Britney Spears ‘backhanded’ and Marjorie Taylor Greene ousted from Freedom Caucus: Morning Rundown

Houston police say that the man thought to be “missing” for eight years was at home the whole time. Marjorie Taylor Greene is voted out of the House Freedom Caucus. And Britney Spears wants an apology after an incident at a Las Vegas hotel.

Here’s what to know today.

Houston man who police say never went missing no longer wants contact with his mother, aunt says

The 25-year-old man thought to have been missing for eight years no longer wants to see nor live with his mother, his aunt said. 

“He’s doing well but plans to stay away from his mother,” Pauline Sanchez told reporter Deon J. Hampton.

Rudy Farias made national headlines over the weekend when it was first reported that he had been “located safe” after a yearslong search. But authorities said yesterday that Farias had been living with his mother almost the whole time and was never really missing.

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Sanchez said she took the day off from work after she found out about Farias’ whereabouts and drove across town to see him again. “I felt a great presence,” she said of their reunion. “It was beautiful. We hugged until I finally let go.”

Read the full story here. 

More about the revelations surrounding Rudy Farias

Marjorie Taylor Greene voted out of the Freedom Caucus

On the final day before a two-week Fourth of July recess, members of the House Freedom Caucus gathered for a hastily called meeting and voted to remove Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene from the ultraconservative group, according to two sources familiar with the deliberations. A third source said the vote was overwhelmingly in favor of ousting Greene. 

But nearly two weeks later, it’s still unclear whether that vote was successful. For one, it’s possible that the group’s chairman, Rep. Scott Perry, hasn’t directly notified Greene that she has been kicked out, according to a Republican source.

Meanwhile, several sources have described the confusing situation as “a mess,” and the group will almost certainly have to revisit the topic when lawmakers return from recess next week.

Tulare Lake isn’t disappearing anytime soon

California’s once-dormant Tulare Lake refilled for the first time in 40 years after atmospheric river storms pummeled the state with snow and rain this winter. The lake is now receding, but it will take at least a year to evaporate entirely, experts said. Its longevity largely depends on what happens next year. 

It took some time for residents and officials to adapt to the sudden reappearance of the lake, which was drained for farmland in the late 1800s. This year’s downpour caused hundreds of millions of dollars in agricultural losses. Flooded farm buildings, vehicles, homes and electrical infrastructure now lurk within its waters. While these losses hurt, the region narrowly avoided a more devastating outcome.

FDA approves new Alzheimer’s drug

The Food and Drug Administration has approved the Alzheimer’s drug Leqembi, marking the first time a drug meant to slow the progression of disease has been granted full regulatory approval. Other approved drugs for Alzheimer’s only target symptoms.

A phase 3 clinical trial showed the illness was slowed by 27% over an 18-month period. “In real-world terms, this likely means more time for the patient to be living independently, enjoying their hobbies, their friends and having a better quality of life,” an expert said. 

Others, however, were less rosy about the drug’s benefits, voicing concerns over its safety, cost and accessibility.

Photos appear to show inside of Wagner chief’s estate

In the latest sign of an emerging propaganda war against Yevgeny Prigozhin — the man behind the insurrection that shook Russian President Vladimir Putin’s regime — pro-Kremlin media outlets have released photos that appear to show a wild array of contents inside the Wagner mercenary chief’s home in St. Petersburg. There are bars of gold and reams of cash, multiple wigs, a cache of weapons and a giant sledgehammer. One state TV show mocked the signs of Prigozhin’s lavish lifestyle as a contrast to his self-built image as a “people’s hero.” See more photos from the estate.

▼ Today’s Talker Britney Spears says she was ‘backhanded’…

… by NBA player Victor Wembanyama’s security guard earlier this week at a hotel in Las Vegas. The pop star wrote claims she wanted to introduce herself to Wembanyama, the celebrated new draft pick of the San Antonio Spurs, so she approached him and “tapped him on the shoulder to get his attention.” That’s when one of Wembanyama’s guards took action. Spears expressed her dismay in a social media post and said that she has not received a “public apology.” 

▼ Politics in Brief

Cocaine at the White House: Multiple officials involved in the inquiry of a bag of white powder found at the White House now say the drugs were found in a different location than previously reported. 

2024 election: Gov. Ron DeSantis bragged about sending help to Iowa after a disastrous building collapse. What he didn’t say — and what NBC News learned in a public records request — was that his help was no longer needed.

Trump deposition: A federal judge rejected an effort by the Justice Department to prevent Donald Trump from sitting for a deposition related to a pair of lawsuits filed by former FBI officials.

Yellen in China: U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen defended American actions to protect its national security in a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang.

Classified docs case: Walt Nauta, Donald Trump’s personal aide, pleaded not guilty in a Florida federal court in the classified documents case. He’s accused of helping hide top national security files from investigators after Trump left the White House. 

▼ Staff PickA new lawsuit against Ye and his schools

Another educator has made allegations about the way rapper Ye is running his schools. In a lawsuit filed yesterday, a former assistant principal at Yeezy Christian Academy said a fire started near students at the school because of poor wiring. He also alleged there were windows that were left empty at Donda Academy because Ye didn’t like glass. Reporters Tim Stelloh and Diana Dasrath have closely followed the allegations about the schools’ conditions and examine the complaints outlined in this new suit. — Claire Cardona, breaking news editor

▼ In Case You Missed It

An Iowa teen was sentenced to life in prison for fatally beating his Spanish teacher with a baseball bat.

Twitter is accusing Meta of stealing trade secrets for its new Threads app.

Australian Home Minister Clare O’Neil called Donald Trump Jr. a “big baby,” after he canceled a planned speaking tour in the country.

OceanGate has suspended all exploration and commercial operations, it announced, weeks after its Titan submersible imploded and killed all five people on board. 

Kevin Costner’s estranged wife must move out of the Santa Barbara home they shared by the end of the month, a judge ruled amid the couple’s divorce fight. 

A foot fondler is on the loose in the Lake Tahoe area, Nevada officials warned, after two women staying at a resort told police they woke up to an intruder “fondling their feet.”

▼ Select: Online Shopping, Simplified

While Amazon Prime Day officially takes place next Tuesday and Wednesday, the retailer is already offering notable discounts on several products. Here are the best early deals and sales to shop right now, including Amazon Echo devices, kitchen appliances and more.

Sign up to The Selection for exclusive reviews and shopping content from NBC Select.

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