NPR News: 06-16-2025 10PM EDT

Summary

NPR News Now – June 17, 2025

Released June 17, 2025 | Host: NPR

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President Trump Exits G7 Summit Early Amid Middle East Tensions

Timestamp: 00:19 – 02:08

NPR’s Jack Spear reports that President Donald Trump has departed the annual G7 Summit ahead of schedule, a decision announced by the White House today. Initially scheduled to engage with leaders such as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, Trump instead chose to leave following significant developments related to the Middle East conflict.

Caroline Levitt, White House Press Secretary, clarified on social media that Trump’s early departure was prompted by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Specifically, President Trump mentioned that “Iran has indicated that it wants to de-escalate its conflict with Israel” (00:34). Contrarily, he also issued a stark warning on social media advising, “everyone should evacuate Tehran” (00:34).

During his brief time at the summit, Trump met with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, with whom he signed a significant trade deal. These interactions marked the major highlights of his participation before his unexpected departure.

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Violent Attack on State Lawmakers by Impersonator

Timestamp: 01:15 – 04:03

A tragic incident unfolded as Vance Belter, a 57-year-old man, is accused of killing a state lawmaker and her husband, along with wounding another lawmaker and his wife. Spear details that Belter posed as a police officer during these attacks, leading to both state and federal charges.

Belter’s modus operandi involved targeting multiple lawmakers’ residences. However, subsequent attempts were thwarted as the other lawmakers were either not present or fled upon police arrival. Belter eventually surrendered peacefully to authorities as they closed in on him.

A community leader condemned the act, stating: “Vance Bolter inflicted unimaginable harm to our community Saturday morning and he did it while impersonating the very people who are trusted to protect and serve. These violent acts strike at the heart of our democracy and the safety of those who serve the public with dedication and courage” (01:40).

Belter faces four state charges, including second-degree and attempted second-degree murder, along with six federal charges such as two counts of murder with a firearm (01:57). The case has sent shockwaves through the community, highlighting the vulnerabilities within public safety systems.

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Federal Judge Rebukes NIH for Terminating 800 Research Grants

Timestamp: 02:08 – 03:08

A significant ruling emerged from a federal district court in Boston, where a judge deemed the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) termination of approximately 800 research grants as illegal. Craig Lemolt of NPR’s member station JBH explains that these grants were primarily focused on diversity, transgender issues, and other research areas previously deprioritized by the Trump administration.

Judge Lemolt criticized the NIH’s actions as “arbitrary and capricious”, ordering the agency to reinstate funding for the affected research projects (02:49). Attorney Rachel Meeropol from the ACLU, representing the plaintiffs, emphasized the discriminatory nature of the terminations, stating: “The judge went on to say the government's actions in the case amounted to racial discrimination and discrimination against the LGBTQ population, saying he's never seen anything like this in his 40 years on the bench” (02:49).

The ruling not only mandates the continuation of the halted research but also opens the door for further evidence submission regarding the harm inflicted on marginalized populations due to these discriminatory practices.

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Stock Market Rises and Purdue Pharma Settlement Announced

Timestamp: 03:08 – 03:50

Wall Street showed positive movement today, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average increasing by 317 points and the Nasdaq rising by 294 points (03:10). This uptick reflects investor confidence amid ongoing economic adjustments.

In other financial news, Jack Spear reports that attorneys general from all 50 states, Washington D.C., and four U.S. territories have agreed to a monumental $7.4 billion settlement with Purdue Pharma. This deal aims to resolve thousands of lawsuits related to OxyContin, the pain medication at the center of the nationwide opioid crisis (03:20).

The majority of the settlement funds are slated to come from the Sackler family, owners of Purdue Pharma. Additionally, the settlement includes the transfer of control of Purdue Pharma away from the Sacklers, alongside forthcoming payouts once the company secures creditor support through its Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings (03:38).

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Juror Dismissed in Shawn Ditty Combs Sex Trafficking Trial

Timestamp: 03:50 – 04:03

In the ongoing sixth week of the Shawn Ditty Combs sex trafficking trial, Jack Spear and Danielle Kurtzleben report that a juror has been dismissed due to inconsistencies in his responses. Known as juror number six, the 57-year-old man provided conflicting information about his residence, initially claiming to live in New York City before later suggesting he had moved to New Jersey (03:50).

Isabella Gomez Sarmiento from NPR details that the defense deemed these discrepancies minor, advocating for his retention, especially noting his status as one of the few Black jurors. However, Judge Arun Subramanian expressed concerns over the juror’s honesty, questioning whether the inconsistencies were intentional attempts to remain on the jury or signs of an inability to follow court instructions (04:00).

Ultimately, the judge ruled in favor of the prosecution, leading to the dismissal of juror number six. The trial is expected to continue for several more weeks as proceedings move forward with an alternate juror replacing the dismissed individual (04:03).

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Middle East Tensions Impact Oil Prices

Timestamp: 04:45 – 04:51

Amidst rising tensions between Israel and Iran, including military strikes from both nations, oil prices experienced a downturn, dropping to $71.77 per barrel (04:48). The geopolitical instability in the Middle East continues to influence global energy markets, prompting concerns over supply disruptions and economic repercussions worldwide.

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Conclusion

This episode of NPR News Now encapsulates a range of critical issues, from high-stakes international diplomacy and tragic domestic violence to significant legal battles and economic shifts. Notably, President Trump's early departure from the G7 Summit underscores the volatile geopolitical landscape, while domestic incidents like the attack on state lawmakers and the Purdue Pharma settlement highlight ongoing societal challenges. Additionally, the judicial ruling against the NIH and the dismissal of a juror in a high-profile trial reflect the complexities within the legal and governmental frameworks. Lastly, fluctuations in the stock market and oil prices demonstrate the interconnectedness of global events and economic stability.

