Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Ryland Barton.
The Senate has voted mostly along party lines to confirm one of its own, Republican Mark
“Wayne Mullin of Oklahoma as the next Secretary of Homeland Security.”
He's taking over a department that has been without funding for more than a month as lawmakers in the White House square off over immigration enforcement and PR's Sam Greenglass reports. Mullin is inheriting a department at the center of a national debate about immigration after federal agents shot and killed two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis earlier this year. While I still has billions of dollars at its disposal despite the funding lapse, employees
at other agencies under DHS like TSA are going without pay, and absences are causing long wait at major airports. Some lawmakers hope their colleague will be a steadier hand compared to his predecessor,
Kristi Nome, who Trump ultimately fired.
But most Democrats still oppose his nomination saying they don't believe a change in leadership is enough of a course correction. Sam Greenglass and PR News Washington. Travelers are waiting for hours and airport security lines during the partial government shutdown.
“Now, the Trump administration is sending federal immigration agents to support TSA officers,”
Amanda Andrews with member station G.P.B. reports. Atlanta travelers are being advised to arrive four hours ahead of their flights at Hartzfield Jackson International Airport. Events have been stretching into the parking lot as TSA officers continue to work without pay.
George Borek is a TSA union leader.
He says, "I can't do what security screening agents do." "They're not trained to our level. They don't know what we do on a day-to-day basis," you know, and an officer to become the TSA agent spends weeks and months trying to get to get certified. The Department of Homeland Security has been shut down since February 14th.
In PR News, I'm Amanda Andrews in Atlanta. President Trump says Iran is eager for a deal to end the war to Iran is disputed that.
“Trump says he extended a deadline for Iran to reopen the crucial straight of”
her moves or face more attacks on its power plants. We were planning tomorrow on shooting down some of their power plants and we're not going to be able to hold that up.
Hopefully, we won't have to do it.
And hopefully, we can make a deal that's good for all of us, including the Middle Eastern allies that have been very good to us, including Israel. That's been a great partner in this fight." The turnaround is driven down oil prices and boosted this U.S. stock market. The Supreme Court's conservative majority largely sounds skeptical of state laws that allow
the counting of late arriving mail-in ballots, but it might be close. The case for Mississippi also could affect voters in several other states, a ruling is expected by late June early enough to govern the counting of ballots in the 2026 mid-term congressional elections. The court challenges part of President Trump's broader attack on most mail-in balladings.
The S&P 500 rallied more than 1% today. This is NPR. WNBA players have unanimously approved the new collective bargaining agreement. The seven-year agreement represents a landmark labor deal for the WNBA and its players. The union says the deal "the liver's consequential economic progress and expanded benefits
that support players on and off the court." A Republican sheriff running for California Governor has seized hundreds of thousands of ballots in an election fraud probe. The state's top elections official says it's baseless, Madison Oment of Member Station KVCR reports.
Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco seized 650,000 ballots based on a tip from a local citizen's group. It alleges that the vote tally was greater than the number of ballots turned in for last year's election to redraw California's congressional map to favor Democrats. Bianco says the investigation is simple.
Physically count the ballots and compare that result with the total votes reported. The outcome of the investigation likely won't change the results of the election. California's Secretary of State says the investigation is based on unsubstantiated allegations and risks undermining public confidence in elections. For NPR news, I'm Madison Oment in Riverside, California.
Officials in bug-tussle Texas say more than 70 road signs have been stolen over the years and they're no longer getting new signs from the Department of Transportation. The population 15 town has been targeted by thieves who like it's unusual name. The Texas State Historical Association says how bug-tussle got its name is in dispute. It could have come from a bug invasion that spoiled a church prick nick or there was
little to do in the town besides watch bugs-tussle. This is NPR news.
