Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Windsor, Johnston.
The Secretary of the Navy is leaving his position as the U.S. continues its naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz.
“NPR's Quill Lawrence reports the surprise news about John Falen was announced by the Pentagon”
on social media. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said that Falen was departing the administration effective immediately. There was no explanation for the abrupt end to Falen's tenure just one year into the job.
The Iran War involves some of the Navy's most significant operations in decades, though the Navy's Secretary's job is more focused on training and equipping the force. Secretary of Defense Pete Heggseth has taken an unusually active role in the recent firings of many general officers, including the Army's top general, over the wishes of the Army's Secretary.
Falen had been a major donor to President Trump, but had no military experience before he was appointed. Under Secretary of the Navy, Hong Kong will now be acting Secretary. Cows a Navy combat veteran with decades of service. Quill Lawrence and PR News
“Israel and Lebanon are set to hold a second round of talks in Washington, tomorrow.”
A 10-day ceasefire that pause fighting between Israel and Hezbollah appears to be holding. NPR's Catalan store reports from southern Lebanon. Speaking south from a hill atop the village of Moshtal Zoon, you can see in Israeli flag waving in the wind over the neighboring Lebanese village. Israel is still occupying a large swath of land in Lebanon's south, including dozens of towns
and villages. Hezbollah's spokesperson, Salman Harb, tells NPR that the Iran-backed group does not agree with direct negotiations between Israel and Lebanon. But if the result of the negotiations is that Israel will withdraw from the Lebanese land, Trump says then we're fine with that.
But on the other hand, he says if the land remains occupied, it's our right to resist to that occupation. Catalan store and beer news, Moshtal Zoon, and southern Lebanon. The Trump administration wants to spend less money next year on the IRS, and PR's god-horstly report Senate Democrats say that would make it harder for the agency to go after wealthy
tax cheats.
“The President's budget calls for a $1.4 billion cut in IRS funding next year, with most”
of the reduction coming from tax enforcement. Senate Democrats, like Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, challenge that proposal during a budget hearing with Treasury Secretary Scott Bassett, who oversees the IRS. What you've done is provided a windfall to very wealthy people who don't pay the taxes. Why would I do that?
Why would I do that?
The government already cut more than a billion dollars from the IRS budget this year,
but Bassett says collection of unpaid taxes still increased by 12%. It's got worse than the MPR news, Washington. At the close on Wall Street, the Dow was up 340 points. This is NPR news. European Union countries have given preliminary approval to a loan of more than $100 billion
for Ukraine. Terry Schultz reports the package has been held up by Hungary and Slovakia over suspended deliveries of Russian oil through Ukraine. The governments of Hungary and Slovakia say, as long as Russian oil starts arriving again via the Drujbo pipeline by Thursday, they'll drop their vetoes on the European Union's loan
for Ukraine. The interest-free loan, which will be split between this year and next, was already agreed to by all 27 EU governments in December, but Hungary and Slovakia withdrew their consent earlier this year. And Russia damaged the pipeline flowing through Ukraine and keep did not immediately repair
it. Now that needed repairs are completed, the loan is expected to be finalized Thursday, along with the 20th package of EU sanctions against Russia for its full-scale invasion, which Hungary was blocking for the same reason. For MPR news, I'm Terry Schultz and Brussels.
A new study finds that more than 17 million people in aid cities along the Atlantic and Gulf
Coast face a high risk of flooding. Researchers use machine learning, historical data, and multiple risk factors to map vulnerability in coastal areas. The study, published in science advances, is one of the most detailed books yet at flood risk in US cities.
Among the findings, more than 4 million people in New York City are at risk, and in New Orleans, nearly all residents and buildings are considered vulnerable. Camping stocks on Wall Street, the Dow at 340 points today, the NASDAQ at 397, the S&P up 73 points. This is MPR.
Across the country, parents are taking their kids out of traditional public schools, and opting for private or charter schools instead.
My kids have to come first for me, the great of good has to come second.
On the Sunday story, we go to Cedar Rapids Iowa to see how going all in on school choice is leaving some students behind.
