NPR News: 07-11-2026 10AM EDT

Louise Schiavone· Host0:01

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Louise Schiavone. Iran's foreign minister is in Oman today for talks over control of the Strait of Hormuz. This comes as Iran and the US traded fire this week, which NPR's Emily Feng reports ended a temporary ceasefire between the two countries.

Emily Feng0:18

Iran's Abbas Araqchi is in the Gulf country of Oman today. The two countries have been trying to hammer out an agreement to open the Strait of Hormuz, but Oman is against Iran's proposal for Tehran to collect mandatory tolls on ships passing through. Oman has been an important diplomatic back channel between the US and Iran as well, and the US has tried to open a safe maritime channel that hugs Oman's coast and bypasses Iranian control of the strait. But ship traffic has overall slowed after the US and Iran fired at each other's military assets this week. Ship tracking data shows the number of vessels making it through the Strait of Hormuz dropping by nearly half on Thursday. Emily Feng, NPR News.

Louise Schiavone· Host0:56

Graham Platner has formally withdrawn from the US Senate race in Maine in the wake of sexual assault allegations, which he has denied. The state's Democratic Party chair, Charlie Dingman, has confirmed on X that a formal process to fill the vacancy is underway.

Charlie Dingman· Soundbite1:13

The convention will be fair, representative, and as transparent as possible as we all come together in service of our ultimate goal, defeating Susan Collins and winning this Senate seat.

Louise Schiavone· Host1:27

A nominating convention is slated for July