Fuel efficiency; Cornell rape case; UK terror plot : NPR

Key Points:

• The Trump administration has rolled back federal fuel-economy standards, requiring automakers to improve fleet efficiency by up to 1% annually, targeting 34.9 mpg by 2031, down from the Biden-era goal of 50.4 mpg; critics warn this could increase long-term fuel costs and pollution.
• New York prosecutors are reopening a 2024 alleged rape case involving Cornell University students, with renewed scrutiny on Cornell's handling of the investigation and concerns about campus safety amid claims that local police were not notified.
• Five British men detained near a U.S. military base used for strikes on Iran have been released on bail, with British counterterrorism officials investigating their presence and possible foreign state links; Iran denies involvement, and officials urge the public not to speculate.
• Turkey is expanding its military and political influence in the Middle East amid questions about the U.S. security presence, but economic challenges and tensions with Israel may limit its ambitions, especially as it plays a growing role in Syria's reconstruction and security.
• Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who was imprisoned in Russia on espionage charges and later released in a prisoner swap, shares insights from his prison journals in his memoir, reflecting on his experience transitioning from observer to the observed.