NPR News: 07-27-2026 9AM EDT
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Why did U.S. and Iran pause attacks after nearly two weeks of strikes?
Live for NPR News in Washington, I'm Libby Casey. There is a pause in the attacks between the U.S. and Iran after almost two weeks of U.S. strikes on Iranian military targets and infrastructure and Iranian counterattacks on U.S. bases and other targets in the Gulf. NPR's Jane Araf.
The Iranian army spokesperson confirmed Sunday that Iran had indeed halted attacks at the same time that the U.S. had. And Iran's foreign ministry spokesman, Ismail Bakhari, Confirmed messages were exchanged between Iran and the U.S. through mediators, but he said Monday that Iran had not asked for talks and said, we are currently not holding any negotiations with the American side.
The war, launched by the U.S. and Israel, hits the five-month mark tomorrow, the same day that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet with President Trump at the White House. The price of Brent crude, the global benchmark for oil, fell to about $89 a barrel this morning after hitting $102 a barrel last week. The price at the pump for regular gasoline is $4.11, according to AAA. NPR's Windsor Johnston reports, analysts say the factors that keep oil prices in check may be fading.
What did Iranian officials say about mediator exchanges and negotiations with the U.S.?
Oil prices have surged as the war with Iran raises fears about disruptions to global energy supplies. But so far, the market has avoided the kind of sustained price hike many analysts expected. Bob McNally is the head of the Rapidan Energy Group and former White House energy advisor.
This entrenched optimism among traders, and that's a big deal because prices reflect how traders think about the future. And they've been very optimistic, believing President Trump that this is going to end soon.
McNally says lower oil demand from China also helped ease pressure on prices, but he warns those buffers may not last if the conflict continues to escalate. Windsor Johnston, NPR News, Washington.
A new survey finds three in four voters say the cost of childcare is a major problem. NPR's Jennifer Ludden reports it's among reasons affordability is a top issue this election year.
For parents who pay for child care, more than a third say it's one of their top two expenses. That's according to a poll commissioned by the First Five Years Fund, which advocates for expanding early learning and care. Nearly half of parents say child care challenges affect their work, and it's not just them. Nearly 40 percent of all voters say they're affected when a colleague's child care is disrupted. Nationally, there is a serious shortage of child care, and in many places it can cost more than housing or college tuition. A growing number of cities and states are committing money to expand free and subsidized child care. They say their local economies depend on it. Critics argue it drives up government spending.
Jennifer Levin, NPR News, Washington. It's NPR News.
Authorities in Germany say they are investigating a weekend attack in Berlin as an act of terrorism. As Esme Nicholson reports, police shot and killed the man suspected of driving a vehicle into a crowd attending an annual pride event.
Police shot and killed 21-year-old Abdul Balout in a garden allotment on the outskirts of Berlin. Prosecutors say evidence was mounting to suggest the incident, which killed one and injured at least 29 others, was an Islamist terror attack. Balout, a German national with Lebanese heritage, attempted to join Islamic State Group on a trip to Lebanon last year. In May, a court in Berlin convicted Balout of preparing a serious act of violence and handed down a suspended sentence. He had been released while prosecutors appealed. For NPR News, I'm Esmina Kulson in Munich.
President Trump's tariffs are headed to court again. Two lawsuits filed by small businesses are challenging Trump's sweeping tariffs announced on Thursday that impose double-digit levies on 60 trading partners. The tariffs cover 99 percent of U.S. imports. The Trump administration says they're being implemented because countries have failed to prevent imports produced by forced labor.
How has the Israel–U.S. campaign affected oil prices and global energy markets?
But critics say that's a pretext and the goal is replacing the worldwide tariffs the Supreme Court struck down in February.
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