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Chapter 1: What recent developments have occurred in the Iran conflict?
Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Ryland Barton. President Trump says he is extending his deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to April 6th or face the destruction of its energy plants. Iran and the U.S. appear to be at an impasse, with each side hardening their positions and setting the stage for another potential escalation in the Middle East war.
Still, President Trump says 26 days into the conflict, the U.S. is meeting its objectives and ahead of schedule.
They would have used a nuclear weapon on Israel, and they would have used it on the other neighbors, and then they would have come after us. And if we had a weak president, they would have done great damage. But fortunately, you don't have a weak president. I knew what was happening. And I think we've been proven right.
Thousands more U.S. troops are nearing the region. Heavy strikes were reported in Iran's capital and other cities. The war in Iran continues to send oil prices higher, and it's starting to ripple through the airline industry. NPR's Windsor Johnston reports.
Airlines typically raise fares when fuel costs rise, but are slower to lower prices when those costs fall. Bill McGee is a senior fellow for aviation at the American Economic Liberties Project. He says that's likely to show up in ticket prices over the next several months.
If you're going to be traveling and you were thinking of holding off to see a better fare, it makes sense not to do that right now, to book early. We're going to have to keep a very close eye on this and try and keep the airlines honest. But there's no doubt that fares are going to increase.
McGee says demand is also getting a boost from travelers rushing to lock in fares before prices climb higher, a trend that could add more pressure heading into summer. Windsor Johnston, NPR News.
There's still no sign of a breakthrough in Congress to fund the Department of Homeland Security as the TSA says it may have to shut down operations at some airports. Wait times have exceeded four hours and employees at those airports are calling out of work at rates of 40 percent to 50 percent. More than 480 TSA agents have quit altogether.
Venezuela's ousted President Nicolas Maduro and his wife were back in federal court today. It was their second court appearance since they were captured in January. NPR's Ryan Lucas reports.
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Chapter 2: How are rising oil prices affecting the airline industry?
Cherry blossoms have reached peak bloom here in Washington, D.C. The National Park Service says 70% of the Yoshino cherry blossoms are open, but it only lasts a few days. The tidal basin is where most of the trees are located, but parts of it are fenced off for seawall repairs. This is NPR.
This week on the NPR Politics Podcast. In Iran, President Trump is both escalating and de-escalating, pausing strikes on energy sites claiming Iran wants to make a deal, but also moving troops to the region. We unpack what we know about where those troops are headed and how talks are playing out behind closed doors. This week on the NPR Politics Podcast.
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