The United States is appalled by Iran’s execution of Alireza Akbari, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, vowing that Tehran’s abuses in its crackdown of widespread demonstrations will not go unpunished.

“We were appalled by the execution of Mr. Akbari just as we’ve been appalled by everything we’ve been seeing on the streets of Iran over the last months since these protests began: mass arrests, sham trials, the executions, the use of sexual violence as a tool for protests’ suppression,” Blinken said at a news conference.

“These abuses will not go without consequence. Together with many other countries, we’ve been moving forward with a variety of unilateral actions, multilateral measures, using U.N. mechanisms, to try to hold Iran to account,” he added.

Akbari, 61, a British-Iranian national who once served as Tehran’s deputy defence minister, was handed a death sentence on charges of spying for Britain.

London has said the charges against him were politically motivated. It repeatedly called for his release. Following the execution, it imposed sanctions on Iran’s Prosecutor General

The execution drew widespread condemnation and looks set to further worsen Iran’s long-strained relations with the West, which have deteriorated since talks to revive its 2015 nuclear deal hit deadlock and after Tehran unleashed a deadly crackdown on protesters last year.

At the same news conference, British foreign minister James Cleverly said the United Kingdom would not limit itself to the response that it had already announced, although he declined to detail what more it might do.

WNBA star Brittney Griner and gun control were on the agenda as the Golden State Warriors visited the White House on Tuesday, celebrating their fourth championship title in eight seasons with U.S. President Joe Biden.

The Warriors overcame the Boston Celtics 4-2 in the NBA Finals last year, cementing their legacy as one of basketball’s all-time great dynasties, after also hoisting the trophy in 2015, 2017 and 2018.

But it was the first time that a sitting U.S. president had received the team since Biden’s fellow Democrat Barack Obama in 2016, after Republican former President Donald Trump revoked their invitation in 2017 and declined to extend one a year later.

Klay Thompson and other members of the team chuckled and looked down sheepishly as Biden said, “Let me just say that the Golden State Warriors are always welcome in this White House,” adding emphasis to “this.”

The Warriors’ title win in June capped a remarkable turnaround for the franchise, after the previous two seasons had ended in disappointment.

“You struggled in 2020, missed the playoffs in ’21 and critics wondered if this team was gone for good as a championship team,” said Biden, who twice before unsuccessfully ran for president.

“Fellas, I know what it feels like. I’ve been there.”

Finals MVP Steph Curry told reporters that he thanked Biden for bringing home Griner, after the Phoenix Mercury star was released in a prisoner swap in exchange for arms dealer Viktor Bout following months of detention in Russia, a move Republicans criticized.

“(It was) a great opportunity for us, from the basketball community, to thank President Biden and his staff for all their hard work and diligence on getting Brittney Griner home,” said the eight-times All-Star.

“It means a lot to know she’s here, at home, safe with her family.”

Head coach Steve Kerr and players Thompson and Moses Moody attended a roundtable discussion with senior White House staffers on gun violence and gun control.

Kerr famously made an impassioned plea for stricter gun control after the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, last year.

“Learned a lot about what this administration is doing to help create a safer environment in our country,” said Kerr.

“It’s a great day on many fronts.”

A jury of nine people in San Francisco was chosen on Tuesday to hear a case brought by Tesla Inc (TSLA.O) shareholders over CEO Elon Musk’s 2018 tweets that he had secured funding to take the electric care maker private.

None of the jury members expressed strong views about the billionaire, as U.S. District Court Judge Edward Chen attempted to select an impartial group to decide whether Musk’s statement that funding was “secured” amounted to fraud and cost investors “billions.”

Chen homed in on a handful of panelists who said in questionnaires that they viewed Musk as “crazy” and “arrogant.”

“I think he’s a little off his rocker, on a personal level,” said one juror, referring to Musk’s management of Twitter, which he took over in October.

That potential juror and others said they could set their views aside and judge the case impartially if selected, but they were not included on the jury, nor was another potential juror who described Musk as a “smart, successful pioneer.”

Since rising to prominence as head of Tesla, Musk has gained a reputation for unpredictable behavior, from anointing himself Tesla’s “technoking” to naming one of his children with a symbol to his stated dream of colonizing Mars.

