Iran elects new leader. And Trump won’t sign any bills until Congress reviews the vote

Today’s top stories

Iran has chosen 56-year-old Mojtaba Khamenei as its new supreme leaderThis was reported by Iranian state television. He is the son of the country’s previous leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed by airstrikes at the start of the US and Israel’s war with Iran. Yesterday the US military confirmed the death of a seventh soldier in the war. As the conflict enters its second week, President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have vowed to continue hitting Iran hard.

• 🎧 A senior Israeli defense official told NPR’s Daniel Estrin this weekend that Israel plans to dismantle Iranian forces within three weeks. On Up firstEstrin said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told him the plan is to target Iran’s army, navy and military industry so that the regime no longer has a fighting force. However, Israel acknowledges that Trump could end the war at any time, although the US has not provided a timeline for the war. Over the weekend, Israel targeted Iranian oil facilities, which U.S. officials were not happy about. A person briefed on the matter told Estrin that U.S. officials were dissatisfied with the extent of the damage.
• 🎧 Ethnic Kurds live on both sides of Iran’s western border. On the one hand, they are part of Iran. On the other hand, they control a region in Iraq. The US has proposed encouraging opposition groups on the Iraqi side armed by Iran to attack Iran. Trump has suggested he supports this plan, but has since withdrawn his support. NPR’s Jane Arraf spoke yesterday with the deputy prime minister of the Iraqi Kurdistan region, Qubad Talabani. He emphasized that the Kurds are trying to govern their region, build the economy and live peacefully. Talabani says the Kurds do not intending to participate in the conflictdespite being a strong US ally.
• 🎧 The war has created a major bottleneck in the Strait of Hormuz. The situation raises concerns about a possible global energy crisis and shortages of essential goods in the Persian Gulf region. NPR’s Jackie Northam says about 120 container ships loaded with valuable cargo, such as food, fertilizer and aluminum, are in limbo. Shipping companies do not accept new bookings. Analysts Northam spoke to say the conflict is disrupting the normally efficient shipping industry. cause delays that put pressure on ports and could harm the market.
• ➡️ The price of Brent crude oil, the global benchmark, rose above $100 when the energy markets opened yesterday. Crude oil was last in the triple digits in 2022 after Russia launched its all-out invasion of Ukraine. The increase is caused by panic over the unclear plan for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump threatened yesterday to withhold his signature on all bills until Congress passes the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act. The proposed law would change voter registration and voting in the US, requiring eligible voters to prove their citizenship with documents such as a valid US passport or birth certificate and a valid photo ID. It is already illegal for non-US citizens to vote in federal elections.

A senior member of OpenAI’s robotics team has resigned over concerns about the company’s recently announced partnership with the U.S. Department of Defense. Caitlin Kalinowski posted on social media that she was abandoning the “principle” after the company decided to integrate its AI systems into secure Defense Department computers. OpenAI’s deal with the Pentagon reflects the US government’s push to use advanced AI tools in national security, sparking debates in the tech industry over surveillance and acceptable practices.

Better life

Sauna enthusiast Michael Calcagno, second from right, sits in a wood-fired sauna with clear walls during the Seattle Sauna Festival in November. The use of saunas has boomed as a health practice and scientists are studying their benefits.

Mike Kane for NPR

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Mike Kane for NPR

Better living is one special series about what it takes to stay healthy in America.

The age-old practice of saunas has captured the attention of the wellness zeitgeist and amassed a new generation of followers eager to reap its benefits. Researchers say saunas challenge the body in a way similar to exercise. The sudden increase in heat tests your cardiovascular system by dilating your blood vessels, which increases your heart rate and pushes your blood to your skin, where it can be more easily cooled by sweat.

• ➡️Studies have shown that saunas can help improve blood pressure, cholesterol levels, arterial stiffness, and other markers of cardiometabolic health.
• ➡️ Sauna use reduces the risk of respiratory diseases and neurodegenerative disorders such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Several mechanisms that could explain the reduced risk of chronic diseases include effects on systemic inflammation and oxidative stress.
• ➡️ The biggest appeal of saunas is the feeling they give to enthusiasts by providing a mental health boost. So far, the data suggests a linear relationship: to some extent, people feel less depressed in the subsequent days and weeks after using the sauna.

Photo show

Former Vice President Kamala Harris holds a campaign button from the Rev. Jesse Jackson’s 1988 presidential election as he spoke during Jackson’s public home service at the House of Hope in Chicago on Friday.

Kenn Cook Jr. for NPR

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Kenn Cook Jr. for NPR

The Rev. Jesse Jackson, who died last month at the age of 84, was buried this weekend at Chicago’s Oak Woods Cemetery. A week of services for the civil rights leader included lying in repose at Rainbow PUSH headquarters, lying in state at the South Carolina State Capitol, and a Friday evening service at the House of Hope megachurch. Thousands attended the service, including former presidents Bill Clinton, Barack Obama and Joe Biden. View photos from these events.

3 things you need to know before you go

Singer Joe McDonald sings during the 40th anniversary concert of the Woodstock music festival on August 15, 2009 in Bethel, New York. McDonald died at the age of 84.

Mario Tama/Getty Images

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Mario Tama/Getty Images

1. Country Joe McDonald, whose Vietnam War protest song became a signature anthem of the 1960s counterculture, died Saturday at the age of 84.
2. British Columbia is making daylight saving time permanent after switching clocks this weekend. The change is popular among residents of the Canadian province, but health experts say it increases health risks.
3. Netflix is ​​acquiring InterPositive, Ben Affleck’s AI-powered filmmaker. Affleck says his technology helps filmmakers build custom AI models based on the scenes they’ve already shot.

This newsletter has been edited by Suzanne Nuijen.