NPR News Now - NPR News: 06-15-2026 1AM EDT

Episode Date: June 15, 2026

NPR News: 06-15-2026 1AM EDTSee pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Dan Ronan. Global oil prices are down sharply after President Trump announced a deal with Iran will be signed this week. The global benchmark is down nearly 4% to $84 a barrel. NPR's Kamala Dominovsky reports. Trump's first post about a deal came shortly before oil futures markets opened for the week on Sunday evening, and prices promptly dropped like a rock. And oil futures had already fallen significantly on Thursday and 4th, Friday in anticipation of a deal. Traders have gotten their hopes up for a reopened Strait of Hormuz

repeatedly since the U.S. and Israel started this war, but oil prices have not been this low since the very first days of the conflict. Trump's second post on the deal says the strait will be reopened when the deal is signed Friday, quote, for purposes of mine removal. Camila Dominooski, NPR News. For the first time in American history, the South Lawn of the White House Sunday night was the site of a seven-bought UFC card. This is President Trump and others welcome thousands of visitors to a temporary arena erected for the event. The event was being held on the president's 80th birthday. NPR senior national political correspondent Mara Liason reports. This cage match on the White House South Lawn comes at a time when age and generational change are big issues in the midterms. And his critics say Trump has been showing signs of

decline. He's closed his eyes in White House meetings, although the White House denies he's fallen asleep. But this mixed martial arts fight at the White House today is meant to contradict that image of decline. The event was delayed about 45 minutes because of the threat of storms. Democrats have criticized it saying it's an example. The president is out of touch with Americans when it comes to managing the economy. A senior Haitian security official has been kidnapped in Porta Prince. The official had been tapped to help shape Haiti's new security response under the country's new defense leadership. It underscores the continuing grip that armed gangs have on the country despite ongoing efforts to restore order. Harold Isaac reports.

James Boyard, who had recently been appointed Chief of Staff to Haiti's new defense minister, has been abducted, along with his wife and six-year-old daughter. Authorities believe members of the Tebowa gang are responsible. Gang violence has displaced nearly one and a half million people nationwide, according to the United Nations. Kidnappings for ransom remain common, despite the deployment of international security assistance and the creation of a new gang suppression force backed by foreign partners. Boyard's kidnapping comes as authorities continue to promise tougher action against armed groups and as uncertainty grows over whether long-delayed elections can take place amid the ongoing violence.

For NPR news, I'm Harold Isaac in Porter Press. It's NPR. Lawmakers in Arizona are tripling the state's fund for potential lawsuits over water from the Colorado River that it shares with other states. Alex Hager of member station KJZZ in Phoenix reports. The fund was set up last year and the new budget will bring it to $9 million. Arizona could use the money if it heads to a court battle with other states that use the Colorado River or the federal government. Those states are California, Nevada, Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and New Mexico. They've been unable to agree on how to manage water moving forward.

State leaders all say they want to avoid lawsuits, but seem far apart on a deal to stay out of court, with a midsummer deadline quickly approaching. Earlier this year, Arizona secured an East Coast law firm to represent the state in a potential case. Climate change and drought mean that demand for water is higher than supply, and states can't agree about who exactly should have to cut back. For NPR News, I'm Allie. Hager in Phoenix. The Carolina Hurricanes are the NHL Stanley Cup champions. They defeated the

Las Vegas Golden Knights 3-0-0 in game 6 Sunday night to win the best of seven series, four games to two. Captain Jordan Stahl was named the most valuable player, and he gave a shout out to everyone on the team for a great year. It's amazing. It's, this is something I've been going after ever since you got the first one. I mean, you want to win it again and again and again. What a feeling. What a battle. The boys were grinding today. My goodness. with so many individual efforts just to keep the puck out of our net. And it was an amazing ride. And I'm just so proud of these guys.

This is the second time that the Raleigh team has won the Stanley Cup championship since relocating to Raleigh 30 years ago. This is NPR. Support for NPR.