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Notable Quotes:

• “Iran has indicated that it wants to de-escalate its conflict with Israel.” – President Donald Trump (00:34)
• “Everyone should evacuate Tehran.” – President Donald Trump (00:34)
• “Vance Bolter inflicted unimaginable harm to our community Saturday morning and he did it while impersonating the very people who are trusted to protect and serve.” – Community Leader (01:40)
• “The judge went on to say the government's actions in the case amounted to racial discrimination and discrimination against the LGBTQ population, saying he's never seen anything like this in his 40 years on the bench.” – Craig Lemolt (02:49)

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This summary was prepared for those who seek comprehensive coverage of the latest news without accessing the full podcast episode. For more detailed reporting, please visit NPR News Now.

Transcript

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[Jack Spear]

NPR News in Washington, I'm Jack Spear. President Trump is leaving the annual G7 meeting early. The White House made the announcement today.

[Danielle Kurtzleben]

After a packed day where Trump was.

[Jack Spear]

The center at the annual Summit of advanced economies.

[Danielle Kurtzleben]

More from NPR's Danielle Kurtzleben.

[Caroline Levitt]

White House press secretary Caroline Levitt posted on social media that Trump would leave the summit early after having dinner with other leaders Monday evening. She said the reason was the conflict in the Middle East. Speaking to the press on Monday, Trump said that Iran has indicated that it wants to de escalate its conflict with Israel. The president also posted on social media on Monday, however, that everyone should evacuate Tehran. Trump leaves the G7 after a day where he met with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and signed a trade deal with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Trump had been scheduled to meet at the G7 with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum. Danielle Kurtzleben, NPR News, Calgary.

[Jack Spear]

The Minnesota man accused of killing a state lawmaker and her husband and wounding.

[Danielle Kurtzleben]

Another state lawmaker and his wife while.

[Jack Spear]

Posing as a police officer is in.

[Danielle Kurtzleben]

Custody facing state and federal charges. It appears the suspect, 57 year old Vance Belter, went to two other lawmakers homes, but they were either not home or left after police or he left after police arrived to want to wit his with the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office.

[Community Leader]

Vance Bolter inflicted unimaginable harm to our community Saturday morning and he did it while impersonating the very people who are trusted to protect and serve. These violent acts strike at the heart of our democracy and the safety of those who serve the public with dedication and courage.

[Jack Spear]

Belter faces four state charges, including second.

[Danielle Kurtzleben]

Degree and attempted second degree murder. He'll face six federal charges, including two counts of murder with a firearm. Belter surrendered to police as they closed.

[Jack Spear]

In on him Sunday. A federal district courting judge in Boston has ruled that the National Institutes of Health acted illegally in terminating 800 research grants.

[Danielle Kurtzleben]

Member station JBH Craig Lamalt reports that terminated grants focused on topics related to diversity, transgender issues and other areas of research disfavored by the Trump administration.

[Craig Lemolt]

The federal Judge ruled the NIH's terminations of those grants were arbitrary and capricious and he ordered the agency to start paying for that research again. Attorney Rachel Meeropol of the ACLU represented plaintiffs in the case.

[Judge]

The judge looked at the agency's explanation for why it would not fund these categories of research and said that they were wholly without reason and without reasoning.

[Craig Lemolt]

The judge went on to say the government's actions in the case amounted to racial discrimination and discrimination against the LGBTQ population, saying he's never seen anything like this in his 40 years on the bench. And he invited the plaintiff's attorneys to offer evidence of harm to those populations so he could weigh in on that. For NPR News, I'm Craig Lemolt in Boston.

[Jack Spear]

Stocks gained ground on Wall street today.

[Danielle Kurtzleben]

The dow is up 317 points.

[Jack Spear]

The Nasdaq rose 294 points. This is NPR. Attorneys general from all 50 states, along with Washington, D.C. and four U.S. territories say they've agreed to a $7.4 billion.

[Danielle Kurtzleben]

Settlement with Purdue Pharma.

[Jack Spear]

The deal with the bankrupt drugmaker intended.

[Danielle Kurtzleben]

To resolve thousands of lawsuits over the company's pain medicine, OxyContin, that's been at.

[Jack Spear]

The center of a nationwide opioid crisis.

[Danielle Kurtzleben]

The bulk of the money for the settlement will come from the company's owners, the Sackler family. Payouts would begin after the company receives creditor support for its Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The Sacklers would also cede control of Purdue Pharma.

[Jack Spear]

It's now week six of the Shawn Ditty Combs sex trafficking trial, and a juror has been dismissed for lack of candor.

[Danielle Kurtzleben]

He'll be replaced by an alternate for.

[Jack Spear]

The rest of the trial.

[Danielle Kurtzleben]

NPR's Isabella Gomez Sarmiento reports.

[Isabella Gomez Sarmiento]

Prosecutors raised concerns that the man known as juror number six gave inconsistent answers about where he lives and with whom. During jury selection, he said he lived in New York City. Later, he made conflicting comments about having moved to New Jersey. Combs defense attorneys argued this was a minor inconsistency. They asked for the man, one of the few black members of the jury, to be able to stay. Judge Arun Subramanian said he was worried the man either struggled to follow the court's instructions or was intentionally hiding the truth in order to remain on the jury. The judge ultimately ruled in the prosecution's favor and dismissed juror number six. The trial is expected to last a few more weeks. Isabella Gomez Sarmiento, NPR News.

[Danielle Kurtzleben]

Despite continued tensions between Israel and Iran.

[Jack Spear]

Including strikes by each country against the.

[Danielle Kurtzleben]

Other, oil prices fell today down to 7177 a barrel. In New York, I'm Jack Spear, NPR News.

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