US-Iran War Escalates, Congress To-Do List, UK Has A New Prime Minister

Three American service members have been killed in the Middle East since Friday. The US retaliated with more attacks on Iranian targets of the war shows no signs of winding down.

I'm Leyla Faldil, that's Michelle Martin, and this is up first from NPR News.

[MUSIC] House Republicans have one week left before they head home for the August recess. Speaker Mike Johnson wants more defense money, a stock trading ban for lawmakers, and President Trump's election bill. But none of these goals address the rising cost of living voters care about most.

And Annie Burnham is Britain's new prime minister. I am ready. He takes over for a care star, or ever he was pushed over by office. They're both from the same party, so are their policies any different.

“Stay with us, we'll give you news you need to start your day.”

[MUSIC]

The NPR network has always been powered by the people it serves,

not by shareholders or special interests, but by people like you and me who believe in a free and independent press. One year ago this month, Congress eliminated federal funding for public media. Together we continue the kind of journalism that we, the public rely on, please give today at donate.npr.org.

[MUSIC] After a DNA test revealed a family secret, questions started swirling. Where am I in the universe, and I had a desperate need to find out. The truth brought dozens of strangers together.

The secret family of a fertility doctor. Listen now to the Sunday story from the up first podcast on the NPR app. [MUSIC] Hi, it's Terry Gross, host of Fresh Air. Hey, take a break from the 24-hour news cycle with us,

and listen to long-form interviews with your favorite authors, actors, filmmakers, comedians, and musicians. The people making the art that nourishes us and speaks to our times. So listen to the Fresh Air podcast from NPR and WHYY. Three U.S. personnel have now been killed in military operations in the Iran war since Friday.

The latest during a controlled detonation in Iraq. The U.S. has continued its waves of attacks against Iran bombing it for nine street nights. And PSG NRF is with us now from Amman, Jordan and Good Morning, Jane. Good morning, Michelle.

“So what has U.S. Central Command said about this most recent death?”

Well, St. Com says that a service member was killed in a controlled detonation of an Iranian drone in the Kurdistan region of Iraq. That's when explosive experts try to disable explosives by deliberately detonating them. Obviously, something seems to have gone wrong there. The Kurdistan region has come under heavy attack by both Iran and Iraqi Iran-backed militias.

Both because of the U.S. presence and because of the presence of the Iranian Kurdish armed opposition there, St. Com also says it found remains human remains. It's a base in Jordan that it is working to identify to other military personnel were killed at the same base Friday. And St. Com isn't saying yet whether those remains are believed to be a service member.

It reported missing in that strike. With these deaths, it makes 17 U.S. military personnel now reported killed and 430 wounded. Iran says at least 3,000 Iranians have been killed since the U.S. and Israel started the war on February 28th. Many of them civilians Iran also says almost 27,000 Iranians have been wounded in attacks. Wow, that's not where they've taken many, many more wounded than we reported the fatalities.

So what is happening in Iran today? Iran says several cities were struck overnight. In the U.S. last week attacked Iranian infrastructure, including bridges and electrical installations. Iran said it would respond with attacks in kind and it has been hitting electrical infrastructure and water decalization plants in Kuwait.

And it's been striking targets in Bahrain as well today. A lot of this is about keeping control of the state of Hormuz, which is that major oil shipping channel

“about keeping that open oil and other goods as well. What is the latest on that?”

Iran says it disabled two tankers that were trying to pass through the street without its permission. Those claims could not be immediately verified, but it has vowed that quote, "not a drop of oil will pass through while the U.S. is attacking it." And oil prices are up again this morning. Let's get back to Jordan, which is where you are.

What is happening there and why is Jordan involved in this? Well, definitely does not want to be involved. It's a small, vulnerable country. But it's also a security partner of the U.S. and it has a peace treaty with neighboring Israel. So there's a large U.S. military presence at Jordanian bases here.

