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Today’s top stories
U.S. forces seized an Iranian-flagged cargo vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, President Trump said on social media. U.S. Central Command said the ship refused to comply with U.S. warnings over six hours before U.S. forces fired on and boarded it; Trump said U.S. Marines have custody. The incident is the latest escalation as the ceasefire between the U.S., Israel and Iran nears its end this week.
Even before the seizure, Trump and Iranian officials had been trading accusations of ceasefire violations. Trump wants the Strait of Hormuz reopened to stabilize oil markets and has set a red line on Iran’s nuclear program. The average price for regular gas is hovering near $4 a gallon. NPR’s reporting notes that some supporters remain patient but warns public tolerance could fade if economic pain continues.
Trump said he is sending a team of negotiators to Pakistan for in-person talks to end the war, though Vice President Vance had not departed. Iran has not confirmed talks; its state news agency quoted a senior official saying Iran had “no plans” for another negotiation round, while also saying it was examining new U.S. proposals received in recent days. The U.S. has not disclosed those proposals.
Two months after the Supreme Court ruled most of Trump’s tariffs unconstitutional, the federal government launched an online portal for business owners to request refunds. U.S. Customs estimates it owes about $166 billion. The portal opens only the first phase of payouts; not all goods imported under the illegal tariffs will qualify immediately. Federal guidance says approved refund requests could take 60 to 90 days to be paid.
NPR’s reporting warns the refund process could be chaotic: roughly 330,000 businesses were forced to pay the tariffs. The procedure is intended to mirror common overpayment refunds, but Customs has never attempted to process this many refunds at once.
A gunman killed eight children and wounded two women in northwest Louisiana, the Shreveport Police Department said. Authorities say the incident stemmed from a domestic disturbance. The adult male suspect is dead; he was believed to be the father of seven of the children killed. One of the women shot was his wife and the mother of seven of the children.
Living Better
GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Zepbound are designed as long-term treatments for chronic conditions like diabetes and obesity, but many people stop using them. Reasons include framing obesity treatment as temporary, cost, loss of insurance or side effects. Some plan to restart later. Research has not yet clarified health effects of cycling these drugs on and off.
Consumer uptake of GLP-1s is outpacing research. Limited data exist on periodic use, but studies show weight is regained faster after stopping GLP-1s than after behavior-focused diets. Experts warn repeated stops and restarts can reduce lean muscle mass each time, potentially producing a bonier appearance and loose skin. When people stop, fat returns quickly; how much lost muscle rebounds is unclear.
Picture show
In Mattiyarenthal, a village in Tamil Nadu, India, women farmers work chile pepper fields under intense heat. Women perform more than 70% of agricultural tasks locally. The physically demanding work deters many men, yet the seasonal labor provides crucial income that can support households for the year. See photos of overlooked women farmers.
3 things to know before you go
1) Voyager 1, the most distant human-made object, is running out of power. NASA shut down one of its remaining scientific instruments to prolong the spacecraft’s life.
2) Communities in the Midwest are cleaning up after tornadoes and severe storms moved through parts of Iowa, Illinois and Missouri.
3) A man named Jay says a chance interaction in a county detention center — another inmate asking to pray for him — changed his life nearly a decade ago; he still reflects on that moment.
This newsletter was edited by Treye Green.
