NPR News: 03-16-2026 12PM EDT

0:00Lie, from NPR News, I'm Lakshmi Singh. We are now more than two weeks into a war with Iran. President Trump and his aides are doubling down on the narrative that the U.S. is winning. Trump is working to promote an image of strength against the backdrop of climbing U.S. gas prices, heavy market volatility, and polls consistently suggesting people are questioning the wisdom of a war that could last longer than the administration initially projected. NPR's Frank Ordonia has traveled with the president over the weekend in Florida. Trump is very attuned to the politics of the moment. He can see the polls. He can see how the split among his own supporters who are concerned about this dragging on. And Trump also knows how to employ a strong, yet simple language, and kind of repeating it over and over again as a rebranding tool. NPR's Frank Ordonia's Germany is among several developed countries rejecting President Trump's demand to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, and PR's Rob Schmitts is more

1:01from Berlin. President Trump has called on NATO allies in Europe to protect the shipping lane, crucial to providing oil and gas to countries throughout the world. But Stefan Cornelius, a spokesman for German Chancellor Friedrich Mertz, says the war has nothing to do with NATO in that for its part, Germany would not help secure the Strait of Hormuz. NATO said Cornelius is a defensive alliance for its territory. As the war enters its third week, Iran continues to maintain its stranglehold over the Strait. Germany's foreign minister also called on the U.S. and Israel to, quote, clarify when they consider the military objectives of their operation to be achieved. Rob Schmitts and Pairnius, Berlin. In a sign of how the war against Iran is spreading airlines or starting to add fuel surcharges to ticket prices and PR's, Bill Chappell has more. The 75% jump is a huge spike in one of Air Carrier's biggest expenses, and their customers will eventually absorb some of that increase, says Sean Cudahee of the Points Guy website.

2:06He recommends locking in an airfare now and making sure you can change the ticket. But Cudahee adds for international travel with thousands of flights canceled since the war started. It can be tough to avoid airline hubs in the Middle East, which are some of the busiest in the world. Bill Chappell in Pairnius. Two members of the Iranian women's soccer team are staying behind in Australia, where a top government official says they've been relocated to an undisclosed safe location. Five other players and a support staff member had dropped their bid for asylum, and as of Monday night, we're flying to Oman and possibly back to Iran. Fans have been raised about the women's safety back in Iran. At last check on Wall Street, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 386 points. You're listening to NPR News. Now the morning after the Oscars won battle after another is basking in the glow of last

3:06night's big wins at the Academy Awards, took home best picture, best director, three more Oscars as well, sinners walked in with a record 16 nominations and walked away with some wins as well among the most notable best actor, Michael B. Jordan's first statue ed for his roles playing twins and stack in the Vampire Thriller. I stand here because of the people that came before me, Cindy Poitier, Denzel Washington, Holly Barry, Jamie Foxx, Forrest Whitaker, Will Smith, and Nadia amongst those giants, amongst those great, greats, amongst my ancestors, amongst my guys. Thank you, everybody in this room. Again, he played twin smoke and stack in sinners. Steve Utterman reports on another first at the ceremony. When the winner and the best cinematography category was announced. And the Oscar goes to sinners. It was an Oscar first. Autumn DeRalde Archipal became the first woman ever to win in that category. Just three times in the 98 year history of the awards had a woman even been nominated.

4:11Next stage, Archipal said being a woman of color makes the win even more significant. A lot of little girls that look like me will sleep really well tonight because they want to become cinematographers. And her win marked another milestone, except for two gender specific awards, Best Lead Actor and Best Supporting Actor, women have now won Oscars in every current competitive category. For NPR News, I'm Steve Utterman in Hollywood. You're listening to NPR News. With March Madness getting underway, coaches are pushing their players to the limits. But an investigation finds that in some instances, tough coaching can go too far. She would call us idiots, stupid, worthless, low off to low. On the Sunday Story, coaches accused of emotional abuse and the players who pushed back. The Sunday Story from the Up First Podcast, listen now on the NPR app.