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.
Today's top stories
It has been a whirlwind 24 hours in Rafah. Israeli tanks have taken control of the Gaza side of Rafah's border crossing into Egypt. Cease-fire negotiations with Hamas are on a knife's edge after the militant group said yesterday that it had accepted an Egyptian-Qatari mediated proposal. Israel, however, said the deal didn't meet its demands.
- "Ultimately, the sticking point has been and continues to be that Hamas wants a deal that ends the war, and Israel says that would just leave Hamas intact," NPR's Aya Batrawy reports on Up First. A U.S. official tells NPR that Israel's military operation on the border in Rafah doesn't appear to be the major assault the U.S. has been warning against. But aid organizations told Batrawy that it's a "nightmare scenario:" The gateway for people to leave Gaza or for aid to flow in is now closed.
Social Security's finances have improved slightly in the last year, but the clock is still ticking for Congress to fix it. A new report from the program's trustees board predicts that the retirement program's trust fund will run out of money in 2033. Benefits would automatically be cut by 21% at that time unless lawmakers adopt changes before then. Democratic and Republican lawmakers disagree on how to address the issue. Here are some of the fixes they've proposed.
The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating Boeing over inspections of its 787 Dreamliner aircraft that "may not have been completed." The FAA told NPR it is also investigating whether company employees may have falsified records.
- Boeing also canceled Monday night's planned launch of its Starliner spacecraft because of a faulty oxygen release valve. The company's next opportunity to launch its "Crew Flight Test" mission is Tuesday night.
We, the voters
As part of the We, The Voters series, NPR is bringing you stories about immigration reported from the U.S.-Mexico border all week.
Ryan Riccucci has worked for U.S. Customs and Border Protection for 17 years. The agency is central to the immigration debate. Migrant advocates have accused U.S. Border Patrol agents of disrespecting and abusing people they encounter along the border. The American Civil Liberties Union sued The Tucson Sector Border Patrol, accusing agents of detaining migrants in "inhumane and unconstitutional conditions. But Riccuci says the public often misunderstands his agency's role.
Listen to Riccucci describe the humanitarian role patrol agents can play in the desert and his fellow agents' frustrations about the job. You can read his story here.
Picture show
Zendaya, Jennifer Lopez, Bad Bunny and Chris Hemsworth welcomed superstars to the Metropolitan Museum of Art for the Met Gala last night. Known as fashion's biggest night, the event raises money for the museum's Costume Institute. Last night's soirée marked the opening of a new exhibition at the Institute — a display called "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion." It features about 250 pieces from the Met's permanent collection, including garments by Givenchy, Dior and Schiaparelli.
"The Garden of Time" was the dress code at this year's Met Gala. See photos of NPR's favorite looks and how celebrities interpreted the theme.
3 things to know before you go
- Mother's Day can mean different things to different people. Whether you share a close relationship with your mom, have never known her, or have lost her, NPR wants to know your story. Tell us about the mother figures that have shaped your life, and you could be featured in an upcoming edition of this newsletter.
- Madonna drew 1.6 million fans to a massive free show this weekend at Rio de Janeiro's famed Copacabana Beach on Saturday. The concert capped off her "Celebration" tour.
- Bumble, the dating app that built its brand on having women message their matches first, added a feature that allows men to send the first message by responding to selected prompts. But will it make online dating any better?
This newsletter was edited by Obed Manuel
