NPR News Now

The Iran conflict is destabilizing regional infrastructure and global energy markets - Strikes on desalination plants and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz have caused fuel prices to surge while impacting corporate hubs like Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

EU nations are pushing for windfall taxes on energy profits - Finance ministers from five major European countries are calling for a 'solidarity levy' to capture excess profits from companies benefiting from the war-driven energy crisis.

New executive orders targeting mail-in voting face legal and logistical challenges - A mandate to create citizen lists for mail-in ballots is being criticized by unions and state attorneys general as a move that could weaponize the Postal Service and violate constitutional authority.

The Iran conflict is destabilizing regional infrastructure and global energy markets - Strikes on desalination plants and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz have caused fuel prices to surge while impacting corporate hubs like Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

EU nations are pushing for windfall taxes on energy profits - Finance ministers from five major European countries are calling for a 'solidarity levy' to capture excess profits from companies benefiting from the war-driven energy crisis.

New executive orders targeting mail-in voting face legal and logistical challenges - A mandate to create citizen lists for mail-in ballots is being criticized by unions and state attorneys general as a move that could weaponize the Postal Service and violate constitutional authority.

Iranian conflict is triggering a global energy crisis - The downing of US F-15s near the Strait of Hormuz has caused oil prices to double budget estimates in some nations, forcing drastic austerity measures like government travel bans.

The White House is pushing to privatize airport security - To mitigate the impact of government shutdowns and staffing shortages, a new budget proposal seeks to replace TSA agents with private contractors at smaller airports.

Artemis-2 crew captures first views of the Moon's far side - Now over 178,000 miles from home, the astronauts are witnessing lunar craters never visible from Earth as they prepare for their closest approach on Monday.

Iranian conflict is triggering a global energy crisis - The downing of US F-15s near the Strait of Hormuz has caused oil prices to double budget estimates in some nations, forcing drastic austerity measures like government travel bans.

The White House is pushing to privatize airport security - To mitigate the impact of government shutdowns and staffing shortages, a new budget proposal seeks to replace TSA agents with private contractors at smaller airports.

Artemis-2 crew captures first views of the Moon's far side - Now over 178,000 miles from home, the astronauts are witnessing lunar craters never visible from Earth as they prepare for their closest approach on Monday.

Trump issues a 48-hour ultimatum to Iran over the Strait of Hormuz - the President is threatening significant military escalation unless Iran reopens the vital shipping lane following the recent shoot-down of a US fighter jet.

Regional instability in Lebanon is peaking as Israel targets Hezbollah - Israeli airstrikes have killed dozens in Lebanon while the US Embassy warns that Iran may retaliate by targeting American universities in Beirut.

State AGs are challenging the relocation of pregnant migrant minors to Texas - officials in California, New York, and Massachusetts are concerned that moving girls to states with abortion bans effectively blocks access to federally mandated reproductive healthcare.

Trump issues a 48-hour ultimatum to Iran over the Strait of Hormuz - the President is threatening significant military escalation unless Iran reopens the vital shipping lane following the recent shoot-down of a US fighter jet.

Regional instability in Lebanon is peaking as Israel targets Hezbollah - Israeli airstrikes have killed dozens in Lebanon while the US Embassy warns that Iran may retaliate by targeting American universities in Beirut.

State AGs are challenging the relocation of pregnant migrant minors to Texas - officials in California, New York, and Massachusetts are concerned that moving girls to states with abortion bans effectively blocks access to federally mandated reproductive healthcare.

Iran war risks a regional nuclear disaster - a projectile strike on the Bushehr power plant perimeter threatens to leak radiation into the Persian Gulf, potentially contaminating vital water supplies for neighboring Gulf states.

AI investment is cannibalizing corporate labor budgets - corporations are prioritizing massive capital expenditures on AI technology, leaving limited funds available for headcount expansion or employee pay raises.

Europe pushes for a solidarity energy tax - five EU nations are calling for a windfall levy on energy firms to redistribute profits and help consumers offset price spikes caused by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran war risks a regional nuclear disaster - a projectile strike on the Bushehr power plant perimeter threatens to leak radiation into the Persian Gulf, potentially contaminating vital water supplies for neighboring Gulf states.

AI investment is cannibalizing corporate labor budgets - corporations are prioritizing massive capital expenditures on AI technology, leaving limited funds available for headcount expansion or employee pay raises.

Europe pushes for a solidarity energy tax - five EU nations are calling for a windfall levy on energy firms to redistribute profits and help consumers offset price spikes caused by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Conflict in the Middle East is crippling global aviation - the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and ongoing US-Israel strikes on Iran have caused over 46,000 flight cancellations and soaring fuel costs.

The Artemis-2 mission has reached the far side of the moon - astronauts are now closer to the lunar surface than Earth, marking a major milestone as they begin to see craters never visible from our planet.

US airport security faces a persistent staffing crisis - despite executive orders to pay DHS workers, mass resignations from TSA during recent pay disruptions have left wait times highly unpredictable.