Good evening. Here’s the latest at the end of Thursday.
Iran’s new leader vows to keep a crucial oil gateway blockedIn his first public comments since becoming Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei signaled today that the country was not backing down from the war in the Middle East. Khamenei vowed to avenge the deaths of Iranians killed by the U.S. and Israel. He also directed Iran’s military to continue blocking the Strait of Hormuz. The strait is considered to be the world’s most important choke point for oil; normally, about 20 million barrels pass through it daily. With little passing through it now, the International Energy Agency declared the war to be “the largest supply disruption in the history of the global oil market.” Concerns about the global energy supply were compounded today when Iraq and Oman closed their oil terminals after two tankers were attacked and left burning off the Iraqi coast. This map shows where ships have been attacked. Oil prices rose again, despite plans by more than 30 countries to release a record amount of oil from emergency reserves. Even if the war is short, it could cause lasting damage to the global economy. (In this video, our energy reporter explains that even though it has shrunk as a share of the global energy supply, the world is using more oil than ever.) President Trump shrugged off worries about the oil disruption, arguing that preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons was more important than rising prices. He added: “When oil prices go up, we make a lot of money.” For more:
A Michigan synagogue was attackedA driver rammed a truck through the doors of a synagogue outside Detroit and drove down a hallway, the authorities said. The police said the attacker died after exchanging fire with the synagogue’s security guards, one of whom was hit by the vehicle and injured. A fire started inside the building and black smoke was seen billowing from the doors, but no one else appeared to have been hurt, including the 140 students at the synagogue’s preschool. The local sheriff said it was too early to determine a motive for the attack, though it came at a time of rising antisemitism. The synagogue, Temple Israel in West Bloomfield Township, is one of the largest Reform synagogues in the country.
Senators in both parties agreed on a housing bill. Now what?Washington may be notorious for its unyielding partisanship. But today, Republicans and Democrats in the Senate passed the largest piece of housing legislation in 36 years on a vote of 89 to 10. The bill aims to bring down housing costs — a top concern of voters, according to polls — in part by removing regulatory barriers and providing incentives. But it’s not clear when, or if, the measures could become law. House members of both parties are unhappy with portions of the bill, and Trump, who said he supported it, has indicated that the bill is not a priority. In other congressional news:
Videos of ICE shooting show a chaotic and confusing sceneAfter a federal immigration agent fatally shot Ruben Ray Martinez, 23, nearly a year ago, officials defended the shooting and said Martinez “intentionally ran over” a federal agent. But recently released video leaves the truth murky. Some video appears to show a figure on the car. But some footage from key moments is missing, and some is grainy. A passenger in the car told investigators that an officer had been on the hood but that Martinez, who encountered the agents while the police were directing traffic at the scene of an accident, had been drinking, was scared and did not mean to hurt anyone. More top news
A master of modest design wins architecture’s top prizeThis year’s Pritzker Prize, the highest honor in architecture, went to Smiljan Radic, whose designs are often understated and content to serve their purpose. Working with basic materials, Radic’s projects seem to grow out of their natural surroundings, while quietly conjuring the extraterrestrial. “His buildings appear temporary, unstable or deliberately unfinished,” the award’s jury said. “Yet they provide a structured, optimistic and quietly joyful shelter.” See some of his designs here.
Same bars, no hangoversPubs have long held a near-hallowed status in Ireland. But nowadays in Dublin — just as in the U.S. — more of the golden lagers and creamy stouts they’re pouring are alcohol free. Across the Irish capital, pubgoers told my colleague Megan Specia about a noticeable cultural shift, especially among young people: For many, going booze free is now part of a normal night out. “You’re still getting that Friday night vibe,” one 30-year-old said, “without the Saturday morning hangover.” It helps that alcohol-free options are now abundant and pretty decent, pubgoers said.
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