NPR News: 03-26-2026 9AM EDT

0:00Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Kuro Vakulman. President Trump claims that Iranian negotiators are, quote, begging to make a cease-fire deal. He wrote online earlier today that Iran should get serious soon. Iran's foreign minister said that no negotiations are happening. But Pakistan's foreign minister says today that indirect talks between the U.S. and Iran are happening through messages relayed by Pakistan. Iran, Israel and the U.S. continue to conduct strikes. Israel says it has assassinated a top Iranian naval leader today. Iran is not yet commented. NPR's Emily Fang reports there have been fresh attacks on Iran. Video shared online shows strikes overnight hitting all around the suburbs of Tehran. Israel's military said it had conducted strikes across Iran, including in the central city of Isfahan, where Iranian residents shared reports of alleged strikes during the early dawn hours of Thursday. As well as some power outages that resulted from the strikes. An internet and telecommunications blackout imposed by Iranian authorities since late

1:03last February means very little information from on the ground gets out from Iran. The US military says it has hit more than 10,000 targets so far in the air campaign on Iran. Emily Fang in Pyrrhus, Van, Turkey. One airport in the U.S. has really long lines for security this morning. This bush intercontinental airport in Houston, where it takes about three hours to clear security. President Trump has deployed ICE agents to some major airports, but Atlanta TSA agent Yolanda Keaton says there is only one solution. Pay us, worry about ICE later on. We want to do our job. I enjoy going to work. A lot of people enjoy going to work, but going to work with no pay and work beside or we're walking around ICE agents that are getting paid, it's not fair to us. Republican and Democratic senators are disputing how to fund the Department of Homeland Security and the TSA. Democrats want changes in how ICE agents conduct operations. A Jureen California has found big tech companies, Metta and YouTube liable for creating

2:08addicting social media platforms. And PR's Bobby Allen reports they have been ordered to pay $6 million in damages. After eight days of deliberations, the jury found that Instagram and YouTube were designed to hook kids and teens. The verdict confirms the lawyer's novel legal strategy to treat social media apps as defective products, no different than cigarettes or digital casinos. This could influence the outcome of thousands of other lawsuits over social media addiction that have been consolidated. Child safety advocate Julianne Arnold had this message after the verdict. For the biggest tech executives, I want to say something. Stop blaming the parents. It's on you. And Google have vowed to appeal. They say mental health issues are complex and can't be blamed on one single app. Bobby Allen and PR News Los Angeles. On Wall Street and pre-market trading, Dow futures are lower. This is NPR. More than 3,000 workers remain on strike in Colorado against one of the country's biggest meat packing plans. Unionized workers are demanding better wages and safety conditions from JBS.

3:13The company says its facility in Greeley, Colorado is still open and more people are returning to work. This is the first strike against a meat packing plant in the U.S. in 40 years. Gig workers who deliver food for door dash, Uber Eats and Grubhub are feeling the pinch of higher gas prices. The drivers and at least one business are making changes as NPR's Bill Chapel reports. Delivery drivers are feeling a ripple effect of the U.S. and Israeli war in Iran. The Dow delivers for several food apps in Detroit, Michigan. I really have changed my strategy since the gas prices went up. Really trying to keep my mileage down. Dow and other drivers say they're now more picky about which delivery orders they accept. Drivers of hybrid or electric cars aren't as concerned, but the analytics from grid-wise says gas prices of $4 and up are adding to driver's wage compression in a field that's oversupplied with workers. Door dash said this week it'll offer some cash back to drivers. Other companies say they're monitoring the situation.

4:13Bill Chapel in PR News. The National Weather Service says above average temperatures are going to stick around today in the southwest and plains and spread into the Midwest. Areas in Illinois and Indiana could see temperatures rise as much as 35 degrees above normal. Some areas could set heat records. This comes after heat temperatures also set a record in the west and southwest this month. This is NPR. Listen to this podcast sponsor-free on Amazon Music with a prime membership or any podcast app by subscribing to NPR News Now Plus at plus.npr.org. That's plus.npr.org.