Most Jordanians never see them because they're quite remote.

a tourist resort, Jordan denied that. But Iran assured while later struck an airport compound hitting

U.S. targets. There were no reports of casualties and the airport was operating normally today. That is NPSGNRF and I'm on Jordan and thank you. Thank you. The House has just one week left before lawmakers had back to their districts for the August recess. House Speaker Mike Johnson has a lot. He wants to get done in that week.

More money for defense. The President's election integrity bill, a stock trading ban for lawmakers, and extending funding for the federal government pass the general election in November. And Pierre Congress reported Eric McDaniel is here with us to tell us more good morning, Eric. Hey, glad to be here.

So some of the things on that list are politically sensitive. We're just a few months away from the

“mid-term elections. You've been reporting on this. Are lawmakers willing to take these tough votes?”

Yeah, just a few months away from the mid-term split. Let's also talk about the moment we're in now. President Trump is again escalating his war with Iran. More American troops have died. Gas prices as of this morning are again over $4. According to AAA, and polling shows the cost of living in affordability are Americans' chief concerns. And that's the context that Republicans have with maybe a two vote margin in the House

when they're hoping to take votes on the President's priorities before they head home to sell their record to constituents in hopes of getting re-elected this fall. Now, Jeremy Mandering in partisan sorting all mean that fewer lawmakers are actually at risk of losing their jobs than

you might assume. But when the margin of control in Washington is so slim, there are still maybe

it doesn't or so Republicans who are probably sweating the idea of casting a vote to say give billions more to an expanding war effort as part of what's known as a reconciliation bill without anything new to pay for that spending when political headwins are already blowing against them.

“Eric, aren't there more popular things on the agenda, too? I think that Congressional”

stock trading ban and voter ID requirements. My recollection is that those are backed by pretty big majorities and polls. Yeah, that's right. And I think there's a chance that that combined bill could nearly pass if Speaker Mike Johnson can convince Republicans to stay united on a procedural step required before the final vote. That's a big if. And it's doomed in the Senate where unlike the reconciliation bill, it requires a full 60 votes to pass. Some Republicans

have objections because this version of the stock trading ban allows members to keep the stocks they already own, which in theory means they could still be swayed to vote in their own interests rather than in the interests of their constituents. Democrats also share that concern and many of them also oppose the voter ID requirements. What about the proposal to fund the government through the November election? Republicans are worried that Democrats will not

cooperate on funding the government before the current deadline at the end of September.

“Republicans want to go ahead and lock in current funding levels now for a few months in order”

to avoid an election time shutdown. They still might face objections from people in their own party who want to use the leverage of a pre-election deadline to extract concerns for their own pet projects like reducing government spending or any number of other things. It has President Trump weighed in on any of this. The president cares about Congress doing one thing and one thing only. That's passing his save America Act. It's an election integrity bill. As evidenced by

his speech last Thursday, the president's laser focused on the idea that there was and remains rampant election fraud in the United States. I should say Republican and Democratic election officials all around the country say that's just not true. But House Republicans are attaching the Save America Act to lots of unrelated legislation in order to try and force the Senate to pass it. That won't work. The Senate would again require 60 votes to pass it.

There are only 53 Republicans, only 52 voting right now with Mitch McConnell's extended absence. Democrats don't support the bill, meaning they're not going to add to that math. Congress is as Senate Republican Majority Leader John Thunes says bound by arithmetic. That is NPR Congress reporter Eric McDonald. Eric, thank you. Thanks so much. The United Kingdom gets a new Prime Minister today.

Care Starmer is out. Andy Burnham is in. Burnham is the UK's seventh Prime Minister in 10 years. That's when Britain's voted to exit the European Union and triggered lots of turmoil. Let's turn out it and here's Lauren Freyer in London and Lauren Good morning. Good morning. So tell us about the new Prime Minister. Well Burnham is no stranger to the halls of power and Westminster actually served in Parliament for 16 years, but it was as mayor of Manchester.

Ironically, a local post that gave him a national reputation. He brought economic growth to that one's gritty city and he pledges to do the same nationally. He's from the north of England advocated for blue collar workers, especially during COVID. His social media videos have been

here right now. Have you had a chance to meet him? I have not. I have my interview request

“in though, but I've been up in Manchester talking to people who know him, including Rose Marley,”

who first met Burnham on the indie music scene and became one of his advisors.

