NPR News Now - NPR News: 03-13-2026 12AM EDT

Episode Date: March 13, 2026

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Live from NPR News, I'm Jail Snyder. Iran's new Supreme Leader is vowing to fight on and to keep the strategic strait of Hormuz shut down. A message attributed to Muttabha Hamani was read Thursday by a television presenter as Iran wore royals oil markets. Iran has said the world should prepare for oil prices of $200 a barrel. Energy Secretary Chris Wright told CNN Thursday that short-term pain may be needed to solve a long-term problem. The disruption of oil, temporary disruption of oil through the Straits of Hormuz, that's what the strategic petroleum reserve is for. So as we have a shortage of market coming through that avenue, we're going to bring oil to market through other avenues to get through a few weeks of a short-term dislocation to get to a much better place on the other side. Another avenue seems to be Russian oil. Treasury Secretary Scott Besson says the U.S. is lifting sanctions on Russian oil and petroleum products stranded at sea for 30 days.

The UN Refugee Agency says more than 3 million people have been displaced inside Iran, while in Lebanon, more than 800,000 have been forced from their homes, as MPR's Kerry Khan reports. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, between 600,000 and up to a million households are displaced inside Iran. That means up to 3.2 million people are displaced, and in a statement, officials say this is just a preliminary assessment, which will likely rise as hostility. persist and, quote, marking a worrying escalation of humanitarian needs. In Lebanon, where Iranian-backed Hezbollah militants and Israel are exchanging missile and drone attacks, hundreds of thousands are seeking refuge in more than 400 shelter sites, but the numbers fleeing far outstrip adequate housing with large numbers of families sleeping on Beirut streets. Carrie Khan, NPR News, Tel Aviv. Violence against Palestinians in the West Bank is on the rise since Iran war began.

nearly two weeks ago. Palestinian and human rights groups say at least six people have been killed in the Israeli-occupied territory since February 28th. As Jewish settlers step up attacks on Palestinian villages from Ramallah, Numa-Musel reports. A leading Israeli rights group, Bates Salem, say settlers are taking advantage of wartime restrictions on movement to escalate attacks on Palestinian homes and religious centers. In Duma, settlers tried to burn down the villages mosque, says Suleimanda Wabshe, the local council head. They poured gasoline on tires and put them in front of the mosque. He says it was, quote, a shocking attack during the holy month of Ramadan.

Israeli police say they are investigating and strongly condemned the attack. The wartime restrictions have also kept the Al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem close to worshippers. For NPR news, I'm Noha Moussaid in Ramallah. This is NPR. The FBI, rather, says it's investigating Thursday's attack on a synagogue outside Detroit as a targeted act of violence against the Jewish community. The FBI is leading the investigation into the attack in which a suspect crashed his truck into the synagogue. The truck burst into flames after security guards fired on it. The suspect was killed.

Virginia's Old Dominion University has canceled classes and suspended operations on its main campus in Norfolk. after Thursday's classroom shooting at which a gunman killed one person and wounded two others. The FBI says the government was a former Army National Guard member who pleaded guilty in 2016 to attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State Group, ROTC students subdued and killed the government. Seven World Cup matches slated to be played in the town of Foxborough some 20 miles south of Boston. A standoff over millions in security costs seems to have ended. As Andrea Perdoma Hernandez reports. A statement issued by the town, stadium owners, the craft group, and the organizing committee for the matches, Boston 26, says an agreement has been reached that would prevent the town from incurring any financial burden associated with the World Cup.

Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll has wanted this. I think the leaders at the Craft Stadium Group and the town of Foxborough came together and realized there's an opportunity here for us to host this amazing World Cup and everybody was committed to making it happen. It's not a done deal yet, but the organization. and the owners say they, not the town, will cover the security costs. For NPR News, I'm Andrea Perdomo Hernandez in Boston. And I'm Jail Snyder. This is NPR News.