NPR News: 03-20-2026 8PM EDT
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Ryland Barton.
What military actions is the U.S. considering in the Middle East?
President Trump said on social media tonight he's considering winding down military efforts in the Middle East, but earlier in the day his administration deployed more warships and another 2,500 Marines to the region nearly three weeks into the war the U.S. and Israel launched against Iran. Iran has been firing on energy sites in neighboring Gulf Arab states and effectively closed off the Strait of Hormuz, choking off oil supplies and disrupting the global economy. Trump is calling on other countries to police the Strait.
It's a simple military maneuver. It's relatively safe. But you need a lot of help in the sense of you need ships. You need volume. And NATO could help us, but they so far haven't had the courage to do so.
How are rising gas prices influencing consumer behavior?
And others could help us. But, you know, we don't use it. You know, at a certain point, it'll open itself.
Trump has said this week that the U.S. didn't need help securing the Strait while also accusing other countries of not helping.
What recent legal issues are affecting Supermicro and AI technology?
The average price of regular gas in the U.S. is now $3.91. NPR's Camilla Dominovsky reports Internet search data shows more people are considering electric vehicles.
Since the start of this month, the war in Iran has pushed gasoline prices up sharply. And on the auto site Edmonds, the share of shoppers considering electric vehicles grew about 15% to its highest level all year. Now, searching for a vehicle is not the same as buying one. There are lots of factors in a purchase. Ivan Drury is the director of insights at Edmonds.
The answer to, you know, $5 gallon gas is not buying a $50,000 car, but it's definitely something that you should put in your consideration set.
But analysts say if prices remain high, it can push shoppers to put a higher value on fuel savings as they choose vehicles.
How are stock markets responding to surging oil prices?
Camilla Dominovsky, NPR News.
Shares in the computer server maker Supermicro plummeted today, this after a company co-founder and two others were charged with exporting banned AI servers to China. NPR's John Ruich has more.
Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York says Supermicro co-founder Willie Liao and a company contractor were arrested. A third person is still at large. The indictment says they conspired to violate U.S. export controls. The government bans the sale to China of certain cutting-edge microchips used in artificial intelligence. The Department of Justice says the three people and co-conspirators used brokers and a company in Southeast Asia to ship banned U.S. chips from Taiwan to China.
What changes are being made to Jehovah's Witness blood transfusion rules?
The Southeast Asian company bought $2.5 billion worth of servers containing the chips between 2024 and 2025. The company says in a statement it was not named as a defendant and the conduct of the individuals alleged in the indictment violates company policies and compliance rules. John Rewich, NPR News.
Surging oil prices shook stock markets again today as hopes collapsed for a possible cut to interest rates later this year by the Federal Reserve. This is NPR News. Jehovah's Witness leaders are modifying their rules on blood transfusions by letting members choose whether to store and reuse their own blood for medical care. They've maintained a ban on using others' blood in transfusions. Former members say the change is an improvement but won't benefit people who lose blood in emergencies. Martial arts and action star Chuck Norris has died at the age of 86. Steve Futterman reports.
Norris's path to Hollywood stardom began as a martial arts instructor. Among his clients and acquaintances were big-name stars, none bigger than Bruce Lee, who put Norris in his 1972 film The Way of the Dragon and featured him in the legendary fight scene between the two. By the 1980s, with roles in The Delta Force and Missing in Action, Norris was himself a star. Reaction to his death has come from around the world, including a number of his fellow action film performers. Sylvester Stallone described him as all-American in every way.
How is the Warsaw zoo addressing bird injuries?
And Jean-Claude Van Damme, who appeared with Norris in The Expendables 2, said the two knew each other for decades.
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Chapters
7 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:00–0:04
2
What military actions is the U.S. considering in the Middle East?
0:04–0:48
3
How are rising gas prices influencing consumer behavior?
0:48–1:01
4
What recent legal issues are affecting Supermicro and AI technology?
1:01–1:48
5
How are stock markets responding to surging oil prices?
1:48–2:31
6
What changes are being made to Jehovah's Witness blood transfusion rules?
2:31–4:01
7
How is the Warsaw zoo addressing bird injuries?
4:01–5:04