NPR News: 03-26-2026 2AM EDT

Summary

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NPR News Now: 03-26-2026 2AM EDT

Host: Giles Snyder (NPR)
Date: March 26, 2026
Duration: ~5 minutes

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Episode Overview

This NPR News Now episode provides a rapid update on major global and domestic stories, including U.S.-Iran ceasefire negotiations, a mistaken Iranian missile strike on Kurdish forces in Iraq, U.S. policy on ethanol-blended gasoline, severe flooding in Hawaii, and significant layoffs and legal setbacks at Meta (Facebook’s parent company). The episode also covers upcoming diplomatic plans between the U.S. and China.

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Key Discussion Points

1. U.S. and Iran: Ceasefire Negotiations

[00:15–01:20]

• President Trump asserted ongoing ceasefire talks between the U.S. and Iran, with emotionally charged rhetoric regarding Iranian leadership:
  • Donald Trump [00:24]:

    "They are negotiating, by the way, and they want to make a deal so badly, but they're afraid to say it because they figure they'll be killed by their own people. They're also afraid they'll be killed by us. There's never been a head of a country that wanted that job less than being the head of Iran."

• Trump’s comments were made at a Republican fundraising event in Washington, D.C.
• The reality of negotiations remains unclear; Trump hasn’t named negotiating partners. Many top Iranian officials reportedly died in recent U.S.-Israeli strikes.
• Iran’s foreign minister confirmed messages via intermediaries but denied official negotiations.

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2. Iranian Missile Attack on Kurdish Forces in Iraq

[01:20–02:02]

• Six Kurdish Peshmerga fighters were killed when Iranian ballistic missiles struck their HQ near Erbil, Iraq.
• Iraq summoned the Iranian ambassador in protest; this was the first direct attack on Kurdistan region forces in the ongoing war.
• Iranian strikes have intensified regionally; U.S. fighter jets are patrolling Erbil.
• Kurdistan Region President Neshavan Barzani reported Iran acknowledged the strike as a mistake and is investigating.
  • Jane Araf [01:52]:

    "Regional President Neshavan Barzani says Iran acknowledged that the attack was a mistake and said it was investigating."

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3. U.S. Expands E15 Gasoline Sales Amid High Fuel Prices

[02:02–02:54]

• The Trump administration will allow temporary summer sales of E15 (higher ethanol content gasoline) due to war-related price rises.
• EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin highlighted expanded consumer choice:
  • Julia Simon [02:29]:

    "The decision is, quote, giving Americans more fuel options."

• Environmental concerns remain, as E15 is usually restricted in summer for air quality reasons.
• Impact on pump prices uncertain; E15 isn’t available nationwide.
• The ethanol industry supports the move; it follows similar waivers in prior years.

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4. Hawaii Faces Worst Flooding in 20 Years

[02:54–03:08]

• Honolulu neighborhoods were inundated after a severe storm dropped several inches of rain; it’s the state’s worst flooding in two decades.
• Meteorologists were surprised by the storm’s intensity.
• Residents are now cleaning up and evaluating damage.

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5. Meta Layoffs and Legal Troubles

[03:08–04:17]

• Meta is laying off ~700 employees (less than 1% of its workforce). The cuts span teams including Reality Labs, recruiting, sales, and operations.
  • Some employees may be reassigned or relocated.
• Layoffs come as Meta is refocusing on artificial intelligence (AI).
• Meanwhile, Meta executives stand to gain from potential stock price increases.
• Significant legal defeats:
  • Meta was hit with a $375 million verdict over failure to protect kids from online predators.
  • Additional $6 million verdict (alongside YouTube) in Los Angeles over social media addiction.
  • John Ruich [03:58]:

    "Meadow was also hit with a $375 million jury verdict after being found liable for failing to protect kids from online predators."

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6. U.S.-China Diplomatic Updates

[04:17–04:50]

• President Trump will travel to China in May; trip was postponed due to the Iran war.
• A White House visit for Chinese President Xi Jinping is planned later in the year.

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• Donald Trump [00:24]:

  "They are negotiating, by the way, and they want to make a deal so badly, but they're afraid to say it because they figure they'll be killed by their own people. They're also afraid they'll be killed by us."

• Jane Araf [01:52]:

  "Regional President Neshavan Barzani says Iran acknowledged that the attack was a mistake and said it was investigating."

• Julia Simon [02:29]:

  "The decision is, quote, giving Americans more fuel options."

• John Ruich [03:58]:

  "Meadow was also hit with a $375 million jury verdict after being found liable for failing to protect kids from online predators."

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Useful Timestamps

• [00:24] President Trump on U.S.-Iran negotiations
• [01:20] Iranian missile strike on Kurdish forces recap (Jane Araf)
• [02:13] E15 gasoline policy and fuel prices (Julia Simon)
• [02:54] Hawaii flooding report
• [03:35] Meta layoffs and legal issues (John Ruich)
• [04:17] Additional legal verdicts against Meta, U.S.-China diplomacy update

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NPR News Now delivers concise, balanced updates at the top of the hour, offering listeners succinct, reliable snapshots of pressing global news.

Transcript

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[Giles Snyder]

Live from NPR News, I'm Giles Snyder. President Trump repeated Wednesday night that the US And Iran are in ceasefire negotiations.

[Donald Trump]

And they are negotiating, by the way, and they want to make a deal so badly, but they're afraid to say it because they figure they'll be killed by their own people. They're also afraid they'll be killed by us. There's never been a head of a country that wanted that job less than being the head of Iran.

[Giles Snyder]

Trump speaking at a Republican fundraising dinner at Washington, D.C. s Union Station amid conflicting messages about talks with Iran, Trump has not identified who the US Is negotiating with. Many top Iranian officials among the thousands who've been killed since the US And Israel attacked Iran at the end of last month. Iran's foreign minister says messages have been exchanged through intermediaries, but that does not mean negotiations are being held. A rare rocket attack on Iraqi Kurdish forces have killed at least six government fighters. NPR's Jane Araf reports that Kurdish leaders say Iran told them the attack was a mistake.

[Jane Araf]

The Kurdistan region's Peshmerga military forces said six Iranian ballistic missiles struck one of their headquarters near Erbil Tuesday, killing six fighters. The Iraqi government says it summoned the Iranian ambassador to complain about the attack on the Peshmerga base, the first known by Iran on Kurdistan region forces in this war. Iran since Tuesday has intensified attacks in the region, including in the Kurdish capital Erbil, where the provincial governor said U.S. fighter jets were patrolling. Regional President Neshavan Barzani says Iran acknowledged that the attack was a mistake and said it was investigating. Jane Araf, NPR News. Aman.

[Giles Snyder]

Trump administration expanding sales of higher ethanol gasoline NPR's Julius Simon reports. A move comes as prices continue to rise with the ongoing war in Iran.

[Julius Simon]

Gas with a higher ethanol content, also called E15, is typically restricted in summer because it causes more air pollution. But EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has announced the administration is allowing refiners and retailers to sell it on a temporary basis starting in May. Sheldon told reporters at S and P Global Sarawi conference that the decision is, quote, giving Americans more fuel options. It's unclear how much this move will affect high prices at the pump. E15 isn't available in all states. E15 sales were also allowed last year and in 2022 by the Biden administration, the ethanol industry welcomed the decision. Julia Simon, NPR News, Houston.

[Giles Snyder]

Crews in Hawaii evaluating the damage. In a neighborhood near downtown Honolulu, residents are cleaning up after what's being the worst flooding to hit Hawaii in 20 years. A storm dumped several inches of rain late Monday. One National Weather Service forecaster says the ferocity of the downed bore even took meteorologists by surprise. This is npr. Meta, the parent company of Facebook, is laying off around 700 people. That's less than 1% of the company's workforce. Meta has denied reports that it's preparing to slash 20%. And as NPR's John Ruich reports, the cuts come at a time when the firm is trying to center its focus on artificial intelligence.

[John Ruich]

The job cuts span several teams, including Reality Labs, which works on augmented virtual reality, recruiting sales, global operations and social media products. This according to a person familiar with the matter who requested anonymity so they could candidly share information about the layoffs. The person says some affected employees will be offered new roles or relocation to other offices. But the job cuts come at an interesting time for Meta. This week, the company lined up potentially huge pay boosts through stock options for a handful of top executives if they can drive up the share price. Meadow was also hit with a $375 million jury verdict after being found liable for failing to protect kids from online predators. John Ruich, NPR News.

[Giles Snyder]

Meta was hit by that jury verdict in a case out of New Mexico. A separate jury, this one in Los Angeles, found Meta and YouTube liable on Wednesday in a social media addiction trial and awarded a 20 year old woman 6 million DOL. President Trump, now scheduled to travel to China in May. He had been scheduled to make the trip this month but rescheduled, with Trump saying he needed to be in Washington because of the Iran war. The White House says Trump is planning to host Chinese President Xi Jinping for a White House visit later this year. I'm Giles Snyder. This is NPR News.

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