"Li from MPR News, I'm Lakshmi Singh.
Iran's retaliatory strikes are expanding a day after the U.S.
“torpedoed and Iranian warship in the waters of Sri Lanka.”
Today, Azerbaijan said it came under drone attacks, Iran denies that claim. Fourteen countries are directly or indirectly involved in the now-six-day-old war. Humanitarian aid organizations are warning of dire conditions for people fleeing is really strikes in South Lebanon. Israel says it is targeting his bullet installations after the Lebanese militant group
launched rockets, into northern Israel, earlier this week. MPR said deal, "I'll shelter your reports from Beirut." Families fleeing these really attacks on their villages in South Lebanon are sheltering in schools and other buildings or resorting to sleeping in cars and the streets. Aid groups like the International Rescue Committee say people are an urgent need of things
like blankets and hygiene products.
Humanitarian funding to Lebanon was drastically cut recently in part due to President Trump's order to decrease international aid from the U.S.
“The Lebanese government says there are nearly 400 shelters operating around Lebanon,”
and as of Wednesday, only 42 had capacity to host additional people. Many Lebanese citizens in the South have had to relocate several times, along with displaced Palestinians and Syrians who took refuge in Lebanon. The war continues to rattle global energy markets. MPR has got horsely reports that's leading to higher prices at the gas pump.
Gasoline prices jump by another nickel a gallon overnight, pushing the national average to 325 a gallon. Triple A says gas prices have jumped by about 25 cents, so with the last three days, and are now about 15 cents higher than this time last year. Crudel prices are also climbing, as the U.S. war with Iran disrupts tanker traffic in the
Middle East. A specialized trade court has ordered the Trump administration to refund tens of billions of dollars worth of tariffs that the Supreme Court ruled were collected illegally. The process for repaying that money still has to be worked out, but so far, courts have slapped down the administration's effort to slow-walk the process.
It's got horsely and piranulous washing time. In Texas and coming to Senator John Cornan and the State's Attorney General Ken Paxton are headed for a run-off. Texas Public Radio's David Martin Davis has more Trump message on social media after the primary result that he will soon be endorsing a candidate, adding he will ask the other
candidate to step aside. John Taylor is a University of Texas at San Antonio Political Science Professor and says the Cornan Paxton runoff could hurt the Texas GOP. I would call it a nightmare scenario for the Republicans in Texas. Appearing on the right wing platform, real America's voice, Paxton said no matter what
happens, he won't drop out of the runoff. I'm saying this, right? I owe it to the people of Texas Trump alluded that he's deeply concerned the runoff will hurt Republican chances of winning the general election in November. I'm David Martin Davis in San Antonio. From Washington, this is NPR News.
President Trump has a goal of reaching 1 million apprenticeships in the United States.
The Labor Department has selected the state of Arkansas to run a $36 million incentive fund. It's a very serious injury issue. Arkansas is a small state, but it has seen big growth in apprenticeships in recent years. That's the model where you can earn wages and learn a new trade at the same time.
Now the state is running an incentive program to encourage manufacturers across the country to create new apprenticeships. Manufacturers can get up to $3,500 for every new registered apprenticeship they create, meaning it meets government standards. The incentive goes to the employer once the apprentice passes the 90-day mark.
Long-time boosters of apprenticeship say they're glad the Trump administration is championing the model, but say the investments are too modest. The Trump administration says it isn't the process of creating more incentive programs
“to spur apprenticeship growth in other key sectors and re-assue and PR news.”
The Ventura County Sheriff's Office in California says law enforcement arrested Britney Spears last night. Its website states the celebrity has since been released. It's not yet clear what Spears charged with. Her next court date is listed as May 4th.
Britney Spears, the Grammy-winning artist, emerged in recent years from conservatorship. The 44-year-old documented her mental health struggles, legal friction with family, and isolation. U.S. stocks are trading lower this hour. The Dow is down more than 700 points or 1.4%. and P.R. News.
