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Chapter 1: What recent diplomatic talks are taking place between Pakistan, the U.S., and Iran?
Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Korva Coleman. Pakistan has proposed the U.S. and Iran hold a second round of talks in Pakistan, according to the Associated Press. The report says the proposed talks could be held in coming days, before the end of the current ceasefire. Meanwhile, shipping traffic now appears to be almost halted in the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S.
and Iran are both blocking oil exports through the narrow waterway. NPR's Greg Myrie reports countries worldwide are feeling economic pain.
The dual blockades have limited the number of ships passing through the strait to just two in the past day. This is according to ship tracking firms and media reports. Iran's closure of the strait has been in effect for weeks, though it allowed the passage of a small number of ships considered friendly or at least neutral. Now the U.S. Navy is blockading ships traveling to or from Iranian ports.
Most owners of oil tankers and other commercial ships appear unwilling to challenge the blockade. The result is higher global oil prices hovering around $100 a barrel. Iran is heavily dependent on oil exports and is now facing even more economic pressure. Greg Myhre, NPR News, Washington.
Today in Washington, officials from Lebanon and Israel will hold direct diplomatic talks for the first time in more than 30 years. This is a possible first step to end the conflict between Israel and Iranian-backed Hezbollah militants. That broke out again after the U.S. and Israel launched the war against Iran in February. NPR's Kat Lonsdorff reports from Beirut.
The Lebanese government has been asking for these talks for weeks, and Israel didn't take them up on it until last week, after the U.S. agreed to a ceasefire with Iran.
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Chapter 2: How is the blockade in the Strait of Hormuz affecting global oil prices?
Hezbollah has urged the Lebanese government to cancel the talks. Meanwhile, people in Lebanon tell NPR they're exhausted by the war, but are skeptical that peace with Israel is possible. Israel won't agree to any deal unless there's a tangible plan with the Lebanese government for disarming Hezbollah, a longstanding Israeli demand.
But Hezbollah has rearmed regardless, firing near-constant rockets into northern Israel during this war. If talks dissolve, Israel says it's prepared to remain occupying southern Lebanon for many months, even years. Kat Lonsdorff, NPR News, Beirut.
President Trump is getting criticized for his online postings. He took down an apparent AI image of himself yesterday that depicted him looking like Jesus. Many of his supporters were angry and shocked by the post. NPR's Danielle Kurtzleben says others were upset over Trump's online comments bashing Pope Leo.
It's not the first time he's clashed with a pope. In 2016, Pope Francis criticized Trump, then a candidate, for wanting to build a border wall and suggested that Trump wasn't a real Christian. And as far as AI images go, once last year, Trump posted a picture of himself as pope.
NPR's Daniela Kurtzleben prepared that report. You're listening to NPR. Texas Republican Congressman Tony Gonzalez and Democratic Congressman Eric Swalwell of California say they will resign from Congress. Both have been accused of sexual misconduct. Swalwell has dropped his campaign for California governor and strongly denies the allegations.
The Pentagon says it conducted another strike on an alleged drug boat yesterday in the eastern Pacific Ocean. Officials say two alleged drug traffickers were killed. No evidence of their link to drug trafficking has been provided by the Pentagon. The WNBA held its draft last night. The top overall pick by the Dallas Wings was UConn star Azzy Fudd.
That selection rather reunites Fudd with another former UConn star in the upcoming WNBA season. NPR's Becky Sullivan has more.
The Wings had the top pick in the draft for the second year in a row, and again they chose a star guard from the UConn Huskies. Last year, that was Paige Beckers, now AZ Fudd, who became the seventh player all-time from UConn to be chosen first overall.
The Minnesota Lynx picked second and chose Olivia Miles of TCU to play alongside their star, Nafisa Collier, in hopes of returning to the WNBA Finals. Soon after, the three senior stars of UCLA, who just led the Bruins to an NCAA national title, were taken back-to-back-to-back.
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