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- [00:01]
Jeanine Herbst
Live from NPR News. In Washington, I'm Jeanine Herst. President Trump says the US Bombed military sites on an island that's vital to Iran's oil network. Trump says the US Obliterated targets on Iran's Kharg island, the primary terminal that handles the country's oil exports, warning the island's oil infrastructure could be next. Russia is welcoming a White House decision to temporarily lift sanctions on some of its oil exports for 30 days. The move impacts Russian oil shipments that are already at sea. NPR's Charles Means has more.
- [00:37]
Charles Maynes
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov says U.S. and Russian interests are currently aligned in stabilizing world energy markets. Yet Peskov adds it would take significantly more Russian oil to secure global energy costs over the long term. Meanwhile, the Kremlin's envoy to the White House, Kirill Dmitriev, went a step further. Writing on social media, Dmitriev predicted additional U.S. sanctions relief looked increasingly inevitable. Critics of the change in US Policy say it's provided the Kremlin with a windfall for its war in Ukraine in a moment when Russia's economic prospects look grim. Charles Maynes, NPR News.
- [01:10]
Jeanine Herbst
The Pentagon says all six crew members who were aboard the U.S. military refueling plane died in a collision with another plane in western Iraq. NPR's C.O. lawrence reports. The refueling plane crash landed while the second plane involved in the collision landed safely.
- [01:26]
C.O. Lawrence
CentCom announced that two U.S. refueling tanker aircraft were involved in an incident in friendly airspace. One of them, a KC135 tanker, went down in western Iraq, which borders Jordan. The second tanker landed safely. CENTCOM said there was no hostile or friendly fire involved in the mishap. The KC135 is used to refuel jets in mid air and usually carries a small crew of three to six airmen. Rescue operations continued through the night. Central Command does not identify fallen troops until 24 hours after next of kin have been notified. The Pentagon said bombardment of Iran will continue to intensify and that US Forces are targeting Iran's ability to lay mines in the Strait of Hormuz, where a fifth of the world's oil supply transits quail. Lawrence, NPR News.
- [02:09]
Jeanine Herbst
President Trump signed two executive orders to make housing more affordable. NPR Stephen Bisaha reports.
- [02:15]
Stephen Bisaha
One of the orders is all about speeding up home building, namely through deregulation. It orders different agencies to review or eliminate requirements on things like energy efficiency for home construction and to streamline federal approvals around wetlands and stormwater requirements to make it easier to insure homes. Trump's second executive order also loosens up rules around mortgages, including making it easier for smaller banks to give out mortgages. There's also a lot of overlap with the Senate bill. Both use incentives to nudge state and local governments. Changes at that level over zoning rules and building codes can have a much bigger influence on home construction than decisions. In Washington, Stephen Besarha, NPR News.
- [02:57]
Jeanine Herbst
You're listening to NPR News from Washington. The Commerce Department's newly released data shows the economy in the fourth quarter of last year didn't grow as much as first thought. The GDP's estimate has been cut to 0.7% growth, down from the 1.4% initial take. Consumer spending, after adjusting for inflation, was anemic in January, and hiring is also ground largely to a standstill. The World Health Organization is warning that the expanding conflict in the Middle east is deepening a health crisis across the region, including attacks on health facilities. NPR's Fatma Tanis has more.
- [03:34]
Fatma Tanis
Over the past two weeks, since the beginning of the US And Israeli war with Iran, the WHO says it has verified 18 attacks on healthcare facilities in Iran, which killed at least eight health workers. In Lebanon, where Israel has increased its bombardment, the WHO says It has documented 25 attacks against health facilities, killing at least 16 health workers. In a statement, the head of the WHO, Tedros Adhanom Gabrieyesus, said health risks were soaring, with hundreds of thousands of people displaced in both countries. He also said medical supply chains were disrupted due to airspace restrictions, causing significant backlogs in health supplies across 25 countries. Fatma Tanis, NPR News.
- [04:20]
Jeanine Herbst
An inflation gauge closely watched by the Federal Reserve move higher in January. It's the latest sign that prices were elevated even before the Iran war caused spikes in oil and gas costs. The Commerce Department says prices rose 2.8% in January year over year. I'm Jeanine Herbst, NPR News, in Washington. Washington,
- [04:40]
Ira Glass
this is Ira Glass of this American Life. Do you know our show? Okay, well, either way, I'm going to tell you about it. We make stories that hopefully pull you in at the beginning with funny moments and feelings and people in surprising situations. And then you just want to find out what is going to happen and cannot stop listening. That's right. I'm talking about stories that make you miss appointments. This is American Life. Wherever you get your podcasts.