NPR News: 03-18-2026 10PM EDT

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Louise Kivone.

Persian Gulf Allies of the U.S. are warning of escalating repercussions after Israel's

attack on Iran's south-pars gas field.

Qatar says it shares the underwater field and the attack is a threat to both the environment

and to global energy security.

Meanwhile, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency says he does not believe

the war in Iran can entirely eliminate that nation's nuclear program.

NPR's Jeff Brinkfield has more.

IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi says Iran's nuclear program has been heavily

damaged by repeated strikes.

But speaking to reporters in Washington, D.C., he said he expects it will survive the

current conflict in some form.

That's because the program isn't just located at Iran's main nuclear sites, he says.

It's also scattered across the university's laboratories and industrial facilities throughout

the country.

When the current war ends, he predicts, we will still have a number of issues that will

require a solution.

Grossi says his agency is ready to aid negotiations and it's ready to restart nuclear inspections

when the fighting stops.

Jeff Brinkfield and NPR News.

A congressional panel heard today that the FBI may be purchasing commercially available

data to track American's locations.

NPR's Jude-Jaffee Block has more.

Back in 2023, then FBI Director Chris Ray told Congress the FBI was no longer purchasing

commercial databases that include location data from internet advertising.

At this hearing, Democratic Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon asked current FBI Director

Cash Patel if he could also commit to not purchasing American's location data.

Patel did not.

We do purchase commercially available information that's consistent with the Constitution and

the laws under the Electronic Communications Privacy Act.

Wyden says data purchases without a warrant are an end run around the Fourth Amendment,

and that's compounded by the potential to use AI to comb through private information,

as spokesperson for the FBI declined to comment or clarify what data the FBI is buying.

Jude-Jaffee Block and NPR News.

Venezuela's president has removed the nation's defense minister under U.S. pressure for reforms.

He's been replaced with another general accused of committing human rights violations

on our wait-up reports.

Vladimir Padrino Lopez had been Venezuela's defense minister.

During his tenure, he helped for anti-government protests, and ensured that the military supported

Maduro.

But Padrino Lopez was unable to defend Maduro from a U.S. raid in January, in which the

Venezuelan leader was captured.

Now he has been replaced by General Gustavo Gonzales, a former director of Venezuela's intelligence

police.

Gonzales was sanctioned by the Obama administration for leading a crackdown on anti-government

protests in which dozens of people were killed.

For NPR News and Manuel Ruella.

This is NPR.

In the state of Georgia, a woman who allegedly used abortion medication has been arrested

on murder, and other charges under the state's six-week abortion ban.

She is the second person known to be charged under that state law, which took effect after

the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.

Just May door for Member Station W-A-B-E has to tell.

Speaking documents, show the South Georgia woman is charged with murder and drug possession.

Police in Camden County, Georgia, near Jacksonville arrested her in early March after she allegedly

used a medication called mesoprostal.

It's one of two drugs that can be used to induce abortion.

Attorneys for the woman who authorities identified as Alexio Moore did not return

calls.

Georgia bans abortion at around six weeks of pregnancy, typically when an ultrasound

can detect cardiac activity.

The Camden County District Attorney's Office said it doesn't comment on pending cases.

For NPR News, I'm Jess Medore in Atlanta.

Next decades after the death of Mexican-American labor and rights leader Cesar Chavez,

several women have told the New York Times he was responsible for child sexual abuse, assault,

and rape.

Among these accusers, one of the most prominent allies of Chavez de Loris Huerta.

She says Chavez twice forced himself on her.

She became pregnant both times.

His accusers say they stayed quiet for decades in part to protect the cause that Chavez

championed.

Some interviewed dozens of people, including friends and family of Chavez and former members

of the United Farm Workers.

I'm Louise Skivone and NPR News, Washington.

This message comes from Capital One Commercial Bank.

Your business requires commercial banking solutions that prioritize your long-term success.

With Capital One, get a full suite of financial products and services tailored to meet your

needs today and goals for tomorrow.

One more at capitalone.com slash commercial, member FDIC.