Investors sued in August 2018, shortly after Musk posted on Twitter that he was considering taking Tesla private at $420 per share. “Funding secured,” he said.

In another tweet the same day, he wrote, “Investor support is confirmed,” adding, “only reason why this is not certain is that it’s contingent on a shareholder vote.”

Chen has ruled that those statements were untrue and reckless. The jury will decide if Musk’s words mattered to investors, whether he acted knowingly and whether to award damages and in what amount.

The defendants, who also include seven current and former Tesla directors, have denied wrongdoing.

They have said in court papers that they will argue that Musk had good reason to believe funding for the deal was secured.

The billionaire had met Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the managing director of Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, on multiple occasions, according to the court filing, which also said Al-Rumayyan had urged Musk to take Tesla private and offered up to $60 billion in backing.

Musk may take the stand in the case, according to court documents, along with Oracle Corp (ORCL.N) co-founder Larry Ellison and James Murdoch, son of Fox Corp (FOXA.O) Chairman Rupert Murdoch.

The trial is scheduled to continue with opening statements on Wednesday.

Millions of social media users are reacting solemnly to the image of a bright yellow kitchen in Ukraine that captures the grim reality of Russia’s targeting of infrastructure across the country.

The photo, taken by 36-year-old Ukrainian photographer Yan Dobronosov, shows a home whose external wall was torn off after a 38-foot Russian missile struck the apartment building. The yellow kitchen inside remains almost untouched, with fruit still on the table.

Dobronosov says he arrived on-scene a day after the missile struck and initially took photos from below before using a drone to capture the scene in the photo as soon as he saw the kitchen table above him. The pictures were reminiscent of his own home, he tells TIME.

[time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”]

“It struck me because in the photo there is a big difference between life and death,” he says by email, calling the image symbolic.

The attack killed 45 people in the city of Dnipro on Jan. 14, including popular boxing coach Mykhailo Korenovsky, who lived in the apartment complex. He is survived by his wife and daughters, who had gone on a walk at the time of the airstrike, according to CBS News.

“Here people cooked, had kitchen conversations, celebrated holidays, laughed, argued,” said Ukranian parliament member Zoya Yarosh in a Facebook post where she shared the picture. Yarosh compared the kitchen to Ukraine, where people “all lived and dreamed.”

Yan Dobronosov—Global Images Ukraine/Getty ImagesFirefighters stand near a dump truck while their colleagues are conducting search and rescue operations at a residential building hit by a missile in Dnipro, Ukraine on Jan. 15, 2023.

Yan Dobronosov—Global Images Ukraine/Getty ImagesA rescue worker stands amid rubble during search and rescue operations in Dnipro, on Jan. 15.

Yan Dobronosov—Global Images Ukraine/Getty ImagesA bathtub lies amid rubble of a residential building in Dnipro hit by a missile, on Jan. 15.

As of November 2022, Russia and Ukraine have each suffered more than 100,000 casualties, according to the New York Times.

Dobronosov, who has been capturing images of the fighting in Ukraine since 2014, says that these past few months have been some of the toughest—though he is no stranger to the type of scenes shown in this photo.

“We have already seen this during the war in Borodyanka, Izum and others, when houses stand [blasted] in half,” he says. Borodyanka was one of the first cities to be hit by Russian missiles after the country invaded Ukraine on Feb. 22. At least 200 people died and four apartment buildings collapsed, the Times reports.

A video of the victim’s family reportedly celebrating his daughter’s birthday in that same kitchen is also circulating online, reminding many of just how quickly life can be taken.

“This is heart wrenching. The pain and terror Ukrainians are going through is unacceptable and heartbreaking. I am so so sorry. Sending love and light,” said one Twitter user reacting to the news.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said after meeting his British counterpart on Tuesday that Washington welcomed apparent progress in talks between Britain and the European Union aimed at resolving a post-Brexit trade row over Northern Ireland.

Blinken and Britain’s Foreign Secretary James Cleverly’s talks at the State Department in Washington focused on support for Ukraine in its war with Russia but also touched on issues including ongoing talks regarding Northern Ireland.

Blinken reiterated the U.S. position that there must be a negotiated settlement that is acceptable to all sides.

