Author: NBC

In today’s newsletter: Massive protests erupt in Israel to demand a cease-fire after six hostages held by Hamas were found dead in Gaza. The White House says Biden and Harris weren’t invited to Arlington National Cemetery. And former students report injuries at a Utah facility for troubled teens. Here’s what to know today.Israelis begin nationwide strike as hostage deaths spark renewed calls for cease-fireReuters; Bloomberg; Getty ImagesA nationwide strike has begun in Israel, with the country’s biggest union vowing to shut down the economy in a furious push for the government to agree to a cease-fire deal after the deaths of six…

Hersh Goldberg-Polin, an Israeli American taken hostage in the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attacks, is among six hostages whose bodies were recovered Saturday.”With broken hearts, the Goldberg-Polin family is devastated to announce the death of their beloved son and brother, Hersh. The family thanks you all for your love and support and asks for privacy at this time,” a family representative said.President Joe Biden said the bodies of Goldberg-Polin and five other hostages held by Hamas were recovered in a tunnel under Rafah. “I am devastated and outraged,” Biden said in the statement.Hersh Goldberg-Polin in an undated family photo. Courtesy…

A U.S. military operation Thursday in Iraq killed at least 15 Islamic State militant group fighters, and at least six U.S. soldiers suffered injuries, three U.S. defense officials said.None of the injures to the U.S. soldiers were described as life-threatening. Several were possible traumatic brain injuries, and at least one soldier suffered external injuries, the defense officials said.The operation took place Thursday in Anbar in western Iraq, the officials said. Some of the dead ISIS figures were in leadership.U.S. Central Command said in a statement Friday night the partnered raid with Iraqi security forces took place in early Thursday.The ISIS…

Vice President Kamala Harris is pressed about her policy evolutions in the first major interview of her campaign. Why Russia has not stopped Ukraine’s incursion into its territory. And the loved ones of pig organ transplant recipients share their rare experiences.Here’s what to know today.Takeaways from Harris-Walz first major joint interview Will Lanzoni / Courtesy CNNVice President Kamala Harris and running mate Tim Walz gave their first joint sit-down interview since Harris became the Democratic presidential nominee. Harris discussed her agenda for her first months in office, if elected, and spoke to a series of topics that she has so far avoided…

Donald Trump’s campaign downplays reports of a confrontation at Arlington National Cemetery. Right-wing figures jump to Telegram CEO Pavel Durov’s support as he faces criminal charges. And a YouTuber whose tech reviews can make or break a product is also one of the world’s best ultimate frisbee players.Here’s what to know today.Trump campaign brushes off reports of Arlington National Cemetery confrontationDonald Trump’s campaign is playing down reports of an altercation during the former president’s visit to Arlington National Cemetery, saying a “nameless bureaucrat” is “trying to make what was a very solemn and respectful event into something it was not.”…

Kamala Harris and Tim Walz campaign in Georgia. Israel launches a huge military operation in the West Bank. Nonprofit watchdogs say Telegram ignored their concerns before the company’s CEO was arrested. And what to know as the Paralympic Games kick off in Paris.Here’s what to know today.Harris and Walz hit the road to make their case in GeorgiaVice President Kamala Harris and running mate Tim Walz’s efforts to win over voters in key battleground states continues today with a bus tour through Georgia, culminating in a solo Harris rally tomorrow in Savannah. Also happening tomorrow: A joint interview with Harris…

Eli Lilly is lowering the cost of its blockbuster weight loss drug. Kamala Harris’ campaign criticizes Trump on fiscal responsibility. And a new study finds living among trees is beneficial to heart health.Here’s what to know today.Eli Lilly announces lower price of blockbuster weight loss drugEli Lilly announced today that it would lower the cost of its weight loss drug, Zepbound, in an effort to get the medicine in the hands of more people and ease supply constraints. Now, a month’s supply of a 2.5-milligram dose will cost $349, while a month’s supply of a 5-milligram dose will cost $549.…

Israel, Hezbollah trade strikes on Lebanon borderIsrael launched a wave of airstrikes across southern Lebanon on Sunday, saying it had detected a Hezbollah plan for a “large-scale” attack. The militant group returned fire with rockets and drones. Sunday’s strikes represent a major increase in intensity on the Israel-Lebanon border that risks slipping beyond tit-for-tat retaliation, said Yossi Mekelberg, an associate fellow with the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Chatham House, a London-based international affairs think tank. “We are on the cusp of something that could be quite dangerous,” he told NBC News, saying it was the most intense exchange…

An Israeli military leader this morning said the nation’s forces were able to stop at least part of a planned Hezbollah attack in retaliation for Israel’s assassination of a top Hezbollah commander last month.In a briefing today, Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani said Lebanon-based Hezbollah militants had been preparing to launch an extensive rocket attack against northern Israel using thousands of rocket launchers. The operation was to begin at 5 a.m., he said, before it was thwarted, in part, by Israel’s preemptive charge.Israel’s assault included 100 aircraft that targeted thousands of Hezbollah rocket launchers in 40 launch areas, Shoshani said.Hezbollah carried…

A judge in Kentucky has dismissed core charges against two former Louisville police officials involved in the raid that ended in Breonna Taylor’s death.Judge Charles R. Simpson III of western Kentucky’s U.S. District Court on Thursday said Taylor’s death was triggered by the actions of her boyfriend, who opened fire when police arrived outside her Louisville apartment March 13, 2020.Regardless of whether former Louisville Police Detective Joshua Jaynes and former Sgt. Kyle Meany wrote and approved a falsified request for a warrant, it was boyfriend Kenneth Walker’s gunfire at what he believed were intruders that caused a deadly police response, Simpson…