Loading summary
Transcript7 lines
- [00:02]
A
Iran named a new supreme leader as the war continues to rage. That's where we're starting the seven from the Washington Post, I'm Hannah Jewell. It's Monday, March 9th. Let's get you caught up with today's seven stories. Mujtaba Hamine is the 56 year old son of Ayatollah Ali Hamane. The elder Khamenei dominated Iran for more than three decades before he was killed on the first day of the US And Israel's attack. Mujtaba Khamenei is a regime insider with deep ties to the country's security establishment. His selection as the new supreme leader announced yesterday cements hardline theocratic rule in the country and sends a message of defiance to President Donald Trump. Trump has suggested he wants to topple Iran's regime, But a classified U.S. intelligence report warned that a large scale assault on Iran would not oust Iran's current rulers or lead to Iran's opposition taking power. The findings of that report were confirmed to the Post by three people familiar with its contents. On Saturday, Trump said the US Would expand its targets in the war in Iran. Now in its second week, the war's impacts are being felt around the world, including in the US that brings us to our second story. The assault on Iran is causing widespread economic damage. That's number two. Strikes on energy infrastructure and Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which hosts one fifth of the world's oil and gas shipping, have caused a spike, spike in oil prices that has been reflected in gas prices in the US as of this morning, gas prices are at an average of $3.45 a gallon, according to AAA. That's up from 298 one week ago. Speaking to reporters on Air Force One on Saturday, Trump downplayed concerns.
- [02:12]
B
Are you worried about gas prices right now?
- [02:14]
A
No.
- [02:14]
C
This is a, this is a short excursion into something that should have been done for 47 years. 47 years it' to do this and no president had the guts to do it.
- [02:26]
A
The war's economic impacts extend well beyond oil and natural gas shipments. Farmers will probably be among the first Americans to feel a financial jolt from the war. That's because a lot of fertilizer is produced in the region. And the closure of several airports in the conflict zone, including the world's busiest in Dubai, has reduced global air freight capacity by nearly 1/5. That has interrupted shipments of consumer electronics, pharmaceuticals and precious metals. If you're feeling worried, we have some advice in our newsletter today. Personal finance columnist Michelle Singletary shared four tips to warproof your budget as usual. Follow the link to find that in our show. Notes NUMBER three After slashing federal jobs, the Trump administration is ramping up hiring Last year, Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency, also known as doge, purged hundreds of thousands of federal employees. But the Trump administration has quietly changed course. A hiring push is unfolding under new rules designed to give the White House greater influence over the federal workforce. The administration has lifted restrictions imposed during last year's reductions, and it has created job classifications that make it easier to hire employees aligned with the president's priorities or to fire those who aren't. In recent months, the administration has also moved to centralize hiring decisions, expand the role of political appointees in recruitment, and roll back diversity initiatives adopted under previous administrations. Critics warn that the moves could erode longstanding protections meant to keep the civil service nonpartisan. At number four, ICE has picked untested firms to oversee new warehouse detention centers. For decades, two firms have dominated the immigration detention industry. Geogroup and Corecivic have long been the government's go to partners and run the facilities where most people detained by ICE are held. But that's changing. Trump's government has a $38 billion plan to convert industrial warehouses into large scale holding centers, and it has chosen untested businesses to make that happen. By using less experienced companies, the government may be hoping to gain more leverage. One expert told the Post that experienced companies have long used their dominance over immigration detention to get favorable terms. But it will be a challenge for less experienced companies to meet the government's timelines. According to the Department of Homeland Security, the first facility is expected to open in April. That gives some contractors just weeks to transform buildings that are empty and uninhabitable into secure holding facilities. Cargo thieves are stealing millions of dollars in tech hardware. That's our fifth story. According to a theft prevention firm, the number of incidents of goods being stolen in transit remained pretty much flat last year, but the cost of cargo theft in the US jumped 60%. That's because thieves are no longer setting their sights on things like sneakers and cigarettes. Instead, they are targeting the pricey computer parts driving the AI and tech booms. The cargo industry noticed a clear shift in heist tactics in the middle of 2023. With apparent involvement from organized crime groups, thieves are deploying increasingly sophisticated strategies and deception tactics to steal from distribution sites and truck trailers. Tech companies and the trucking industry are struggling to keep up. Number six Difficult people in your life might make you age faster. A new study looked at the health impacts of Hasslers. Those are people who cause problems in your life or make life more difficult. Perhaps someone you know immediately came to mind. Well, it turns out that Hasslers are not only a nuisance. People in the new study who reported more Hasslers in their lives have increased chronic stress and elevated biomarkers associated with aging. Every additional Hassler they reported actually increased aging by 1.5%. This is the opposite effect that positive relationships can have. Those have been linked to healthier, longer lives. The study also found that some people, like women and those in poorer health, are more likely to report knowing Hasslers. So if you have a Hassler in your life, they might owe you some anti aging cream and at number seven it's not Too Late to See the Northern Lights before they Fade the sun's very active past few years have led to northern lights being visible as far south as Florida and Mexico. But more than 90 million miles away, the Sun's 11 year cycle is downshifting from solar maximum to solar minimum. That means there will be less activity and fewer solar storms, and here on Earth, fewer of the stunning aurora displays which happen when charged particles from the sun collide with our atmosphere. But it's not too late to plan a trip to see the northern lights before they start to fade. Our travel team assembled a list of guided tours and cruises in far northern realms to go aurora spotting. Or if you're hoping to avoid random Hasslers, you can also plan a DIY trip. For all our tips and recommendations, follow the link in today's newsletter. Alright, you're all caught up. If you're not a subscriber to the Washington Post, but you would like to get a taste of what it's like to be one, you might be interested in our temporary passes. For example, you can get one week of unlimited access to the Post with a $7 one time payment that doesn't renew, so you don't have to remember to cancel it. Or of course, you might be tempted to become a subscriber for real. For all the details, head to washingtonpost.com subscribe I'm Hannah Jewell. I'll meet you back here. Tom.
- [09:32]
D
Good journalism is even better when it's shared. With a premium subscription to the Washington Post, you get three extra accounts to share with friends and family so they can stay informed too. Right now, you can get a premium subscription to the post for $6 every four weeks. Just $6 unlocks trusted reporting to share with other people in your life. After your first six months, it'll cost $19 every four weeks. You can cancel anytime. Head over to washingtonpost.com subscribe and get premium access to the Washington post today. That's washingtonpost.com subscribe.
- [10:08]
E
You know what they say early bird gets the ultimate vacation home. Book early and save over $120 with VRBO, because early gets you closer to the action, whether it's waves lapping at the shore or snoozing in a hammock that overlooks, well, whatever you want it to so you can all enjoy the payoff come summer with VRBO's early booking deals. Rise and shine. Average savings $141 select homes only.