5 things to know for June 23: US-Iran, Israel-Iran, Church attack, Mahmoud Khalil, Ten Commandments
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From digging into President Donald Trump's battle with the courts to deciding whether people can be required to identify themselves before viewing porn online, the Supreme Court in the coming days is set to deliver its most dramatic decisions of the year.
Here's what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day.
As President Donald Trump weighs the idea of regime change in Iran, the Iranian power structure appears to be more focused on how it will respond to America's attack on its nuclear facilities. The Iranian envoy to the UN condemned the US and Israel for their 'acts of aggression' and asked the Security Council to address such 'injustice and gross violations.' Iranian hardliners and members of parliament took to social media to call for retaliation after the US strikes, including attacks on American bases in the region, the disruption of oil shipments in the Strait of Hormuz and a possible withdrawal from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. The attacks have also inspired thousands of Iranians to demonstrate against Trump and the US. One Iranian politician said even people critical of the regime were protesting.
With the Israel-Iran conflict in its 11th day, both countries have launched a fresh wave of strikes on each other. About 20 Israeli fighter jets attacked military targets in Tehran and the western Iranian city of Kermanshah. The Israel Defense Forces said the strikes took out several surface-to-surface missile launch and storage sites. Six Iranian airports were also targeted overnight and at least 15 fighter jets and helicopters were reportedly destroyed. In retaliation, Iran reportedly fired missiles at Israel, prompting people across the country to take shelter. Although the IDF attributed the sounds of explosions to interceptions or fallen projectiles, teams of first responders were still dispatched to reported impact sites.
A suicide bomber attacked a Greek Orthodox church in Syria on Sunday, killing at least 20 people and injuring dozens more, the country's health ministry said. The attacker reportedly opened fire on the congregation of Mar Elias Church in Damascus and then blew himself up using an explosive vest. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, but Syria's Ministry of Interior Affairs told CNN that it was carried out by a 'suicide bomber affiliated with the terrorist organization ISIS.' The United States' Special Envoy for Syria, Thomas Barrack, called the attack an act of 'cowardice.'
Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil reunited with his wife and met his newborn son for the first time after being detained for 104 days at an ICE facility in Louisiana. A judge ordered Khalil's release on bail Friday after finding he was not a flight risk nor a danger to public safety. The Columbia University graduate played a central role in negotiations on behalf of pro-Palestinian student protesters last year. Although he is a lawful permanent resident and is married to a US citizen, Khalil was one of the first people the Trump administration arrested in its crackdown on student activists. 'Trump and his administration, they chose the wrong person for this,' he said. 'That doesn't mean that there is a 'right' person for this. There's no right person who should be detained for actually protesting a genocide, for protesting their university.'
A panel of three federal appellate judges ruled on Friday that a Louisiana law requiring the Ten Commandments to be posted in public school classrooms is unconstitutional. 'This is a resounding victory for the separation of church and state and public education,' said Heather L. Weaver, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union. '…The Fifth Circuit has held Louisiana accountable to a core constitutional promise: Public schools are not Sunday schools, and they must welcome all students, regardless of faith.' Over the weekend, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed a similar bill requiring the Ten Commandments to be displayed in all public school classrooms. He also signed legislation that allows school districts to provide students and staff with a daily voluntary period of prayer or time to read religious texts during school hours.
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If your day doesn't start until you're up to speed on the latest headlines, then let us introduce you to your new favorite morning fix. Sign up here for the '5 Things' newsletter.Thunderstruck!The Thunder defeated the Indiana Pacers 103-91 Sunday night and won their first NBA title since moving from Seattle to Oklahoma.
National baseball champs, againFor the second time in three years, the Louisiana State University Tigers have won the College World Series.
Jones bows outJon Jones, 37, who laid claim to being the greatest mixed martial arts fighter of all time, announced his retirement over the weekend.
Thank you for being a … frenemy?Apparently, not all of 'The Golden Girls' were as warm and fuzzy as the sitcom's theme song suggested. Two of the show's stars 'couldn't warm up to each other if they were cremated together,' a co-producer recently said.
Decanting successThe winners of the Decanter World Wine Awards 2025 were recently announced and one country triumphed above all others.
$200,000That's how much money 55% of Americans said they would need to make — or more — per year to 'feel rich/attain financial freedom,' a new survey showed.
'These reefs are essential to protecting the islands they surround. Without action taken now, we risk allowing these reefs to erode past the point of no return.'
— Kelly J. van Woesik, after studying the exploding population of sea urchins in Hōnaunau Bay in Hawaii. Sea urchins eat the reef and too many of them can cause damaging erosion.
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'No more war!'Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders was holding a rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, over the weekend when he learned about President Trump's attack on Iran. In reacting to the news, Sanders and the audience did not mince words.
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USA Today
23 minutes ago
- USA Today
US bombs Iran: Trump's gamble: Nuclear threat ended? Or the start of 'endless war'?
