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Chapter 1: What are the latest updates on the U.S. and Israeli conflict with Iran?
Live from NPR News, I'm Lakshmi Singh. Casualties are mounting from the U.S. and Israeli war with Iran. Iranian officials say nearly 800 people have been killed in Iran since the conflict began Saturday. The U.S. has reported at least six service members were killed. Israel's reported at least 10 deaths on its soil. The conflict has drawn in more than a dozen nations indirectly and directly.
Lebanon-based Hezbollah fighters fired missiles at Israel. Israel struck back. Local reports are 92 dead in Lebanon. The Trump administration has given a range of reasons for attacking Iran now over its nuclear program. At the White House today, the president said of Israel, No, I might have forced their hand.
You see, we were having negotiations with these lunatics, and it was my opinion that they were going to attack first. They were going to attack if we didn't do it. They were going to attack first. I felt strongly about that. They being Iran. Moments ago, Secretary of State Marco Rubio disputed reporting that he said yesterday the U.S. went in because Israel was going to strike Iran.
I told you this had to happen anyway. The president made a decision, and the decision he made was that Iran was not going to be allowed to hide behind its ballistic missile program, that Iran was not going to be allowed to hide behind its ability to conduct these attacks. That decision had been made.
The president made a decision to systematically destroy this terroristic capability that they had, and we carried that out. I was very clear on that answer. This was a question of timing, of why this had to happen as a joint operation, not the question of the intent. As U.S.
embassies across much of the region close to the public due to attacks or the risk of attacks, the State Department's urging Americans in most parts of the Middle East to get commercial flights out. One of the numbers Rubio listed for people to call for evacuation information was 202-501-4444.
Iranian state media say Israel has attacked a building where Iranian clerics are due to meet to elect a successor to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The building was empty at the time. NPR's Jackie Northam reports there are several presumed candidates in the running for supreme leader. This is only the second time since the Iran revolution in 1979 that a supreme leader is being chosen.
An 88-member panel of experts will decide who will replace Ayatollah Khamenei. Among the contenders are hardliners, moderates, even Khamenei's son. But Ali Vaz, an Iran specialist at the International Crisis Group, says it's unlikely a decision will be made before the war is over because of the difficult security logistics of bringing all the members together.
And second, whoever they select would have a target painted on their back. Fayez says whoever is chosen won't have the same power Khamenei held over Iran for nearly four decades. Jackie Northam, NPR News. U.S.
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Chapter 2: How is the U.S. government responding to the Iran conflict?
stocks ended the day lower, with the Dow closing down more than 400 points. You're listening to NPR News. A Georgia jury has convicted Colin Gray, the father of a teenager accused of the 2024 Appalachee High School shooting in which four people died and nine people were wounded. Colin Gray was found guilty of all charges, including second-degree murder and manslaughter.
Today is Election Day, and voters have until 7 p.m. in their respective time zones to get their ballots in. The race is getting national attention, with the U.S. Senate seat up for grabs. The Texas newsroom's Blaise Ganey has details. Republicans are trying to hold on to the Senate seat they've had for 30-plus years, but Democrats believe this is their year for an upset.
Texan Bo Delp in Austin says why he voted and wants others to do the same. If you're feeling like your health care is going through the roof, if you feel like it's getting more expensive to put groceries on the table, to send your kids to daycare like me, then you got to get out and vote.
While the results won't eliminate a chance for Republicans to win, it could help set the table for that possibility, depending on who wins. All GOP candidates have claimed to be MAGA Republicans, and some political scientists believe that could drive people to come out and vote against them. For NPR News, I'm Blaise Gainey. Cortina D'Ampezzo hosted a highly symbolic moment today.
The Paralympic flames from various routes converged to create a single flame ahead of the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Winter Games in Milano Cortina, March 6. The international event is drawing more than 650 athletes competing in 79 medal events. The Dows closed down more than 400 points. The S&P was down 64. The Nasdaq was down 232 points. It's NPR News.
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