U.S., Venezuela strike oil deal. And, the staggering hidden toll of U.S. heat deaths
Good morning. You're reading the Up First newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox, and listen to the Up First podcast for all the news you need to start your day.
The Trump administration announced a new U.S. partnership with the Venezuelan government to develop a significant portion of Venezuela's oil reserves. An official, who spoke to NPR on the condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak publicly about the deal, said that the U.S. government is forming a joint venture with a private Venezuelan company. According to the administration, the U.S. will receive 55% of the oil produced from this venture, which is estimated at approximately 65 billion barrels. President Trump says this deal will help lower gas prices, but energy experts are skeptical. Here's what you need to know.
A man walks past a mural featuring oil pumps and wells in Caracas, Venezuela, as the country faces the prospect of the U.S. reimposing oil sanctions. Matias Delacroix/AP hide caption
toggle caption
Matias Delacroix/AP
A man walks past a mural featuring oil pumps and wells in Caracas, Venezuela, as the country faces the prospect of the U.S. reimposing oil sanctions.
Matias Delacroix/AP
The U.S. and Iran have exchanged fire again for the first time in a month. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard said that a U.S. drone attack killed some of its troops on Larak Island, near the Strait of Hormuz. Iran retaliated by targeting U.S. bases in Jordan. The U.S. military said in a statement that it struck the Iranian launch sites after observing Iranian forces preparing to deploy sea mines into the key waterway. The U.S. military finished clearing sea mines from the strait's international shipping routes just last week, according to U.S. Central Command.
The House of Representatives returns today for one week, and it has one main goal: Fund the government. Funding is set to lapse at the end of September, but this week's vote could serve as a stopgap until December, preventing a shutdown during the midterm elections. The Senate has already passed the measure, so this House vote is the final step.
At least 15 people are missing after a severe flood in the Grand Canyon on Saturday. The Arizona Department of Public Safety and the National Park Service evacuated at least 62 individuals from Phantom Ranch and the lower North Kaibab trail to the South Rim, according to a release from the NPS. The flooding destroyed the Black Bridge and Silver Bridge, which crosses the Colorado River, as well as nearly all the footbridges crossing Bright Angel Creek. Multiple trails have also been closed due to the damage. (via KJZZ)
Trying for a baby can be an exciting moment in life, but it can also be challenging. Many factors come into play when trying to conceive, including medical history, genetics, hormone balance and even just pure luck. Though it can often feel like rolling the dice, there are some lifestyle changes men and women can make to help support fertility. If you're on your parenthood journey, check out this comic-style guide for seven evidence-backed ways to get you started.
For more advice on what you can do to help with getting pregnant, listen to this episode of NPR's Life Kit and check out the guide for moms and moms-to-be. Subscribe to the Life Kit newsletter for expert advice on love, money, relationships and more.
by Alejandra Borunda, climate and health reporter on NPR's National Team
Getty Images/Collage by Emily Bogle/NPR
When I started reporting on the ways climate change is affecting human health, sources repeatedly told me the same thing: no one actually knows the scale of the problem. Official estimates vastly undercount lives lost to heat, wildfire smoke and flooding, making climate's toll easy to ignore.
That leads to an obvious question. How many people is climate change hurting and killing?
I was a climate scientist before I came back to journalism, so a question like this is catnip to me. My instinct was to try to answer it with rigorous, careful science — and, of course, report from the ground, learning from the people who were living through the consequences.
So that's what we did. Alongside research scientists from Boston University, we spent two years developing a model that estimates how many deaths across the U.S. are influenced by heat each year. Our exclusive analysis found a staggering hidden toll: Heat kills nearly 5 times more people than official numbers show.
Then, I went into the field to ground-truth our findings and to learn why so many people were dying — and how their deaths could go uncounted. I spent time with people in their stiflingly hot mobile homes in Arizona; finding pockets of shade to rest in with unhoused people in California; and talking with outdoor workers in Washington state.
Now, we're sharing that reporting with you. In today's story, we have included maps that let you search for your county and state to see how many lives heat has taken near the place you live.
Heat isn't just uncomfortable. As our investigation shows, it can kill. Yet, as Quinn Adams, our collaborator from Boston University, says, it's all too easy to discount.
"Most people do not see themselves as vulnerable to heat. They're like, Oh, that's someone else. It's not me," she says. But when it's not taken seriously, suddenly, "it actually is you." Please stay safe this summer and all those to come.
Richard Segovia stands in front of his house on 25th and York streets, known as the Latin Rock House, in San Francisco on April 7, 2026. The home is covered in a large mural honoring dozens of musicians tied to the Mission District's Latin rock scene, which Segovia has helped preserve for decades. Beth LaBerge/KQED hide caption
toggle caption
Beth LaBerge/KQED
This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.
