Good morning. Here are the top stories to start your day.
Trump rejects Iran’s response to U.S. ceasefire proposal
President Trump publicly rejected Iran’s reply to a recent U.S. proposal to end hostilities, calling Tehran’s demands “totally unacceptable.” Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency says the response called for an end to fighting on all fronts, lifting U.S. sanctions on Iranian oil sales, removing a U.S. blockade of Iranian ports and unfreezing assets. The exact details of the U.S. proposal have not been disclosed.
Trump and U.S. officials have said they want Iran to halt nuclear enrichment and reopen the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping. Analysts note deep mistrust after the U.S. withdrew from the original Iran nuclear deal during Trump’s first term, and past rounds of strikes and negotiations have left both sides wary. The temporary ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran remains in place for now, though Gulf states reported intercepting hostile drones over Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates over the weekend.
Congress returns, will take up multi-year ICE and CBP funding
Lawmakers are back in Washington after a weeklong recess and are expected to focus on funding for immigration enforcement. Republicans are pushing to secure funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) through the end of the administration — a plan that could lock in about three years of funding for those agencies.
Democrats blocked earlier funding moves following a controversial immigration operation in Minnesota that resulted in the deaths of two U.S. citizens during federal immigration enforcement. If Republicans succeed in tying up multi-year funding, Democrats would lose some leverage to demand oversight and reforms of immigration enforcement practices, and Congress would have one fewer near-term leverage point for checks and accountability.
U.S. passengers return after cruise ship hantavirus outbreak
Seventeen American passengers returned to the U.S. today after weeks aboard a cruise ship at the center of a hantavirus outbreak. The ship carried nearly 150 people from 23 countries; three passengers have died since the outbreak began.
Officials said one traveler tested mildly positive on the flight home and another showed mild symptoms. Most returning passengers will enter the National Quarantine Unit at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Public health experts say this hantavirus strain has been studied for decades, does not spread easily between people, and is unlikely to trigger a pandemic. Contact tracing is underway to contain the outbreak.
Today’s culture and features
– Music: The Black Keys return to bluesy roots with their new album Peaches! The Grammy-winning duo discuss the record and share motivations behind it on All Things Considered.
– Photo feature: Cape Verde, with just over half a million people, has qualified for the World Cup for the first time. The achievement is reshaping youth aspirations on the islands, where soccer is becoming a national dream. Local academies say the qualification has transformed how young players view their futures.
Three things to know before you go
1) A Frontier Airlines jet struck and killed a pedestrian crossing a runway at Denver International Airport on Friday night. Authorities are investigating. 2) Radiohead opened “Motion Picture House” in a Brooklyn warehouse, an immersive installation with film, sculptures and unreleased material tied to Kid A and Amnesiac-era work. 3) The 61st Venice Biennale opened amid large protests and boycotts tied to geopolitical tensions, prompting demonstrations that have overshadowed parts of the festival.
This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.