Politician Attacks, US Open, & Lab-grown Salmon

News without the noise

Adam Rogers
June 16, 2025

Good Morning! Today’s edition is 1,075 words, a 4-minute read.

What’s on tap:

First-time reader? Sign up here!

A man posing as a police officer killed a Democratic lawmaker and wounded another in suburban Minneapolis

Former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband were fatally shot in their Brooklyn Park home early Saturday. Sen. John Hoffman and his wife were also wounded at their residence 9 miles away. Police found suspect Vance Boelter dressed as an officer leaving Hortman's home, and he immediately opened fire when confronted, sparking a gun battle before escaping on foot. Governor Tim Walz called the attacks "a politically motivated assassination."
Authorities found anti-Trump "No Kings" protest flyers in Boelter's car along with writings targeting lawmakers who support abortion rights. Hortman had championed legislation making Minnesota a refuge state for abortion patients from restrictive states. Police recovered AK-style rifles from his vehicle and believe the 57-year-old former political appointee, who served on the same workforce board as Hoffman, remains armed with a pistol.
The FBI offered a $50,000 reward while hundreds of officers continue to search for him. The attacks add to escalating political violence against lawmakers, prompting Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer to request increased security for Minnesota's Democratic senators.

J.J. Spaun survived brutal Oakmont conditions to win his first major championship at the US Open.

Spaun sealed the win at -1 with two crucial shots in rain - a drive that reached the green on the par-4 17th for the lead, then a 64-foot birdie putt on the 18th to beat Robert MacIntyre by two strokes. He was the only player to finish under par, earning $4.3 million for his breakthrough victory.
Spaun rallied after five bogeys in his first six holes, a start that typically ends major championship hopes. A 96-minute rain delay flooded the course and eliminated most contenders, while Spaun recovered on the back nine as leaders like Sam Burns and Adam Scott collapsed.
The victory caps a 13-year professional journey for Spaun, who lost his PGA Tour card in 2021 and had to earn it back in golf’s minor league, the Korn Ferry Tour. It took him 147 PGA Tour starts to get his first win in 2022, and after losing to Rory McIlroy in a playoff at The Players Championship earlier this year, he finally broke through with golf's ultimate prize at age 34.

British PM Keir Starmer has reversed his position on a grooming gangs inquiry.

Starmer announced Saturday he would accept Louise Casey's recommendation for a national inquiry into organized child sexual abuse gangs after months of resistance. The decision follows pressure from conservative politicians and Elon Musk, who criticized Starmer for not backing an probe into cases where predominantly Pakistani men sexually abused thousands of young white girls.
Casey's report, due next week, is expected to conclude that vulnerable white British girls were "institutionally ignored" by authorities fearing accusations of racism. A previous seven-year investigation under the Conservative government made 20 recommendations in 2022, but none have been implemented.
The judge-led inquiry will begin this month and coordinate with five local investigations already underway. It will have the power to summon witnesses and examine institutional failures across multiple English towns where gangs systematically abused children.

President Trump opposed an Israeli plan to assassinate Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, telling Prime Minister Netanyahu it wasn't a good idea, according to three US officials. (More)

Parts of Alaska are under heat advisories for the first time in recorded history after the National Weather Service finally adopted the standardized warning system used by all other states. (More)

The Trump administration is considering expanding its travel ban to 36 additional countries, including 25 African nations, after a State Department memo gave them 60 days to meet new security benchmarks or face restrictions. (More)

Protesters used water pistols against tourists in Barcelona and Mallorca on Sunday during coordinated demonstrations demanding a rethink of overtourism that they say fuels housing shortages and erases local character. (More)

Israel and Iran exchanged missile attacks for a third consecutive day. Israel targeted Iran's Defense Ministry while Iranian missiles killed at least 10 Israelis, bringing the total deaths to 14. Iran reported 224 deaths and 1,277 hospitalizations. (More)

G7 leaders are gathering in Canada through Tuesday amid Trump's approaching July 8 tariff deadline and ongoing Middle East conflict. This is Trump's first G7 summit since returning to office. (More)

US stock markets closed lower on Friday (S&P -1.13%, Nasdaq -1.30%, Dow -1.79%). Stocks fell after Israel launched a wave of airstrikes on Iran. (More)

23andMe co-founder Anne Wojcicki will buy back the bankrupt company for $305 million through her nonprofit, beating Regeneron's $256 million bid for the once-$6 billion genetic testing firm (More)

Taiwan added US-sanctioned Chinese chipmakers Huawei and SMIC to its strategic export control list, requiring permits for all sales as technology tensions between Taiwan, China, and the United States increase. (More)

Malik Tillman scored twice as the United States routed Trinidad and Tobago 5-0 in their Concacaf Gold Cup opener Sunday, ending a four-game losing streak. (More)

The Memphis Grizzlies traded Desmond Bane to the Orlando Magic for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, and four unprotected first-round picks plus one pick swap. (More)

George Russell won the Canadian Grand Prix after McLaren teammates Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri collided while battling for fourth position on Lap 66. Norris ultimately hit the wall. (More)

The US logged fewer than 30 measles cases this week, while Ohio health officials confirmed three outbreaks were over. The total confirmed cases are at 1,197 this year, per the CDC. (More)

Scientists analyzed 14,000-year-old "Tumat Puppies" from Siberian permafrost, concluding they were wild wolves rather than early domesticated dogs. This challenges theories about canine domestication despite their proximity to human mammoth-butchering sites. (More)

An Antarctic cosmic particle detector picked up strange radio signals coming from deep below the ice—something that shouldn’t happen, since Earth’s rock should block them. Some scientists think this could point to unknown particles. (More)

Why cake decorators earn Walmart’s highest non-management paycheck.

The average cost of an omelette is now $14.71.

…and lab-grown salmon hits restaurant menus.

Fisherman finds a rare black iceberg near Canada.

Your feedback helps us provide the best newsletter possible.