Middle East ceasefires; John Phelan; DHS budget : NPR

Key Points:

• Tensions escalate in the Middle East as Iran attacks and seizes commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz, rejecting President Trump's unilateral ceasefire extension, while Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon kill at least five people amid ongoing truce talks.
• Navy Secretary John Phelan has resigned immediately amid reported conflicts with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, marking another high-level Pentagon dismissal during a critical period of U.S. military involvement in Iran.
• Senate Republicans introduced a budget resolution to fund immigration enforcement agencies, aiming to end the partial Department of Homeland Security shutdown, despite Democratic opposition following recent controversial ICE actions.
• Democratic candidates are currently outpacing Republicans in midterm fundraising for key congressional races, though GOP-aligned committees hold a significant cash advantage, with Trump's MAGA super PAC possessing nearly $350 million.
• The Trump administration challenges the constitutionality of the Presidential Records Act, prompting historians to seek legal protection for presidential documents crucial to historical understanding, amid concerns over transparency and preservation.