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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jeanine Herbst. Iranian state TV has now confirmed the assassinations of two of its highest level officials since Ayatollah Khamenei was killed at the start of the war. Israel says it launched targeted strikes overnight, killing Iran's security and paramilitary chiefs. NPR's Kerry Khan has more.
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Israel's defense minister made the announcement saying both men were killed overnight and he's instructed the military to continue, quote, hunting the leadership. Israel's military confirmed it had killed Golam Reza Soleimani, the leader of the besieged paramilitary forces responsible for violently suppressing street protests against the Iranian government earlier this year, and that an Israeli airstrike killed Ali Laranjani, who it says had been in charge of directing Iran's military efforts since Israel killed the supreme leader in the beginning of the war. The UAE defense ministry says it has engaged 10 ballistic missiles and 45 drones just in the early Tuesday hours. Carrie Kahn, NPR News, Tel Aviv.
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On a frigid day in Chicago, voters are out at the polls after months of a high stakes Illinois primary election season. This year's ballots include an open U.S. senate seat and four Chicago area House seats. Esther Yoonji Kang Kang Rather from member station WBEZ spoke with Democratic primary voters this morning.
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Tiffany Shockley brought her young son with her to vote. Top of mind is one issue, prices
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and gas, food crisis. I have like one income. I have a son. I cannot, I cannot live like that.
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Edward Ellis says he's fed up with the tariffs, the wars and what he calls the dysfunction of both political parties. He almost didn't come today, but then
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when you think about what people have been through to vote, I just feel that is my duty to vote.
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The Democratic candidates span three generations from Gen X to Gen Z, and the outcome may indicate how far left the party's voters are looking to go. For NPR News, I'm Esther Yoonji Kang in Chicago.
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Acting TSA Administrator Adam Stahl says they may have to close some security lanes and possibly some smaller airports around the country if the partial government shutdown continues. Some 50,000 TSA officers are working without pay, and Stahl tells Fox News the callout rate is growing every day. Antoinette Wade has been a TSA agent for 18 years and is a union representative.
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Just unreasonable to expect anybody to continue to go to work for such long periods of time without receiving any pay.
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This as the sale made over funding for the Department of Homeland Security continues over immigration tactics, including the killing of two US Citizens protesting in Minnesota earlier this year. You're listening to NPR News from Washington. Many Americans who use marijuana say they do so for mental health conditions like anxiety and depression. But a major review of the evidence published in the journal Lancet Psychiatry concludes there is little to no evidence that it actually works. NPR's Will Stone has more.
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This is the largest effort to date to pull together all the data from high quality trials on cannabis and mental health. The researchers at the University of Sydney concluded there was no indication cannabis is effective for anxiety, depression, PTSD and other conditions. It found limited support for a few areas like insomnia, autism and Tourette's syndrome. Ziva Cooper is a cannabis researcher at UCLA who was not involved in the new paper.
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I would say that there are significant limitations with these types of studies, she says.
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Yes, there is a need for more well controlled trials on cannabis, but the new review excluded other evidence that does show certain compounds in the plant can be beneficial for anxiety and other symptoms. Will Stone, NPR News.
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The postmaster general says without an influx of cash from Congress, the the U.S. postal Service will run out of money for its workers and vendors in about a year. David Steiner told lawmakers on Capitol Hill today that the post office, which doesn't get tax dollars to operate, ended fiscal year 2025 with a net loss of $9 billion. Mail service continues, though, because the post office borrowed money from the US treasury while halting payments to some pension obligations over the years. It's the latest in a long standing money problem at the post office. I'm Jeanine Herbst, NPR News, in Washington.
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Host: Jeanine Herbst (NPR)
Duration: ~5 minutes
This concise NPR News Now episode delivers urgent updates on escalating conflict between Israel and Iran, Illinois’s primary elections, TSA disruptions from a partial government shutdown, new findings on cannabis and mental health, and the financial crisis facing the U.S. Postal Service.
[00:00–01:06]
Quote:
"...he's instructed the military to continue, quote, 'hunting the leadership.'" ([00:28])
[01:06–02:12]
"Gas, food crisis. I have like one income. I have a son. I cannot, I cannot live like that." – Tiffany Shockley ([01:36])
"When you think about what people have been through to vote, I just feel that it is my duty to vote." – Edward Ellis ([01:53])
[02:12–02:45]
Operational Threats: Acting TSA Administrator Adam Stahl warns of possible security lane closures and shutdowns at smaller airports if the government shutdown persists.
Impact on Workforce: 50,000 TSA officers are working unpaid; absenteeism is rising due to financial strain.
Union Perspective:
"Just unreasonable to expect anybody to continue to go to work for such long periods of time without receiving any pay." – Antoinette Wade, TSA agent and union rep ([02:37])
Political Context: Deadlock over Department of Homeland Security funding continues, amid contentious debate on immigration and recent violence in Minnesota.
[02:45–04:03]
"There are significant limitations with these types of studies," – Ziva Cooper ([03:44])
[04:03–04:40]
On Security and Leadership:
"He's instructed the military to continue, quote, hunting the leadership." – Israel’s Defense Minister ([00:28])
On Everyday Hardship:
"Gas, food crisis. I have like one income. I have a son. I cannot, I cannot live like that." – Tiffany Shockley, voter ([01:36])
Civic Responsibility:
"When you think about what people have been through to vote, I just feel that it is my duty to vote." – Edward Ellis, voter ([01:53])
On Unpaid Work:
"Just unreasonable to expect anybody to continue to go to work for such long periods of time without receiving any pay." – Antoinette Wade, TSA ([02:37])
On Evidence Limitations:
"There are significant limitations with these types of studies." – Ziva Cooper, UCLA ([03:44])
This episode succinctly condenses major national and international stories with first-hand accounts and expert commentary, providing listeners with a crucial update on evolving situations across war, politics, science, and public services.