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working toward a healthy, resilient, secure world for all. On the web at theshmit.org.

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Janine Herbst. Human rights groups say they're alarmed about an internet blackout

in Iran as security forces crack down on protests. activists say hundreds have been killed. President

Trump has been warning Iran that the U.S. could come to the defense of the protesters. Israel is

watching this closely, too, as NPR's Michelle Kellerman reports.

The world is in awe of the immense bravery of Iran citizens. That's how Israeli Prime Minister

Benjamin Netanyahu started his cabinet meeting, as Israelis keep close tabs on the protests.

We all hope the Persian nation will soon be liberated from the yoke of tyranny, Netanyahu says,

condemning the killing of peaceful protesters.

Over the weekend, he spoke about the Iran protests with Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Iranian authorities have accused the U.S. and Israel of fomenting unrest. They describe the protesters as terrorists and rioters.

The protests began two weeks ago against the crumbling Iranian economy. Michelle Kellerman and PR News Tel Aviv.

President Trump hasn't yet been able to convince oil company executives that they should return to Venezuela to tap into that country's massive oil reserves.

And here's Mara Liason has more.

President Trump has claimed that U.S. oil companies are ready to spend $100 billion or more to rebuild Venezuela's oil industry.

But on Friday, when the president met with U.S. oil executives at the White

House, not all of them were as enthusiastic as Trump. The CEO of Exxon told the president that at this time,

Venezuela is, quote, uninvestable. Venezuela has the world's largest crude oil reserves, but its

infrastructure has deteriorated since it nationalized its oil industry 20 years ago

and expelled most American oil companies operating there at the time. Mara Liason, NPR News.

Nationwide protests and vigils over immigration actions continued across the U.S. this weekend.

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