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What is the current situation regarding U.S. citizens in the Middle East?
Live from NPR News, I'm Lakshmi Singh. The State Department is urging Americans in most parts of the Middle East to take a commercial flight out as the U.S. and Israeli war against Iran stretches into a fourth evening. In the Oval Office today, President Trump said there was no evacuation plan for U.S. citizens overseas because, as he put it, it all happened very quickly.
NPR's Michelle Kellerman reports the State Department is making preparations for possible military flights to evacuate U.S. citizens, urging them to sign up for notices. The U.S. embassy in Saudi Arabia was closed to the public after it was hit by two Iranian drones, which caused a fire but no reported injuries.
The State Department has ordered the departure of non-essential diplomats from many embassies in the region, including Lebanon, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan, Iraq and the United Arab Emirates. The Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs posted a message on X telling Americans they should leave all those countries and more on commercial flights.
That includes Israel, where the embassy is telling Americans that it's not in a position to help Americans leave. Officials there are suggesting that Americans cross into Egypt by land. Michelle Kellerman, NPR News, the State Department. President Trump's decision to go to war against Iran has raised questions among critics about the risks the conflict could pose to security at home.
Homeland Security Secretary Chrissy Noem appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee today. She addressed security measures being taken ahead of the World Cup.
We are revetting some of the individuals in some of the programs that we may have concerns about, looking at social media, also going through those interviews that are necessary for some of our programs that the Biden administration abused and perverted under their time there as well.
Noem's testimony follows a mass shooting over the weekend at a Texas bar that is under investigation as a possible act of terrorism. Today is primary day in a number of states, including Texas. In the Senate race, several candidates are looking to replace incumbent John Cornyn. Republicans have held the seat for more than three decades, but Democrats
The Texas newsroom's Blaise Ganey says some Democrats are trying to turn the tide, particularly in South Texas districts. Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett and Texas State Representative James Tallarico are campaigning in Houston, a stronghold for Democrats.
Alvaro Corral, a political scientist at University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, says the votes from South Texas are the ones Democrats will really be looking to win. in November.
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