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Good morning.

A suspect is in custody after two Israeli embassy staff were killed in Washington, D.C., near a Jewish museum. To get the latest on this story, read on.

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Some headlines from this morning:

President Donald Trump and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa met in the Oval Office on Wednesday. During a tense exchange, Trump showed Ramaphosa a video that he claimed proved there was an ongoing genocide against white people in South Africa. Ramaphosa pointed out that the video, which featured a crowd chanting "shoot the boer", did not represent the views of the government or provide proof of the widely discredited claim. The meeting comes after Trump expedited protection visas for white South Africans, claiming they were fleeing genocide.

The U.S. Air Force has accepted a luxury Boeing 747 jet from the Qatari royal family, which was offered as a replacement for President Trump to use as Air Force One. The Defence Department confirmed it had been directed to rapidly upgrade the $400 million jet to ensure it was safe for presidential use. Trump has rejected claims the gift was an attempt by Qatar to influence him, saying it was gifted to the U.S. Defence Department. It is not expected to be an immediate replacement for the existing Air Force One, with the upgrades expected to take many years.

The Enhanced Games will begin next year in Las Vegas, launching a controversial initiative where athletes are allowed to compete with the aid of performance-enhancing drugs. The start date was accompanied by organisers announcing that Enhanced Games athlete Kristian Gkolomeev had already swum the 50m freestyle in "world record" time. Athletes will be given performance-enhancing drugs under medical supervision during the games and will only have access to legally prescribed drugs. Events will include swimming, running, hurdles, and weightlifting.

Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has beaten three-time Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic for the award, adding it to an impressive season of accolades, including the scoring title. The award comes after Gilgeous-Alexander's Thunder beat Jokic's Denver Nuggets in a seven-game playoff series. Gilgeous-Alexander received 71 of the 100 possible votes for the MVP award, outpacing Jokic's 29 votes. Speaking at a press conference after the award was announced, the superstar said it was his dream and "it's hard not to be a 6-year-old kid again."

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Two employees of Israel’s embassy in the U.S. have been shot dead outside the Jewish Museum in Washington D.C.

Kristi Noem, Secretary of Homeland Security, confirmed the deaths, and said there is an active investigation.

Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Danny Danon called the murders “a depraved act of antisemitic terrorism”.

Local authorities have confirmed a 35-year-old man is in custody.

The Shooting

The Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C. is near the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) headquarters.

The American Jewish Committee was hosting an event at the museum on Wednesday night (local time).

Police told reporters the suspected shooter was seen pacing back and forth outside the museum before approaching a group of four, taking out a gun, and opening fire.

Shooter detained

After opening fire, the shooter then entered the museum, where he was detained by security staff.

While the man was being arrested, D.C. Police Chief Pamela Smith said he chanted “free, free Palestine”.

Following the shooting, a man and a woman were pronounced dead at the scene.

The victims’ names were not given.

Danon said he had spoken with U.S. President Donald Trump about the alleged murders.

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A 1,082-page Republican tax and spending bill cleared its final procedural hurdle on Wednesday, setting up a potential House vote as early as Thursday. The legislation would establish spending priorities for President Trump's term in office.

According to congressional records, the bill survived a vote by the House Rules Committee. However, the measure faces opposition from within the Republican Party, with key factions expressing concerns about different aspects of the proposal.

Budget Process

The House vote is part of a budget reconciliation process that began in March when Republicans passed a non-binding budget resolution. This process shields the legislation from Senate filibuster rules, typically requiring a two-thirds majority to overcome.

If the House passes the bill, the Senate will likely make changes before final approval. The legislation combines government spending allocations, tax modifications, and a debt ceiling increase.

Key Provisions

The bill focuses on tax cuts and spending reductions. It would extend Trump's 2017 tax cuts and add new provisions, including eliminating taxes on tips and gratuities.

The measure raises the cap on state and local tax deductions from $10,000 to $30,000. This provision particularly affects taxpayers in high-tax states like New York and California.

To offset revenue losses, Republicans propose spending cuts to federal programs. These include stricter work requirements for Medicaid recipients and tighter eligibility rules for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

Democratic lawmakers have said these changes could remove more than 8 million people from Medicaid coverage. Despite the proposed cuts, the Congressional Budget Office projects the bill would add $2.3 trillion to the national debt over 10 years.

Republican Opposition

Given the party's narrow majority, only four House Republicans must vote against the bill to prevent its passage.

Two Republican factions have expressed reservations. The Freedom Caucus, representing the party's conservative wing, wants deeper spending cuts due to concerns about rising national debt. The SALT caucus, named after the state and local tax deduction, is pushing to raise the deduction cap even higher than the proposed $30,000.

President Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson have held meetings with both groups to secure support. Trump told reporters the discussions were productive, saying there is "unbelievable unity" within the party.

The House is expected to vote on the legislation this morning.