It's Donald Trump's war now. The decision to bomb Iran revealed the conflict between some of the president's fundamental impulses. The highest hope of President Donald Trump's bombing of Iran: A rogue nuclear program that had defied a half-dozen of his predecessors has finally been destroyed. The deepest fear: Just four years after the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan ended America's longest war, the United States is now enmeshed in another war in a volatile region, with perilous and uncertain consequences. "Our objective was the destruction of Iran's nuclear enrichment capacity and a stop to the nuclear threat posed by the world's No. 1 state sponsor of terror," Trump said in a late-night announcement in the East Room on June 21, interrupting Americans' Saturday night plans with news that B-2 bombers had dropped the world's most powerful conventional bombs on three sites considered crucial to Tehran's nuclear program. "Iran, the bully of the Middle East, must now make peace." Watch Trump's address to the nation after US bombed Iranian nuke sites More: US on 'high alert' for Iran retaliation, says nuke program 'obliterated' That's the calculation behind "Operation Midnight Hammer," anyway − that despite its initial bluster, Tehran will be forced to abandon its nuclear program. But Trump acknowledged there were other possibilities. "Remember, there are many targets left," he said, surrounded by a solemn-looking trio of advisers − Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. "If peace does not come quickly, we will go after those other targets with precision, speech and skill." A war between Trump's fundamental impulses The White House debate over whether to launch the bombers put at odds some of Trump's most fundamental impulses. One is his fervent opposition in all three of his presidential campaigns against "forever wars," including the costly and controversial conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. His "America First" agenda reflects a determination to focus less on places like Ukraine and more on challenges close to home. Though most Republican congressional leaders praised the president for the decision, some people prominent in the MAGA movement did not. "This is not our fight," Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene complained on social media. "Every time America is on the verge of greatness, we get involved in another foreign war." On the other hand, Trump is also famously impatient with problems that have frustrated standard solutions. Witness, for instance, his willingness to press the limits of the law in identifying and deporting millions of undocumented immigrants. The lengthy efforts at negotiation with Iran, like much of diplomacy, seemed unlikely to reach the sort of dramatic and decisive conclusion he favors. The bombing of Iran also reflects his alliance with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who argues that Iran's nuclear program poses an existential threat to his country. For the prime minister, achieving his decades-old dream of destroying that program is the stuff of legacy. It's the stuff of Trump's legacy, too − a powerful message for a president who cannot run for the Oval Office again. Netanyahu struck that chord. "Congratulations, President Trump," he said in Tel Aviv. "His leadership today has created a pivot in history that can help lead the Middle East and beyond to a future of prosperity and peace." Congressional leaders notified as planes headed home For better or worse, this will be Trump's war. For one thing, he didn't seek the approval of Congress, which under the Constitution has the right to declare war, though the president has broad authority to order the use of military force. The War Powers Act, passed after President Richard Nixon's secret bombing of Cambodia during the Vietnam War, requires presidents to notify Congress and limits the length of deployments. After the U.S. bombers had left Iranian airspace, the administration immediately notified congressional leaders, Hegseth told reporters at a Pentagon briefing early June 22. Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Intelligence Committee, said Trump had risked dragging the United States into a long war "without consulting Congress, without a clear strategy, without regard to the consistent conclusions of the intelligence community, and without explaining to the American people what's at stake." Those will be the elements of the debate ahead, in echoes of the Iraq War. How serious was the Iranian nuclear threat? And how will voters weigh the stakes and the cost? In Istanbul, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused Trump of having "deceived his own voters" by launching a strike despite his campaign promises. The U.S. administration holds "sole and full responsibility for the consequences of its actions," he said. But he didn't specify whether Iran would retaliate against U.S. forces in the region. Hours after the bunker-buster bombs were dropped, Iran launched a new round of missiles toward Israel. On June 23, the foreign minister plans to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, an ally but one who has his own war to fight.
Yahoo
26 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Israeli ambassador says Hamas to blame as she is challenged on deaths of children in Gaza
Israel's ambassador to the UK has insisted children have "never" been targeted in Gaza and said Hamas should be blamed for every death. Tzipi Hotovely was challenged on the deaths of innocent civilians by Wilfred Frost after two British surgeons, who have worked in Gaza during the Israeli bombardment, filmed video blogs for Sky News. He asked how many children it is "legitimate and proportionate" to kill, including those being treated in hospital, in order to kill Hamas terrorists. Follow live Israel-Iran updates: Ms Hotovely said Israel was "not there to kill anyone" and "never targets civilians", with its attacks complying with international law. Dr Victoria Rose, a consultant plastic surgeon, who has worked in Gaza hospitals for three separate periods, previously told Sky she felt the number of children coming through the doors was "barbaric". She said there were "more innocent children, let alone adults, that are dying per Hamas scalp that you see". Asked about her account, Ms Hotovely said: "We never targeted the children, it's Hamas that needs to be blamed…But they need to blame Hamas for creating this reality for the Palestinian people." She added: "For every life lost in Gaza, you need to blame Hamas for committing the crimes on 7 October and for committing the war crimes by using people as human shields." Hamas-led militants killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted 251 people in the October 7 2023 attack. The group is still holding 50 hostages, with less than half of them believed to be alive. Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed more than 55,000 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza, which has said women and children make up more than half of the dead. It does not distinguish between civilians and combatants. Ms Hotovely said Israel is "not interested in wars", adding: "So we are asking a very simple request from the international community - pressure Hamas to release our hostages and we will have a better condition to get to a ceasefire."
