NPR News: 02-28-2026 8PM EST

0:00This message comes from the Pulitzer finalist NHPR team. Their new four-part series, Safe to Drink, investigates one of the largest water contamination events in New Hampshire's history, and the people who fought for answers. Follow Safe to Drink wherever you're listening. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Janine Herbst. President Trump says Iran's supreme leader is dead, though Iran hasn't confirmed that. Meanwhile, the U.N. Security Council met today in an emergency session over the U.S. and Israeli military strikes on Iran. NPR's Michelle Kellerman has more. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres opened the session by condemning the, quote, ,, massive U.S. and Israeli military strikes against Iran, as well as the Iranian strikes on seven Gulf states. Military action carries the risk of igniting a chain of events that no one can control in the most volatile region of the world. Iran is telling the U.N. that it has the right to respond, describing U.S. military bases

1:03in the region as legitimate military targets. Israel's ambassador brushed off criticism, saying, well, some call this aggression. Israel sees it as a necessity, adding that the time for the Iranian people to take control of their future is, in his words, very soon. Michelle Kellerman, NPR News, Washington. Lawmakers are pushing for a vote to block further military action in Iran without the consent of Congress. Scott Bossione from Member Station W.Y.P.R. has more. Democrats are calling for Congress to immediately go into session for a war power's resolution vote after the United States and Israel-conducted military strikes on Iran. Maryland Representative John Yolshevsky sits on the Foreign Relations Committee. By suspect, we will be taking up very quickly the war power's resolution on Iran that reinforces the notion that the president has to make an argument to justify military strikes, and he's failed to do that. A resolution requires the president to notify Congress within 48 hours of an attack,

2:05and forbids armed forces from staying in an area longer than 60 days without congressional approval. The Trump administration says it did inform top congressional leaders before the strikes. For NPR News, I'm Scott Bossione. Lebanon's militant group has been laws condemning the strikes, but it hasn't launched any attacks. In Piers-Jawad, Rizkala reports many Lebanese worry the fighting could again engulf their country. Hasbullah has warned that it would not stay neutral if Iran were attacked. Israel, meanwhile, has made clear that it would retaliate, leading to fears that Lebanon again could be dragged into all out war. Israel has continued near daily strikes in South Lebanon despite the U.S. brokerage ceasefire in late 2024. But the Lebanese foreign minister has said that Lebanon had received warnings that Israel could attack Lebanese infrastructure targets if Hezbollah intervenes. After Saturday strikes on Iran, long lines formed that gas stations across Beirut. Drivers said they feared fuel shortages the fighting broke out. Several international airlines cancelled flights to Beirut,

3:05and the U.S. State Department urged Americans to leave while they still could. Jawad Rizkala, NPR News, Beirut. You're listening to NPR News from Washington. President Trump is ordering the U.S. government to cut ties with AI maker Anthropic and stop using its products. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth designated the company a supply chain risk. This after Anthropic said it wanted assurances that the military would not use its AI for fully autonomous weapons or for domestic surveillance. Anthropic says it will challenge the supply chain risk designation in court, meanwhile hours later, open AI said it reached an agreement with the Pentagon. One of the world's top medical journals is taking aim at Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to mark his first year leading the Department of Health and Human Services. The scathing editorial appears in the latest itch issue rather of the Lancet. NPR's Will Stone has more.

4:08The editorial is titled Robert F. Kennedy Jr. One Year of Failure. The piece was authored by the Lancet's editorial board and the front cover bears a quote from it, saying the destruction that Kennedy has wrought in one year might take generations to repair. Unquote. It catalogs many of his controversial actions, including the dismissal of agency employees, cuts to cutting edge scientific research, and the undermining of vaccine policy. An HHS spokesperson did not immediately respond to NPR's request for comment on the new editorial, but Secretary Kennedy has made no secret of his disdain for mainstream medical journals, including the Lancet. Last year, he called them corrupt and beholden to the pharmaceutical industry. Will Stone and P.R. News. And I've Jeanine Herbst, NPR News in Washington. This message comes from Wise, the app for international people using money around the globe. You can send, spend, and receive, and up to 40 currencies with only a few simple taps. Be smart, get Wise.

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