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Today’s top news
The conflict in the Middle East shows no signs of slowing as Israel announced new attacks on western Iran yesterday. Iran’s foreign minister has denied President Trump’s claim that Iran has asked for a ceasefire. The Strait of Hormuz is closed, cutting off a quarter of oil and natural gas supplies from the rest of the world. Trump is pressuring countries to help reopen it. New Israeli ground operations in Lebanon are heating up a second front in the war.
An Israeli air defense system fires to intercept missiles during an Iranian attack on Tel Aviv, Israel, early Sunday, March 15, 2026.
Ohad Zwigenberg/AP
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Ohad Zwigenberg/AP
- 🎧 NPR’s Daniel Estrin says First up An important question about war Whether it ends up with Iran still possessing its highly enriched uranium that can be used to build a nuclear weapon is at stake. Iran says it is buried under the rubble of last year’s war. Although Iran’s military has been weakened, the regime remains intact and capable of causing global disruption. Meanwhile, Israel’s plans keep changing. Today, a military spokesman revealed that operations in Iran are set for the next three weeks. In Lebanon, Israel is increasing its military presence and diplomatic efforts. Israel is pushing for direct ceasefire talks with Lebanon, a person briefed on the matter tells Estrin.
- 🎧 As gas prices soar, global markets struggle and surveys show As Americans remain skeptical of war, the Trump administration is delivering a message of victory. The administration initially struggled to provide a clear justification for U.S. involvement in the war, saying it was politically vulnerable, says NPR’s Franco Ordonez. Jenny Stromer-Galey, who studies political messaging at Syracuse University, says the focus on winning aims to shift the narrative toward one of collective power and vision. The president has repeatedly used plain, strong language as a branding tool, which Stromer-Galley says is an attempt to convince people of something their eyes can’t see. His criticism against the media has also intensified. The FCC chairman has threatened to revoke broadcast licenses over stations broadcasting about the war.
Senate Republicans are preparing to vote on the president’s controversial SAVE Act this week. The bill aims to address a hot-button issue close to Trump’s heart: non-citizen voting. Despite the lack of evidence, Trump remains adamant that this is a widespread concern in the US.
- 🎧 Bill requires photo ID proving US citizenshipLike a birth certificate or passport to register to vote. Millions of Americans don’t have easy access to those records, says NPR’s Miles Parks. As the vote approaches, Trump is more likely to be disappointed by the results. Senate Democrats have staunchly opposed the bill. To pass the legislation, 60 votes are needed to break the filibuster threshold, but Republicans have just 53 seats. Trump has insisted he doesn’t want a watered-down version of the bill. But Parks says if it had been narrower and perhaps focused only on photo ID, it might have garnered more support from both parties.
Linda Holmes, Pop Culture Happy Hour Host, joins First up Newsletter today to provide key takeaways from last night’s Oscars.
It was a very good night for the Best Picture winner One battle at a timeAs well the sinnersLast night at the Oscars. There were a few surprises (a rare tie), as well as some politics. Here are our takeaways from the evening:
- 🏆 Famous director Paul Thomas Anderson (One battle at a time) finally won Best Director after three previous nominations. He took home Best Adapted Screenplay.
- 🏆 Michael B. Jordan won a rare Best Actor award – a vampire horror drama the sinners. They beat the performers of more traditionally award-friendly films.
- 🏆 Amy Madigan won Best Supporting Actress for her deeply unsettling and utterly solo performance WeaponsIt’s still more purely a horror movie the sinners.
- 🏆 Cassandra Kulukundis won the longest-running, first-time acting Academy Award One battle at a time. The biggest problem in the category is that not everyone can win.
- 🏆 Autumn Durald Arkapav, who won Best Cinematography for her work the sinnersShe is the fourth woman and the first woman of color to be nominated in the category. First woman to win.
Check out photos from the red carpet and see the full list of winners.
Stay pop culture savvy by subscribing to Pop Culture Happy Hour Newsletter. Once a week, you’ll get NPR’s guide to movies, TV, books, music and more.
Life advice
It can be hard to get your time and attention back from your phone when it’s designed to keep you scrolling. Life Kit Talked to experts in behavioral science, psychology and technology for real-world advice. Check out these expert-recommended strategies for effectively getting away from your phone:
- 📱 Try “impulse surfing,” a practice that lets off the urge to pick up your phone without doing anything about it. If you do it too much, you feel like you have to give in to the urge.
- 📱 Make your device less visually appealing to reduce your motivation to use it. Make it black-and-white or set a simple home page without apps list and images.
- 📱 Keeping your phone out of the bedroom reduces phone time by eliminating the temptation to scroll before bed, in the middle of the night and when you first wake up.
For more tips on how to get off your phone, Listen to this episode of NPR Life Kit. Subscribe The Life Kit Newsletter For expert advice on love, money, relationships and more.
Film show
Actors look skyward during JJ’88’s “Root” in documentary/visual album by hip-hop artist and former inmate Songs from the hole. Before the song begins, lead singer and producer James “JJ’88” Jacobs describes meditating on the redemption of himself and others while incarcerated and in solitary confinement.
Courtesy of Netflix
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Courtesy of Netflix
Songs from the hole A powerful visual album and documentary that tells the story of James Jacobs, known as hip-hop artist JJ’88, reflects on life inside the California prison system. In 2004, at the age of 15, Jacobs shot and killed a 20-year-old man at a party. As of 2021, Jacobs has spent more time in prison than out. After meeting and befriending Contessa Gales while on assignment for CNN, Jacobs and her producer Richie Reseda approached filmmaker Gales with a bold vision. He wanted to create a visual album of what Jacobs had written during his incarceration. The film interweaves Jacobs’ letters and recorded phone calls with Gales and Reseda, displaying scripts, shot lists and lyrics. The documentary examines themes of black childhood, family relationships, faith, guilt, forgiveness and redemption, creating a compelling narrative of resilience and hope. Check out these pictures from the film.
3 things to know before you go
Screenshot from All Out Winners of 46th Annual Razzie Awards, War of the WorldsStarring Ice Cube.
Amazon Prime Video
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Amazon Prime Video
- A remake of a classic science fiction novel War of the Worlds Ice Cube starred at the 46th Annual Golden Raspberries or Razzie Awards, a parody of the Academy Awards.
- German philosopher Jürgen Habermas, an influential thinker on modernity and democracy, died on Saturday at the age of 96 in Starnberg, Germany.
- Trump announced Friday that Richard Grenell is stepping down as head of the Kennedy Center before it closes for a scheduled renovation in July.
Edited this newsletter Suzanne Nguyen.
