NPR News: 04-13-2026 2PM EDT

Summary

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NPR News Now – April 13, 2026, 2PM EDT

Host: Lakshmi Singh
Length: 5 minutes
Main Theme: A concise update on major domestic and international news, touching on U.S.-Iran tensions, President Trump’s actions and statements, a high-profile lawsuit, wellness trends, and key economic data.

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1. U.S. Blockade and Human Cost in Iran Conflict

[00:01]

• US Military Blockade:
  • The U.S. military has established a blockade on Iran’s ports in the Strait of Hormuz amid an ongoing conflict.
  • Vice President J.D. Vance departed Pakistan without achieving an agreement to end the 45-day conflict.
• Death Toll and Civilian Impact:
  • “Iranian officials say more than 220 children were killed in the weeks before a tentative ceasefire was announced last Wednesday.” (Lakshmi Singh, 00:01)
  • Reporting from Istanbul:
    • [00:30] Jerry Bhaskaran:
      • The casualty numbers are corroborated by a U.S.-based human rights organization, relying on local activists.
      • Of the 220 children killed, 18 were under age five.
      • The deadliest incident: a primary school bombing in Minab on the war’s first day, resulting in the majority of child casualties.
      • Investigations, including NPR’s own, indicate U.S. responsibility for the strike.
      • Contentious Denials:
        • The U.S. military denies targeting civilians.
        • The Israeli army claims all strikes are strictly on military targets.

Notable Quote:

“The majority of children killed since February 28th died in the bombing of a primary school...The U.S. was responsible. The U.S. military has denied attacking civilians.”
— Jerry Bhaskaran (00:45–01:05)

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2. President Trump’s Stance and Media Controversies

[01:12]

• Criticizing Pope Leo:
  • President Trump refuses to apologize for criticism of Pope Leo, who publicly opposed the war.
  • Trump: “You cannot have a nuclear Iran.” (01:17)
• AI-Generated Image Scandal:
  • Trump addressed an AI image widely interpreted as depicting him as Jesus Christ.
• Direct Remarks from Trump:
  • [01:33] President Trump:
    • “I did post it and I thought it was me as a doctor and had to do with Red Cross, as a Red Cross worker there, which we support. And only the fake news could come up with that one. ...It’s supposed to be me as a doctor making people better. And I do make people better. I make people a lot better.” (01:33–01:57)

Memorable Moment:

“I do make people better. I make people a lot better.”
— President Trump (01:55)

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3. Federal Judge Dismisses Trump’s $10 Billion Lawsuit

[01:57]

• Overview:
  • President Trump’s $10 billion suit against the Wall Street Journal and its owners (Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch) is dismissed by a federal judge in Florida.
• Background:
  • Lawsuit focused on a 2003 birthday greeting to Jeffrey Epstein, reported in a Journal article.
  • Judge found Trump’s suit lacked evidence of “actual malice.”
  • Judge acknowledged Journal’s efforts to verify facts and its inclusion of Trump’s denial.
  • Trump is permitted to refile the suit.
• Correspondent:
  • [02:18] David Folkenflik:
    • “Gale’s found the Journal had made numerous efforts to verify its reporting and included Trump’s denial. The judge left the door open to Trump refiling the suit, however, and a spokesperson for his legal team tells NPR it will do just that.” (02:35–02:56)

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4. National and Social Trends:

[02:56]

• Rainbow Pride Flag:

  • Trump administration will rehoist the Rainbow Pride flag at the Stonewall National Monument in NYC, reversing a previous decision.

• Red Light Therapy Trend:

  • [03:30] Maria Godoy reports:
    • Red light therapy devices are gaining popularity for supposed wellness benefits: sold in panels, masks, wands, etc.
    • Expert Insight:
      • Dr. Zakiyah Rahman, Stanford:
        • “It can be challenging to distinguish science from hype...there is actual, real science. It's not science fiction.” (03:33–03:45)
        • Red light stimulates mitochondrial energy in cells.
        • Evidence: Regular use can improve fine lines/wrinkles and promote hair growth (in pattern hair loss cases).
        • Results are modest, not dramatic.

Notable Quote:

“After months of regular use, red light therapy can improve fine lines and wrinkles and promote hair growth in people with pattern hair loss. But the results won’t be dramatic.”
— Maria Godoy (03:50–04:08)

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5. Key Economic Updates

[04:08]

• Energy:
  • Oil remains around $100/barrel after the U.S.-Iran ceasefire talks stall.
  • National gas average: $4.13 per gallon (AAA).
• Housing:
  • White House Council of Economic Advisers estimates a shortage of 10 million homes nationwide.
  • Report suggests more construction with lower prices is needed to boost homeownership and economic growth.

