NPR News: 05-28-2026 5AM EDT
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Dave Mattingly.
What recent military actions have the US taken against Iran?
The US military has carried out more airstrikes against Iran. A US official says American forces shot down four Iranian drones near the Strait of Hormuz and hit a site in the port city of Bandar Abbas that was preparing to launch a fifth drone. It marks the second time in less than a week that the U.S. military has launched airstrikes amid efforts to extend the current ceasefire. President Trump is proposing a six-month suspension of the federal gas tax because of higher gasoline prices triggered by the war with Iran. NPR's Stephen Besahab says those tax dollars are used to maintain roads and highways across the U.S.
Potholes cost drivers billions of dollars in repairs each year. Patrick Marshall knows what that's like after hitting a dip in New Orleans. The entire wheel almost fell off the truck completely.
It cost him $2,500. Absolutely, yeah. And, you know, it's a tough hit to take when it's an unexpected expense.
What the federal gas tax brings in is not enough to pay for all road repairs. But Rob Bott with LendingTree says anytime you cut highway maintenance funding...
then you're running the risk of the roads getting worse and not better.
State gas taxes are usually higher. Some states like Georgia have paused theirs. That means more savings for drivers, but less money for road repairs. Stephen Passaha, NPR News.
The federal gas tax is 18 cents a gallon. More record-breaking heat is expected today in parts of Europe, where temperatures have been hitting triple digits this week. NPR's Eleanor Beardsley has more from Paris.
London hit 95 degrees Fahrenheit and France has had temperatures over 100. What's known as a heat dome has trapped hot air coming from North Africa, causing the atmosphere to heat up day after day. It's a classic weather pattern, but scientists say it's being exacerbated by human-driven climate change. The European Union's Earth Observation Program, Copernicus, says Europe is heating twice as fast as the world average for three reasons. It's next to the Arctic, which is the world's fastest heating region. Europe's melting glaciers accelerate global warming because snow and ice reflect the sun while the bare Earth absorbs it.
How is the federal gas tax affecting road maintenance in the US?
And the changing atmospheric circulation around the continent, like the Gulf Stream, is intensifying heat waves. Eleanor Beardsley, NPR News, Paris.
The man who injected Friends actor Matthew Perry with what turned out to be a fatal dose of ketamine has been sentenced to three years and five months in prison by a federal judge in Los Angeles. Kenneth Iwamasa was Perry's live-in personal assistant when Perry died in October of 2023. The judge called Iwamasa's conduct reckless on the day of Perry's death and the days leading up to it. This is NPR News. North Korea is once again rejecting calls for denuclearization. The statement from Pyongyang follows talks in New Delhi involving India, the U.S., Japan, and Australia, where officials express concerns about the North's nuclear capabilities. Jan Kamensen-Broomby has more.
The State Department describes the Quad grouping as a diplomatic partnership committed to fostering a free and open Indo-Pacific. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was in attendance as Quad representatives met in India. Japan's foreign minister reaffirmed the group's commitment to the denuclearization of North Korea. In a joint statement, the Quad condemned, quote, North Korea's unlawful development of ballistic missiles and weapons of mass destruction. Pyongyang's foreign minister accuses the Quad of serving the U.S., quote, strategy for unipolar domination. The denuclearization of North Korea will never happen, he said. For NPR News, I'm Jan Cummins in Brumby, in Taipei.
Australia is suing Minnesota Base 3M and its Australian subsidiary for nearly $1.5 billion. The lawsuit cites contamination at the country's military bases from so-called forever chemicals found in firefighting foam. The Australian government says PFAS chemicals have contaminated 28 of the country's bases.
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