NPR News: 03-18-2026 6AM EDT

Summary

NPR News Now – March 18, 2026, 6AM EDT

Host: Korva Coleman
Duration: ~5 minutes

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Episode Overview

This fast-paced update brings listeners up to speed on major global and domestic news headlines as of March 18, 2026, at 6AM EDT. Topics include the latest escalation in Lebanon, shifts in U.S. defense and economic policy, a looming crisis at the U.S. Postal Service, the start of confirmation hearings for Homeland Security, and a new WNBA contract.

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Key News Highlights

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1. Escalation in Lebanon: Israeli Strikes on Beirut

[00:36 – 01:32]

• Event: Israel launched airstrikes on central Beirut, targeting Hezbollah.
• Casualties: Lebanese Health Ministry reports 10 killed in two morning attacks.
• Details:
  -- Israeli military struck and destroyed a previously targeted building in the Bashura neighborhood.
  -- Evacuation order for residents was issued at 4:00 AM local time; the attack followed at 5:30 AM.
  -- Bashura is near the Lebanese PM’s office and foreign embassies.
  -- Health Ministry condemns Israeli strikes that damaged three public hospitals in Nabatiyeh, southern Lebanon.
• Reporter Quote:

  "The Lebanese Health Ministry also condemned Israeli strikes that damaged three public hospitals in Nabatiyeh, a major city in southern Lebanon."
  — Hadil Al Shalchi, NPR News, Beirut (01:25)

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2. U.S. Warship Deployment & Resignation at the National Counterterrorism Center

[01:32 – 02:36]

• Pentagon Moves: U.S. warship with Marine ground troops tracked off Singapore, reportedly heading to the Middle East.
• Leadership Shakeup:
  -- Joe Kent, National Counterterrorism Center Director, resigned and published a critical letter. -- Kent claims he "could not support the administration's war on Iran," alleging U.S. policy was influenced by Israeli and lobbyist pressure. -- President Trump dismissed Kent as "weak on security." -- Kent had no Democratic senate support at his nomination.
• Senate Opposition:
  -- Sen. Patty Murray labeled Kent a “conspiracy theorist who espouses white supremacist views,”
  and criticized his support of the “false conspiracy that January 6th insurrection was somehow a deep state plot.” (Greg Myre, 02:11–02:36)

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3. Federal Reserve Rates & Economic Strain

[02:36 – 03:31]

• Fed Outlook:
  -- The Federal Reserve expected to hold interest rates steady amid inflation and weak job growth. -- Inflation driven by higher energy prices post-U.S. attack on Iran (2.5 weeks prior). -- Job market: Virtually no growth in last six months.
• Leadership Uncertainty:
  -- Jerome Powell's term as chairman ending; confirmation of successor Kevin Warsh in doubt due to political disputes.
• Reporter Quote:

  “A key Republican senator has promised to block confirmation of President Trump’s nominee, Kevin Warsh, until the Justice Department ends its criminal probe at the central bank.”
  — Scott Horsley, NPR News, Washington (03:16)

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4. Homeland Security Confirmation & TSA Shutdown

[03:31 – 04:15]

• Senate Hearing:
  -- Oklahoma Senator Mark Wayne Mullen up for Homeland Security Secretary confirmation.
• TSA Disruption:
  -- Agency remains partially shut over immigration policy disputes; TSA agents unpaid and airport lines grow longer.

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5. U.S. Postal Service Financial Crisis

[04:15 – 04:59]

• Funding Crisis:
  -- USPS faces a cash shortage—may run out by October, or February 2027 if some payments delayed. -- Postmaster General David Steiner requests Congress allow more borrowing and reform benefit payments.
• Core Message:

  “If you want the same number of delivery days and post offices, we can do that, but someone has to pay for it... There's one thing we can't do, and that is the status quo.”
  — David Steiner, Postmaster General (04:39)

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6. WNBA and Players Association Reach Labor Agreement

[04:59 – 05:15]

• Contract Reached:
  -- Five months after expiration, a new agreement is in place. -- The 2026 WNBA season begins in 51 days.

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• On the Beirut strike:

  “An evacuation order for residents in that building was issued on social media at 4am local time. The attack followed at 5:30am local time.”
  — Hadil Al Shalchi, 00:55

• On Kent’s resignation letter:

  “He could not support the administration's war on Iran... begun after pressure from Israel and its powerful U.S. lobby.”
  — (reported by Korva Coleman, 01:32)

• On USPS future:

  “There's one thing we can't do, and that is the status quo.”
  — David Steiner, Postmaster General, 04:48

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Important Timestamps

• 00:36 — Israel strikes Beirut; first news headline.
• 01:32 — U.S. warship moves, Kent resigns.
• 02:36 — Fed policy and economic update.
• 03:31 — Homeland Security hearing and TSA shutdown.
• 04:15 — USPS financial crisis deepens.
• 04:59 — WNBA contract update.

