Transcript
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Jeanine Hurst (0:15)
See Terms live from NPR News. In Washington, I'm Jeanine Hurst. Amid growing threats from the Trump administration, Venezuela's authoritarian leader Nicolas Maduro says he wants to improve relations with Washington. Mad Venezuela, a US Ally and offered to cooperate on fighting drugs and producing oil. John Otis has more.
John Otis (0:39)
In recent months, the US has sent warships to the Caribbean Sea, blown up alleged drug trafficking boats from Venezuela, and has tried to block Venezuelan tankers from exporting oil. All this is part of a campaign by the Trump administration to remove Maduro from power. But in an interview broadcast on Venezuelan state tv, Maduro called for a fresh start. He said the two countries should engage in serious talks about fighting drug trafficking and said U.S. companies could return to Venezuela to produce oil. Here in Venezuela, you have a brother country of the United States, maduro said. Here you have a government that is a friend. For NPR News, I'm John Otis.
Jeanine Hurst (1:24)
Americans may get to enjoy Italian pasta in the U.S. after all, the Trump administration has relented after threatening to slap tariffs on Italian pasta brands. Nfier's Ruth Sherlock has more.
Ruth Sherlock (1:37)
The row over Italian pasta became a diplomatic matter in the Italian Foreign Ministry. A special task force was set up to address the issue. The US Department of Commerce had accused 13 Italian pasta brands of dumping practices when a company sells goods abroad at a cheaper price than in its domestic market. They threatened a penalty of almost 92%. Now, though, the US has sharply lowered the proposed duties following a preliminary review. The Commerce Department says Italian exporters have addressed many of the concerns raised in an initial assessment. Ruth Sherlock, NPR News.
Jeanine Hurst (2:16)
South Carolina's Department of public health reports 9 more confirmed measles cases in its first outbreak update of the year. It's affecting kids at a greater ratio than in other states with outbreaks. South Carolina Public Radio's Louis Alfredo Garcia has more.
Luis Alfredo Garcia (2:31)
State health officials say the count of in state cases related to the outbreak is up to 185. And it's in a county that borders borders North Carolina. The county has the lowest school vaccination rate of any county in South Carolina. Exposure spreads throughout households and schools for the most part, but it is affecting kids at a higher rate than cases in other states with current outbreaks. South Carolina's Department of Public health reports about 90% of its 2025 measles cases were in children. Cases in the outbreak along the ArizonaUtah border are not as child heavy. 65% of Arizona's 2025 cases were in children, and it is 60% for Utah. Each state had more than 150 cases last year. For NPR News, I'm Luis Alfredo Garcia in Columbia, South Carolina.