Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Rylan Barton.

Thousands of paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division are expected to deploy in the coming days to the Middle East.

There's no detail on what their role will be in the Iran War.

But as NPR's Tom Bowman explains, there's speculation that they could be used to seize a key island or take Iranian territory on the mainland.

The idea seems to be if you take, let's say, Karg Island, it would shut up. could be used to seize a key island or take Iranian territory on the mainland.

The idea seems to be if you take, let's say, Karg Island, it would shut off the Iranian oil further cripple its economy and put more pressure on the regime to negotiate.

You could also take even more territory from Iran on the mainland, setting up the option

of providing naval escorts for oil tankers

through the Strait of Hormuz. Of course, now the Iranians have closed the Strait to almost all

shipping. That effort for the U.S. to take control of the strait would require a massive effort

of aircraft, mine sweepers, and also destroyers to do that job. NPR's Tom Bowman reporting. The Justice Department is settling lawsuits that

alleged the Biden administration pressured social media companies to suppress speech.

NPR's Kerry Johnson reports the cases had once reached the U.S. Supreme Court.

The settlement would resolve allegations by Missouri and Louisiana that Biden-led agencies tried to shut down speech about the U.S. Supreme Court. The settlement would resolve allegations by Missouri and Louisiana that

Biden-led agencies tried to shut down speech about the pandemic in the 2020 election. Conservatives argued

they'd been deplatformed by major social media sites for taking unpopular views. The cases

hinged on bitter divides over misinformation, disinformation, and censorship.

The new agreement would bar the surge in general, the CDC, and the cybersecurity agency

from threatening social media companies to take down posts or face punishment.

Attorney General Pam Bondi says the deals are, quote, key steps in undoing abuses of the First Amendment, especially

against conservative media. The settlement still require judicial approval. Carrie Johnson, NPR News,

Washington. The White House is poised to miss a deadline for naming a new leader at the

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