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Today's top stories
President Trump yesterday rejected Iran's response to the latest U.S. proposal for ending the war. Iran's reply included demands of an end to war on all fronts, the lifting of U.S. sanctions on the sale of Iranian oil, the removal of the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports and the unfreezing of assets, according to Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency. Trump called the Iranian response "totally unacceptable." The ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran is still holding for now. But Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates said over the weekend that they each intercepted hostile drones over their territories.
- 🎧 The details of the U.S. proposal sent to Iran last week are unclear, but Trump has made it clear he wants Iran to halt nuclear enrichment and reopen the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping. The Iranian state media says Iran's response to the proposal emphasized its rights as a nation. NPR's Aya Batrawy tells Up First the big picture here is that there is no trust in these negotiations. Trump withdrew the U.S. from the initial deal with Iran during his first term as president and attacked Iran in the last two rounds of talks in June and February. Regardless, both sides don't appear eager to return to war, Batrawy says. Gulf states are also still recovering from Iran's attacks on their infrastructure during this war.
Congress has returned after a weeklong break. Lawmakers are expected to focus on securing three years of funding for immigration enforcement. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) are usually funded on the same cycle as other agencies — October through September. Democrats blocked funding efforts this year after an immigration crackdown in Minnesota led to the deaths of two U.S. citizens at the hands of federal immigration agents.
- 🎧 Republicans have decided they are ready to put the issue of ICE and CBP funding to rest, NPR's Eric McDaniel says. If they succeed in securing that funding through the end of Trump's term, Democrats would lose some of the leverage they have to push for reforms. Congress overall would have one fewer tool in the box of checks and balances to oversee how immigration enforcement is conducted, McDaniel says.
Seventeen American cruise passengers returned to the U.S. early today after weeks aboard a cruise ship at the center of a deadly hantavirus outbreak. These 17 passengers are among the nearly 150 people from 23 countries who were on the ship. Three passengers have died since the outbreak began. During the flight back to the U.S., one American tested "mildly" positive for the virus while another exhibited mild symptoms, according to an X post by the official @HHSGov account. Most of the passengers will head to the National Quarantine Unit at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC). Dr. Ali Khan, dean of the College of Public Health at UNMC, says scientists have studied this strain of hantavirus for decades. It doesn't transmit easily between people, and she says it's unlikely to become a pandemic.
- ➡️ Public health officials are using contact tracing to contain the outbreak. Here's how it works.
Today's listen
In the early 2000s and 2010s, many people discovered The Black Keys through memorable Nissan, Cadillac and Victoria's Secret commercials. Fifteen years later, the Grammy-winning duo is still pushing boundaries with their sound. Their new album Peaches! marks a return to the bluesy rhythms that fueled their early career. Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney of the Black Keys discuss their new music with All Things Considered. Listen to some of the newest tracks and hear them discuss their motivations for the album. You can also read the transcript here.
Picture show
Cape Verde's Blue Sharks are set to make history this summer when they play in the World Cup for the first time. With just over half a million people, the island nation is one of the tiniest countries to ever qualify for the tournament. The landmark achievement has changed how Cape Verdeans view soccer. What was once just street play and schoolyard competition is now a national dream. Pedro Bettencourt, who leads Escola de Preparação Integral de Futebol, one of Cape Verde's top youth soccer academies, says qualification has transformed young players' perspectives on their futures. Take a look at how the youth on the island have been affected by the Blue Sharks' achievement.
3 things to know before you go
- A Frontier Airlines plane struck and killed a pedestrian who was crossing the runway at Denver International Airport on Friday night.
- Radiohead takes over a Brooklyn warehouse for the next two months with "Motion Picture House." The installation features an animated film, sculptures, paintings and unreleased material from recording sessions for the electronic albums Kid A and Amnesiac. (via Gothamist)
- The 61st Venice Biennale opened Saturday amid chaos from geopolitical strife, casting a shadow over the contemporary art on display. Multiple, large public demonstrations erupted over Russia's return to the festival, Israel's presence amid the war in Gaza and more.
This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.
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