Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Janine Herbst.
It's been six months since the U.S. invaded Iran and since Iran restricted access to the Strait of Hormuz.
“And here's Willow Rubin has been tracking how that's impacted gas and diesel prices.”
Until February 28th this year, about a fifth of the world's oil went through the Strait of Hormuz. But since Iran effectively closed access to the Strait, energy prices have gone up a lot. Gasoline now costs around 40% more, averaging around $4.10 for a gallon of regular. Six months ago, Tripoli says the average price was around $2.90.
And diesel prices are also about 50% higher now than when the war started. A gallon of diesel now costs around $5.60 on average, not far from its peak in June 2022, after Russia invaded Ukraine. All these high-energy prices are a warning sign to her Republicans ahead of the midterms. And to Americans, as people start to think about heating their homes this winter, Willow
Rubin and Piano's. A Kentucky woman has been indicted for allegedly vandalizing the World War II memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
“Inpira's Ryan Lucas reports, the indictment returned by a federal grand jury contains two counts.”
The defendant, 41-year-old Melissa Ferris of Elizabeth Town, Kentucky, is charged with destruction of veterans memorials and destruction of government property. According to court papers, Ferris spray-painted graffiti on parts of the World War II memorial on the National Mall. The graffiti in Orange Letters read, quote, "clean hands dirty money," and quote.
Court papers also say Ferris had been arrested a few days before the incident for unlawfully camping on federal property just a few blocks from the memorial. Law enforcement also discovered videos that Ferris had posted to social media in which court papers say she states she had defaced federal property, Ryan Lucas and P.R. News, Washington.
A federal appeals court has ruled against prediction, market, site, Calshy, in a dispute over whether the site should be considered gambling. Inpira's Bobby Allen reports, "The decision sets up a legal fight before the Supreme Court over the future of the industry." Nevada officials have banned Calshy, claiming it is an unlicensed gambling operator
allowing illegal bets on sports elections, politics, and the president's choice of words. Calshy fought back, it argued the Trump administration has the exclusive right to regulate the booming prediction market sector. Now, the non-circuit of appeals in San Francisco has cited with Nevada. The court found that federal rules for so-called event contracts do not override state laws.
The ruling creates a split with the third circuit which cited with Calshy in a similar case.
Under Calshy and the multi-billion-dollar prediction market sector is legal, it's expected
to be ultimately decided by the Supreme Court, Bobby Allen and P.R. News. You're listening to NPR News from Washington. A group of pro-Palestinian protesters who vandalized one of President Trump's golf resorts in Scotland face being sentenced as terrorists. The seven activists broke into Trump's luxury ternberry golf course on the west coast
of Scotland back in March 2025, digging up the turf and painting it with the words "Garza is not for sale." The protesters were from the group Palestine Action, which targets Israeli weapons factories around the UK. The British government soon after labelled Palestine Action a terrorist organization, leading
to the arrests of thousands of supporters.
It was the first time Britain had used anti-terrorism powers against a group for property
damage, rather than violence against people. This week, the Trump administration also imposed sanctions on Palestine Action and designated it a terrorist group as well, saying in a statement that the decision complements the ban in the UK, Fasmar al-Qasab and Pionni's London. President Trump signed an executive order today, creating a new space military academy,
similar to West Point, to train people for NASA, U.S. Space Force, and also the civilians space industry. It's not clear where it would be based. Trump also awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor to crew members of NASA's Artemis 2 mission, the flew around the moon earlier this year.
I'm Janine Herbst, and you're listening to NPR News from Washington. Fall is right around the corner. That means the midterms. Hey, it's Miles Parks from the Empire Politics podcast. Now is the perfect time to calibrate your news diet for the fall.
Hello our show for short daily episodes that will help you stay ahead of the most important
“midterm storylines that you need to follow.”
Find the MPR Politics podcast on the MPR app or wherever you get your podcasts.
