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Today's top stories
The ceasefire in Gaza was tested this weekend when Israel launched an assault on the territory in response to an attack on its troops. The Israeli military said Sunday that "terrorists" attacked Israeli troops operating in the Rafah area resulting in two soldiers being killed. Hamas denied involvement in any attacks. Gaza officials say dozens were killed in the Israeli strikes. Both sides are accusing the other of violating the ceasefire deal brokered by the United States.
- 🎧 Yesterday's events mark the most significant threat to the ceasefire deal since both sides signed the agreement, NPR's Rob Schmitz tells Up First. Despite what happened, Hamas and Israel say they are still committed to the spirit of the ceasefire. U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and President Trump's adviser and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, arrive in Israel today and Vice President JD Vance is expected to arrive tomorrow to get the ceasefire deal back on track. The group will try to facilitate the return of the remaining Israeli hostage bodies, which is an important part of the first phase of the agreement.
The government shutdown is entering day 20 with no serious negotiations underway to bring it to an end. The longest shutdown was 35 days and happened during Trump's first term in the White House. However, this time it is different as there is less pressure to get a deal because some of the impacts are not being widely felt, NPR's Deirdre Walsh says.
- 🎧 Instead of feeling pressure to fold due to their projects being targeted, Democrats are digging in and saying that this is more of the same tactics the Trump administration used before the shutdown happened. The Senate has unsuccessfully voted 10 times on a House-approved stopgap bill to fund the government. The next vote is expected tonight. Senate Democrats are expected to keep blocking that bill, not budging on their position that health care subsidies that expire at the end of the year need to be extended.
The U.S. plans to stop all subsidies to Colombia and implement new tariffs after the country's leader, Gustavo Petro, said Trump's attacks on boats coming from Venezuela amount to murder. U.S. forces have destroyed boats in the open waters in what the government describes as a counternarcotics operation.
- 🎧 The U.S. government says it has struck at least seven vessels and claims they were loaded with drugs headed to the U.S. NPR's Eyder Peralta says the big picture is that it has been decades since the U.S. military has taken a position like this in the Americas. This has created tension in the region. Renute Roberts, a fisherman in Trinidad, says he can hear drones circling at night. While Roberts says he believes drugs are a problem, he says Trump can handle it without bombing boats.
Cost of living
NPR's series Cost of Living: The Price We Pay is examining what's driving price increases and how people are coping after years of stubborn inflation.
U.S. health care is the most expensive in the developed world and the price point is only rising. Last year, the average annual premium for an employer-based health insurance plan for a family of four was over $25,500. Of that average total, employers contributed about $19,200 and workers contributed the rest. Total premiums have risen over 24% since 2019 and are widely expected to surge next year. Here's how the increasing costs are impacting people and companies:
- ⚕️ Drugmakers, hospitals, insurance companies and other for-profit companies have driven up the costs of accessing medical care in the U.S. For example, drugmakers are developing more effective medications, but they are charging a lot for them.
- ⚕️ For many of the millions of people who get health insurance through their employer, their paycheck deductions could surge next year by 6% to 7% on average.
- ⚕️ Some companies are covering all insurance premiums. Offering zero-premium health insurance can help to recruit new employees, reduce turnover rates and help workers stay focused on their job, instead of expenses.
Listen to more about what companies are doing to help with health insurance premiums, or read a conversation about it. This week, the series will cover the rising cost of entertainment, like the price of tickets to sporting events. Stay up-to-date on the latest stories here.
How are higher prices changing the way you live? Fill out this form to share your story with NPR.
Picture show
Cumbia Across Latin America is a visual report covering the people, places and cultures that keep this music genre alive in six countries.
The first cumbia song recorded in Ecuador in the 1960s had just one verse and it was called "Cumbia Triste." Written by Polibio Mayorga, the song combined the rhythms of the San Juanito — traditional Andean music — with rural Colombian cumbia, which arrived to the country by way of the record industry. The result marked a new identity for many migrants who came to live in Ecuador's urban centers. Mayorga laid the groundwork for the Ecuadorian cumbia sound and musicians like Medardo Luzuriaga, who transformed the genre into a national sensation. Luzuriaga recorded over 100 albums, and his emblematic cumbias still live in the collective conscience of the entire country. Learn more about Ecuador's influence on the genre of music and see pictures of the culture surrounding it. You can also read the article in Spanish.
3 things to know before you go
- Sam Rivers, bassist for rock band Limp Bizkit, has died at age 48. The band said in a social media post on Saturday, "today we lost our brother."
- The Louvre Museum in Paris was robbed yesterday morning. Investigators are searching for four men who made off with "priceless" jewels, officials say.
- OpenAI users have been blocked from making videos of Martin Luther King Jr. on its Sora app after his estate complained about the spread of "disrespectful depictions." Since the app's launch three weeks ago, users have made hyper-realistic deepfake videos of King saying offensive and racist things.
This newsletter was edited by Obed Manuel.
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