NPR News: 05-25-2026 7AM EDT
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What are the latest developments in US-Iran negotiations?
Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Windsor Johnston. The United States and Iran are continuing negotiations over a possible agreement aimed at easing tensions in the region. Roughly 1,500 commercial ships remain backed up near the Strait of Hormuz, a key global shipping route that Tehran has controlled since the conflict began. NPR's Aya Batraoui reports on where the negotiations stand between the two sides.
this would only be a preliminary agreement, not a final deal. It would essentially extend the current ceasefire by another 60 days and think of it more as a starting point for direct talks between the U.S. and Iran. And so what we've heard from Washington and Tehran is that this deal would include Iran gradually opening the Strait of Hormuz, which is critical to getting energy flowing again from the Gulf to the rest of the world. And what this deal does not include are details on Iran's nuclear program.
NPR's Aya Batraoui reporting from Dubai. Over the weekend, Iran's foreign ministry said negotiators have reached conclusions on several parts of a potential agreement, but key issues remain unresolved.
How are Supreme Court decisions impacting the upcoming midterms?
The White House is closely watching a series of high-profile Supreme Court cases. NPR's Franco Ordonez reports the decisions will likely help shape debate going into this year's midterm elections and beyond.
The Supreme Court justices are expected to issue major rulings on immigration, mail-in ballots, and presidential power. President Trump has taken advantage of almost every opportunity to pressure the justices to back him, as he did recently on his efforts to restrict birthright citizenship.
It would be a disgrace, it would be a disgrace if the Supreme Court of the United States allows that to happen.
Trump even attended oral arguments on the birthright case, a first by a sitting president. Trump has said, though, he thinks the court will instead confirm the constitutional right to citizenship for anyone born on U.S. soil. Franco Ordonez, NPR News, the White House.
Spring is normally peak buying time for houses, but the housing market has been stagnant for the last three years, in large part because of high mortgage rates. NPR's Stephen Besaha reports.
There are some positive signs. Contract signings for homes were up 4.5% year over year. But signings in April are still about 9% lower than they were four years ago.
What factors are affecting the current housing market trends?
Wesley Harvey is a real estate agent in Nashville. He says demand picked up when average mortgage rates fell below 6% in February. But the war against Iran has set those rates back up.
And sure enough, when the interest rates start peaking back up, you see that demand drop. And I've seen it on both the buying side and as a listing agent.
Mortgage rates are now about 6.5 percent, their highest level since August. Stephen Massaha, NPR News.
This is NPR. At least 82 people have died after a gas explosion ripped through a coal mine in northern China on Friday. Chinese state media say more than 240 workers were underground at the time of the blast. Two miners remain missing and more than 120 others were injured. Authorities say several company executives have been detained as investigators look into possible safety violations. China sent three astronauts into its space station on Sunday. NPR's Jennifer Pak reports it's part of Beijing's ambition to have a crew land on the moon by 2030.
The Shenzhou-23 vessel took off with three astronauts on board. One of them will stay at the Tiangong Space Station for a year, which is one of the longest space missions. While there, the crew will conduct cutting-edge space science, according to state-run Xinhua News Agency, including studying the impact of microgravity on the astronauts on zebrafish and mouse embryos and rice seeds.
What happened in the recent coal mine explosion in China?
The U.S. also aims to establish long-term presence on the moon with NASA's Artemis program. and eventually human exploration of Mars. Jennifer Pak, NPR News, Shanghai.
Iran's soccer federation says its national team will train in Mexico instead of the United States ahead of the World Cup.
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Chapters
5 chapters
1
What are the latest developments in US-Iran negotiations?
0:00–1:06
2
How are Supreme Court decisions impacting the upcoming midterms?
1:06–2:29
3
What factors are affecting the current housing market trends?
2:29–4:01
4
What happened in the recent coal mine explosion in China?
4:01–4:59
5
What are China's plans for its space program and moon exploration?
4:59–5:02