NPR News: 09-12-2026 11AM EDT

0:00Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Janine Herbst. President Trump says he'd love it if Northern Ireland, now a part of the UK, reunites with its southern neighbor. He made the comment at the start of a two-day visit to Ireland this morning he met with the Irish T-Shock or Prime Minister in Dublin. Ampures Franco Ordonia's reports, Trump's had tensions with European leaders over trade and military defense. Ireland is not a member of NATO, it's militarily neutral, and it's because of that it has been able to avoid some of the tensions that Trump has had with NATO allies over burden sharing and support for the US. Daniel Mohal, who served as Ireland's ambassador to the US during Trump's first administration, told me that the military neutrality gives Ireland a different angle to deal with Trump than much of the rest of Europe. Ampures Franco Ordonia is traveling with the president. Trump's now in the West Coast to watch the Irish open at his golf course. Mail invoting for midterm elections are underway in some states, including Alabama, North

1:05Carolina, and Wisconsin. This as election officials wait for a Supreme Court ruling on President Trump's push for new restrictions, as Ampures Hansi-Lowong reports. The Supreme Court is deciding whether to allow the US Postal Service to refuse to deliver mail and ballots to voters in states, where election officials do not turn over voter lists to the mailing agency and do not have certain barcodes on their ballot envelopes. We should note USPS is a financial supporter of NPR. A federal judge block goes requirements after finding the Postal Service has no authority to impose them. Tammy Patrick of the National Association of Election Officials says many voters can prepare now. No matter what has changed in your state or how you decide you want to go and vote, make a plan early, and don't wait until the last day of the polls. Bill Patrick says the USPS plan would put some voters at risk of losing the ability to exercise their right to vote, including many disabled voters, and those living in places without polling sites. Anzila Wang and Pyaar News. India is hosting the BRICS summit this weekend with the presidents of Russia, China, and Iran.

2:06The group brings together 11 major emerging markets and developing countries to give them a voice to counter the West. Ampures Omkar Khanakar has more. Today, it has expanded to include nearly a dozen countries and represents around half the world's population. The block was created in 2009 to collaborate on political, economic, and security issues. But analysts say their internal rivalries and differences on the recent wars in Ukraine and Iran have time-eat progress. One thing they do agree on, reducing dependence on the US dollar for trade. In this year, India plans to push for a special BRICS currency. President Trump has previously threatened 100% tariffs if they try to replace the dollar. The White House hasn't commented on this year's summit yet. Omkar Khanakar and Pyaar News, New Delhi. You're listening to NPR News. In New York, there's a grand piano available for anyone to play. It's in a transit hub across from the World Trade Center Memorial.

3:10Ampures, Jennifer Vanesco reports, it's there thanks to an organization that was founded following the 9-11 attacks. Sing for Hope has placed over 700 pianos around the world in public spaces. The organization started as a way to connect with others devastated by 9-11. Camille Zamora and Monica Unis were opera students at Juilliard in New York City at the time. Unis says a firehouse around the corner lost 12 first responders, but for a time, there is hope some might return. So what do we do? We brought some friends together in the days after, went and sang for that firehouse for the people that were still waiting. Zamora and Unis went from community sing-alongs to programming that now includes arts classes, cultural advocacy and wellness programs. They say it's all about creating a civic infrastructure to encourage connection and community through the arts. Jennifer Vanesco and Pyaar News, New York. The Atlantic Hurricane season is unusually quiet this year, and as of today, it's

4:11the longest start to a season in the Atlantic without a hurricane since the satellite era began, and that's a record. It's thanks to a strong El Nino, which disrupts storm formation over that ocean. No hurricanes have formed yet, and only five week tropical storms have appeared. The Pacific Ocean, though, is experiencing increased storm activity. I'm Janine Herbst, and you're listening to NPR News from Washington.