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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Korva Coleman. The White House says President Trump will address the nation this evening about the war in Iran. This comes after Trump reversed course. He originally demanded that Iran surrender unconditionally. Now he's saying the US could end the war in two to three weeks. Trump had demanded that Iran surrender total control of the Strait of Hormuz, or he would bomb its electricity facilities and wreck all its plants to make drinking water. NPR's Mara Liasson says if Iran holds the Strait of Hormuz, it controls worldwide oil shipping and the cost of fuel.
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The strait is really important. About one fifth of the world's oil passes through it. Iran does have a stranglehold on global markets now. So even if Donald Trump is now trying to argue that the $4 a gallon of gas doesn't affect us, it actually does because oil prices are set globally.
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NPR's Mara Liasson reporting. Lebanon's health ministry says at least seven people have been killed in an Israeli airstrike on Beirut's Mediterranean co. Israel's been attacking Hezbollah militants in Lebanon. They have fired rockets across the border into Israel. NPR's Lauren Frayer reports from Beirut.
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Social media video shows flames shooting up from a residential area in Janah, just north of Beirut Airport. It was one of several strikes on the capital's outskirts. Israel says it killed a top Hezbollah commander, and the group announced funeral prayers for another official. Meanwhile, Lebanon's army is withdrawing from some areas of the country's south after Israel announced plans to dest villages there and create what it calls a buffer zone to prevent Shia Muslim Hezbollah militants from firing rockets across the border. Residents of some Christian villages there say they feel abandoned. In a statement, European foreign ministers called on Israel to avoid widening the conflict. The territorial integrity of Lebanon should be respected, they said. Lauren Frayer, NPR News, Beirut.
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The Supreme Court hears a consequential case today on the future of birthright citizenship. President Trump is arguing against the long held view that children born in the U.S. automatically become U.S. citizens. He'll be in the courtroom to hear the arguments this morning. A federal judge has blocked President Trump's order barring federal funding for NPR and PBS. He says it violated the broadcaster's First Amendment rights. NPR's Scott Newman reports.
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In his ruling, D.C. district Judge Randolph Moss said Trump's order issued last May amounted to an unlawful use of government power, including the power of the purse to, quote, punish or suppress disfavored expression. White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson called the decision a, quote, ridiculous ruling by an activist judge attempting to undermine the law. NPR and PBS have no right to receive taxpayer funds, she said in a statement. NPR called the ruling a win for npr, our network of stations and our tens of millions of listeners nationwide. Scott Newman, NPR News, Washington.
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On Wall street and pre market trading, the Dow is up. This is npr. The nation's dairy farmers are among those taking a hit from substantially higher fuel prices since the war in Iran started. Chuck Kornbach reports on how that may be a factor in a competitive House race in Wisconsin.
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Democrats say their top political targets this fall include Wisconsin GOP Congressman Derek Van Orden. Dairy farmers in his mostly rural district say they're well aware prices for the diesel fuel economy used to run tractors and other farm equipment have gone up 25% in the last month. Brad Goplin is a sixth generation dairy producer who says he hopes to describe the financial impact to potential Democratic voters this year.
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I think it's time that people kind of know how it does affect and it doesn't only affect the farmers, but I mean, it goes down the food chain.
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A spokesperson for Van Orden says the two term incumbent is backing several bills that would help dairy farmers. For NPR News, I'm Chuck Kwernbach in Milwaukee.
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NASA is proceeding with a countdown for tonight's launch of its Artemis 2 mission. A crew of four is set to launch from Florida for a 10 day trip. Their goal is to fly around the moon before returning to Earth. The Jewish holiday at Passover begins tonight. It commemorates the exodus of ancient Israelites from slavery in Egypt. Jewish families observe the holiday with the Seder meal and at banquets where the story of their liberation. There are increasing concerns about the safety of Jews worldwide as anti Semitic attacks increase. I'm Korva Coleman, NPR News, in Washington.