“And we’re heartened that in recent days the United Kingdom and the European Union have made substantive progress toward a negotiated solution,” Blinken told a news conference after the meeting.

Cleverly told reporters he updated Blinken on the negotiations, which he said were “conducted in good faith with a genuine desire to get resolution to these important issues.”

U.S. President Joe Biden, who often speaks with pride of his Irish roots, has underscored the importance of the 1998 Good Friday peace agreement that ended decades of bloodshed in Northern Ireland, although U.S. officials say Washington will not take sides over the rift.

Britain and the European Union agreed on Monday to press on with talks, despite gaps remaining between the two sides, amid renewed optimism after months of deadlock and hostility.

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Law enforcement officials in California on Tuesday offered a $10,000 reward and asked for the public’s help in solving the “deliberate, intentional and horrific” murders of six people at a home in the state’s Central Valley.

Investigators believe a gang or drug cartel targeted the family, Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux told a news conference. Deputies had conducted a drug-related search warrant at the same home recently.

Among the dead in the 3:30 a.m. shooting on Monday were a 17-year-old girl and her 10-month-old son.

“We believe the 17-year-old girl and her infant were actually running from scene. The shooters stood over top of a that 17-year-old mother and fired rounds into her head,” Boudreaux said. “It was deliberate, intentional and horrific.”

Also killed were a 72-year-old grandmother, two men and a woman.

Authorities had previously listed the girl’s age as 16 and her son 6 months old but said they had received updated information.

Sheriff’s deputies responding to reports of gunshots at the home in Goshen, a small farming town roughly 220 miles (350 km) southeast of San Francisco, found multiple victims both inside and in the street. Three people survived the attack.

“It’s shocking for the nation, shocking to our county, shocking to our state, and I have to tell you I’m receiving phone calls from across the country,” Boudreaux said.

Police were searching for at least two suspects, Boudreaux said, but said they had not yet been identified. The $10,000 reward was being offered by law enforcement agencies for information that moved the investigation forward.

Rep. George Santos waits for the start of a session in the House chamber.

Alex Brandon/AP Photo

• Republican Rep. George Santos will get to serve on two House committees.
• According to reports, Santos will serve on both a small business and a science-related panel.
• Santos’ slew of scandals had cast some doubt on whether he would get to serve on any committee. 

Embattled Republican Rep. George Santos will reportedly serve on two House committees, a sign that the New York Republican, who is facing down calls from within the GOP to resign, will still be extended some of the normal power granted to new members.

Santos will serve on both the House Small Business Committee and the Science, Space, and Technology Committee, multiple news outlets reported Tuesday. Neither panel is considered a high-profile assignment. It is rare for a first-term lawmaker to serve on a major committee.

GOP Rep. Roger Williams of Texas, the chairman of the Small Business panel, told CNN that he did not “condone” Santos’ behavior. He added that since Santos was elected, he should get to represent his constituents on committees.  

Multiple Republican chairs, especially those dealing with national security matters, have made it clear that they don’t want Santos to serve on their committees. 

A handful of House Republicans, including fellow members of the New York delegation, have called on Santos to resign amid a slew of scandals related to Santos’ repeated lies about his resume, experience, and background. Just last week, the Nassau County Republican Party and the New York State Conservative Party formally called on the freshman to step down. Santos quickly rejected those calls.

“I was elected to serve the people of #NY03 not the party & politicians, I remain committed to doing that and regret to hear that local officials refuse to work with my office to deliver results to keep our community safe and lower the cost of living,” Santos wrote on Twitter in response. “I will NOT resign!”

Serving on committees is a critical function of being a member of Congress. While House Republicans have promised a more open amendment process, in recent years there have been few opportunities to amend legislation on the floor. That means lawmakers have the best chance of shaping bills at the committee level where it is common for the chair to hold formal “mark-ups” where members are freer to amend the underlying legislation. 

Santos’ office did not immediately respond to Insider’s request for comment.

This is a breaking news story. Check back for more updates.

Russian President Vladimir Putin talks on the phone as part of a nationwide charity campaign, in Moscow on January 3, 2023.

