News from around the nation.

Vice President Vance says Israel proposed restraining Lebanon strikes – but attacks go on;  lawmakers in Nevada condemn federal attacks on voting;  and advocates urge people to speak out on hidden rental 'junk fees.’

Transcript

The Public News Service Thursday afternoon update.

I'm Mike Clifford.

Vice President Vance said Wednesday Israel has proposed to restrain itself when it comes to strikes in Lebanon as long as the negotiations between the U.S. and Iran are taking place.

The proposal comes even as Israel still vowed Thursday to press on with its strikes against Hezbollah, the Lebanese militia backed by Iran, in the tenuous U.S.-Iran ceasefire.

The New York Times note shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remained at a trickle despite from Iranian authorities that they had lifted their near chokehold on the key waterway.

Meantime, pro-democracy leaders in Nevada spoke out Wednesday in Las Vegas against recent attempts by the president and Republicans in the Congress to limit people's ability to vote.

President Donald Trump's recent executive order severely limits mail-in voting and directs the Postal Service to send mail-in ballots only to people on a new nationally approved voter list.

Last month, the House of Representatives passed the Save America Act, which would require a birth certificate or passport in order to register to vote.

Nevada Congresswoman Susie Lee says married women who have changed their names and want to register to vote would face major obstacles. 84 percent of women who have been married have changed their names.

That's 69 million women. their birth certificate will not be sufficient.

They will have to get an affidavit to be able to register to vote.

The U.S. Senate has already begun debate on the SAVE Act and could vote on the legislation when it returns from its spring recess.

I'm Suzanne Potter.

Next, a new Gallup poll shows the cost of health care is now the top concern for Americans, but advocates for affordable health care in Washington say the state is not doing enough to protect access for residents.

Our Isabel Charlay reports federal cuts to Medicaid and health care subsidies mean 400,000 or one in every 20 Washingtonians may lose health coverage in the coming years.

Sam Hatson-Behler of the Economic Opportunity Institute says in this year's 60-day session, lawmakers could not get any significant health care policies across the finish line.

The millionaire's tax passed, and that is really going to bring in desperately needed revenue.

But that money won't come in until 2029.

So that leaves a few very crucial years before that money comes in and our state can't wait that long.

The millionaire's tax would bring in over $3 billion annually for education, health care and child care and is being challenged in the state's Supreme Court.

And consumer advocates are calling on renters to speak out about their experiences with what they call hidden junk fees.

Christy Mara with the Virginia Poverty Law Center says landlords need to be transparent about prices so prospective renters can make the most informed decisions.

What's really important here is the FTC require all landlords to clearly, conspicuously disclose the actual total cost of the rental housing.

The FTC is asking for renters' perspectives on these fees.

This is Public News Service.

North Dakota is not immune to higher prices at the gas pump or agricultural expenses tied to the war with Iran.

A humanitarian group says those frustrations are understandable, but in hopes for equal concerns for innocent civilians across the globe.

Our Mike Mullen reports.

As the status of ceasefire activity between the U.S. and Iran seemingly changes by the minute, Kate Phillips-Morassa with Mercy Corps joins the chorus of those noting less attention is being paid to attacks in Lebanon.

The organization has a presence there and reports widespread displacement of people and mounting damage to civilian infrastructure.

Elsewhere, she notes rising gas and fertilizer prices are having a serious impact on underdeveloped countries like Somalia and Sudan.

And when those things happen, people who are already living on the edge are oftentimes pushed into really desperate situations.

Phillips Barrasso says Americans wondering how they can help can make donations to relief organizations if they're in a position to do so.

And Gen Z is leading a growing push to hold big tech accountable, and that movement is taking center stage in Michigan.

Student advocates and influencers joined policymakers this week at East Lansing's Graduate by Hilton for a summit on how social media platforms are designed to keep young users hooked and what can be done about it.

The event called Hard Reset, It's Not You, It's Them, was hosted in partnership with her campus and designed it for us and included a fireside chat with Governor Gretchen Whitmer.

Actress and youth advocate Lexi Underwood also spoke at the summit, addressing how young women are often blamed for unwanted advances on social media.

Understand that it is not a reflection of your worth, of your body or your voice.

It is a reflection of systems that weren't designed to protect us and still hasn't learned how to protect us.

Crystal Blair reporting.

Finally, ocean advocates in New England are calling on the Congress to reject proposed funding cuts to the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration.

The White House aims to slash more than a billion dollars from NOAA operations and scientific research programs, which help improve marine zone forecasts and fisheries management.

Sarah Winter-Welan, executive director of the Healthy Ocean Coalition, says coastal communities could lose access to critical weather and climate data.

Not having that information for people who go out on the ocean for their job, their livelihood, could put economies and actual humans at risk.

The White House argues some agency grant programs push agendas harmful to America's fishing industry.

The cuts are part of a broader effort to constrain non-defense spending and boost the Pentagon's budget by more than 40 percent.

I'm Katherine Carley.

This is Mike Clifford for Public News Service.

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