Lime from NPR News in Washington, on Corva Coleman, President Trump says he t...
with Iran could soon end, his comments come as there are reports the U.S. and Iran could
hold a second round of peace talks.
“This also comes as both the U.S. and Iran have effectively blocked the Strait of”
Hormuz. That cuts off a lot of crude oil supply to much of the world. But since the two-week ceasefire began prices have dropped back. The cost of U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude oil is now just above ninety-two dollars of barrel.
Trump told Fox Business News journalist Maria Berterromo, "He's surprised." "If you told me that we were going to be at only ninety-two of barrel, ninety-two dollars of barrel, I would have been very surprised." "And you know what? I'm very happy.
And it's going to come dropping down very big as soon as this over. And I think it can be over very soon." But a few days ago, speaking to the same Fox Business News journalist, Trump said he thought oil and gas prices were going to go higher before the midterm elections. It's tax-day, and many Americans are getting larger refunds this year.
But in many cases, those refunds are getting eaten up by higher gas prices. As NPR Steven Besah reports, the average gallon of regular gas in the U.S. now costs $4.11 a month. "So far this year, the average tax refund is about $350 higher than last year. Thanks to the tax changes in Republicans, one big beautiful bill act from last year."
Retirey Bob Jones and Birmingham Alabama says he's happy with his refund, but he plans on keeping it all in savings.
“"You need to say the increase simply for gas right now, gas is through the roof as”
you know." The Bank of America Institute says consumer spending has remained steady while tax refunds cover the extra price of the pump. But if gas prices, tariffs, and inflation continue to go up, they could erode all the benefits Americans receive from the tax changes.
Steven Besahab and PR News The State Department says there will be more diplomatic meetings between Israel and Lebanon
in coming weeks after those two countries held their first direct talks in decades.
But even as the talks were happening, Hezbollah and the Israeli military continued fighting. And PR's cap loomsdorf has more from Beirut. Throughout the day, Hezbollah says it targeted Israeli troops several times, with rockets artillery strikes and drones, as well as firing at communities in Israel's north. Israel, meanwhile, is expanding its military occupation of southern Lebanon, where it says
its military is engaged in fierce battle with Hezbollah fighters.
“Lebanese officials say Israel has demolished more than 40,000 homes in the south, seizing”
land for what Israel calls a buffer zone, to keep Hezbollah from firing rockets into northern Israel. The Lebanese government wants a ceasefire, but Israel won't agree until Hezbollah disarms. It's a longstanding Israeli demand, which the Lebanese government has been unable to enforce in the past.
Catlonsdorf and PR News, Beirut. You're listening to NPR News from Washington. This is the third anniversary of the Civil War in Sudan.
The United Nations considers this one of the worst conflicts on the planet, about 14 million
people have been displaced, tens of thousands of people have been killed. The International Criminal Court is investigating whether war crimes are being committed. A typhoon is battering Guam and the northern Mariana Islands, with sustained wind speeds of at least 126 miles per hour. And Beirut's Rebecca Hershey reports, the former super typhoon has flooded the Pacific
Territories. Typhoons in Laku is hitting the northern Mariana Islands with dangerous winds, powerful enough to downtrees, knockout electricity, and even destroy wood-frame buildings. It's also bringing significant flooding to Guam. Powerful typhoons and hurricanes are more likely to form because of climate change.
Ocean temperatures are rising because of planet warming pollution, from burning oil, gas and coal, that warmer ocean water helps storms like sinlaku get larger and more dangerous. Rebecca Hershey and Peronuse, four castors say several tornadoes have battered the Central U.S. this week, some 17,000 customers and Michigan still don't have power. After severe storms rolled through that state, earlier this week, a dozen suspected tornadoes
hit Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Kansas. Colorado authorities say there was a huge pileup on Interstate 70 yesterday west of Denver, police say about 70 vehicles were involved in the chain reaction crash. Those skewers took eight people to the hospital. I'm Corva Coleman and P.R. News.
Every story from shortwave and Peronuse science podcast starts with a question, like, "Why do we have nightmares? How does AI affect my energy bill?" At NPR, we are here for your right to be curious about the world around you. Follow shortwave wherever you get your podcast because the more you ask, the more interesting
