NPR News: 03-09-2026 10PM EDT

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Ryland Barton.

During a news conference today, President Trump said the war against Iran is pretty much complete,

though others in the administration have recently made contradictory statements.

Trump is trying to have it both ways, as NPR's Franco Ordonia explains.

He says, basically, their military has all been wiped out.

He talked about 90% of the ballistic missiles and the nuclear sites and the different types of missiles that are out.

All of the many ships that have been knocked out.

All the capability of the military is basically gone in his words.

But again, let's just back to both ways.

His own secretary of defense is talking about this just beginning.

NPR's Franco Ordonia is reporting.

President Trump is again expressing hopes that the U.S. will have a, quote,

friendly takeover of Cuba.

And as NPR's Michelle Kellerman reports, he's put Secretary of State Marco Rubio in charge of making a deal.

President Trump says Cuba used to live off help from Venezuela.

But the U.S. cut that off after a military operation earlier this year that ousted Venezuelan leader Nicholas Maduro.

Now Trump thinks Cuba needs to make a deal with him.

They're down to, as they say, fumes.

They have no energy. They have no money.

They're deep trouble on a humanitarian basis.

Trump says Rubio, whose parents were born in Cuba, is trusted and speaks the language.

And Trump says he believes this could be a friendly takeover.

Michelle Kellerman and PR News, the State Department.

Stock markets recovered from earlier losses today with the Dow gaining 240 points.

NPR's Rafael Nam reports investors are still hopeful the war with Iran will end soon.

After oil prices rose, about $100 a barrel over the weekend.

Whilst the investors are certainly nervous these days, but there's no panic.

At one point, the Dow fell nearly 900 points, but recovered later in the day, with all three indexes ending the day higher.

The more measured the approach by investors reflect hope that the war with Iran will be shorter.

And that the straight of her moves will reopen to commercial traffic.

So there's still some hope that the spike in oil prices will prove temporary.

Meaning for now, investors will remain in a weight and sea mode.

Rafael Nam in PR News.

Uber is launching a feature that will allow female riders and drivers across the US to be matched with other women.

It's an expansion of a pilot program aimed at addressing concerns about the safety of its ride hailing platform.

The announcement comes despite a class action lawsuit in California, filed by Uber drivers who argue that it is discriminatory against men.

You're listening to NPR News from Washington.

Iraq's men's soccer coach is urging FIFA to postpone his team's intercontinental World Cup qualifier later this month because of disruptions caused by the war in the Middle East.

He says many players and staff can't leave the country because Iraq has closed its airspace until April 1st.

Iraq has due to play a winner takes all playoff on March 31st in Mexico against either Suriname or Bolivia.

In Michigan, state officials are asking whether more could have been done to track and prepare for tornadoes that killed at least four people last week.

Michigan Public Radio's Rick Pluta reports.

Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer has asked for a federal inquiry into whether budget cuts to the National Weather Service affected its ability to see trouble coming.

And why no tornado watch was issued for some communities in the path of the deadly storm.

Democratic State Senator Sean McCann says that's a fair question.

It's certainly an open and valid question to wonder whether or not they are able to deliver all of the services that they have in the past and going forward effectively.

McCann shares the state Senate Energy and Environment Committee and says this latest weather disaster in Southwest Michigan will require a review of emergency warning systems.

For NPR News, I'm Rick Pluta in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Bo The Bloodhound has joined the North Dakota Highway Patrol. He joins a band of dogs that help solve difficult cases around the Midwest and have now become something of a social media sensation.

The Patrol now has four bloodhounds and they've been called to Montana, South Dakota, and Utah to help in searches. This is NPR News.

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