AI Summary
5 min readLive from NPR News, this is the 2 PM EDT update on April 13, 2026. The episode covers a U.S. military blockade on Iranian ports, a disputed child casualty count from the recent conflict, a clarification from President Trump about a social media post, a reversal on the Pride flag at a national monument, the science behind red light therapy, and new data on gas prices and the housing shortage.
U.S. Blockade and War Casualties in Iran
The U.S. military is actively enforcing a blockade on Iran's ports in the Strait of Hormuz. Vice President J.D. Vance, who led U.S. peace talks with Iran over the weekend, has left the host country, though the status of the negotiations remains unclear. The human toll of the conflict is severe. Iranian officials report that more than 220 children were killed in the weeks leading up to a tentative ceasefire announced last Wednesday. This figure aligns with statistics released by the U.S.-based human rights organization HRA, which relies on a network of activists inside Iran. The head of Iran's Emergency Medical Services told State TV that 18 of the children who died were under the age of five. The majority of these child deaths occurred on the first day of the war, February 28th, in the bombing of a primary school in the southern city of Minab. Multiple investigations, including reporting by NPR, have shown the U.S. was responsible for that stri
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What you'll learn
- 1 (00:04) **U.S. Military Enforces Iran Port Blockade** - The U.S. military is enforcing a blockade on Iran's ports in the Strait of Hormuz, with Vice President J.D. Vance leaving the host country after leading peace talks over the weekend.
- 2 (01:31) **Trump Defends Controversial Social Media Post** - President Trump addresses a post depicting himself as Jesus Christ, claiming it was meant to show him as a doctor and Red Cross worker.
- 3 (02:10) **Trump Sued Over Jeffrey Epstein Birthday Greeting** - President Trump is being sued over an article from last July concerning a birthday greeting two decades ago to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
- 4 (03:01) **Administration Reverses Course on Pride Flag at Stonewall** - The Trump administration says it will rehoist the rainbow pride flag at the Stonewall National Monument in New York City.
- 5 (03:12) **Science Behind Red Light Therapy Trend** - Red light therapy, sold in panels, face masks, and hair caps, has science backing its benefits for hair growth and skin rejuvenation.
- 6 (04:05) **AAA Reports National Gas Average** - The auto club AAA reports the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline is $4.13 today.
- 7 (04:21) **White House Estimates 10 Million Housing Shortage** - The White House Council of Economic Advisors estimates a shortage of 10 million houses in the United States.
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