Vance Iran Negotiations, Israel-Lebanon Talks, Artemis II Return To Earth

Vice president JD Vance leads US negotiations to end a war he reportedly never wanted. President Trump says Vance gets the blame if he fails and Trump takes the credit if he succeeds, which sounds like a joke, but is it? I'm Leila Faudel. That's Stephen Skeep, and this is Up First from NPR News. President Trump told Israel's prime minister to, quote, go low key in its attacks on Lebanon after it killed hundreds in one day. Israel agreed to negotiations with Lebanon, its neighbor and enemy since 1948. But can there be progress when the Lebanese government is weak and has little control over the political and armed group, Hezbollah? Also, the Artemis two crew is returning from a journey around the moon. They plan to splash down near California tonight after traveling farther into space than any humans in history. Stay with us. We'll give you the news from around the world and a bit beyond. This message comes from Schwab. At Schwab, you can get everything from self directed investing to full service wealth management all in one place. No matter your investing goal, life stage, amount to invest, or know how, you can invest your way with Schwab. This message comes from IXL. IXL is designed to help students strengthen core skills and build confidence before the new school year begins. The adaptive platform provides personalized learning for pre k through twelfth grade and is used in 96 of the top 100 school districts in The United States. One hour of tutoring can cost more than an entire month of IXL. Receive an exclusive 20% discount on an IXL membership at ixl.com/npr. This message comes from BetterHelp. Summer can feel like a sprint, kids home, trips to plan, routines flipped upside down. It's easy to slip into survival mode just trying to get through it. Then suddenly, it's over. And you're wishing you enjoyed the days just a little bit more. Therapy can help you slow down and actually be present for the moments that matter. With BetterHelp, you can connect with a licensed therapist from anywhere on your schedule. Don't just survive this summer. Thrive. Visit betterhelp.com/npr. This weekend's negotiations to end the war with Iran puts some pressure on vice president JD Vance. Yeah. Vance is to lead The US team that will meet for talks in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan. It's a big role for an Iraq war veteran whose political brand included opposition to American wars in The Middle East. His task now is to bring together two countries that have been enemies for almost half a century. NPR White House correspondent Danielle Kurtz Leben is covering the story. Danielle, good morning. Hey. Good morning. Why would the White House send JD Vance to negotiate? Well, you know, he's been asked how he got pulled into all these negotiations and, specifically, if those previous non interventionist statements you all mentioned, if those might be a reason why he's been involved. …