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6. Noteworthy Quotes & Moments

• On the Minab primary school bombing:

  “The US was responsible. The US military has denied attacking civilians.”
  — Jerry Bhaskaran (00:45)

• Trump on the AI image:

  “I do make people better. I make people a lot better.”
  — President Trump (01:55)

• On red light therapy:

  “There is actual, real science. It's not science fiction.”
  — Dr. Zakiyah Rahman (03:35)

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For complete, up-to-the-minute news, listen directly to NPR News Now or access transcripts via NPR.org.

Transcript

[A]

Live from NPR News, I'm Lakshmi Singh. The US Military is enforcing a blockade on Iran's ports in the Strait of Hormuz. Vice President J.D. vance, who led U.S. peace talks with Iran over the weekend, left the host country Pakistan without securing an agreement to end the 45 day conflict. Meanwhile, the war death toll is in the thousands. Duri Bhaskaran reports. Iranian officials say more than 220 children were killed in the weeks before a tentative ceasefire was announced last Wednesday.

[B]

The numbers are to statistics released by a U S based human rights organization which relies on a network of activists inside Iran. The head of Iran's emergency medical services told state TV that 18 of the children who died were under the age of five. The majority of children killed since February 28th died in the bombing of a primary school in the southern city of Minab on the first day of the war. Multiple investigations, including NPR's reporting, showed the US was responsible. The US military has denied attacking civilians and the Israeli army says it directs its strikes at military targets. For NPR News, I'm Jerry Buscarin in Istanbul.

[A]

President Trump says he will not apologize for criticizing Pope Leo after the pontiff publicly opposed the war. Trump says, quote, you cannot have a nuclear Iran. Taking reporters questions today, Trump was also asked about an AI generated image online widely interpreted as the president depicting himself as Jesus Christ.

[C]

I did post it and I thought it was me as a doctor and had to do with Red Cross, as a Red Cross worker there, which we support. And only the fake news could come up with that one. So I had, I just heard about it and I said, how did they come up with that? It's supposed to be me as a doctor making people better. And I do make people better. I make people a lot better.

[A]

A federal judge in Florida has dismissed President Trump's private $10 billion lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal, saying several reporters and its controlling owners, Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch. Trump sued over an article from last July about a body birthday greeting two decades ago to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Here's NPR's David Folkenflick.

[D]

The Journal reported the greeting was part of a celebratory book put together in 2003 for Epstein's 50th birthday by his girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell. Trump said it was fake and sued as a private citizen, though the Murdochs are his political allies. U.S. district Court Judge Darren Gales wrote that Trump had failed to allege sufficiently that the Journal had acted with what's called actual malice. Either knowledge a story is false or failure to seek the truth. Gale's found the journal had made numerous efforts to verify its reporting and included Trump's denial. The judge left the door open to Trump refiling the suit, however, and a spokesperson for his legal team tells NPR it will do just that. David Folkenflick, NPR News.

[A]

You're listening to NPR News. President Trump's reversing course when it comes to the Rainbow Pride flag, the administration says it will rehoist the flag at the Stonewall Wall National Monument in New York City. Red light therapy is a hot wellness trend on social media. It is sold in panels, face masks, hair caps, wands. NPR's Maria Godoy reports. When it comes to its touted benefits for hair growth and skin rejuvenation, there is science to back the hype.

[E]

Dr. Zakiyah Rahman at Stanford says it can be challenging to distinguish science from hype when it comes to red light therapy devices and aimed at consumers. As for the therapy itself, there is actual, real science. It's not science fiction. That science is based on how red light, which occupies the longer wavelengths on the visible light spectrum, stimulates energy production inside mitochondria so that cells work better. Ramon says there's solid research to show. After months of regular use, red light therapy can improve fine lines and wrinkles and promote hair growth in people with pattern hair loss. But the results won't be dramatic. Maria Godoy, NPR News.

[A]

Oil prices are again hovering around $100 a barrel after ceasefire talks between the US and Iran failed to produce a major breakthrough. The auto club AAA says that today the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline is $4.13. In housing, the White House Council of Economic Advisers estimates a shortage of 10 million houses in the United States. The report out today states more construction with lower prices boost homeownership and drive up economic growth. This is NPR News.

[F]

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