Trump Weighs Tehran Proposal; Kimmel Defends Comments about First Lady

<p>Today's top stories, with context, in just 15 minutes.<br />On today's podcast:<br />1) President Trump convened his national security team to discuss Iran&rsquo;s proposal to end a war now in its third month. Iran has signaled it may be willing to accept an interim deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for Washington ending its blockade of Iranian ports. The president has told his advisers he&rsquo;s not satisfied with Iran&rsquo;s latest suggestions, and his administration has previously said any deal must include agreements to curb Iran&rsquo;s nuclear activities.<br />2) Jimmy Kimmel defended comments he made during a broadcast that prompted President Trump to call for him to be fired, citing the First Amendment right to free speech. Kimmel's comments, which included a parody of the White House Correspondents' Dinner, were called "hateful and violent" by Melania Trump, who urged ABC to "take a stand." Kimmel apologized for what Trump and others went through, but questioned whether his joke had any effect on the events that unfolded, and suggested the First Lady should have a conversation with her husband about hateful and violent rhetoric.<br />3) Technology stocks led global equity markets lower as concerns over investment in artificial intelligence resurfaced. Oil kept rising as the Strait of Hormuz remained shut, with Brent advancing for a seventh day to top $110 a barrel. The dollar gained against major peers apart from the yen after the Bank of Japan held interest rates in a split vote.</p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>