The U.S. and Venezuela have entered into an oil deal. And, NPR spent two years tracking heat-related deaths and found that people in the U.S. are dying from heat more than the…
This lens runs the verified story through Cinnamon's AI — wired in the next step.
Good morning. You're reading the Up First newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox, and listen to the Up First podcast for all the news you need to start your day.
The Trump administration announced a new U.S. partnership with the Venezuelan government to develop a significant portion of Venezuela's oil reserves. An official, who spoke to NPR on the condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak publicly about the deal, said that the U.S. government is forming a joint venture with a private Venezuelan company. According to the administration, the U.S. will receive 55% of the oil produced from this venture, which is estimated at approximately 65 billion barrels. President Trump says this deal will help lower gas prices, but energy experts are skeptical. Here's what you need to know.
A man walks past a mural featuring oil pumps and wells in Caracas, Venezuela, as the country faces the prospect of the U.S. reimposing oil sanctions. Matias Delacroix/AP hide caption
toggle caption
Matias Delacroix/AP
A man walks past a mural featuring oil pumps and wells in Caracas, Venezuela, as the country faces the prospect of the U.S. reimposing oil sanctions.
Matias Delacroix/AP
The U.S. and Iran have exchanged fire again for the first time in a month. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard said that a U.S. drone attack killed some of its troops on Larak Island, near the Strait of Hormuz. Iran retaliated by targeting U.S. bases in Jordan. The U.S. military said in a statement that it struck the Iranian launch sites after observing Iranian forces preparing to deploy sea mines into the key waterway. The U.S. military finished clearing sea mines from the strait's international shipping routes just last week, according to U.S. Central Command.
The House of Representatives returns today for one week, and it has one main goal: Fund the government. Funding is set to lapse at the end of September, but this week's vote could serve as a stopgap until December, preventing a shutdown during the midterm elections. The Senate has already passed the measure, so this House vote is the final step.
At least 15 people are missing after a severe flood in the Grand Canyon on Saturday. The Arizona Department of Public Safety and the National Park Service evacuated at least 62 individuals from Phantom Ranch and the lower North Kaibab trail to the South Rim, according to a release from the NPS. The flooding destroyed the Black Bridge and Silver Bridge, which crosses the Colorado River, as well as nearly all the footbridges crossing Bright Angel Creek. Multiple trails have also been closed due to the damage. (via KJZZ)
Trying for a baby can be an exciting moment in life, but it can also be challenging. Many factors come into play when trying to conceive, including medical history, genetics, hormone balance and even just pure luck. Though it can often feel like rolling the dice, there are some lifestyle changes men and women can make to help support fertility. If you're on your parenthood journey, check out this comic-style guide for seven evidence-backed ways to get you started.
For more advice on what you can do to help with getting pregnant, listen to this episode of NPR's Life Kit and check out the guide for moms and moms-to-be. Subscribe to the Life Kit newsletter for expert advice on love, money, relationships and more.
by Alejandra Borunda, climate and health reporter on NPR's National Team
Getty Images/Collage by Emily Bogle/NPR
When I started reporting on the ways climate change is affecting human health, sources repeatedly told me the same thing: no one actually knows the scale of the problem. Official estimates vastly undercount lives lost to heat, wildfire smoke and flooding, making climate's toll easy to ignore.
That leads to an obvious question. How many people is climate change hurting and killing?
I was a climate scientist before I came back to journalism, so a question like this is catnip to me. My instinct was to try to answer it with rigorous, careful science — and, of course, report from the ground, learning from the people who were living through the consequences.
So that's what we did. Alongside research scientists from Boston University, we spent two years developing a model that estimates how many deaths across the U.S. are influenced by heat each year. Our exclusive analysis found a staggering hidden toll: Heat kills nearly 5 times more people than official numbers show.
Then, I went into the field to ground-truth our findings and to learn why so many people were dying — and how their deaths could go uncounted. I spent time with people in their stiflingly hot mobile homes in Arizona; finding pockets of shade to rest in with unhoused people in California; and talking with outdoor workers in Washington state.
Now, we're sharing that reporting with you. In today's story, we have included maps that let you search for your county and state to see how many lives heat has taken near the place you live.
Heat isn't just uncomfortable. As our investigation shows, it can kill. Yet, as Quinn Adams, our collaborator from Boston University, says, it's all too easy to discount.
"Most people do not see themselves as vulnerable to heat. They're like, Oh, that's someone else. It's not me," she says. But when it's not taken seriously, suddenly, "it actually is you." Please stay safe this summer and all those to come.
Richard Segovia stands in front of his house on 25th and York streets, known as the Latin Rock House, in San Francisco on April 7, 2026. The home is covered in a large mural honoring dozens of musicians tied to the Mission District's Latin rock scene, which Segovia has helped preserve for decades. Beth LaBerge/KQED hide caption
toggle caption
Beth LaBerge/KQED
This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.
Good morning. You're reading the Up First newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox, and listen to the Up First podcast for all the news you need to start your day.