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Note: All news items reflect the situation as reported by NPR at 6AM EDT on March 18, 2026.

Transcript

[A]

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[B]

In Washington, I'm Korva Coleman. Israel struck central Beirut today, saying it was targeting Hezbollah militants and installations. The Lebanese health ministry said 10 people were killed in two attacks this morning. This comes as the Israeli military issued new evacuation orders for southern Lebanon. NPR's Hadil Al Shelji reports from Beirut.

[C]

The Israeli military struck and destroyed a building that it had previously targeted in the Bashura neighborhood of Beirut. An evacuation order for residents in that building was issued on social media at 4am local time. The attack followed at 5:30am local time. The Israeli military said it was targeting the Iran backed militant group Hezbollah. Bashura is a residential and commercial area near the Lebanese prime minister's office and several foreign embassies. The Lebanese Health Ministry also condemned Israel Israeli strikes that damaged three public hospitals in Nabatiyeh, a major city in southern Lebanon. Hadil Al Shalchi, NPR news, Beirut.

[B]

A U.S. warship with U.S. marine ground troops aboard is being tracked off Singapore. The Wall Street Journal reports the Pentagon is moving them to the Mideast. President Trump is responding to the resignation of his director of the National Counterterrorism Center. Joe Kent published a book blistering Resignation Letter saying he could not support the administration's war on Iran. Kent alleges it was begun after pressure from Israel and its powerful U.S. lobby. Trump has dismissed him as weak on security. NPR's Greg Myre says that when Kent was nominated by Trump last year, he got no Democratic senators support.

[D]

Senate Republicans confirmed him as head of the National Counterterrorism center last July. While Democrats were sharply critical, one of the most outspoken was Washington Democratic Senator Patty Murray. She described Kent as a, quote, conspiracy theorist who espouses white supremacist views. And she said he also pushed the, quote, false conspiracy, that the January 6th insurrection was somehow a deep state plot.

[B]

NPR's Greg Myhrey reporting. The Federal Reserve is expected to hold its benchmark interest rate steady today. NPR Scott Horsley reports. The Fed is caught between rising energy prices and a softening job market.

[E]

The price of gasoline and diesel fuel has jumped sharply since the US Launched its attack on Iran two and a half weeks ago. Even before the war began, inflation was running stubbornly higher than the Fed's target. That makes it harder for the central bank to cut interest rates even as the job market shows signs of needing more support. Over the last six months, the US Economy has added virtually no jobs. Jerome Powell is nearing the end of his term as Fed chairman, but the timetable for confirming a successor is up in the air. A key Republican senator has promised to block confirmation of President Trump's nominee, Kevin Warsh, until the Justice Department ends its criminal probe at the central bank. Scott Horsley, NPR News, Washington.

[B]

You're listening to NPR News. A Senate committee will open the confirmation hearing today for Oklahoma Republican Senator Mark Wayne Mullen to be the next secretary of Homeland Security. The agency oversees the Transportation Security Administration that's partially shut down in a congressional dispute over how the Trump administration. As federal immigration agents operate, TSA agents are not getting paid and security lines at airports are getting longer. The head of the US Postal Service says that agency is months away from running out of money. He says it may have to stop delivering mail next year. NPR's Hansi Lo Wang reports the postmaster general is asking Congress to help stabilize the self funded agency.

[F]

The Postal Service relies on stamps and service fees, not tax dollars, to deliver mail and packages six days a week to every address in the but people and businesses are sending a lot less mail than in past decades. Now Postmaster General David Steiner says USPS could be out of cash for paying its workers as soon as this October, but says that could be delayed until February 2027 if it holds off on paying more of its obligations.

[G]

If you want the same number of delivery days and post offices, we can do that, but someone has to pay for it. If you want to have a discussion about reducing services, we can do that, too. But there's one thing we can't do, and that is the status quo.

[F]

Steiner says Congress should change laws to let the Postal Service borrow more money and reform how it pays for retirement benefits. Hansi Le Wang, NPR News.

[B]

The WNBA and its players association have reached a contract agreement. It comes five months after the previous contract was supposed to expire. The WNBA season starts in 51 days. This is NPR.

[H]

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