NPR is reporting that Senate Republicans are advancing efforts to fund immigration enforcement through President Donald J Trump's term, despite earlier concerns over the administration's nearly $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization" fund. While Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche indicated the fund was scrapped, Trump did not confirm this. Sen. John Cornyn of Texas called for Congress to permanently block the fund, though NPR's Sam Gringlas noted it is uncertain if proposed amendments can be included in the $70 billion immigration funding package. NPR also highlighted growing Republican frustration with Trump's demands for party loyalty.
NPR is also reporting that Israel and Lebanon agreed to renew a ceasefire after negotiations in Washington. President Trump confirmed he called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "crazy" during a tense phone call about planned attacks on Beirut. NPR's Greg Myre expressed skepticism about the ceasefire's effectiveness, as the militant group Hezbollah was not part of the negotiations. The agreement requires Hezbollah to cease fire and withdraw from southern Lebanon, but does not address Israeli forces leaving Lebanese territory, a condition an anonymous Hezbollah official told NPR was necessary for the truce to hold.
The outlet said President Trump issued an executive order yesterday transforming approximately 8,000 federal workers into at-will employees, allowing their dismissal without cause. This move, part of Trump's efforts to strip civil service protections designed to shield work from political interference, primarily affects GS-15 level employees, including policy leaders and senior public affairs officers.
An NPR analysis reveals that the upcoming men's soccer World Cup in North America faces a high risk of dangerously hot and humid conditions. Millions of fans, players and workers are at risk, with over one-third of matches, including the final, identified as high-risk events due to coinciding with potentially dangerous summer weather.
In a deep dive, NPR examined the Trump administration's push to increase citizenship revocations for naturalized Americans. While raising concerns about potential abuse, NPR's review of 34 cases, including 11 revocations, found them more limited than rhetoric suggests, often involving fraud, child sexual abuse, or terrorism-related activity. Daniel Kanstroom, a Boston College law professor, told NPR he is not "seeing a major surge of worrisome denaturalizations," noting stronger legal protections for naturalized citizens.
Separately, NPR reported that musician Barry Manilow is recovering from lung cancer and rehabilitating his voice for a new album. NPR's Esme Nicholson explored souvenir shops in Porto, Portugal, many run by Bangladeshis. Finally, NPR highlighted a rise in copper wire thefts from infrastructure like phone poles and EV chargers, prompting AT&T executives to invite NPR on a ride-along to observe the problem firsthand.