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"How Israel could complicate U.S.-Iran peace negotiations."

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View this email online June 16, 2026 SUZANNE NUYEN Up First Newsletter Writer Good morning. Would you give your credit card information to an AI chatbot? Some major AI companies believe that this will be the future of shopping. Here's the news we're following today.  Today’s top stories Photographer/Source Israel, which began the war in Iran with the U.S., has been sidelined in the agreement that the U.S. and Iran are expected to sign on Friday to begin negotiations to end hostilities. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will not be party to those negotiations, and it could spoil peace efforts. 🎧 Friday's agreement is only a commitment to negotiate, and NPR's Carrie Kahn tells Up First that it's unclear how Iran's nuclear program will be addressed in those talks. Israel says this is why it went to war in the first place, and rejects Iran's demands to withdraw from all Lebanese territory. Israeli elections will take place in the fall, and Kahn says Netanyahu's political allies and opponents are hammering him over how the deal to begin peace talks leaves Israel out of the picture and Hezbollah still active in Lebanon.  President Trump will meet with Qatar and UAE — key stakeholders in the deal with Iran — today as part of his first full day at the G7 summit. While Iran has gotten a lot of attention at the summit so far, European leaders are just as focused on getting Russia to negotiate an end to its war in Ukraine.  🎧 Trump and other G7 leaders are meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy later today. This week, Russia fired dozens of missiles at Ukraine, killing 11 and sparking a fire on one of Ukraine’s religious landmarks. NPR's Danielle Kurtzleben says. French President Emmanuel Macron, who is hosting the summit, has been one of the loudest European voices calling for European nations to be more independent of the U.S. Trump's repeated antagonism toward these nations, on issues like NATO and Greenland, has made them more willing to band together and push back, Kurtzleben adds. Oklahoma and the District of Columbia hold primary elections today, while Georgia and Alabama have some runoffs. Sen. Jon Ossoff of Georgia is, on paper, the most vulnerable incumbent on the ballot for Democrats, NPR's Stephen Fowler says. Whoever wins the Republican runoff sets up a high-profile, big-money matchup. In Oklahoma, Sen. Markwayne Mullin's appointment to Homeland Security secretary has left a ripple of seats open after his replacement said he isn't running for a full term. And D.C. residents will cast their votes in a highly consequential mayoral primary. ➡️ As the nation inches closer to the midterm elections, voting officials worry that the Department of Homeland Security will not be a partner in helping to secure elections, but rather a threat seeking to undermine results that President Trump dislikes. As Luigi Mangione's legal team heads back to court in New York City this week for a key pretrial hearing, some legal experts say his populist appeal, fueled in part by what some describe as his Instagram-ready good looks, could complicate his trials. Mangione is accused of stalking and killing Brian Thompson, CEO of the insurance company UnitedHealthcare. Donors have given $1.5 million to support his defense.  Local stories from HPR-1 News/Talk (edit station) HPR/Cassie Lovell 'It still kills me:' Kona low damages could cause some Otake Camp residents to leave It's been about 3 months since residents of Otake Camp on Oʻahu's North Shore were hit by back-to-back Kona low storms. Many residents are continuing to clean up and rebuild, but others are struggling with whether to leave Otake Camp for good. Newsletter continues after sponsor message   For the best experience, check out the World Cup tab in the NPR App. by JULIANA KIM Digital News Reporter The way to a visitor's heart ... is through their stomach As we head into week two of the World Cup, the action inside the stadiums isn’t the only thing capturing the attention of international visitors. Turns out, they’re discovering the delights of Buc-ee’s, Waffle House, Wawa and free soda refills.   