Up First from NPR

The U.S. fired on and seized an Iranian cargo ship that tried to break through the naval blockade. Iran calls it piracy and vows to retaliate with the ceasefire set to expire Wednesday.
Iran is back to blocking the Strait of Hormuz as both sides accuse each other of violating the ceasefire and a new round of talks in Pakistan have yet to be confirmed by Tehran.
And businesses can finally start applying today for refunds on $166 billion in tariffs the Supreme Court ruled were collected illegally, in what could be a scramble for hundreds of thousands of importers.
Correction: A previous version of the story "Iran reacts to ship seized" incorrectly said the death toll in Lebanon was more than 1,000. It is more than 2,000.

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Today’s episode of Up First was edited by Anna Yukhananov, Ruth Sherlock, Rafael Nam, Mohamad ElBardicy, and Lindsay Totty.

It was produced by Ziad Buchh and Nia Dumas.

Our director is Christopher Thomas.

We get engineering support from Stacey Abbott. Our technical director is Carleigh Strange.

(0:00) Introduction
(01:55) Trump and Iran Talks
(05:34) Iran Reacts to Ship Seized
(09:30) Tariff Refunds

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Public education used to enjoy strong bipartisan support, but across the country, there’s a growing push to offer students alternatives to traditional public schools. The idea behind “school choice” is that competition improves education. President Trump and Republicans have attacked public education for failing students and for being too “woke,” while Democrats who strongly oppose school choice often dismiss valid criticism of public schools.

Today on The Sunday Story, NPR education correspondent Cory Turner travels to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to understand how school choice can change a city's education landscape. Are students better served when schools compete in a free market?

You can find more of Cory's reporting from Cedar Rapids here.

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Iran says it is clamping back down on the Strait of Hormuz, putting the ceasefire at risk. President Trump appeared at a rally at an Arizona megachurch. Businesses are preparing for Monday's launch of an online portal for tariff refunds.

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In this special episode of Up First, we’re sharing the latest episode of NPR’s Newsmakers, featuring New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Through his first 100 days in office, Mamdani has focused on “pothole politics” — a blend of high-level legislative wins and intense focus on everyday essential services that keep the city running. The 34-year-old mayor has delivered on progressive campaign promises, from more funding for child care to new taxes on the ultrawealthy. He views his government as a model for how Democrats can deliver on policies that benefit the working class.

Mamdani sat down with host Leila Fadel at City Hall to discuss how he views his accomplishments so far, his approach to working with President Trump and the message he believes Democrats should deliver during this year’s midterm elections.

NPR's Newsmakers is where you'll find NPR's biggest interviews. Watch or listen wherever you get your podcasts. 

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A 10-day ceasefire is now in effect between Israel and Lebanon, but Israel says it is not leaving southern Lebanon and Hezbollah says that gives it the right to resist.
The U.S. naval blockade on Iran is firmly in place as Defense Secretary Hegseth compared reporters covering the war to the enemies of Jesus in the Bible, part of a pattern of religious language from the Pentagon that is raising eyebrows.
And President Trump has nominated Dr. Erica Schwartz to lead the CDC after nearly a year without a confirmed director, as the agency has been struggling under budget cuts and a loss of public trust.

Want more analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe to the Up First newsletter.

Today’s episode of Up First was edited by Ruth Sherlock, Andrew Sussman, Kris Husted, Mohamad ElBardicy, and Lindsay Totty.

It was produced by Ziad Buchh and Nia Dumas.

Our director is Christopher Thomas.

We get engineering support from David Greenburg. Our technical director is Carleigh Strange.

And our Executive Producer is Jay Shaylor.

(0:00) Introduction
(01:54) Lebanon-Israel Ceasefire
(05:34) Hegseth On Blockade
(09:46) Trump Nominates New CDC Director

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