She recalls her first impression. The original kind of idea of, like I said, is to sit Westminster kind of MP went out when they're very quick-play. Sideways in his train, as it is T-shirts, and side DJ in. Burnham actually used to moonlight as a DJ in Manchester. Now, unclear if he'll have time for that as Prime Minister now. I don't know what we'll see. Maybe he'll invite you to erase. So what does he pledge to do in terms of policy? So that is less clear. I mean,

this has all happened quickly. As Starmer's approval ratings tanked the ruling labor party sort of cast around for a replacement Burnham returned to Parliament last month, only became head of the ruling labor party just on Friday. And then he gave a speech sort of insisting. I am ready. Ready to lead and to build on the foundation, lay by one person more than any other. He said, he'll build on Starmer's work.

You know, they're from the same party and share roughly the same politics. So is this more of a changing, I don't know, personality or style rather than policy? Yes. I mean, Burnham has said he'll devolve power away from the capital London toward municipal and regional authorities. And there have been rumors that he might lift a ban on new North Sea oil drilling permits. He has not announced anything yet. But President Trump has jumped on that.

Yesterday, Trump wrote on social media that people in Scotland's oil hub Aberdeen are dancing in the streets. Now, there's no evidence of that. But Trump also wrote that North Sea oil drilling would transform the UK from a, quote, poverty-stricken disaster.

“And what about US UK ties overall? Is there any sense of where the Burnham will change that?”

So managing relations with Trump is something that Starmer really struggled with. I mean, he tried to be a Trump whisperer. He enlisted King Charles to do the same. Starmer did win a more favorable trade deal with the US than some other European allies. But then he took a pretty strong stance against the US and Israeli War on Iran and Trump sourd on Starmer criticized him for, amongst other things, immigration policies,

Trump administration officials have voiced support for the far right here. So that is something Burnham will have to contend with, along with rising costs of living, slow growth, you know, all the things that's time it's Starmer. That is, and Pierre's

Lauren Fraer in London. Lauren, thank you. You're welcome. And finally, the World Cup champion

was crowned yesterday. Spain beat Argentina one nil in the final. The winning goal came late in extra time denying Argentina back to back titles. It's not clear if this will be the last World Cup for 39-year-old Argentinean Star Leonardo Messi. Now Spain looks like soccer's new dynasty. They've gone unbeaten in 38-strate matches and with their 19-year-old star at Lameen, Yamal. The Spanish men's squad could just be getting started. This is the first time a country

has held both the men's and women's World Cup titles simultaneously. Before you go, this week on the Sunday Story, we feature reporting from NPR's Frank Langfit on an infertility doctor who secretly fathered dozens of children after a DNA test revealed a family secret question started swirling. Where am I in the universe? And I had a desperate need to find out. The truth brought dozens of strangers together, the secret offspring of a fertility doctor.

Listen now to the Sunday Story from the up-first podcast on the NPR app.

And that's up first for Monday, July 20th. I'm Michelle Martin. And I'm Leila Faudin. Today's episode of a first was edited by Tina Crya, Brett Nealy, Taraniel, Mohammad Everdecy and Taylor Haney. It was produced by Ziyad Bunch and Neodumas. Our director is Christopher Thomas. We get engineering support from Nisha Heines. Our technical director is Carly Strange. Join us again tomorrow.

[Music]

“This is our glass of the American life. Do you know our show?”

Okay, we'll be the way I'm going to tell you about it. We make stories that hopefully pull you into the beginning with funny moments and feelings and people in surprising situations

I'm talking about stories that make you miss appointments. This American life,

wherever you get your podcasts. These days, it feels like the news changes every hour.

Well NPR has a podcast that does that too. NPR news now brings you a fresh five-minute episode

“every hour of the day with the latest most important headlines. In episodes that are clear,”

fact-based and easy to digest. Listen to NPR news now on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcast.