U.S. seeks NATO help with Strait of Hormuz. And, SCOTUS blocks vaccine changes

Special Series Up First Newsletter All Up First Stories Up First Podcast Morning Edition LISTEN & FOLLOW NPR App Apple Podcasts Spotify Amazon Music iHeart Radio YouTube Music RSS link Sign up for the [TITLE] Newsletter Get perks with [Podcast Title]+ Your support helps make our show possible and unlocks access to our sponsor-free feed. By Brittney Melton Good morning. You're reading the Up First newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox, and listen to the Up First podcast for all the news you need to start your day. A second front in the U.S. and Israel's war with Iran is heating up in Lebanon, where Israel has intensified ground attacks on the Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah. Israel's defense minister says the military has killed two top Iranian commanders in a targeted strike. Iran did not immediately confirm the killings. Meanwhile, some of the U.S.' European allies have refused to send warships to the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil passage blocked by Iran amid the conflict. NATO countries are set to convene in Brussels today to discuss the escalating tensions in the Middle East. Altaf Qadri/AP 🎧 The Lebanese government reports that 1 million people have now been displaced. Over the weekend, NPR's Hadeel Al-Shalchi visited a couple of Lebanese towns in Bekaa Valley, where evacuation orders have left streets empty and businesses shuttered. Al-Shalchi says many buildings, including homes and schools, lie in ruins from Israeli airstrikes. Residents who remain in the area are hesitant to leave, fearing they may never be able to return. Mass evacuations are a tactic Israel has used in Gaza, where many Palestinians were barred from returning home.🎧 President Trump has said that NATO allies should help the U.S. reopen the Strait of Hormuz. But European countries firmly believe this isn't their war, reporter Teri Schultz tells Up First. The president didn't consult them before taking action, and then demanded to use European military bases in the Middle East. European allies are currently focused on Russian President Vladimir Putin, who they see as their enemy, and on Ukraine as a territory to protect. Schultz says it remains to be seen if Trump will intensify pressure to shift European leaders' priorities. Sponsor Message Another catastrophic collapse of Cuba's electricity grid yesterday left nearly 11 million people without power. This outage is not the first across the entire island, but it is the largest since the U.S. began blocking oil to Cuba in January. The interruption of service comes as Trump vowed yesterday that he would have the "honor of taking Cuba." The Supreme Court yesterday temporarily halted the Trump administration's plan to deport some 6,000 Syrians and 350,000 Haitians who had received Temporary Protected Status from Presidents Barack Obama, Joe Biden, and Trump himself in his first term. The court has also expedited arguments for these cases to April, with a decision likely by the end of June. Federal law allows presidents to grant TPS for people in the U.S. whose home country is experiencing armed conflict, natural disasters and other extraordinary, temporary conditions. Trump wants to end TPS for individuals from 13 countries, including Myanmar, Nepal, Honduras, Nicaragua, Afghanistan, Cameroon, Yemen, Somalia, Ethiopia, South Sudan and Venezuela. A federal judge yesterday blocked the Trump administration's efforts to overhaul national vaccine policies, including the controversial decision to cut the number of federally recommended vaccinations for children. U.S. District Court Judge Brian Murphy in Boston ruled that Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. improperly replaced the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's entire vaccine advisory committee. Murphy said Kennedy and this committee disregarded long-used, well-regarded scientific processes for developing vaccine policy and wrote in his ruling that the government "thereby undermined the integrity of its actions." The American Academy of Pediatrics and the health experts who initiated the lawsuit celebrated the decision. The administration plans to appeal it. Chloe Sun/NPR You may be tempted to save some bucks and try a tax hack when you file your return. But, faulty tax advice can have real consequences. Certified public accountant Mark Gallegos advises people to take precautions before seeking any tax advice. Tax imposter scams are rising, according to the Better Business Bureau. Gallegos shares guidance with Life Kit on how to avoid falling victim to a scam. For more tips on how to avoid common tax scams, listen to this episode of NPR's Life Kit. Subscribe to the Life Kit newsletter for expert advice on love, money, relationships and more. by Frank Langfitt, NPR's roving national correspondent President Trump speaks to reporters during a news conference at Trump National Doral Miami on March 9 in Doral, Fla. Roberto Schmidt/Getty Images hide caption One of the things I love about my job is driving from town to town, asking questions and having no idea what answers I'll get. After many years reporting overseas for NPR, it is a great way to rediscover America. Recently, I drove through two swing congressional districts in Pennsylvania. I asked people what they thought of President Trump's claim that Democrats could only win the upcoming elections if they cheated. The answers from Republicans surprised me and showed how attitudes towards the president's election fraud claims have changed over the past five years. (Original Caption) Glossina 'morsitans morsitans', one of 31 species or sub-species of tsetse fly. Patrick Robert/Corbis/Sygma/via Getty Images hide caption This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen. Sponsor Message Become an NPR sponsor