Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Janine Herbst.
President Trump is issuing an ultimatum to Iran tonight, saying on social media that
“if it doesn't open the state of Hormuz within 48 hours, the U.S. will attack their”
power plans. Meanwhile, the U.S. is temporarily lifting sanctions on some oil from Iran, and here's Julia Simon reports it's a major reversal as oil prices climb. The Trump administration had stepped up sanctions on Iranian oil when it returned to office last year, but that was then.
As the U.S. is really war with Iran, enters its fourth week. The story of Hormuz is still closed. The world is still without roughly a fifth of global oil supplies.
And oil prices have risen around 45% since the war began.
This new lifting of sanctions applies to Iranian oil and oil products that are currently loaded on ships, it will last until April 19th. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says the decision is expected to quickly add about 140
“million barrels to the global oil market, which uses about a hundred million barrels of”
oil each day. Julia Simon and Pierre News. Former FBI director Robert Mueller has died. He transformed the FBI after September 11, 2001, and went on to investigate President Trump's campaign ties to Russia and Pierre's carry Johnson reports.
Robert Mueller led the FBI for 12 to malchewous years taking office only days before terror attacks at the nation on 9/11. He helped transform the bureau from a traditional crime-fighting agency into one that works to identify and prevent terror networks from striking on American soil. Later in his career, he served as special counsel, investigating Russian interference
in the 2016 election. Mueller said he could not reach a conclusion about whether President Trump obstructed justice,
“but he also said he could not exonerate Trump.”
Trump posted on social media that, quote, "I'm glad he's dead." He didn't get no longer hurt innocent people. Mueller had decorated Vietnam more veteran and Marine was 81 years old. Kerry Johnson and Pierre News. The Senate is holding a rare weekend session, debating the Republican Save America Act,
which has new requirements for voter registration and requires photo IDs of the polls to make sure the voters are U.S. citizens. They're also debating ending the DHS shutdown, Democrats want reforms to ice in order to fund the agency, but that leaves TSA workers working without pay. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.
Every bill they have brought before the Senate says, "Oh, yeah, we want to pay the TSA workers, we want to reduce the lines and airports, but only if you pass ice funding." With no reform and the American people want reform. Senate Majority Leader John Thunes says it would be hard to explain leaving town next week without funding DHS to say workers are calling out causing long lines at airports.
You're listening to NPR News.
Yesterday was the spring equinox, the first day of spring, in Iraq, Iran, and other countries,
it's an important cultural celebration. NPR's Jan. Raff was in the Kurdistan region of Iraq in the ancient town of Akre, where the annual fireworks dancing and fire marks Kurdish resilience and renewal. It's pouring rain here, but there are hundreds and hundreds of people carrying lit torches and making their way up the mountain.
This celebration marks the first day of spring, but it also references mythology in which it tiring was defeated, and the flames are a symbol of the victory of light over darkness. It's a tradition that's much, much older than the countries in which it's celebrated. And more than anything, as war rages around the region, it's a symbol of the endurance here of Kurdish identity.
Jain Arath and Pyrenees, Akre, in the Kurdistan region of Iraq. Nearly 90,000 bottles of a children's pain reliever have been recalled, because of reports that contained particles and other possible contaminants. Taropharmaceuticals children's Ibu profen oral suspension comes in a very flavored formula for kids as young as two.
The Food and Drug Administration says the recall was launched after some customers reported a gel-like mass and black particles in the product. After a regulator say they were called products are unlikely to pose a serious health risk though to customers, you're listening to NPR News from Washington.
