WBUR Podcasts, Boston.

At some point, it becomes prohibitively expensive to use warships to get fertilizer through.

So that's resulting both not just in higher prices, but also resulting in food shortages.

Many warned for years that Iran could wreak havoc on the global economy if it was attacked.

So why does some Trump administration officials seem surprised that it's done just that?

It is Thursday, March 19th, and this is here and now anytime from NPR and WBWR.

I'm Chris Bentley.

Today on the show, the U.S. oil embargo against Cuba has halted the public transportation network and even some surgeries.

The situation is pretty dire, even for Cuban standards.

Also, there's still a partial shutdown at the Department of Homeland Security.

More than a month in, many TSA officers are working without pay, and some are staying home.

I don't think you should be worried to fly, because, you know, officers are still coming in

and they're still doing their job. They took an oath. We'll hear from a TSA union leader

in about 10 minutes. But first, the death toll of the U.S. and Israel's war with Iran is rising.

And so is the economic cost. In a major escalation yesterday,

Israel attacked an Iranian gas complex, and Iran retaliated against the world's largest

liquefied natural gas complex in Qatar. There is extensive damage at oil and gas facilities

across the Middle East, but little fuel is

making it out of the region anyway, since Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz.

Some European nations and Japan released a statement today saying they're ready to ensure

safe passage through the strait, but the war rages on, and the economic impacts could ripple for years to come.

Ali Valshi is our guide today. He's MS now host and chief data reporter, and he spoke to Indira Lachshmanon.

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