NPR News: 03-21-2026 2PM EDT

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Nur Rahm.

Former FBI Director Robert Mueller has died, his family issued a statement that he died last night.

He has served as the special counsel in the investigation into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

Robert Mueller was 81.

Britain says Iran launched an unsuccessful missile attack at a joint British and American base in the Indian Ocean.

NPR's Roost Sherlock has more.

In a statement to NPR, the British Ministry of Defense accused Iran of lashing out across the region after it said Iran had made a failed attempt

to strike at Diego Garcia military base.

It's unclear how close the missiles came to the base, located on the Chegos Islands in the Indian Ocean, some 2500 miles away from Iran.

The base has long been strategically important for the US, which has used it in military operations from the Vietnam War to the invasion of Iraq and in other more recent conflicts.

The British government has said US bombers can use some British bases, including Diego Garcia, for operations to prevent Iran attacking ships in the strategic straight of Hurumus Waterway, Ruth Sherlock and Pianes.

Sighting the war in Iran, a federal judge says it's more important than ever, the public have information on what the government is doing.

He struck down a Pentagon policy that limited reporters' access. NPR's Ron Elving has more.

The Pentagon under Secretary Pete Hegseth put limits on where reporters could go, who they could talk to, and a long list of news organizations in the New York Times, other newspapers.

Also NPR, NPBS, and the cable and broadcast, TV operations, all refused to live under those conditions.

So, we're barred. We were barred. The others were barred from the Pentagon.

A federal judge has now ruled that was a clear violation of the First Amendment rights of news reporters and news consumers, with a compelling interest in the Pentagon and the government in general.

NPR's Ron Elving, the partial government shutdown continues after five weeks, meaning longer lines at airports. NPR's Matt Bloom reports.

Major airports issued fresh warnings ahead of the weekend to expect more long lines. Atlanta's airport urged travelers to arrive at least three hours early.

At Hollywood Burbank Airport, Emily Alexis brought canned goods to contribute to a food drive for TSA agents, who worked without pay for several weeks.

Oh, I like to feel bad for them, but you know, they have families and everything, and I just don't like what's going on.

In New Orleans, mass agent callouts this month led to huge lines that stretched into the airport's parking garage.

Leaders on social media said that staffing remains a fluid situation, and wait times may fluctuate from 15 minutes to up to two hours. Matt Bloom and PR News.

This is NPR News in Washington.

Scottish police said today they arrested two people trying to enter the UK's nuclear submarine base this week.

They described them as an Iranian man and a Romanian woman, there to appear in court Monday to face charges.

As is customary in Scotland, their names and the charges won't be released until after the hearing.

The base holds the core of the UK's submarine fleet, including the Royal Navy submarines armed with trident missiles.

Britain has been a nuclear power since the 1950s.

The British version of Saturday Night Live debuts tonight with Tina Fey hosting Vicki Barker reports from London.

Comedy and satire are not strangers to the British airwaves, but live comedy and satire is.

Cast member Ayowade Bangboye telling the BBC.

I mean, I'm nervous, but I think my nerves are just like excitement. You know when you're nervous because you care.

Producer James Longman is confident the SNL brand will appeal to British viewers.

The world is rough out there at the moment, so it's really good times to laugh.

And we are creating hopefully something very special with an amazing cast and amazing team of writers.

The Sky program will stream in the US on peacock on Sunday.

For NPR News, I'm Vicki Barker in London.

An international group of scientists says the high temperatures in the US Southwest this month are the result of climate change.

World weather attribution studies the causes of extreme weather and says this month's heat wave would have been virtually impossible without human caused climate change.

I'm Nora Rom, NPR News in Washington.

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