NPR News: 03-03-2026 6PM EST

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Janine Herbst. Secretary of State Marco Rubio says U.S. embassies are under attack from a, quote, terrorist regime. This after an Iranian drone struck near the U.S. consulate in Dubai and a day after two Iranian drones caused a fire and damage at the U.S. embassy in Saudi Arabia. And Piers Michelle Kellerman has more. In between meetings on Capitol Hill, Secretary Rubio offered a brief update about the incident in Dubai. The drone unfortunately struck a parking lot adjacent to the chancellery building and then set off a fire in that place. All personnel are accounted for. As you're aware, we began drawing down personnel from our diplomatic facilities in advance of this. At least in a few embassies. Since the Trump administration launched the war against Iran, the State Department has evacuated non-essential personnel from many more embassies and consulates and is now organizing evacuation flights for private Americans. Rubio is urging Americans to call a hotline if they need help. Michelle Kellerman, NPR News, the State Department. President Trump hosted German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at the White House today And Paris Rob Schmitz reports Trump called him a friend Trump praised Merz as successful and popular while Merz said he agreed with Trump that the quote, terrible regime in Tehran must be overthrown. Merz added that the conflict in the Middle East is hurting Europe's economy with rising oil and gas prices, and he said that's why he hopes the war will come to an end as soon as possible. He also expressed an interest in discussing how to bring another war, Russia's war in Ukraine, to an end. While Trump praised Germany in his remarks, he criticized both Spain and the United Kingdom for what he framed as their lack of support. Rob Schmitz, NPR News, Berlin. It's primary election day in Arkansas, North Carolina, and Texas for the first votes to set up the 2026 midterms in November. In Texas, there are Senate and House primaries today. Voters are deciding between Democratic Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett and State Representative James Tallarico. And in the Senate race, Republican Senator John Cornyn is trying for a fifth term. The Texas newsroom's Blaise Ganey has more. Republicans are trying to hold on to the Senate seat they've had for 30 plus years, but Democrats believe this is their year for an upset Texan Bo Delp in Austin says why he voted and wants others to do the same If you feeling like your health care is going through the roof if you feel like it getting more expensive to put groceries on the table to send your kids to daycare like me, then you got to get out and vote. All GOP candidates have claimed to be MAGA Republicans, and some political scientists believe that could drive people to come out and vote against them. For NPR News, I'm Blaise Ganey. On Wall Street, the Dow was down 403 points at the close. the Nasdaq down 232, the S&P 500 down 64. You're listening to NPR News from Washington. Some of the most prominent figures in autism research have created a group to counter ideas coming from the Trump administration. NPR's John Hamilton has more. It's called the Independent Autism Coordinating Committee. It was formed just weeks after HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. replaced every member of a similar committee that advises the federal government on autism research priorities. The new group plans to offer alternative guidance. It includes two former directors of the National Institute of Mental Health, leading academic scientists and doctors a former congressman and members of advocacy organizations Most of them have criticized Kennedy efforts to link vaccines and autism as well as his support for ideas about the condition that lack credible scientific backing. The independent committee plans to hold its first public meeting on March 19th in Washington. John Hamilton, NPR News. In New York, at an antitrust trial over the concert Industries ticketing procedures, had a Justice Department lawyer telling the jury that the system is broken because Ticketmaster and its parent company, Live Nation Entertainment, monopolized the market. David Delquist says that has driven up prices for consumers. The federal government and 39 states are suing over the lack of competition that they say hurts both the artists and the concertgoers. And on Wall Street, the Dow was down 403 points by the close, but earlier in the day, it was down around 1,200 points. The Nasdaq down 232, S&P 500 down 64. I'm Janine Herbst, NPR News in Washington.