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Today’s top stories
Tensions are rising around two ceasefires in the Middle East. Iran has not officially recognized a ceasefire President Trump unilaterally extended this week. Iranian forces attacked at least three commercial ships and seized two in the Strait of Hormuz, actions that jeopardize prospects for U.S.–Iran talks after an Iranian official called Trump’s ceasefire extension “means nothing.” In Lebanon, Israeli airstrikes killed at least five people, including Lebanese journalist Amal Khalil. Israeli and Lebanese diplomats are set to meet in Washington for a second round of talks aimed at extending a truce and preparing for future negotiations.
Navy Secretary John Phelan has left his post “effective immediately,” the Pentagon said. Phelan, the Navy’s top civilian leader who oversaw budget, personnel and shipbuilding efforts, exits amid a string of senior Pentagon dismissals under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. NPR’s reporting notes tensions between Phelan and Hegseth over personal conflicts and disagreements about shipbuilding. The firings reflect Hegseth’s rapid reshaping of Pentagon leadership and come as the Navy plays a central role in the conflict with Iran. For now, Hegseth appears to have President Trump’s support.
Senate Republicans introduced a budget resolution to fund immigration enforcement agencies, the first step toward ending the partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security. Democrats have refused to fund ICE and CBP after federal immigration agents killed two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis, demanding major reforms first. Republicans plan to use reconciliation to fund the rest of DHS without Democratic votes; the process is complex and could take time.
In the race to regain Congress, Democratic candidates are outpacing Republicans in midterm fundraising for key House and Senate contests, even as voter approval ratings for Democrats are low. However, Republican-aligned committees and super PACs hold large cash reserves—Trump’s MAGA Inc. super PAC reportedly has nearly $350 million, a significant advantage that could shape the next two years if deployed.
Deep dive
The Trump administration is arguing that the nearly 50-year-old Presidential Records Act (PRA), which requires preservation of presidential records, is unconstitutional. Historians and watchdogs have filed lawsuits seeking to block any discard of presidential materials, warning that the fate of millions of documents and electronic messages is at stake for scholars and the public. The PRA’s origins trace to Congress’s response to the Nixon era; the Justice Department contends the law violates separation of powers. The American Historical Association has asked a federal judge to prevent government employees from destroying presidential materials. The White House says staff will get training on document preservation, though historians note that top leaders may be excluded. Scholars warn that if the PRA is undermined, vital records used to understand major events and decisions could be lost.
Picture show
World Press Photo named an image from “Ice Arrests at New York Court” Photo of the Year. Captured by four-time Pulitzer winner Carol Guzy, the photograph shows distraught children clinging to their father as ICE detains him after an immigration hearing. The series documents courthouse detentions and the trauma of family separations, drawn from days reporters and photographers spent documenting events inside federal buildings. World Press Photo’s executive director said the image “shows the inconsolable grief of children losing their father in a place built for justice.” Guzy discussed the larger body of work and its significance on Morning Edition.
3 things to know before you go
1. Bigfoot is having a cultural moment — appearing in low-budget horror films, festivals and a well-reviewed musical, with recent alleged sightings reported in northeast Ohio.
2. Experimental gene therapy appears safe and highly effective at restoring hearing for people born with a rare form of deafness, according to new research.
3. In this week’s Far-Flung Postcard, reporter Betsy Joles visits Haunted Hill Park in Islamabad, Pakistan — a short walk from where inconclusive Iran–U.S. peace talks were held this month.
This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.