Newsweek
26 minutes ago
- Newsweek
'Mass Layoff' Provision in Trump Bill Sparks Alarm: 'Deeply Concerning'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A provision in the Senate budget bill would allow for millions of dollars to go directly toward President Donald Trump and the administration's ability to lay off federal workers without the consent of Congress. It is a move that Ben Olinsky, senior vice president of Structural Reform and Governance at the Center for American Progress, called "deeply, deeply concerning." The provision, written by the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, would give $100 million to the Office of Budget Management (OMB), according to Government Executive. The office is run by Project 2025 author Russ Vought, a proponent of mass government layoffs, which are a central tenet of Project 2025. President Donald Trump talks with reporters in the Oval Office of the White House on June 18, 2025, in Washington. President Donald Trump talks with reporters in the Oval Office of the White House on June 18, 2025, in Washington. Alex Brandon/AP Photo Olinsky referenced the lawsuits by federal employees fired by Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) cuts, telling Newsweek: "[This bill is] exactly the kind of thing that the president has been trying to do, I would say, illegally, as he seeks to shut down departments or agencies, or limit [agencies] to a handful of staff down from 1000s and do large mass layoffs and other kinds of cuts to entire functions or programs." Those in favor of the bill have said: "Any president should have the ability to clear the waste he or she has identified without obstruction." Newsweek contacted Senator Rand Paul, a Kentucky Republican and chairman of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, via email for comment. Why It Matters Many of the people affected by mass federal layoffs initiated by DOGE at the start of Trump's second term are now in court as they were made without congressional approval. The provision would allow for federal employees to be fired with little to no legal recourse. Olinsky told Newsweek that it would lead to current and future distrust in the government by federal workers. Federal work used to be a lesser paid but significantly more stable line of work. If the provision passes, federal work will be seen as a much less realistic plan for long-term employment and will result in bright and capable Americans choosing to work in the private sector. What To Know The provision of the bill, which is the Senate's version of Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill" passed by the House, appears in a section about government spending and reorganization by the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. It would revitalize a provision last used in 1984 that allows the president to reorganize the federal government. However, Olinsky explained to Newsweek that it differs from the 1984 provision in one significant way. "Those previous reorganization authorities that were granted to the president still had a role for Congress," he said. Congress then had a certain amount of time to either approve or disapprove of the plan, and that determined whether the president's plan could go into effect. "In the current reorganization language, it says that most of the statute that's currently on the books, or that was on the books through 1984, will not apply," Olinsky said. "And it basically says the president can put together a reorganization plan, and as long as it's making government smaller, it is deemed approved. "So, there would be no further review by Congress, no further action. It would simply be automatic. It is approved by this language without [Congress] having seen it first. That is dramatically concerning to me." Senator Rand Paul, chair of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, talks with reporters in the Russell building on June 17, 2025, in Washington. Senator Rand Paul, chair of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, talks with reporters in the Russell building on June 17, 2025, in Washington. Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call via AP Images Olinsky added: "The executive actions that the Trump administration has been taking are absolutely taking Project 2025, the most extreme parts of it, and putting them into effect. And, actually going much further in many cases." Project 2025 says that the president should be able to " employees." It speaks in broad terms about federal employees, whom its authors see as part of the "federal bureaucracy." "Federal employees are often ideologically aligned—not with the majority of the American people, but with one another, posing a profound problem for republican government, a government "of, by, and for" the people," Project 2025 says. Olinsky said that people fired as a result of DOGE cuts could continue their suits in court, but anyone fired under the new provision would not have a case against the government. He said the only means of legal recourse for fired employees would be if mass firings reduced the government's ability to monitor enforcement functions. For example, if the White House fired every member of an agency that oversaw labor standards, someone could potentially sue and say their firing undermined government enforcement work. Other critics of this move say it directly undermines Congress' ability to govern, as government spending is one of Congress' primary responsibilities. Olinsky said there is a chance the Senate parliamentarian rules that the provision defies the Byrd Rule, which says that all reconciliation packages have to focus on budget issues and cannot stray into other parts of government. Olinsky believes the provision violates the Byrd Rule, but whether enough members of the Senate and/or the parliamentarian believe the same is "an open question," he said. What People Are Saying Ben Olinsky, senior vice president of Structural Reform and Governance at the Center for American Progress, told Newsweek: "This [bill] would basically give [Trump] carte blanche to refashion the entire federal government in ways that he likes. "Now, even under this language, it basically means you have to make the government smaller, not larger. But there's a lot of playing you could do to assist with [Trump's] priorities and stifle functions of government that he just doesn't like. "This should be deeply, deeply concerning to anyone." The Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs: "This provision would reestablish the authority for a president to reorganize government as long as these plans do not result in an increase in federal agencies and the plan does not result in an increase in federal spending." What Happens Next The House does not have a similar rule, so if the provision remains in the Senate version of the bill, it cannot be removed through a parliamentarian complaint to the Bird Rule by the House.
