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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Nora Ram. According to state backed Iranian media, Pakistan's powerful interior minister has made an unannounced visit to Iran. As NPR's Diya Hadid reports, the visit comes amid a statement between Iran and the US on ending the latest Mideast war.
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Iranian state backed media reports that the Pakistani interior Minister, Mohsen Naqvi met with his counterpart in Tehran, Iskander Momeney, that that offered no further detail. Naqvi has been a key interlocutor in Pakistan's efforts to mediate an end to the war which began when the US And Israel began striking Iran in late February. While a ceasefire has held for weeks, both Iran and the US Are blockading the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow sea route that funnels about a fifth of the world's oil and gas and about a third of the world's globally traded fertiliser. That's wreaked havoc across the globe, contributing to increasing gas prices and fertilizer fertiliser shortages. Diya Hadid, NPR News.
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The United nations is trying to raise more money for aid to Cuba, where a major energy crisis threatens health care and food production on the island. But NPR's Michelle Kellerman reports the United States says it won't contribute to the U.N. s efforts.
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The UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian affairs says it has raised only 30% of the $94 million it needs for Cuba. Fuel shortages have created what one top official called a multiface emergency. The State Department tells NPR that the US Will not give any money to the UN in Cuba, stating the UN in Cuba has long colluded with the regime. The statement goes on to explain that Secretary of State Marco Rubio has offered $100 million in goods to be delivered by the Catholic Church or other independent and respected organizations. Michelle Kellerman, NPR News. The State Department voters in Louisiana are
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headed to the polls today for a Senate primary election that will test President Trump's grip on the Republican Party. Republican Senator Bill Cassidy is facing two primary challenges, one endorsed by Trump. Cassidy had voted to convict Trump on impeachment charges after the January 6th instruction. NPR's Jim Glucass reports.
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Most of the seven Republican senators who voted to remove Trump in 2021 have retired. Cassidy is seeking a third term, despite Trump recruiting Congresswoman Julia Letlow to challenge him. Voters like Kevin Dupre say Cassidy's vote felt like a betrayal.
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I'm the type of if you cross me, I probably won't trust you anymore. So I think his political career in Louisiana is finished.
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St. Martin Paris GOP chair Kelby Daigle says that's troubling.
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Conservatism is about ideas and principles, and they always make it about Trump. What you gonna do when he's no longer in the picture?
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Cassidy wants to repair his relationship with Trump supporters and tout his independence. This race will test whether that's possible. Sam Greenglass, NPR News.
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This is npr. Protests are being held in cities across the country today in support of voting rights. Several Republican led states in the south have been attempting to redraw congressional maps after the Supreme Court further restricted challenges to map lines based on racial discrimination. A new study finds no significant link between the use of antidepressant medications during pregnancy and autism and adhd in children. NPR's Ritu Chatterjee reports.
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The study was a Meta analysis of 37 existing studies looking at use of antidepressant medications during pregnancy and neurodevelopmental disorders in children. Together, the studies included data on more than 600,000 pregnant women taking antidepressants and nearly 25 million women who didn't use these medications while pregnant. At first, the researchers found a 69% increase in risk of autism in the children of moms who'd used the medications while pregnant. They also found a 35% higher risk of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. But when the researchers controlled for confounding factors like the mother's mental health and family genetics, the elevated risk for these disorders went away. Ritu Chatterjee, NPR News.
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The Calaveras County Fair is underway in Angels Camp, California. That means it's time for the Jumping Frog Jubilee. Participants, known as frog jockeys, use various techniques to encourage their frogs without touching them. To jump the farthest, the frogs must be locally caught bullfrogs, but organizers say they are available for rent. I'm Nora Ramm, NPR News, in Washington.
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Host: Nora Ram
Podcast: NPR News Now
Duration: 5 minutes
This episode presents concise updates on pivotal global and national stories, including diplomatic maneuvers in the Middle East, humanitarian efforts in Cuba, an influential Senate primary in Louisiana, fresh scientific insights into antidepressant use during pregnancy, and a quirky feature from northern California. The tone is informative, direct, and maintains NPR’s hallmark of balanced reporting.
[00:01–01:02]
[01:02–01:58]
[01:58–02:59]
[02:59–03:08]
[03:09–04:16]
[04:16–04:40]
“That’s wreaked havoc across the globe, contributing to increasing gas prices and fertilizer shortages.”
— Diya Hadid, [00:53]
“The UN in Cuba has long colluded with the regime.”
— Michelle Kellerman (reporting State Department position), [01:31]
“If you cross me, I probably won’t trust you anymore. So I think his political career in Louisiana is finished.”
— Kevin Dupre, voter, [02:32]
“Conservatism is about ideas and principles, and they always make it about Trump. What you gonna do when he’s no longer in the picture?”
— Kelby Daigle, St. Martin Parish GOP Chair, [02:42]
“When the researchers controlled for confounding factors...the elevated risk for these disorders went away.”
— Ritu Chatterjee, [04:11]
For listeners seeking more detail, each concise story is an invitation to further reporting through NPR’s larger news network.