NPR News: 03-11-2026 7PM EDT

Who should win the Oscar for the best original song this year?

On the latest all songs considered from NPR music, we rank the nominees.

I think Diane Warren should have won two Academy Awards.

The problem is very often the lyrics are not much more insightful than you would find on the nearest

throw pillow. Here's the NPR music podcast on the NPR app or wherever you get podcasts.

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

The UN Security Council is condemning Iran for launching missiles and drones at Gulf Arab

countries. Current council member Bahrain drafted the resolution which won broad support as NPR's

Michelle Kaliman reports. Bahrain's ambassador Jamal Al-Awayi says he drafted the resolution

to pressure Iran to halt attacks that are affecting trade and maritime routes.

We have repeatedly called for dialogue and diplomacy, but these two cannot be achieved

under the barrage of missiles and drones. 135 nations co-sponsored the resolution which passed

in a 13-0 vote in the Security Council. Russia and China abstained because the resolution

did not criticize Israel and the United States for launching the war.

Russia called the resolution extremely unbalanced.

Iran says it's targeting US military bases in the region.

Michelle Kaliman NPR News, the State Department.

Dozens of countries are preparing to release about 400 million barrels of oil from strategic

reserves after the war with Iran sent global fuel prices climbing. NPR's Windsor Johnston reports

analysts say the move is aimed at calming markets and easing fears about future supply.

In the weeks leading up to the conflict, diesel prices had already climbed about 35 cents a

gallon as markets priced in geopolitical risk. Analystine Croke says there was already what he

calls a war premium built into fuel prices. Then the event happened and everyone went,

whoa, this is not good and this could be far worse than maybe we haven't priced in as much risk

as what we thought. And then what you saw was within that week diesel prices jumped

something like 19 percent in the course of a week. Croke says the spike is squeezing

trucking companies and adding pressure across supply chains in time that could mean higher prices

for all kinds of goods. Windsor Johnston NPR News, Washington.

Artificial intelligence company Anthropics says billions of dollars in revenue could be at stake in

its legal fight with the Pentagon. Anthropic is suing to block the defense department's designation

of the AI company as a supply chain risk. NPR's Bobby Allen reports. Anthropics has some of its

current and future work could be in jeopardy if the Pentagon labeling it a supply chain risk

remains. The standoff is over anthropic refusing to allow its powerful AI models to be used for

autonomous lethal weapons and surveilling American citizens. It is the first time the US government

has designated a non-eversarial country with a label, which is usually used against firms that

could sabotage American interests like China's Huawei. While it's $200 million contract is a fraction

of Anthropics $19 billion in annual revenue, the company says being on a federal blacklist will

spook some customers to the tune of billions of dollars. The Pentagon says AI companies cannot

dictate how the government will deploy its technology, especially in wartime operations.

Bobby Allen NPR News. This is NPR News from Washington.

Documents released by the British government show officials warned of a reputational risk

in appointing Peter Mandelson as the US ambassador because of his relationship with

convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The concerns were raised and a document sent to Prime

Minister Keir Starmer in December 2024 before he appointed Mandelson to the role seen as vital

to establishing a good relationship with the Trump administration. As groundwater supplies

dwindle, another strategy is gaining momentum. Molly Durg with Central Florida Public Media and

Orlando reports on the rise of recycled treated wastewater for drinking. In Arizona, Florida,

California, and Colorado state regulations allow for recycled wastewater to be treated and

distributed for drinking. The official term is direct, potable reuse. Bruno Piguet heads the

Water Reuse Association, a trade group that lobbies for what it calls recycled water.

They say some municipalities and other states are also interested in using it to drink.

Ceasey for me to say I'm excited about it, but I've got to make sure that the public

is understanding it that it's pure and safe and understands the complex nature of water and

that every drop of water than used before. Critics call it toilet to tap. In reality,

recycled wastewater goes through many steps of treatment. For NPR News, I'm Molly Durg in Orlando.

Miami Heat Center Bam, Otobio may have played the best game of his life yesterday with 83 points,

second only to Wilk Chamberlain's 100 points in 1962. Kobe Bryant previously had the number

two spot with 81 points. He was in tears and hugged his mom before leaving the floor after the game.

This is NPR News from Washington.