Trump says U.S. and Iran nearing a peace deal. And, Pope Leo weighs in on AI's rise
President Trump says that a deal with Iran to end the war is largely negotiated. And, Pope Leo XIV weighed in today on the rise of AI during his first encyclical.
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President Trump and other administration officials are managing expectations about an imminent agreement to end the war in Iran. Iran has not officially responded to the proposed agreement, but semi-official news agencies suggest that disagreements over "one or two" issues are jeopardizing the potential deal. After speaking with the leaders of several Gulf countries and Israel on Saturday, Trump said the U.S. and Iran have "largely negotiated" a memorandum of understanding to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. But on Sunday, he said in a series of social media posts that the U.S. would not rush into an agreement. Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said that if a deal is reached, discussions on nuclear issues with the U.S. would commence over a 60-day period. Senior official Hossein Nooshabadi said that 60-day period would start after a 30-day initial agreement regarding the Strait.
The latest figures from the Congolese government show that more than 200 people have died in the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Health workers have registered more than 900 suspected cases. The virus is spreading rapidly across eastern Congo, a region larger than Florida. Ongoing battles between armed groups and national armies are complicating efforts to contain the disease. The World Health Organization warns that the risk of the virus spreading quickly throughout the country is very high. This outbreak involves a rare strain of Ebola that lacks an approved vaccine or treatment.
Approximately 50,000 residents in Garden Grove, Calif., remained under evacuation orders yesterday as emergency response teams worked to manage a potentially explosive situation at the GKN Aerospace manufacturing plant. Late Saturday, firefighters found a potential crack in a tank at the facility. Orange County Fire Division Chief Craig Covey says a crack in the tank could be a good outcome. While not ideal, it would be better if the chemicals leaked out slowly rather than exploding. This tank contains around 7,000 gallons of methyl methacrylate, a highly toxic and flammable chemical used to make resins and plastics. Emergency responders say the incident started on Thursday when chemicals in a tank at the facility began exceeding safe temperature limits. Authorities evacuated residents to protect them from the risk of a large explosion and the harmful fumes it could produce. Since the fire department cannot predict the direction in which the fumes might move, they had to clear a wide area around the plant.
Pope Leo XIV addressed the rise of artificial intelligence today in his first encyclical, a major teaching addressed to the world's 1.4 billion Catholics. Leo's "Magnificent Humanity" urges Catholics to engage in shaping AI ethics instead of leaving it in the hands ofl of wealthy tech elites.
This week at NPR, we're going to explore the increased intermixing of God and government in a new series we're calling Church and State. It's an idea that has been gaining momentum through the first and second Trump administrations, not only within U.S. politics but also throughout American culture, in songs and paintings, schoolbooks and worship events infused with faith and politics.
In a new survey, Americans say religion is gaining greater influence over the United States' government. Most respondents expressed discomfort with the rising influence. NPR religion correspondent Jason DeRose says the Church and State project was developed following his team's coverage of actions by the Trump administration that warranted further exploration. Among those topics is a recent Department of Justice report on anti-Christian bias, which highlights policy differences stemming from animosity towards Christians. Additionally, earlier this month, the administration hosted a prayer service on the National Mall, where cabinet members prayed in front of a giant cross.
On Morning Edition, DeRose shares insights into the stories that will be featured in the Church and State series this week and explains why his team pursued this project.
Go face-to-face with the person of the moment. NPR's Newsmakers video podcast brings the biggest names in politics, business, sports, arts, and culture out of the headlines and into the interview chair to discuss the mark they're making on the world. Follow the Newsmakers podcast or subscribe to NPR's YouTube channel to get new episodes as soon as they're available.
On Friday, Byron Allen brought his show Comics Unleashed to the CBS time slot that was long held by The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. The media mogul and former stand-up comedian has praised Colbert but noted that his show will avoid the political comedy Colbert was known for, moving away from the typical late-night format. Colbert's show was canceled despite its high ratings, a decision many viewed as politically motivated because of Colbert's frequent criticism of Trump and his administration. CBS said that the cancellation was "purely a financial decision." Allen maintains that no one at CBS or its parent company, Paramount, imposed any restrictions or boundaries on his show.
Allen sat down for an NPR Newsmakers interview with NPR's Ailsa Chang ahead of the debut episode of Comics Unleashed. He discussed his plans for the show, why he believes there is still plenty of political comedy available after Colbert's cancellation and the importance of Black Americans owning and producing media.
Watch the conversation on YouTube, listen to the interview or read the article about their discussion.
This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.