NPR News: 03-17-2026 1AM EDT

0:00Live from NPR News, I'm Giles Snyder. As President Trump presses allies to join U.S. efforts to secure the strategic state of her moves. In Piers-Iabitriary reports that the virtual shutdown is not just about oil, it's also causing delays in age shipments for UN agencies. So I've just walked into a warehouse where Florida ceiling are just boxes and boxes and boxes of what they call super cereal. This is fortified wheat, blend with sugar, like a high calorie for malnutrition. And all of this was supposed to be going to Afghanistan. But instead, it's piled up at the port here in Dubai because the Strait of Hormuz is closed for shipping. And so the Dubai government has given them this extra warehouse here, the World Food Program, to keep and store tons and tons of boxes of biscuits in order to find a new route to get the stuff urgently needed in Afghanistan from Dubai. And that's just one of the ripple effects of this war, is that it is stuck here in Dubai

1:00and it's unable to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Cuba has been hit by an earthquake. The U.S. Geological Survey says the quake had a magnitude of 5.8. It struck as millions of Cubans are without power. The third major blackout over the past few months. A federal appeals court ruled Monday that the Trump administration can, for now, deport immigrants to countries they are not from. Piers-Imanabistillo reports. In a two-to-one decision, an appeals panel for the first circuit reversed a lower courts block on what are known as third country deportations. These are deportations to a country that an immigrant is not from and does not have connections to. In the last year, the administration has increased the use of these deportations, sending migrants to other countries like South Sudan or Eswatini. Immigration attorneys have tried to stop these deportations, arguing that they can happen with little opportunity to argue against them. The appeals panel said that the court would hold oral arguments later this spring. Emanabistillo and Piers News, Washington. President Trump took aim at California Governor Gavin Newsom Monday criticizing him for

2:04his learning disabilities. Newsom widely rumored to be a potential presidential candidate as Piers-Nachimeta reports. While speaking to reporters at the Oval Office on Monday, President Trump said this. The President of the United States, Gavin Newsom, admitted that he has learning disabilities, dyslexia, everything about him is dumb. Trump said Newsom's learning disabilities should disqualify him from running for president. Newsom has spoken openly about his dyslexia, which makes it difficult for him to read. He takes rigorous notes and often commits speeches to memory. When asked about Trump's latest comments, Newsom's team responded with a link to a video of that very same clip. Poking fun at the fact that President Trump mistakenly refers to Newsom as the President of the United States. Newsom's caption reads, quote, no thank you, we believe in free elections. This is MPR. A federal judge is blocking the Trump administration from overhauling the nation's vaccine policies,

3:07including the decision to slash the number of federally-recommended vaccinations for children. The judge in Boston also ruled that health secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., violated federal procedures when he revamped a key vaccine advisory committee. The decision is being held by leading health groups as historic and welcome, a spokesman says the administration plans to appeal. Workers at one of the nation's largest meatpacking facilities based in Colorado went on strike for the first time in four decades, Monday, Mike Lyle, of Member Station KU and C. Reports. Most striking workers gathered just outside the JBS plant to rally for a better pay and humane working conditions. The workers union has been negotiating with JBS for months over a new contract. Worker Jennifer Lynn said JBS is simply not doing enough to address their issues. We definitely need more pay. We work hard and we deserve to be respected and appreciated. And without us, the company can't run. JBS maintains its offer on the table is fair.

4:09All deliveries at the plant have been scaled back during the strike. For NPR News, I'm Mike Lyle in Greeley, Colorado. Talks in New York City between the WNBA and its players union are ongoing. They entered a seventh consecutive day Monday afternoon. Both sides reporting progress, but say there's still more work to be done to get a deal on a new collective bargaining agreement. The key sticking points are playing our player housing and revenue sharing. This is NPR News. At this year's Oscars, one battle after another took home the award for Best Picture, Michael B. Jordan won for lead actor, and the telecast had plenty of jokes at Timothy Shalamet's expense. Listen to a recap on pop culture happy hour via the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts.