NPR News: 04-24-2026 8AM EDT

US military orders to shoot boats laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz have heightened risks in a key global shipping chokepoint. NPR's Jackie Dortham reports that clearing potential mines could take months due to the danger involved. Iran's threats of mining the strait, along with attacks and ship seizures, have halted many vessels, blocking critical shipments of fertilizer and aluminum essential for industry and farming. Bellicose rhetoric continues from both sides despite a White House meeting yesterday between the involved parties. Israel and Hezbollah militants have also traded attacks amid the broader regional tensions.

Wildfires Devastate Georgia and Florida

Wildfires are raging in southern Georgia and northern Florida, destroying around 90 homes near Brunswick, Georgia—a rural, forested area unaccustomed to such fires, unlike hurricanes. Emily Jones of member station WABE notes that sudden wind shifts are prompting abrupt evacuation orders. Governor Brian Kemp plans to tour the damage and meet first responders today. In Florida, over 130 wildfires are active, exacerbating the crisis in the region.