Julia Simon

Qatar and Bahrain get more than 90 percent of their drinking water from it.

As climate change increases the severity of droughts, experts see desalination plants as a key adaptation tool.

Since the recent war began, strikes have hit plants in Iran as well as Kuwait and Bahrain.

Earlier this week, President Trump wrote on social media that the U.S.

may strike more Iranian desalination plants.

Civilian infrastructure sites like water plants are banned as targets by international law.

Julia Simon, NPR News.

Gas with a higher ethanol content, also called E15, is typically restricted in summer because it causes more air pollution.

But EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has announced the administration is allowing refiners and retailers to sell it on a temporary basis starting in May.

Zeldin told reporters at S&P Global's Sarah Week conference that the decision is, quote, giving Americans more fuel options.

It's unclear how much this move will affect high prices at the pump.

E15 isn't available in all states.

E15 sales were also allowed last year and in 2022 by the Biden administration.

The ethanol industry welcomed the decision.

Julia Simon, NPR News, Houston.

The Valero Refinery handles more than 350,000 barrels a day.

It supplies diesel locally to the Gulf Coast,

as well as to the Northeast and Midwest via pipeline, the refinery's diesel and gasoline sometimes gets shipped to Europe and Latin America.

That's Deb Nolshoudary, head of fuels and refining for S&P Global for North America, Latin America, and Europe.

An investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing.