Transcript
A (0:00)
Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Dan Ronan. Two US Navy warships began removing Iranian mines from the Iranian block Strait of Hormuz, according to U.S. central Command. NPR's Franco Ordonez reports.
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Two U.S. navy guided missile destroyers pass through the Strait of Hormuz today. Now this would mark the first transit of American warships since the start of the war, you know, which began six weeks ago. The US Says this is the start of a process of reopening the strait to commercial shipping. And again, it comes as American and Iranian teams are meeting in Pakistan for peace talks led by the Vice President Vance. You know, they kicked off this morning between the us, Iran and Pakistan, which of course, is serving as host and intermediary for the talks.
A (0:53)
Additionally, the US Plans to deploy underwater drones to assist in the clearance effort in the coming days. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky publicly confirmed that Ukraine Ukrainian teams sent to several Gulf countries have helped take down Iranian attack drones. NPR's Joanna Kassis reports from Kyiv.
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Zelensky said he had seen video footage from the Gulf of Ukrainian weapons taking down Iranian shahed drones, which have struck several sites, including US Bases in the Middle east, over the last month. He did not say in which Gulf countries the Ukrainian team shot down these drones, citing security reasons. In the last couple of weeks, Zelensky has visited the region and signed defense deals with Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Russia has been using shahed drones to strike Ukrainian cities nearly every night, so Ukraine has developed ways to destroy them. This includes electronic jamming as well as small, cheap interceptor drones that blow up shaheds. Joanna Kakis, NPR News.
A (1:57)
Cave Democratic leaders are calling for Congressman Eric Smallwell to end his bid for the governor of California following allegations made by a former staffer that he sexually assaulted her. NPR has not independently verified the allegations. NPR's Elena Moore reports.
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Swalwell is denying the sexual assault allegations, saying in a video posted online Friday that they were absolutely false. But he also said this.
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I have certainly made mistakes in judgment in my past, but those mistakes are between me and my wife, and to her, I apologize deeply for putting her in this position.
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Several women have accused him of sexual misconduct. California's primary is set for June, and Swalwell was seen as a front runner in the race. Now his standing in Congress is also uncertain. In a statement, House Democratic leaders stopped short of calling for his resignation, but demanded he end his gubernatorial campaign and that there be a, quote, swift investigation. Elena Moore, NPR News.