MIKHAIL KLIMENTYEV/SPUTNIK/AFP via Getty Images

• Russia’s embassy in Sweden tweeted a map that went against Putin’s territorial claims in Ukraine.
• The map depicted Ukraine with its internationally recognized borders.
• Putin claims a number of Ukrainian regions as part of Russia. 

Russia’s embassy in Sweden on Tuesday shared a map of Europe that showed Ukraine with its internationally recognized borders, which goes against Russian President Vladimir Putin’s unrecognized land claims in the country.

In 2014, Russia invaded Ukraine and illegally annexed Crimea — a peninsula on the Black Sea. The annexation of Crimea prompted outcry across the globe and drove a wedge between Moscow and the West.

Last February, Russia launched a large-scale invasion of Ukraine, and in September, even as the war raged on, Putin illegally annexed four Ukrainian territories — Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia — following referendums that were decried as a sham by leaders around the world. At the time, Putin announced that there were “four new regions of Russia.” Though Putin claims these regions as part of Russia, the territories are not fully controlled or occupied by Russian forces.  

The map shared by Russia’s embassy in Sweden, which claimed to show gas prices in Europe, did not depict these regions as Russian territory. 

—Russian Embassy, SWE (@RusEmbSwe) January 17, 2023

The Kremlin has taken extreme steps to censor information on the war in Ukraine, making it a crime to spread “false information” about the Russian military — punishable by up to 15 years in prison. It’s unclear if this map violates this law, but critics of the war in Ukraine have ended up behind bars.

The Russian embassy in Sweden did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Insider. 

The war in Ukraine has gone poorly for the Russian military, which has suffered heavy casualties and struggled to make gains. Ukraine, paying a heavy toll of its own, has regained control of a significant chunk of the territory Russia occupied in the early days of the fighting, including in the regions Putin now claims as part of Russia. But there is still heavy fighting in the country’s east as Russia continues conduct strikes in civilian areas across Ukraine.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell at the Capitol on November 29, 2022.

Drew Angerer/Getty Images

• McConnell brushed aside Trump’s frequent criticisms of him.
• “I’ve got better things to do with my time,” McConnell told a local radio station.
• Trump and McConnell’s relationship soured after the January 6 Capitol riot.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell on Tuesday said he doesn’t pay much attention to former President Donald Trump’s frequent criticisms.

“I’ve got better things to do with my time,” McConnell told Kentucky local news radio 840 WHAS, according to Punchbowl News’ Andrew Desiderio. 

McConnell, who recently became the longest serving Republican leader in the Senate, has largely avoided speaking about Trump since he left the White House. The pair’s relationship began to sour after McConnell acknowledged President Joe Biden’s election victory in December 2020. Then came the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot, which McConnell fiercely condemned Trump over, and the two reportedly haven’t spoken since.

Since leaving office, Trump has repeatedly attacked McConnell, often calling him an “Old Crow” and blasting him for working on bipartisan legislation under the Biden administration. For the past several months, Trump has also criticized McConnell’s wife, Elaine Chao, who served as Trump’s transportation secretary before she resigned in the wake of the Capitol attack.

Trump recently decried McConnell over his support for a bill that would keep the government funded through September. 

“If the Old Crow waited just 10 days, the Republican Majority in the House could have made the ‘Ominous’ Bill MUCH, MUCH, MUCH BETTER,” Trump wrote of McConnell on Truth Social last month. “Just another win for the Democrats, Mitch, that wouldn’t have happened if ‘Trump’ were President!”

At times, McConnell has responded to the former president’s barbs.

“Actually, it’s quite an honor,” McConnell once said of Trump’s “Old Crow” insult. “Old Crow is Henry Clay’s favorite bourbon.”

That particular instance came in July 2021 after McConnell backed now-Sen. Katie Britt of Alabama in the 2022 midterm elections over Trump’s chosen candidate, then-Rep. Mo Brooks.

McConnell also recently threw shade at Trump after many of his endorsed GOP candidates failed to beat their Democratic rivals in the midterm elections.

“Hopefully in the next cycle, we’ll have quality candidates everywhere and a better outcome,” he told reporters after the election. 

Trump is the only major candidate who has launched a 2024 presidential bid. McConnell on Tuesday told the local radio station, “I hope we nominate someone who can win.”