The Trump administration announced a new U.S. partnership with the Venezuelan government to develop a significant portion of Venezuela's oil reserves. An official, who spoke to NPR on the condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak publicly about the deal, said that the U.S. government is forming a joint venture with a private Venezuelan company. According to the administration, the U.S. will receive 55% of the oil produced from this venture, which is estimated at approximately 65 billion barrels. President Trump says this deal will help lower gas prices, but energy experts are skeptical. Here's what you need to know.
A man walks past a mural featuring oil pumps and wells in Caracas, Venezuela, as the country faces the prospect of the U.S. reimposing oil sanctions. Matias Delacroix/AP hide caption
toggle caption
Matias Delacroix/AP
A man walks past a mural featuring oil pumps and wells in Caracas, Venezuela, as the country faces the prospect of the U.S. reimposing oil sanctions.
Matias Delacroix/AP
The U.S. and Iran have exchanged fire again for the first time in a month. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard said that a U.S. drone attack killed some of its troops on Larak Island, near the Strait of Hormuz. Iran retaliated by targeting U.S. bases in Jordan. The U.S. military said in a statement that it struck the Iranian launch sites after observing Iranian forces preparing to deploy sea mines into the key waterway. The U.S. military finished clearing sea mines from the strait's international shipping routes just last week, according to U.S. Central Command.
The House of Representatives returns today for one week, and it has one main goal: Fund the government. Funding is set to lapse at the end of September, but this week's vote could serve as a stopgap until December, preventing a shutdown during the midterm elections. The Senate has already passed the measure, so this House vote is the final step.
At least 15 people are missing after a severe flood in the Grand Canyon on Saturday. The Arizona Department of Public Safety and the National Park Service evacuated at least 62 individuals from Phantom Ranch and the lower North Kaibab trail to the South Rim, according to a release from the NPS. The flooding destroyed the Black Bridge and Silver Bridge, which crosses the Colorado River, as well as nearly all the footbridges crossing Bright Angel Creek. Multiple trails have also been closed due to the damage. (via KJZZ)
Trying for a baby can be an exciting moment in life, but it can also be challenging. Many factors come into play when trying to conceive, including medical history, genetics, hormone balance and even just pure luck. Though it can often feel like rolling the dice, there are some lifestyle changes men and women can make to help support fertility. If you're on your parenthood journey, check out this comic-style guide for seven evidence-backed ways to get you started.
For more advice on what you can do to help with getting pregnant, listen to this episode of NPR's Life Kit and check out the guide for moms and moms-to-be. Subscribe to the Life Kit newsletter for expert advice on love, money, relationships and more.
by Alejandra Borunda, climate and health reporter on NPR's National Team
Getty Images/Collage by Emily Bogle/NPR
When I started reporting on the ways climate change is affecting human health, sources repeatedly told me the same thing: no one actually knows the scale of the problem. Official estimates vastly undercount lives lost to heat, wildfire smoke and flooding, making climate's toll easy to ignore.
That leads to an obvious question. How many people is climate change hurting and killing?
I was a climate scientist before I came back to journalism, so a question like this is catnip to me. My instinct was to try to answer it with rigorous, careful science — and, of course, report from the ground, learning from the people who were living through the consequences.
So that's what we did. Alongside research scientists from Boston University, we spent two years developing a model that estimates how many deaths across the U.S. are influenced by heat each year. Our exclusive analysis found a staggering hidden toll: Heat kills nearly 5 times more people than official numbers show.
Then, I went into the field to ground-truth our findings and to learn why so many people were dying — and how their deaths could go uncounted. I spent time with people in their stiflingly hot mobile homes in Arizona; finding pockets of shade to rest in with unhoused people in California; and talking with outdoor workers in Washington state.
Now, we're sharing that reporting with you. In today's story, we have included maps that let you search for your county and state to see how many lives heat has taken near the place you live.
Heat isn't just uncomfortable. As our investigation shows, it can kill. Yet, as Quinn Adams, our collaborator from Boston University, says, it's all too easy to discount.
"Most people do not see themselves as vulnerable to heat. They're like, Oh, that's someone else. It's not me," she says. But when it's not taken seriously, suddenly, "it actually is you." Please stay safe this summer and all those to come.
Richard Segovia stands in front of his house on 25th and York streets, known as the Latin Rock House, in San Francisco on April 7, 2026. The home is covered in a large mural honoring dozens of musicians tied to the Mission District's Latin rock scene, which Segovia has helped preserve for decades. Beth LaBerge/KQED hide caption
toggle caption
Beth LaBerge/KQED
This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.
Read the full story at NPR ↗ · NPR ↗
This lens runs the verified story through Cinnamon's AI — wired in the next step.
- and Venezuela have entered into an oil deal.
- And, NPR spent two years tracking heat-related deaths and found that people in the U.S.
- are dying from heat more than the…