President Trump's envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner traveled to the national lab in Oak Ridge, Tenn., yesterday for consultations with a team of technical experts that could play a role in nuclear negotiations with Iran, Axios' Barak Ravid and Colin Demarest have learned.

• ☢️ Why it matters: The White House is trying to reach a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Iran to end the war and begin in-depth nuclear negotiations, and wants to have experts at the ready should those talks be launched.

🇺🇸🇮🇷 The U.S. and Iran are still at odds on several details of the MOU, according to U.S. officials and regional sources involved in the mediation.

• The sources characterized the negotiations as in their final stretch, but it remains unclear whether agreement will ultimately be reached.
• A U.S. official told Axios: "This meeting in Oak Ridge doesn't mean that a deal is going to happen, but it is a sign that the negotiations are in a very serious phase and that there is a good chance to get it done, and we want to be prepared."

The intrigue: Axios was alerted yesterday that Witkoff had made an unannounced trip to eastern Tennessee. Two U.S. officials later confirmed he and Kushner were visiting Energy Department facilities at Oak Ridge.

• Some of the country's foremost experts in uranium processing and centrifuge technology are based at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Y-12 National Security Complex.

The White House and the National Nuclear Security Administration declined to comment.

👀 What to watch: U.S. officials say the White House has been getting positive indications from the Iran negotiators but believe there are internal divisions in Tehran over how to proceed.

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The Dominican Republic and Morocco are trending summer destinations for U.S. travelers this year, Axios' Alex Fitzpatrick reports from Kayak search data.

• But higher airfares and economic uncertainty amid the Iran war may dissuade some would-be jet-setters.

2026 FIFA World Cup host areas Kansas City and San Francisco also made Kayak's top 10.

• 🇩🇴 Interest in the D.R. could reflect new routes and affordability, Kayak's Kayla DeLoache tells Axios.

📈 Kayak's list reflects trending destinations, with more search interest compared to last year.

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1. 💦 Reflecting Pool fills up: Joggers watched this morning as water flowed into the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, which should be fully open before July 4.
2. 💼 The U.S. economy added 172,000 jobs in May, while the unemployment rate held at 4.3%, confirming that the economy is gaining momentum despite the economic fallout from the Iran war, Axios' Courtenay Brown reports.
3. 🗞️ Democrat Graham Platner will hold his first major campaign rally tonight in Maine for the U.S. Senate as more reports come out about his history with women. He denied portions of a New York Times report published last night that featured ex-girlfriends alleging aggressive behavior. Go deeper.

4. 🤠 Taylor Swift released "I Knew It, I Knew You" for "Toy Story 5," which hits theaters in two weeks. The song marks a return to country and came with a post about her childhood connection to Jessie, the series' beloved cowgirl. Read her post ... Stream the song.

San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama — a 7-foot-4 French phenom — is redefining emotional vulnerability as a strength.

• 💪 His openness is making space for San Antonio fans to do the same, Axios San Antonio's Megan Stringer reports.

🏆 Case in point: After the Spurs won Game 7 of the Western Conference finals last month, Wemby, 22, was moved to tears as he embraced teammate Stephon Castle before bringing together a team group hug.

• 👽 Wemby, playfully nicknamed "The Alien," said after the game that he channels his emotions on the court rather than letting negative energy weigh him down.

The energy reaches the stands. The Jackals, Wemby's handpicked Spurs fan group, traveled to Oklahoma City for Game 7 and got to celebrate with the team.

• "I started crying … more than I've cried in years," Jackals president Aidan Sterling tells Axios.

📺 Tune in: NBA Finals Game 2 is tonight — the Spurs will host the Knicks in San Antonio at 8:30 p.m. ET. New York won Game 1 on Tuesday; San Antonio needs a win at home tonight to even the series.