NPR News: 03-19-2026 8AM EDT

0:00Line from NPR News in Washington on Corps of a Coleman, Iran attacked the world's largest liquefied natural gas field and cut our overnight. Iran attacked after Israel struck the Iranian side of the field. President Trump wrote online last night the U.S. did not know about the Israeli attack. But NPR's Aya Batrari reports Trump also issued a threat. He said Israel out of anger had violently lashed out at this major gas facility. But he said there would be no more attacks made by Israel on what he called this extremely important, invaluable gas field in Iran. But Trump also said that if Iran continues attacking Qatar, the U.S. will not hesitate to quote blow up the entirety of the South-Pars gas field. And fierce Aya Batrari, this field is shared by both Iran and Qatar. If the U.S. attacked it, it would threaten natural gas supplies to the world. Iran's are reshaping the war in the Middle East. These are increasingly cheaper and cost plays a role, as NPR's cap launched or reports. Unmanned drones mean military superpowers like the U.S. no longer automatically control

1:04the skies. But it's also about money. Iran has fired more than a thousand one-way attack drones since the war began. U.S. defense systems stationed throughout the region have taken out a majority of them. A typical Iranian-shahed attack drone is relatively cheap, tens of thousands of dollars. U.S. missiles that intercept them cost millions. Something Kelly Greco, a senior fellow at the Stimson Center, points out is unsustainable. That type of caustic change favors the Iranians over the long term. And the U.S. may run out of interceptors before Iran runs out of drones. Something U.S. officials who were not authorized to speak publicly have told NPR, they're concerned about, as the war drags on. Kat Lomstorf, NPR News, Washington. A Senate panel could vote today to advance the nomination of Oklahoma Republican Senator Mark Wayne Mullen to be Homeland Security Secretary. The agency he wants to lead is partially shut down. That's affecting TSA agents hundreds of whom have quit or are calling out. They aren't being paid. Airports are affected.

2:04Philadelphia has closed some of its security checkpoints. This is causing headaches for travelers at Atlanta's main airport. From member station W.A.B.E. in Atlanta, Dormaya Vance reports. Things coming through the Atlanta airport are seeing longer wait times, plus a growing number of delays and cancellations. Lanny Dalerie says her Tuesday flight back home to Los Angeles was delayed and ultimately canceled. She was back again Wednesday for another flight. I'm just sitting out here right now and I'm supposed to leave. I believe it's at nine, but like I said, they did already move it back again. So we'll see. Could it be canceled again? Hartfield Jackson officials say they've seen over 30% of TSA employees call out, putting Atlanta among the most impacted airports as the DHS shut down continues. As of now, the airport is encouraging travelers to arrive at least three hours early for all flights. For MPR News, I'm Dormaya Vance in Atlanta. This is NPR. A federal immigration judge has ruled against the asylum claims that the kindergartener

3:05from Minnesota, Liam Conejo-Ramos and his family. That's according to the family's lawyer. For Minnesota Public Radio, Regina Medina has more. The five-year-old boy from Columbia Heights, Minnesota received national attention after he was detained by U.S. immigration authorities and sent to a Texas family detention center, along with his father. In February, the Department of Homeland Security filed a motion that sought to end the family's asylum claims. Attorney Danielle Molliver, who represents the family in the case, told MPR News on Wednesday that the law firm is appealing the decision. He says an appeal could take months or years. If the family loses the appeal, Molliver says they are expected to be deported to Ecuador, their country of origin. For MPR News, I'm Regina Medina in St. Paul. Two wildfires in Nebraska are still burning out of control. The largest, the moral wildfire in Western Nebraska has burned more than 1,000 square

4:06miles. It's about 16 percent contained. The cottonwood fire in southern Nebraska has burned more than 200 square miles. One person has been killed. This year's world happiness report says Finland is one of the happiest countries in the world. Nations ranking the lowest are in or near zones of major conflict, starting with Afghanistan. This year, the researchers expressed concern about the heavy use of social media, saying it's hurting the sense of well-being in young people. This message comes from Keybank. Scaling a successful business takes more than just grit. It takes the right relationship. Keybank pairs the right strategy with the right financial tools to keep your business moving forward. Keybank opens doors. More at key.com slash b2b