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Korva Coleman
In Washington, I'm Korva Coleman. President Trump says he's thinking about seizing Iran's main oil terminal on Kharg Island. He he gave an interview to the Financial Times yesterday where he said maybe the US Would take Hog island or maybe it wouldn't and that he had a lot of options. Trump flew back to Washington yesterday aboard Air Force One. He told reporters then Iran has decided to allow some oil tankers to sail through the Strait of Hormuz last week and will allow a few more to pass.
President Donald Trump
And today they gave us another present. They gave us 20 boatloads of oil that starts being shipped tomorrow. We're having very good meetings, both directly and indirectly.
Korva Coleman
He says the tankers are, quote, sign of respect. But Iran says it is not holding direct talks with the U.S. meanwhile, Pakistan says it will host talks between the U.S. and Iran in coming days. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he is widening his country's invasion of southern Lebanon, calling it a security buffer zone. It's intended to stop Hezbollah militants from firing rockets into Israel. NPR's Lauren Freyr has more from Beirut.
Lauren Fryer
First, Israeli officials said they'd take Lebanese territory up to The Latani River, 10 to 20 miles north of the current border. Then they ordered residents out of a zone 10 miles beyond that. Colette Sleem is the principal of a school housing displaced people on the boundary of that zone where the roar of Israeli warplanes interrupted our interview. Residents are fleeing north in waves, she says, and her shelter is now full. Israel has been striking homes, bridges, highways and fuel stations, forcing people from homes that in some cases had only just been repaired from the last Israeli invasion in 2024. Lauren Fryer, NPR News, Beirut.
Korva Coleman
Lebanon says Israeli attacks have killed more than 1200 people and displaced about a fifth of the population. TSA agents have now gone without pay for more than a month. That's triggered historic wait times at airport security checkpoints. But as NPR's Joe Hernandez reports, the Trump administration says TSA workers could be paid as early as today.
Joe Hernandez
The Trump administration says it's using funding within the Department of Homeland Security budget to pay TSA workers. That's after Congress failed to reach a deal to fund dhs. Lawmakers have disagreed over calls for tighter restrictions on immigration enforcement. It's unclear exactly how the Trump administration's funding plan for TSA will work. The agency is seeing its longest wait times in history, with some travelers stuck four hours or more in airport security lines. Federal officials say some airports have had more than 40% of TSA workers call out during the lapse in funding. Meanwhile, White House border czar Tom Homan told multiple media outlets ice agents sent to airports could stay there even after TSA officers are paid. Joe Hernandez, NPR News.
Korva Coleman
You're listening to NPR. The Conservative Political Action Conference, or CPAC, has concluded its annual conference near Dallas. About 1,600 attendees cast votes in a straw presidential poll. The winner was Vice President vance with about 53%. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was second with 35%. But that's a huge jump from last year when Rubio polled at just 3% at CPAC. A new study by the University of Colorado Boulder says there is less ice in the ocean than ever before recorded. The researchers say sea ice is disappearing because of global warming. NASA officials say preparations are going smoothly for a Wednesday launch attempt for the Artemis ii mission. As NPR's Nell Greenfield Boyce reports, its goal is to send astronauts around the moon for the first time since the 1970s.
Nell Greenfield Boyce
The four person crew is in quarantine at Kennedy Space center, where a 322 foot tall rocket is being readied at the launch pad. The crew includes a few firsts for a moon mission, the first person of color, the first woman and the first non American, a Canadian Space Agency astronaut named Jeremy Hansen. At a press briefing, Hanson said their flight is actually a collaboration with lots of international partners.
Jeremy Hansen
It's not just three Americans and a Canadian. It is people literally around the world, and it's a beautiful thing.
Nell Greenfield Boyce
Their space journey is expected to last about 10 days. They'll test out their capsule's systems close to Earth, and if all looks good, they'll go on a looping trip around the moon and back. Nell Greenfield Boyce, NPR News.
Korva Coleman
This is npr.
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Episode: NPR News: 03-30-2026 6AM EDT
Date: March 30, 2026
Host: Korva Coleman, with reporting by Lauren Freyr, Joe Hernandez, Nell Greenfield Boyce
This five-minute NPR News Now episode provides updates on major international and domestic events: escalating U.S.–Iran tensions, Israeli military operations in Lebanon, airport disruptions due to TSA funding issues, the latest on U.S. conservative politics, alarming news about sea ice decline, and NASA's upcoming Artemis II moon mission. It features direct quotes from President Trump and astronaut Jeremy Hansen, plus timely reporting from NPR correspondents.
[00:17-00:56]
[00:56-02:04]
[02:04-03:13]
[03:13-03:38]
[03:38-03:48]
[03:48-04:54]
President Trump, on Iran:
“They gave us 20 boatloads of oil that starts being shipped tomorrow. We're having very good meetings, both directly and indirectly.” [00:47]
Lauren Freyr (from Beirut):
“Residents are fleeing north in waves, she says, and her shelter is now full. Israel has been striking homes, bridges, highways and fuel stations...” [01:47]
Joe Hernandez, on TSA crisis:
“The agency is seeing its longest wait times in history, with some travelers stuck four hours or more in airport security lines.” [02:38]
Jeremy Hansen, Artemis II astronaut:
“It is people literally around the world, and it's a beautiful thing.” [04:34]
This episode efficiently covers pressing global flashpoints, serious domestic challenges, generational environmental change, and advances in space exploration—all through concise, vivid reporting and direct-source commentary.