[Up First] Iran and US Pause Fighting Again, TPS Work Permits, July 4th Teen Death Investigation

The weeklong funeral of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed alongside four family members on the first day of the US-Israeli offensive, concluded in his hometown of Mashhad. State media broadcast enormous crowds of mourners dressed in black, images meant to project national unity and resilience in the face of US strikes.

Banners reading “#KillTrump” were visible in the crowds, a threat President Trump acknowledged at the NATO summit in Turkey but ultimately brushed off.

Following two days of tit-for-tat strikes

— the US claiming hits on more than 170 sites inside Iran, Iran targeting US bases in Gulf states — the exchange appears to have stopped for now. Peace talks, which had been paused during the funeral period, remain in limbo. Qatar’s foreign minister, acting as lead mediator,

made a round of calls to regional partners in an effort to reengage all sides.

Tensions remain high across the region. Jordan intercepted incoming fire from Iran — an unusual target — and Iran issued fresh threats to the UAE. Shipping in the Strait of Hormuz dropped sharply. Israel’s army chief stated the country is “at the ready,” and Prime Minister Netanyahu echoed that position after a late-night call with President Trump. Separately, US officials confirmed that talks on implementing a Lebanon-Israel peace deal are set to resume in Rome.

More than 300,000 Haitians and thousands of Syrians in the United States are on the verge of losing their right to work after the Trump administration secured a Supreme Court ruling allowing it to revoke

Temporary Protected Status (TPS). TPS allows people whose home countries are deemed too dangerous to live and work legally in the US. With the permit goes the driver’s license — a cascading loss that makes daily life extremely difficult.

In Springfield, Ohio — home to roughly 15,000 Haitians and a city that became a flashpoint during the 2024 campaign after President Trump and Vice President Vance made false and inflammatory remarks about its immigrant community — residents describe a mix of sadness, anger, and confusion, but also a cautious optimism

that some form of relief will come, whether from the government or from faith. One resident noted she would avoid driving unless absolutely necessary, even though her license remains technically valid until 2029.

The Department of Homeland Security stated clearly that there is no legal off-ramp remaining. Officials indicated the administration intends to wind down

these protections as part of a broader immigration enforcement posture, with deportation as the eventual consequence for those who do not leave voluntarily.

The family of Nolan Wells, a Black teenager found dead on a Mississippi barrier island following a Fourth of July outing with friends, is speaking out and demanding answers. The case has drawn nationwide scrutiny

in part because the family has retained prominent civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who has represented the families of other high-profile cases involving Black victims.

Wells was part of a group of teenagers who traveled to the barrier island for the holiday. His body was discovered after he went missing, and the circumstances of his death remain unclear. His family has raised questions about whether the initial investigation was thorough and whether race played a role in how the case was handled by local authorities.

The involvement of Ben Crump has significantly elevated the case’s profile, prompting calls for an independent review. Civil rights advocates argue the case fits a broader pattern of deaths involving young Black men in recreational settings that fail to receive adequate investigative attention. Authorities have not yet publicly ruled out foul play.