"Live from NPR news in Washington, I'm Dan Roman.
President Trump says the U.S. is imposing a naval blockade on the Strait of Hormoods,
and PR's moral bias in reports." Trump told Fox News it wouldn't take long to clean out the Strait. Just hours after talks between the U.S. and Iran failed to reach an agreement to end the war, President Trump posted that effective immediately the U.S. Navy will begin the process of blockading any and all ships trying to enter or leave the Strait of Hormoods.
That means Iran could not export its oil through the Strait, or collect tolls from other country ships. But since it would also prevent any oil from coming through the Strait, it's not clear how the blockade will help bring down the price of gas.
“Those high prices were caused by closing off one of the most important choke points for the”
global oil and gas market. The President also posted that any Iranian who fires at the U.S. or any other peaceful vessels will be "blown to hell." Mariah Lyasin, NPR News. Congress returns to Washington after a two-week break for the Easter recess, NPR Congressional
Correspondent Eric McDaniel says one of the key issues lawmakers will be dealing with concerns the partial government shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security. President Trump wants the Department of Homeland Security reopened. I'm sure I don't have to tell anyone listening. You've been hearing about this shutdown for so long.
It's become the longest agency shutdown ever. There is a plan which has passed a short-term funding bill to fund all of the agency except for immigration enforcement. They're doing that in cooperation with Democrats. Then go through the longer process of funding all of DHS for the rest of Trump's time
in office.
“Agencys are typically funded just a year to time, so that's a big deal.”
Lawmakers will also be reviewing the $1.5 trillion budget request for the Pentagon.
That's more than $455 billion one year increase over the previous year's budget.
A Christian tradition more than 1,000 years old had continued on and erupted in Jerusalem on Saturday, just days after the ceasefire with Iran, NPR's Daniel Estron reports on the Holy Fire ceremony. Pilgrims erupted in cheers and bells rang out. As the Greek Orthodox Patriarch emerged from the Tomb of Jesus, according to tradition,
holding a flame said to be lit miraculously. It was also miraculous, one could say, that the ceasefire with the Iran came just in time, as Israeli authorities reopened the Church of the Holy Seplicer following wartime safety restrictions on gatherings. Israel's foreign ministry says torches carrying the Holy Flame were flown to Orthodox
Christian communities in Greece, Russia, Poland, Georgia, Romania, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Cyprus, and Moldova. One torch was carried across the border to Egypt. Daniel Estron NPR News, Tel Aviv.
“At the masters, the final golfer is around the course Cameron Young, got a birdie on”
number two, now leads by one stroke, and you're listening to NPR news. A federal appeals court says President Trump's White House ballroom project can move forward for now. NPR's Chloe Velvyn reports the administration had challenged a lower court ruling that said the project exceeds presidential authority.
The three judge panel for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled two to one to allow construction to proceed through next Friday, while the district court further reviews the case. The National Trust for Historic Preservation sued to stop construction last December. It argued the President lacked the statutory authority to undertake the project.
In March, a district court judge granted a preliminary injunction to halt construction, even though the project was greenlit by the National Capital Planning Commission and the Commission on Fine Arts, also the east wing had already been demolished. In a statement to NPR, National Trust Presidents and CEO, Carol Quillin expressed appreciation for the court of appeals, this swift actions.
Chloe Velvyn NPR News. Polling stations have closed in Hungary.
Voter turnout was a record 77 percent.
The highest ever recorded in a Hungarian election. Final results may not be known for several hours in a contest against the longtime Prime Minister of Victor Orban, who's being challenged by Senator Wright, candidate Peter Magar, who campaigned on a platform of ending what he said was government corruption. There's also an election today, and Peru voters there will choose a president from the
roster of 35 people running for office. The winner of the election will be Peru's ninth president in nine years. It is likely that there will be a runoff election during the seventh. I'm Dan Ronan NPR News in Washington. This week on sources and methods a messy truce with Iran, which remains in control of
the state of Hormuz. They feel emboldened. This war that started with a call to replace the regime, well, one Haminahe was replaced by another Haminahe. The road ahead in Iran, this week on sources and methods the National Security Podcast
from NPR.
