNN
Analysis: Even if Russia loses Iran as an ally, it stands to profit from the chaos in the Middle East
There's long been an awkward tension at the heart of the Kremlin's complex relationship with the Middle East. On the one hand, Russian alliances and economic influence there have traditionally been strong. On the other, as one of the world's biggest oil and gas producers, Russia tends to profit when things in the energy-rich region go awry and the markets get spooked. That's exactly what is playing out right now, with the Kremlin watching its Iranian ally being drastically weakened by Israeli airstrikes, while reaping the benefits. On the face of it, Russia has so much to lose. Iran has been a particularly useful 'strategic partner' for the Kremlin, not only sharing a disdain for Western values and influence, but also supplying the Russian military with vast squadrons of Shahed aerial drones, enabling the relentless bombardment of Ukraine. Much of that drone production has, admittedly, long since moved to Russia. But with Ukraine's own drones now striking Russian production facilities deep behind the frontlines, that once reliable Iranian supply may eventually be missed. There's also a faint but painful sense of humiliation for the Kremlin to have to stand by and watch yet another key Middle Eastern ally under ferocious bombardment, unable or unwilling to step in. Moscow has issued strongly-worded statements, of course, condemning as 'illegal' Israel's attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities, adding that the strikes were creating 'unacceptable threats to international security.' It also accused Western countries of manipulating the situation to 'settle political scores.' But Russia's supposed alliance with Iran never extended to defending the Islamic Republic and there has been no Kremlin offer of any military support. It's certainly true that a collapse of the Iranian regime, which is now an apparent Israeli objective, would add Iran to the growing Kremlin list of lost Middle Eastern alliances and client states, including Iraq, Libya and, most recently, Syria. But here's that awkward tension again: things are not quite as bad for Moscow as they may seem. In fact, this latest Middle Eastern conflict is playing very nicely into the Kremlin's hands. As well as the welcome financial windfall, courtesy of the surging price of crude oil, the Iran-Israel conflict is also opening up the taps, as it were, to diplomatic opportunities for a Kremlin that has faced years of international isolation over its war in Ukraine. Russia has never stopped seeing itself as a major player in international diplomacy, with a rightful place at the top table alongside the US and China. Now, the Kremlin has an issue on which it can jointly and productively cooperate with the United States, and possibly emerge as an indispensable US partner when it comes to eventually patching the region back together again. As the only major political leader with a direct line to the Iranians, the Israelis and the United States, the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, is already carefully leveraging his pivotal position, signaling his willingness to act as a mediator, casting Russia as an important power broker in the Middle East. In a recent call to the White House, Putin reminded President Donald Trump how Russia has been a long-time US ally when it comes to the Iranian nuclear issue – a heavy hint that he is open to being one again. The White House, it appears, could be open to the idea: After the call, President Trump expressed a willingness to consider the Russian leader as a potential mediator in the conflict. Since the start of President Trump's second term, Washington and Moscow have been desperate to find ways to broaden their relationship beyond the narrow focus on the Ukraine war. The fate of Iran and its nuclear ambitions have unexpectedly reemerged – along with the Arctic, economic cooperation and space exploration – as yet another area of potential common interest. For the Kremlin – and maybe for President Trump too – that's a major boon. Not so much for beleaguered Ukraine. With an escalating Mideast crisis, and the US seemingly teetering on the brink of increasing its direct involvement, global attention has been suddenly diverted from the ongoing war in Ukraine – where intensifying Russian drone and missile strikes are taking an appalling toll – to the devastation being wrought in Israel and Iran. And, for a while at least, the focus appears to have shifted firmly onto the Kremlin's role as a potential peacemaker in the Middle East, and away from its part in the war it is continuing to wage closer to home.
Wall Street Journal
43 minutes ago
- Wall Street Journal
Oil Markets Volatile as Investors Watch for Mideast Escalations
Oil prices remained volatile and major indexes were mixed in Asia as markets continued to digest the unfolding Israel-Iran conflict amid waning hopes for a quick de-escalation. Wednesday's moves come after President Trump's warning that he is losing patience with Iran, and his suggestion that the U.S. might join Israel's strikes.
New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
Great-Grandson of Islamic Republic's Founder Was in Streets as Israel Fired on Tehran
The 28-year-old great-grandson of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of Iran's Islamic Republic, was standing on a balcony in Tehran in the middle of the night on Tuesday as sounds of explosions from Israeli strikes and thuds of air defenses rocked the city. Seyyed Ahmad Khomeini, a junior cleric, said in a telephone interview with The New York Times, that from his viewpoint Israel had waged a war on Iran, threatening the integrity of the country and the safety of its people. But for him, he said, the conflict was also deeply personal. The legacy of his family name, the revolution his great-grandfather had led, toppling thousands of years of monarchy in Iran in 1979, was at stake. 'I want to say is that we will remain in Tehran, we will not leave this land. Even if we have to sacrifice every ounce of our blood, like a soldier, we will fight,' said Mr. Khomeini. 'The enemy has made a massive mistake if it thinks it can dislodge this revolution.' An even bigger mistake, Mr. Khomeini said, would be for President Trump to enter the war and attack the Fordo nuclear site. On Tuesday, Mr. Trump posted a series of messages on social media, one of which called for Iran's 'unconditional surrender.' He also met with his National Security Council as evidence mounted that the United States was considering joining Israel's bombing campaign to damage Iran's nuclear capabilities. A day earlier, Mr. Trump had warned residents of Tehran, a city of more than 10 million people, to evacuate in a social media post. Many residents of Tehran have tried to heed his call. 'Iran will respond in a different way if this happens,' Mr. Khomeini said, in reference to the United States becoming more involved in the conflict. The war would spread, and the region would descend further into chaos, he said. Mr. Khomeini lives in the city of Qom, about 100 miles south of Tehran, where he attends Shia theological seminary. He is the grandson of Mr. Khomeini's son, Ahmad, and in the past few years has identified with the reformist faction of the government. He campaigned for the reformist candidate, Masoud Pezeshkian, who won the presidential election nearly a year ago. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
