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Today's top stories
The U.S. military says it has completed a second wave of strikes against Iranian military targets, aiming at air defense sites, radar systems and mine-laying capabilities. In a statement issued late last night, it said these strikes were a response to recent Iranian attempts to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. An Iranian Guard Corps spokesperson said today that the U.S. strikes caused civilian and military casualties. Iran has retaliated by targeting U.S. assets in Kuwait, Jordan, Bahrain and Iraq. Travel warnings have been heightened for Americans traveling in the Middle East.
- 🎧 Around 4 million barrels of crude oil passed through the Strait of Hormuz daily in August, going largely undetected by Iran, new data from maritime intelligence firm TankerTrackers reveals. While this remains only a third of pre-war levels, it's significant, NPR's Hadeel Al-Shalchi tells Up First. Iran says it is nearing an agreement with Oman to temporarily reopen the waterway, having developed maps for a maritime control and traffic division. But Al-Shalchi says Iran has been radio silent in the past few days on the status of those talks. President Trump has said he isn't in a rush to resume negotiations with Iran, but Iranian officials have recently been calling for a return to diplomacy.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement has now acquired enough body cameras to equip all its officers and agents, the agency says. For years, immigration officials have told lawmakers and advocates that they didn't have enough devices for an agency-wide body-worn camera program. Federal immigration officers have been involved in more than two dozen shootings during the Trump administration's immigration crackdown. These cameras may help alleviate concerns about transparency and accountability. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin expects every field officer to have a body-worn camera by the end of September.
Sen. Ed Markey has won the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in Massachusetts. The 80-year-old progressive fended off a challenge from the more moderate Rep. Seth Moulton, who had called for generational change and a new direction in party leadership.
- 🎧 The Democratic party has been reckoning with the age of its elected officials, NPR's Saige Miller says, but Markey was likely bolstered by his incumbent status and progressive politics in the predictably blue state. He has the support of prominent progressives like Sen. Bernie Sanders and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who typically back younger candidates. Voters in Colorado, Michigan and Minnesota have chosen younger, more progressive candidates over longtime incumbents in several primaries, so Miller says Markey's win is a reminder that every district is different and being seen as an effective lawmaker by the people you represent goes a long way.
The House voted 370-48 yesterday to extend federal spending at current levels until Dec. 11, pushing the funding dispute into the post-midterm period. Federal funding was set to expire on Sept. 30. The Senate had previously passed this legislation as part of a continuing resolution. Trump is now expected to sign the funding measure.
Today's listen
Oscar-winning actor Anthony Hopkins is perhaps best known for his role as Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs. But he says that he thinks music is his first love. Born in 1937, Hopkins grew up in an era when Britain was vibrant with MGM musicals featuring stars like Frank Sinatra and Benny Goodman. Their talents had a lasting impact on him, and he began composing music around 1964. Now, at the age of 88, he has released his debut album of orchestral works, composed over six decades, titled Life Is a Dream. Listen to snippets of Hopkins' newly released music and read more about what has inspired him.
Living better
Living Better is a special series about what it takes to stay healthy in America.
Many women with recurrent urinary tract infections are often puzzled when they keep returning despite repeated antibiotic treatments. A recent study reveals that many of these women may not have UTIs at all. Instead, their symptoms stem from hormonally driven inflammation and pelvic floor dysfunction. These conditions mimic UTI symptoms such as burning during urination and lower abdominal pain, but need different treatments. This insight could lead to more accurate care for those with urinary tract symptoms. Here's why vulvar conditions are often missed:
- ➡️ Clinicians typically order a urinalysis to check for inflammation in UTIs, but to confirm a bacterial infection, the urine must be cultured.
- ➡️ The urine sample should be a "clean catch," which requires thoroughly cleaning the urethral opening and surrounding areas, then collecting only the midstream urine. Not all patients receive this instruction.
- ➡️ Medical professionals often lack adequate training, as many doctors are often taught that when a patient shows classic UTI symptoms, it should be treated as a UTI unless proven otherwise.
Want to make sure you are getting the best care? Check out these questions you should ask your doctor to determine if you are having recurrent UTI or something else entirely.
3 things to know before you go
- Instead of a traditional tour, Harry Styles kicked off his 30-night residency at Madison Square Garden to promote his new album, Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally — to mixed reactions. NPR talked to fans outside the venue to learn how far they traveled and what it cost for them to attend.
- Jurors are deadlocked in the trial of Lindsay Clancy, the Massachusetts woman charged with killing her three children in 2023. The judge has told them to keep deliberating.
- Novelist and poet Wendell Berry has died at the age of 92. President Obama awarded him the National Humanities Medal in 2012.
This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.
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