News from around the nation.

Iran gives the US a long list of demands before it will open the Strait of Hormuz; West Virginia work group: 'Brain drain' impacting state workforce; Arkansas Head Start centers could face a major overhaul; Fearing arson, U.S. Senators call for a crackdown on wildfire betting.

Transcript

The Public News Service Monday afternoon update.

I'm Mike Clifford.

Iran says it will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz until the U.S. meets its conditions.

The AP notes a long list.

Iran wants the U.S. to lift the blockade, pay compensation for months of war damage, lift economic sanctions, and release Iran's frozen assets.

Oil prices rose in Asian trade Monday.

The impasse has kept energy prices a major focus of U.S. politics ahead of November's midterm elections.

Meantime, participants in a program for young leaders across West Virginia say brain drain and the high cost of housing are impacting economic development and the number of young workers who choose to remain in the state.

We get more from our Nadia Rommeligaten.

According to the latest census data, the state's population has dipped by more than 24,000 people over the past five years, and deaths now outpace births.

Kirsten Uten with American Friends Service Committee of West Virginia recently participated in Generation West Virginia, which aims to support the state's next young leaders.

She says most high schoolers today believe that moving out of the state is their only chance for success and happiness.

One of the main issues that we see for young West Virginians is just lack of resources, which leads to out-migration.

If we really want to see positive change in our home state, we have to stay here to do it.

A 2025 Gallup poll found that more than 80 percent of rural Gen Z residents report wanting to relocate if given the opportunity.

And thousands of Arkansas kids and families could be impacted if proposed changes to the Head Start Early Learning Program go into effect.

Kristen Harper with Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families says the state already suffers in early education.

Early childhood education matters because the brain develops fastest in those early years, and so it really makes these experiences during this period foundational for future learning.

So it's very concerning that this is just another attack on a research-proven program that serves vulnerable kids.

The Trump administration says federal mandates hinder local decision-making, driving up cost and limit the program's reach.

Public comments on the changes are being accepted through October 6th.

And people who want to make an easy buck will wager a bet on just about anything.

Now some hope to profit by placing bets on when the next wildfire will occur.

And a group of lawmakers is alarmed.

Federal court wins by prediction platforms such as Polymarket and Calci allow new gambling options, including parlays on wildfires, even as experts warn they could trigger arson.

New Mexico Senator Martin Heinrich and five Democratic colleagues sent a letter last week to the Commodities Future Trading Commission calling for a crackdown.

University of New Mexico biology professor Matthew Hertow has contributed to wildfire research.

He thinks people who'd placed such bets have hit rock bottom.

That's just absolutely disgusting because of the loss that occurs from that.

It seems we sunk to a new low.

Whether that wildfire intersects with a community or watershed or whatnot, there's big implications.

I'm Roz Brown.

This is Public News Service.

Next to Illinois, where a new venture is highlighting how healthy farmland can help to address climate change and restore local rainfall.

The Nature Cools Project, led by the Climate Land Leaders Initiative, is studying how healthy soils, trees, and diverse plant life work together to strengthen local water cycles.

Katie Ross, a scientist with the undertaking, says regenerating land brings back diversity both above and below the ground.

Then, living landscapes can release natural particles that help clouds form and bring rain back to the places where water first evaporated.

In addition to carbon sequestration, restoring that local rain cycle includes several powerful processes, which is nature's way of cooling the climate.

Research shows that by 2050, Illinois is projected to have at least 26 more days above 95 degrees and more frequent and rapid onset droughts.

I'm Judith Ruiz Branch reporting.

And new data from Georgetown University's Center for Children and Families show more than a quarter million Arizona kids have lost health insurance since the beginning of 2025.

Researchers point to a mix of factors, including issues with Medicaid enrollment outreach, the fear of immigration enforcement, and the loss of enhanced ACA tax credits.

They also point to the Trump administration's budget bill, which contains pending changes to Medicaid eligibility that could cause many families to lose the only insurance they have.

The center's executive director, Joan Alker, says uninsured children can mean catastrophic medical debt.

If they fall on the playground, break an arm, very common, have an asthma attack, which gets worse because they can't access prescription drugs, they wind up in the emergency room, they miss school.

The Georgetown numbers showed nearly 14% fewer kids have health insurance coverage under Medicaid now than at the beginning of 2025.

I'm Mark Moran.

Finally, humanitarian workers and civilians in Ukraine are increasingly being targeted by drone strikes in the war with Russia.

According to a report from the International NGO Safety Organization, attacks on civilian targets have steadily increased since last year.

Hakeem Kleiman with Nonviolent Peace Force is stationed in Ukraine and says now that drones are more accessible, more people are at risk.

They're targeting old men and women walking to get pensions.

They are targeting persons with disabilities who are walking towards evacuation collection points.

And it's extremely clear that these are civilians that are engaging, and yet they're still prioritizing civilian targets.

Kleinman says the Russian drone operators are intentionally targeting emergency vehicles used by local and international humanitarian groups.

I'm Freda Ross reporting.

This is Mike Clifford for Public News Service.

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