NPR News: 03-19-2026 1AM EDT

0:00This message comes from Amazon Business. How can you grow your business from idea to industry leader? Bring your vision to life with smart business buying tools and technology from Amazon Business. Simplify how you stock up to get ahead. Go to amazonbusiness.com for support. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Dan Ronan. Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, testified before Congress Wednesday telling lawmakers that Iran's leadership appears to be intact, but it has been degraded. Gabbard was questioned at the hearing by Georgia Democratic Senator John Ausef and she responded to a question about Iran's intentions in the war and if Iran posed a nuclear threat. Was it the assessment of the intelligence community that there was a, quote, imminent nuclear threat posed by the Iranian regime, yes or no? Senator, the only person who can determine and what isn't is not an imminent threat is the president. Gabbard did not respond directly to questions about whether President Trump had been warned about the potential fallout

1:03from the war, including Iran's attacks against its golf neighbors and its effective closure of the straight-of-war moves. Vice President JD Vance made a stop at a manufacturing facility in Auburn Hills, Michigan today. That's about 20 miles north of Detroit. As Alex McClennard of Member Station WDET reports, it was the first visit to the state since last week's attack on the Temple Israel synagogue. The attack took place in West Bloomfield about 30 minutes away from where the vice president was speaking. Vance says he and the president stand with Michigan's Jewish community. We love you and we're proud of how you've handled this particular situation because it is tough. The suspect, 41-year-old Aiman Muhammad Ghazali, a naturalized U.S. citizen from Lebanon, was the only person killed in the attack. Vance praised the work of security guards at Temple Israel. He reassured the crowd that the U.S. government is constantly monitoring to try to stop such attacks before they happen.

2:04Friend PR News, I'm Alex McClennard in Detroit. The Federal Aviation Administration is tightening safety rules around congested airspace around major airports. NPR's Joel Rose reports the FAA announced today it's suspending the use of visual separation between helicopters and planes. The FAA says air traffic controllers will now use radar to make sure that helicopters maintain a safe distance from arriving and departing planes in congested airspace. The announcement comes in the wake of last year's fatal mid-air collision near Washington, D.C., between a U.S. Army helicopter and a regional jet that killed 67 people. The FAA also identified two recent close calls between helicopters and planes at airports in San Antonio and Burbank, California, that contributed to the change. After a year-long review, the agency concluded that visual separation where pilots are instructed to see and avoid other aircraft is, quote, not enough of a safety mitigation tool, unquote, in high-traffic areas. Joel Rose, NPR News, Washington.

3:04The Federal Reserve said on Wednesday it's going to keep its key interest rates unchanged amid concern about the state of the U.S. economy and your listening to NPR News. Long time labor rights activist Dolores Herta says she was among the girls and women who were sexually abused decades ago by the then-long admired civil rights icon Caesar Chavez, who led the United Farm Workers Union. Herta said she remained quiet for 60 years because she said she was concerned that revealing the information would hurt the farm workers' movement. Chavez died more than three decades ago, but the stunning allegations against him are drawing immediate calls to change events and memorials that were put in place to honor him. Kiki Sheppard has died. For years, she co-hosted Showtime at the Apollo, a storied showcase for black entertainers. NPR's new to Ula Bay has more. It's time for the lovely Miss Kiki Sheppard, y'all.

4:05Starting in 1987, Kiki Sheppard was the impeccable, elegant face of Showtime at the Apollo. She worked alongside prominent MCs like Sinbad and Steve Harvey. The variety shows filmed live at the historic theater in Harlem were Sheppard's channel light on newcomers and paid tribute to legends, such as Motown Musician Eddie Kendrick's. His was a clear, crystal, powerful, tinner-fall-settle voice. On top of her work, on screen and on stage, Sheppard also founded a nonprofit that helped people with sickle cell disease and their families. Netta Ulibi, NPR News. All three stock indexes were down on Wednesday. The Dow dropped 768 points. The S&P fell by 91. The NASDAQ was also negative. It dropped 327 points. I'm Dan Roman, NPR News in Washington. Support for in. This message comes from Mint Mobile. If you're tired of spending hundreds on big wireless bills, bogus fees, and free perks, Mint Mobile is for you.

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