Iran talks delayed after new strikes; Renovated Reflecting Pool already peeling

Peace talks with Iran are supposed to be next. Instead, Israel is back to hitting targets in Lebanon

And now Vice President J.D. Vance's trip to Switzerland is on hold

Plus, two feet of rain. Cars swept away. Homes underwater. The remnants of Arthur are leaving a mess across the Gulf Coast

And the Pentagon made flu shots optional. Now a major outbreak at an Air Force training base is forcing a quick change of plans

The stories that matter, clear and credible, from across the country to around the world

These are your unbiased updates from Straight Arrow. Good morning, I'm Craig DeGrelly

Just days after the United States and Iran signed a peace deal, the first real test of that agreement is already here

Vice President J.D. Vance was expected to head to Switzerland for the next round of talks with Iran

That trip is now on hold. Swiss officials confirm the talks are delayed, though they have not said why

The timing comes after Israel launched new strikes against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon

even though a halt to fighting there was included in the agreement that President Trump and Iran's president signed earlier this week

The White House insists the process is still moving forward. A spokesperson said, quote, the logistics of these negotiations have never been simple or predictable

and said the administration expects technical talks to begin as soon as possible

Meanwhile, the fighting continues. Lebanese health officials say at least 18 people were killed

and more than 30 others injured in strikes across southern Lebanon. Israel's military also says four of its soldiers died after an IDF tank was hit

For now, officials say preparations for future talks are continuing, even as the violence the deal was supposed to stop continues on the ground

In a related story, Vice President J.D. Vance is taking a much tougher public tone with Israel

than we've heard from this administration so far. A day after the U.S. and Iran signed their initial peace deal

Vance used the White House briefing room to deliver a blunt message to members of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government

who have been attacking the agreement. The comments came after an Axios report that Netanyahu and members of his cabinet

were furious over the deal. Vance said Netanyahu has not personally taken that tone with him but he made it clear he fed up with some of the criticism coming from other Israeli officials Listen What I will say and this does bother me is that you seen people within BB cabinet who have come out and attacked the deal and in some ways very personally

attacked the President of the United States. And I guess my message to them would be twofold

Number one, Donald J. Trump is the only head of state in the entire world who is sympathetic

to the nation of Israel at this moment in time. And he happens to be the head of state

of the world's superpower. If I was in the cabinet of the Israeli government

I might not be attacking the only powerful ally that I have anywhere left in the entire world

And the second message I would give to some of those cabinet members, Bibi, to his credit

has not gone down this path, but to some of these cabinet members in Israel who are attacking the

United States, the other thing that I would say is that over the last three months

Two-thirds of the defensive weapons that have protected your homeland have been built by American hands and paid for by American tax dollars

The problem for Israel is not Donald J. Trump. And anybody in Israel who thinks their biggest problem is the president of the United States needs to wake up and smell the reality of the situation that country is in

The remarks are some of the sharpest public comments this White House has directed toward Israel since the war began

During the same briefing, President Trump posted on Truth Social urging all sides to let the peace process, quote

beautifully unfold, saying he expects a complete ceasefire across the region. Meanwhile, Iran is projecting a much different message

Iranian state media quoted a foreign ministry spokesman as saying the war did not bring Iran to its knees

but instead made the country more powerful, both militarily and diplomatically. Wait till you see these images

The remnants of former Tropical Storm Arthur are pushing across the southeast

leaving flooding, damage and water rescues in their wake. The threat is far from over today after heavy rain and severe weather battered parts of the Gulf Coast Thursday

In rural Louisiana, more than two feet, two feet of rain fell in just 48 hours

flooding at least 200 homes in Evolius Parish. Mississippi was also hit hard

Life-threatening floodwaters trapped people at a campground where rescuers used canoe paddles to break through RV windows

to reach people stranded inside. Floodwaters swept away cars and mobile homes

Some areas received up to 10 inches of rain. A road crew member was killed during cleanup operations in Franklin County while officials evacuated about 30 homes near the Anchor Lake Dam as a precaution Forecasters say the system will continue tracking east so the threat of heavy rain and flash flooding

in parts of the southeast remains throughout the day. If you're listening and want to see some of

the video, go to our website or app. Two months after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ended the

military's flu shot requirement, the Air Force is now dealing with a major outbreak at its largest

basic training base. Nearly 160 trainees have been sickened by the flu at Lackland Air Force

Base in Texas, the primary training center for new Air Force and Space Force recruits

The New York Times was first to report the spread through a basic training unit

where recruits live in close quarters, sleep in open bays, and eat together in large dining

facilities. It comes less than two months after Hegseth scrapped the military's long-standing

flu vaccine requirement and made the shot voluntary. Here's what he said in April

Our new policy is simple. If you, an American warrior entrusted to defend this nation

believe that the flu vaccine is in your best interest, then you are free to take it. You

shouldn't. But we will not force you because your body, your faith and your convictions

are not negotiable. Your health. It's common sense. It's the kind of common sense approach

were undertaking in this department. Since that policy took effect, only about 40 percent of Air

Force trainees have chosen to get the vaccine. Now the Air Force is making an exception. Officials

have reinstated a flu shot requirement for all new recruits at Lackland, while medical teams work to

contain the outbreak. The Air Force says trainees who are sick are being isolated and treated with

antiviral medication. The Pentagon defended the policy change, saying, quote, the decisions were

based upon thorough risk assessments and are designed to maximize operational readiness

lethality, and force generation while safeguarding at-risk populations. A political figure that many in Britain see as a potential successor to Prime Minister

Keir Starmer just got a lot closer to power. Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester

and a longtime Labour Party heavyweight won a special election in northwest England Thursday

claiming a seat in Parliament with about 55% of the vote. On its face, it's just one parliamentary seat

But the result immediately fuels speculation about Starmer's future. The prime minister has been fighting falling poll numbers

a string of political setbacks and growing discontent inside his own party Now Burnham who has never hidden his national ambitions will have a seat in Westminster and a much bigger platform

That matters because Labour could replace its leader without holding a general election

If the party chooses a new leader while maintaining its parliamentary majority

that person could become prime minister. Everyone knows that politics isn't working

Everyone can feel that the country isn't where it should be. Tonight could, just could, be the turning point

Starmer congratulated Burnham after the victory, saying voters backed Labour's message of hope and optimism

Burnham is expected to take his seat in Parliament as early as next week. Finally this morning, the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is dealing with a new problem

just days after crews finished cleaning up a major algae bloom. Visitors have spotted a tear in the new protective coating

applied to the bottom of the pool as part of its recent $14 million renovation

The discovery comes just days after the pool turned bright green from an algae outbreak

prompting crews to remove the growth and treat the water with large amounts of hydrogen peroxide

President Trump ordered the pool's floor to be coated in what he described as

American Flag Blue as part of a broader effort to refresh monuments and public spaces

Now some visitors are questioning whether the project is delivering the results promised

I want my money back after seeing this. I think that it was a huge waste of money to begin with

and I think our resources could be used a lot better elsewhere

The Trump administration operates at the sweet spot of malice and incompetence

And this is just the incompetence on display. This is now getting close to $15 million going to this pool

This very fancy vinyl coating in American flag blue, it didn't last a week before it's coming up here

The cleanup of the reflecting pool started back in April as part of Trump's efforts to improve the architecture in and around Washington to mark the nation's 250th birthday

Unbiased Updates is the fastest, fairest few minutes of news. You can watch us anytime at san.com or on the app, or join our growing audience on Spotify

We thank you for making us part of your morning routine. Those are your Unbiased Updates for this Friday

We'll see you back here on Monday. For all of us here at Straight Arrow, I'm Craig DeGrelli. Have a fantastic Friday and a wonderful weekend