NPR News: 04-22-2026 7PM EDT
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What recent events have escalated tensions in the Strait of Hormuz?
Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Windsor Johnston. Iran has carried out attacks on at least three ships in the Strait of Hormuz. NPR's Jackie Northam reports tensions are increasing in the waterway after President Trump extended a ceasefire with Tehran.
Iran says that a ceasefire is meaningless unless the U.S. blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is lifted. And, you know, Iran sees the blockade as an act of war and will continue to control the international waterway. I spoke with Suzanne Maloney, and she's an Iran specialist at the Brookings Institution. She said it would be untenable for Iran to maintain control of a waterway through which a fifth of the world's crude used to pass before the war.
That's NPR's Jackie Northam reporting. The Senate has once again blocked a Democratic-led measure to limit President Trump's war powers in Iran. NPR's Claudia Grisales reports Democrats say they'll force the vote again until Trump officials publicly testify on the conflict.
Wisconsin Senator Tammy Baldwin says it's long past time for Congress to put a check on President Trump's led war. Despite the ceasefire, Baldwin argues fallout from the conflict continues to build.
The president said that the war would be over in a matter of days. We are coming up on the two-month mark with no real end in sight.
Baldwin is one of several Democrats forcing the war power's votes to put Republicans on record. Only Kentucky GOP Senator Rand Paul defected to join Democrats who have argued for an end to the costly and unpopular conflict. And while most Republicans remain loyal to Trump, some have warned their position could shift at the war's 60-day mark at the end of this month. Claudia Salas, NPR News, the Capitol.
Spirit Airlines is in advanced talks with the Trump administration over a possible federal bailout package. NPR's Joel Rose reports a last-minute deal could help the low-cost carrier stay in business.
The Trump administration and Spirit Airlines are nearing a deal that could include up to $500 million in government-backed financing. That's according to a source familiar with the talks who is not authorized to speak publicly. While the terms are still being finalized, the source says the U.S. government could wind up with a major stake in the airline. Spirit was already struggling to turn a profit before the Iran war caused the cost of jet fuel to spike. The low-cost carrier filed for bankruptcy last year for the second time since 2024. In an interview with CNBC this week, President Trump said, quote, Spirit's in trouble, unquote, and that maybe the federal government should help. Joel Rose, NPR News, Washington.
United Airlines says ticket prices could go up by as much as 20 percent as the cost of fuel rises. The airline says higher fares are needed to offset a sharp increase in jet fuel prices tied to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. This is NPR. Two people are dead after a chemical leak at a plant in West Virginia. The incident happened at a facility in the community of Institute as workers were shutting down part of the site. Officials say a chemical reaction involving nitric acid caused an explosion that quickly spread toxic gas through the area. At least 19 people were taken to the hospital, including some emergency responders. Authorities issued a temporary shelter-in-place order for nearby communities.
Environmental advocates say recent changes to Colorado river management could seriously harm threatened fish in the Grand Canyon. Alex Hager from member station KJZZ reports they're concerned the native humpback chub could be exposed to invasive species.
The chub only lives in the Colorado River system. Now, advocates warn that changes to the amount of water released from Lake Powell could let invasive fish into a critical habitat. Taylor McKinnon with the Center for Biological Diversity says efforts to address the shrinking river haven't done enough to consider wildlife.
As the states have fought and failed to come up with an agreement about how much water each state gets, the Colorado River's ecosystems and endangered species have really fallen by the wayside.
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