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NPR News Now

NPR News: 04-21-2026 1AM EDT

21 Apr 2026

Transcription

Transcript generated automatically by AI and may contain errors.

Chapter 1: What are the latest updates on U.S.-Pakistan negotiations?

1.077 - 25.212 Giles Snyder

Live from NPR News, I'm Giles Snyder. President Trump says he expects the negotiating team led by Vice President J.D. Vance to return to Pakistan, but it's not clear when the team would leave for Islamabad. But a two-week ceasefire with Iran is set to expire on Wednesday. Meanwhile, a new United Nations study estimates Gaza needs $71 billion for reconstruction and recovery.

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25.192 - 31.382 Giles Snyder

NPR's Aya Petrauri reports a study says a third of that is needed immediately to rebuild critical infrastructure.

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31.502 - 48.55 Aya Batraoui

A new assessment by the UN, World Bank and European Union notes that more than 370,000 homes in Gaza were destroyed or damaged in Israeli attacks, leaving more than a million people without homes. Most people in Gaza now live in makeshift tents made out of sticks and plastic tarps.

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48.53 - 64.375 Aya Batraoui

Israeli troops, meanwhile, occupy around half of Gaza and have leveled thousands more homes there, they say, to dismantle Hamas tunnels. The study also says around 75 percent of all people in Gaza who were employed before the war are now without jobs, relying on aid to survive.

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64.796 - 75.853 Aya Batraoui

It notes Gaza has the lowest levels ever recorded globally on the Human Development Index, which measures life expectancy, standards of living and access to education. Aya Batraoui, NPR News, Dubai.

75.833 - 87.988 Giles Snyder

New Army regulations that took effect Monday raise the maximum enlistment age to 42 and also drop a waiver requirement for recruits who have a single conviction for marijuana possession. Jay Price reports.

88.309 - 106.454 Jay Price

That new maximum age is up from 35. It brings the Army into line with the Navy and Air Force, which have similar limits. The changes come against a backdrop of societal shifts, including the widespread legalization of marijuana. Military branches have also eased restrictions on tattoos in recent years.

106.915 - 124.487 Jay Price

The Army had suffered recent major recruiting shortfalls, but it exceeded its targets for the past two years, in part because it created preparatory courses to help potential recruits raise their entry test scores and drop weight to meet basic requirements. For NPR News, I'm Jay Price.

124.501 - 137.11 Giles Snyder

Business owners now applying for tariff-free funds after the Supreme Court ruled that most of President Trump's tariffs from last year were unconstitutional. The government has launched a portal for claims, as NPR's Alina Selyuk reports.

Chapter 2: How is Gaza's reconstruction being addressed by the UN?

154.407 - 178.357 Unknown

There were a lot of hours leading up to today and a lot of cumbersome parts of this, but today was actually pretty quick. That prep process is still difficult for many businesses, especially smaller ones. U.S. Customs is not saying how many companies did submit claims so far, but this initial phase is meant to cover refunds of some $127 billion, which is the majority. Alina Seluk, NPR News.

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178.558 - 192.342 Giles Snyder

This is NPR News. Singer-songwriter David Burke pleaded not guilty in an L.A. courtroom Monday to murder charges and the death of a 14-year-old girl missing for a year. Steve Futterman reports.

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192.355 - 201.876 Steve Futterman

It began as a missing person investigation. Immediately, the focus centered on 21-year-old David Anthony Burke, L.A. County District Attorney Nathan Hockman.

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201.997 - 211.478 Nathan Hockman

On April 23, 2025, Celeste went to Mr. Burke's house in the Hollywood Hills. She was never heard from again.

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211.458 - 214.582 Steve Futterman

Last September, it turned into a murder investigation.

214.802 - 223.953 Nathan Hockman

Her dismembered and decomposed remains were found inside of a car registered to Mr. Burke.

223.973 - 236.368 Steve Futterman

Prosecutors believe the motive was to prevent Celeste Rivas from revealing possible criminal acts involving Burke. Attorneys for Burke say he is innocent. For NPR News, I'm Steve Futterman in Los Angeles.

236.348 - 259.829 Giles Snyder

The American Library Association says book bans and attempted bans remain at near record highs, saying that many challenges now come from government officials and activists rather than concerned parents. The ALA on Monday released its annual list of the most challenged books in U.S. schools and libraries. Patricia McCormick sold topped the list. It's about sex trafficking in India.

260.23 - 279.568 Giles Snyder

The ALA recorded challenges to more than 4,200 different works, nearly matching last year's record. Following Monday's retreat on Wall Street, shares mixed in Asia, stocks in Japan, South Korea and Hong Kong are advancing, but they're losing ground in mainland China. I'm Giles Snyder, NPR News.

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