Iran hails attack on Israel as a ‘victory’; Photos of Sudan, 1 year into a brutal war

By Suzanne Nuyen
An anti-missile system operates after Iran launched drones and missiles toward Israel, as seen from Ashkelon, Israel, April 14.
An anti-missile system operates after Iran launched drones and missiles toward Israel, as seen from Ashkelon, Israel, April 14.
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Today’s top stories

Iranian officials have been lavish with their praiseintercepted 99% of the drones
  • NPR’s Peter Kenyon tells Up First that two recent incidents may have made Iran feel like it needed a “show of strength:” the 2020 U.S. assassination of General Qassem Soleimani and the recent strike on an Iranian consulate in Syria, which killed top Iranian officers. Meanwhile, Washington and world leaders are asking Israel to show restraint as it weighs its response to Iran’s missile and drone attack.
  • Iran’s strikes have renewed pressure on Congress to act after months of delay on foreign aid. House Speaker Mike Johnson has introduced three billsaddressing funding for Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan. A fourth national security bill could lead to a TikTok ban. NPR’s Deirdre Walsh says House Republicans are largely united on approving additional aid to Israel but are split down the middle on Ukraine — with conservatives strongly opposed to voting for any more money.
The Supreme Court hears arguments today that challenge a statuteprosecute hundreds of defendantscharge him
  • A federal judge in one Jan. 6 case ruled that the law should only apply to the destruction of documents and records, not to the events of Jan. 6. If the Court rules that storming the capitol doesn’t constitute obstructing a congressional proceeding. All cases involving the statute would be halted, NPR’s Nina Totenberg says. 
The supply of new bitcoins is expected to be halvedeverything you need to know

We, the voters

As part of the We, The Voters series, NPR is bringing you stories of gun violence and its impact on communities all week.When gun violence in America is discussed, people often think of mass shootings, homicide or domestic violence.
  • Maura Umble’s son shot and killed himself in 2018. She says she’s committed to talking about how his suicide has affected herself and her family and wants to hold her local government officials accountable for having these conversations, too. Listen to her story on Morning Edition, or read it here.
If you or someone you know may be considering suicide, contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by dialing or texting 9-8-8.

Picture show

Sudan is marking the anniversary of a year-long conflict
  • Faiz Abubakr, a Sudanese photographer based in Khartoum, documented how the war has upended life in his country. See the photos here.

3 things to know before you go

  1. Alabama held its first-ever Olympic trial this weekend for the little-known sport of canoe and kayak slalom. Montgomery officials hope the Olympic-sanctioned event will revitalize the city’s economy and position it as a sports tourism destination. 
  2. Women’s college basketball stars Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese were selected in the first round of the WNBA draft last night. Clark will play for the Indiana Fever and Reese for the Chicago Sky.
  3. Now that you’re done figuring out how to view the solar eclipse, get ready to see an even rarer celestial event: an exploding star. 
This newsletter was edited by Majd Al-Waheidi.
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