A unit of Israeli soldiers return with their tanks to the Israeli side of the border with the Gaza Strip on Sunday, after spending months in the Palestinian territory engaged.
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Qatar's prime minister is in Washington, D.C. for talks with U.S. officials aimed at finalizing a framework for a deal to stop fighting in Gaza and free Israeli hostages. Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani is also warning that tensions in the region are "boiling up" following the attack on U.S. troops in Jordan, for which the U.S. blames an Iran-backed militia group and has promised to respond.
NPR's Eyder Peralta tells Up First from Tel Aviv that the attack came at a critical time in the Israel-Hamas war, with a mounting Palestinian death toll, more than 100 Israeli hostages held in captivity and high-level negotiations happening in Paris. Hamas has launched rockets at Tel Aviv for the first time in weeks, while the Israeli military killed three Palestinians in a raid on a West Bank hospital.
The worry, Peralta says, is that any American retaliation has the potential to impede the peace process. He says mediators — including from Qatar and the U.S. — have spoken optimistically about the deal, though the two sides have yet to agree on how long a cease-fire would last.
The Pentagon says there have been 160 attacks on U.S. bases since the Israel-Hamas war began. Here's what we know about the strike in Jordan that killed three service members and wounded more than 40.
The dispute between Texas and the Biden administration over immigration and border control is escalating. The state has seized control of Shelby Park, a park on the banks of the Rio Grande River, and blocked federal border patrol agents from accessing the area, which has been a hot spot for illegal border crossings. That's despite the U.S. Supreme Court ruling last week that federal agents can remove barriers — including miles of razor wire — set up by state officers.
Julian Aguilar with the Texas Newsroom tells Up Firstthat Texas officers have been arresting migrants on trespassing charges, as opposed to federal agents who often detain then release some migrants while they await immigration hearings.
Steve Vladek, a constitutional scholar at the University of Texas at Austin, says the Supreme Court ruling essentially protects the government from sanctions if they remove the wire, but doesn't order Texas to stop doing anything. Aguilar says the court will ultimately have to decide who holds the authority on immigration: states or the federal government.
Nearly 100 tech companies laid off some 25,000 employees in January alone, on the heels of last year's mass layoffs. All of the major tech companies downsizing this year are wildly profitable. So what's behind the frenzy? Experts told NPR that the layoffs appear to be aimed at satisfying investors — and peer pressure.
Today's listen
/ Deep Sea Vision
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Deep Sea Vision
The object spotted in the Pacific Ocean by deep water equipment aligns with the size and shape of Earhart's aircraft.
A deep sea exploration company has captured sonar images of what could be Amelia Earhart's lost airplane at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean. A drone team with Deep Sea Vision spotted the plane-shaped item late last year about 100 miles off Howland Island, where Earhart and her navigator were supposed to refuel before they disappeared in 1937. CEO Tony Romeo told Morning Edition that the next step is to send a camera some 15,000 feet deep to get a closer look at the potential plane's paint and serial number.
Deep dive
/ Maria Fabrizio/NPR
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Maria Fabrizio/NPR
Scientists are exploring interventions that might help slow the rate of aging.
Researchers can estimate how quickly you're aging — and say they're getting closer to figuring out how to slow that process down. NPR's Allison Aubrey participated in a study at the Human Longevity Lab at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, where scientists are studying which kinds of interventions may help people live longer and healthier lives.
Factors like poverty, housing, stress and crime can all play a role in life expectancy, in addition to healthy habits like eating well and avoiding smoking.
Beyond lifestyle changes, researchers told Aubrey that there may eventually be other ways to slow down aging, such as drugs or gene editing. They are looking for interventions that can benefit everyone, regardless of socioeconomic status.
Motivated by her experience in the lab, Aubrey started a new project, How To Thrive As You Age, and welcomes your habits and hacks at [email protected].
3 things to know before you go
/ Florida State Parks
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Florida State Parks
Manatees are generally solitary creatures, but tend to gather at warm water sites in the winter.
A Houston public school teacher is defying Texas' restrictions on books with a secret shelf of banned books. Her students tell NPR the titles make them feel seen.
The Paris Olympics opening ceremony wowed Parisians, fans and most everyone who was able to catch a glimpse of thousands of athletes floating down the Seine to officially begin the Games.
As Vice President Kamala Harris ramps up her campaign for president, Republicans are trying out new — and old — attacks focused on her race and gender, including calling her a "DEI candidate."
The Food Safety and Inspection Service made the announcement Friday. There are 34 cases of Listeria from deli meat across 13 states, including two people who died of Thursday, according to the CDC.
On the day that former President Donald Trump is meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, we look at the Republican nominee's relationship with Israel.
Ashleigh Johnson is one of the best water polo goalkeepers in the world. NPR's Juana Summers talks to her about her barrier-breaking role in the sport and her expectations for her third Olympic games.
After a decades long man hunt the defacto head of Mexico's Sinaloa drug cartel is arrested just outside El Paso. What more do we know about his capture and what impact, if any, will this have on the fentanyl crisis here.
The territory hasn't had any polio cases for 25 years but this suggests the virus is spreading. Polio experts are scrambling to figure out the origins and whether or not there are active cases.
The opposition is united against longtime leftist President Nicolas Maduro, who is seeking a third term in this Sunday's election amid the country's gravest economic and political crisis in decades.