Loading summary
Transcript11 lines
- [00:01]
A
Live from NPR News, I'm Dale Willman. The Cottonwood fire in Utah is continuing to gain strength this hour. Officials say the blaze is now burning unchecked across 112 square miles. State officials are now restricting the use of fireworks because of the dry conditions. Red flag warnings are also in effect for parts of California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Idaho. The federal arson case against Jonathan Rinderkonnecht ended in mistrial Friday. He's been accused of starting the deadly Palisades fire in California last year. The jury was split with 10 members wanting to acquit Rinderknecht. One juror named Serena would not offer her last name. She said she was frustrated with the results.
- [00:41]
B
It makes me sad as an American like that, you know, we couldn't come to a conclusion. And I mean, honestly wish I could come back and do it, you know, because I wish we could have came to a conclusion.
- [00:53]
A
Renderkornec faced three arson charges that could have sent him to prison for 45 years. The fire killed 12 people. The Trump administration's Religious Liberty Commission is calling for greater ties between church and state. NPR's Jason DeRose reports.
- [01:06]
C
President Trump created the commission through an executive order in May of 2025. The report says religion is often treated as a problem or annoyance to be managed, restricted or sidelined. Among the commission's recommendations, the creation of a hotline for students and teachers to report what they perceive as violations of their religious liberty and legal protections for health care workers who refuse to participate in procedures such as abortions, that they violate their religious beliefs. Critics of the Religious Liberty Commission say most of its members are conservative Christians who don't represent the diversity of religious thought in the U.S. jason DeRose, NPR News.
- [01:45]
A
Several Democratic governors have sent National Guard troops to Washington, D.C. ahead of America 250 celebrations in that city. It's the first time Democrats have sent troops to D.C. as part of President Trump's deployment there. As NPR's Kat Lansdorf explains.
- [01:59]
D
North Carolina, Kentucky, Michigan and Minnesota all have troops in D.C. see, now they join more than a dozen Republican led states that have had troops in the city for months. NPR reached out to each Democratic governor's office and spokespeople made it clear that their guard members were sent to help with the influx of crowds expected for America 250 celebrations and not as part of the larger law enforcement efforts in Trump's federal task force. But legal experts say drawing a distinction between the America 250 celebration and the task force operations will prove difficult in a city already full of troops. There are more than 4, 800 now in D.C. at an estimated cost of more than $2.8 million per day. Kat Lahnsdorf, NPR News, Washington.
- [02:42]
A
The U.S. central Command says military strikes were launched at Iran on Friday in response to an Iran drone attack on a commercial ship in the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday. In a statement, the military says the strikes hit coastal radar locations along with missile and drone launch sites. You're listening to NPR News. The search is continuing in Venezuela for more than 51,000 people missing since this week's earthquakes. Officials say the death toll has risen to at least 920, and it's expected to go much higher. Citizens in many of the affected areas are digging through rubble trying to find anyone still alive. They say they've seen little government help. Following the two massive earthquakes that hit late Wednesday. A group of ex NOAA employees and volunteers have launched a new climate data website to replace one that was taken off last year by the Trump administration. NPR's Scott Newman has more.
- [03:36]
E
Until a year ago, climate.gov was a go to resource for scientists, educators, farmers and the general public to access climate data and analysis. But at the height of the Doge cutbacks last year, it was shut down and the NOAA personnel who maintained it fired. The administration said the information was moved to other parts of the agency's website. But now three of those fired employees have created Climate US a clone of the site to ensure that access to the information is maintained. Rebecca Lindsey heads the effort.
- [04:06]
B
I think this information is too important and it should remain in a protected place.
- [04:11]
E
Lindsey says the goal is to maintain current data and easily understood analysis. Scott Newman, NPR News.
- [04:18]
A
Scotty Scheffler missed a 25 foot putt Friday that would have given him his second ever sub 60 round, but he ended the day at the PGA Championship in Connecticut with a 60 and a two stroke lead at first place. Victor Hovland finished Friday with a 61 and has sole possession of second round. Three is Saturday. I'm Dale Willman, NPR News.