Today’s edition of quick hits.
* Today’s mass shooting in New Mexico: “Four people, including a suspect, were killed and two police officers wounded during a shooting in northwest New Mexico on Monday, authorities said. Three ‘civilian victims’ were killed, Farmington police said, in addition to one suspect who was ‘confronted and killed on scene.’”
* The weekend’s mass shooting in Arizona: “Two people were killed and five others were injured in a shooting Saturday night in Yuma, Arizona, police said. ... Seven victims, all male, were found with gunshot wounds. Two of the victims, 19 and 20 years old, were taken to Yuma Regional Medical Center, where they were pronounced dead.”
* One of the most closely watched elections in the world this year: “Turkey’s strongman President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan faced the strongest challenge to his 20-year rule Monday, failing to secure enough votes to stop a runoff with his opponent in a pivotal election for the powerful NATO member.”
* Zelenskyy in France: “France pledged additional military aid for Ukraine on Sunday, including light tanks, armored vehicles, training for soldiers and other assistance as the Ukrainians gear up for a counteroffensive against Russian forces, following surprise talks in Paris between the Ukrainian and French presidents. Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy and France’s Emmanuel Macron met for about three hours at the French presidential Elysee Palace.”
* Zelenskyy in the U.K.: “Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pressed the British government at the end of a whirlwind European tour Monday to join a “fighter jet coalition” that would help strengthen his country’s aerial capabilities, but instead secured a commitment for attack drones and hundreds more missiles. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak greeted Zelenskyy with a handshake and hug after the president’s helicopter landed at Chequers, the British leader’s official country retreat.”
* A scary scene in Virginia: “A person with a baseball bat entered the district office of Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., on Monday morning and attacked two members of his staff, the congressman said in a statement. ... The alleged attacker hit staffers with a metal bat, according to Connolly’s chief of staff, Jamie Smith, who told NBC News that the man is from Fairfax and a constituent of the congressman.”
* A veto override is a distinct possibility: “The governor of North Carolina, Roy Cooper, vetoed a ban on abortion that was passed by the state’s Republican-led legislature. The bill prohibited abortion past 12 weeks, with some exceptions for rape, incest or to preserve the life and health of the mother.”
* A fascinating IRS story: “The Internal Revenue Service has quietly built its own prototype system to allow Americans to file tax returns digitally and free of charge, according to three current and former agency officials, essentially creating government software that could disrupt the tax-prep industry.”
* What a curious line: “Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) bashed Dominion Voting Systems over the departure of Tucker Carlson from Fox News, following a report that the popular conservative prime-time host was fired from the network as part of its settlement with the voting software company.”
See you tomorrow.