The World Cup is taking place across 11 cities in the U.S. — nearly half are in the South. Even more places are serving as training sites for the players. The result: More international visitors are exploring new parts of the country beyond the usual hotspots. Tatsuya Takeuchi, a sports journalist from Japan, has been to the U.S. before, but never to Nashville where his national team is training. When he posted a photo of a meat and three-side combo plate, he received a flurry of replies welcoming him, sending more food recs, and even offering to cook him a proper Southern supper. “I’m grateful for every single reaction,” he told NPR. “A lot of people told me to go try hot chicken, so I went right away — and it was really delicious.” Scottish tourist Shaun Alexander took a trip to Texas before arriving in Boston to watch his home team compete. For all of the news about America’s tensions with other countries, Alexander says the reception on the ground has been much sweeter.  “ It's just remarkable the types of warmth that you kind of find and come across in the States,” he told NPR.  That’s the message he wants to send back home (along with a suggestion to try BBQ ribs with vinegar sauce.)  Video highlights Click through to watch the latest Soccer Edition video clips from across the NPR Network. Podcast highlights When The World Comes to Texas: Ep 4. Take it to the Streets Soccer is much more than elite athletes running around on the pitch in front of millions of fans. There’s also a strong and thriving street soccer culture that contributes to its immense popularity all over the globe.  Hugo Gonzalez is the founder and co-owner of Dallas Street Soccer, and he sat down with KERA to talk about how street soccer can bring people together across culture and language barriers. 🎧 Listen in the NPR App What to watch for this week  🧡 ICYMI: The Orange Army marched in Texas. A sea of Dutch fans clad in their country’s signature color made their way to the Netherland’s first game Sunday against Japan. KERA was there and caught the new experience for Texans who took Dutch fans up on their offer of an open pre-game celebration.  The Netherland plays Sweden on Saturday and Japan will face Tunisia Sunday. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Scotland’s second game is scheduled for Friday at the Boston Stadium in Foxborough, MA. Their World Cup opener Saturday attracted fans from all over the world, including some who were kilt-clad and arrived by school bus. Scotland won that first game 1-0 against Haiti. Fans of both underdog teams have been riding the high of making it to the tournament for the first time in decades. 🎨 Ice Out’ protest art is popping up on streets in Philly, where city officials have passed bills restricting immigration enforcement and community advocates are pushing for protections for fans and tourists attending FIFA World Cup games and festivities.  Today's listen Robert Bader/Marxbrothers.net The Marx brothers were kings of comedy in the years between World War I and World War II. Groucho was a wisecracker. Chico was a piano-playing con artist. And then there was Harpo, the gentle soul who played the harp and never spoke a word — until now. You can now hear Harpo speak in character in a recently discovered 1964 recording, just six months before his death. The audio is from a benefit concert, and the restored audio has been released on the album Harpo Speaks!. Listen to the Marx brother's voice and learn more about the album. See a Tiny Desk Concert in person! We're giving away a trip for one lucky winner (and a guest) to visit NPR HQ and see a Tiny Desk Concert live in person! The winner even gets to choose their preferred show from a top-secret collection of options. 🤐 It's free to enter, but you can get extra entries by supporting the NPR Network and picking up some limited edition merch. Every dollar makes a huge difference, not just for your chances to win, but in protecting essential journalism across the country. So enter today and maybe we'll see you at the desk!    Enter For Free ➔ 3 things to know before you go Mujahid Safodien/AFP via Getty Images 1 Abdullah Ibrahim, the South African jazz pianist deemed his country's equivalent to Mozart by Nelson Mandela, died Monday after a short illness. He was 91. 2 The U.K. government has announced it will ban social media for all children under 16. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he was "giving children their childhood back." 3 A third of Illinois counties have passed resolutions seeking to separate from the city of Chicago to form a 51st state. People in these rural counties resent what they see as Chicago's disproportionate power. Enjoying this newsletter Forward to a friend! They can sign up here. LOOKING FOR MORE GREAT CONTENT? Check out all of our newsletter offerings — including Music, Politics, Health and more! This newsletter was edited by Yvonne Dennis Download the NPR App Get in touch We'd love to hear your thoughts and questions on today's newsletter. Reach the Up First team at upfirst@npr.org Unsubscribe    Manage your preferences     Privacy Policy You received this message because you're subscribed to Up First emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002