NPR News: 03-31-2026 7PM EDT

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Ryland Barton. President Trump's explanations for why he launched the war in Iran have been inconsistent and sometimes contradicted by his cabinet. The language about the war has also been different than in the past, including references to religion, as NPR's Quill Lawrence explains. The cartoon memes that have been released by the White House and the Pentagon included with videos of destruction of targets in Iran, presumably killing people alongside video game memes. The brazen political jabs in the middle of war briefings, which I don't ever recall seeing in the past 25 years of these sort of briefings. And Hegseth also always says a prayer like he did this morning. May his almighty and eternal arms of providence stretch over them and protect them and bring them peace in the name of Jesus Christ. And just to state the obvious, the U.S. military is not all Christian. NPR's Quill Lawrence reporting. The Supreme Court has overturned Colorado's law that bans conversion therapy for LGBTQ youth. Colorado Public Radio's Benta Berkeland reports the case was brought on behalf of a therapist who said she had the right to speak freely with her clients. Colorado's law prohibits mental health professionals in the state from attempting to change a minor client's sexual orientation or gender identity during talk therapy sessions. Major psychological governing bodies say the practice is harmful and the state argued it has the authority to regulate licensed therapists. But an 8-to-1 high court majority sided with a Christian counselor who argues the law banning certain therapies violates the First Amendment. The majority found the Colorado law regulates speech based on viewpoint and permits some types of speech but not others. One of the sponsors of Colorado's law said the ruling would put some children in jeopardy. For NPR News, I'm Benta Berkeland in Vale, Colorado. NASA officials say that everything's looking good as they count down the hours to a launch of the Artemis II mission. The first possible launch window opens tomorrow evening. NPR's Nell Greenfield-Boys reports that the goal is to send four astronauts flying around the moon. Their trip out to the moon and back is expected to last about 10 days. The crew's vehicle, a bell-shaped capsule, is currently perched on top of a massive rocket at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASA test director Jeff Spalding says launch preparations have been progressing smoothly. People are excited and ready to go on this first chapter on our way back to the moon since the 1970s. The weather forecast says there's an 80 percent chance of favorable conditions at launch time. If there's a weather delay or a technical glitch, there could still be several additional launch opportunities in the following days. Nell Greenfield-Boys, NPR News. U.S. stock search today is Wall Street weighed hopes about a possible end to the war with Iran. This is NPR News. Three fired FBI agents are suing to get their jobs back, saying they were illegally punished for investigating President Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election. The lawsuit adds the list of court challenges to a purge by FBI Director Cash Patel. Patel has said the fired agents weaponized law enforcement, which they deny. U.S. colleges with branch campuses in the Middle East are making contingency plans during the Iran War. From member station G.B.H. in Boston, Kirk Carripezza reports Iran says it could strike U.S. university operations and students in the Gulf states. The warning came after Iranian news sites reported two universities in their country were hit by U.S. strikes. American satellite campuses in the Gulf region include Boston's Hult International Business School in Dubai. About 20% of Hult students are enrolled there. A spokesperson for the school says classes there have moved online in accordance with rules issued by the United Arab Emirates. Former Tufts Dean and retired Navy Admiral James Stavridis says if he lit a school in the Gulf, he'd suspend operations and move students back to the U.S. or Europe. For NPR News, I'm Kirk Carripezza in Boston. A bottle of wine from 1945 sold for more than $812,000, the most expensive ever sold at auction. The 750-milliliter bottle of 1945 Domain de la Romaine Conte came from a private wine seller. The auction house says the bottle is the final vintage produced before the winemaker replanted its oldest vines, grapes that survived two World Wars. This is NPR. Listen to this podcast sponsor-free on Amazon Music with a prime membership or any podcast app by subscribing to NPR News Now Plus at plus.npr.org. That's plus.npr.org.