NPR News: 04-25-2026 12PM EDT
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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Nora Rahm. President Trump was planning to send his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff to Pakistan today for a possible new round of talks on ending the war in Iran. But the Iran foreign minister who arrived in Islamabad yesterday has already left. Alan Ayer is a former U.S. diplomat. He was part of the team that negotiated the Iran nuclear deal in 2015 that was later rejected by Trump. He says there appears to be no movement towards reaching agreement.
Iran has shown that it can take a punch. For Iran, this is an existential battle. They think the U.S. and Israel are trying to topple Iran, and so they're very leery about making concessions that signal weakness. However, for the United States, we're entering midterms. Gas prices are up. Other prices are going up. So it's a real question as to whether President Trump is willing to take the time to continue the blockade, even though it's costing him more and more every day politically.
Iran and the U.S. have both imposed blockades of the Strait of Hormuz, which normally carries about one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments. A federal appeals court has ruled that the White House ban on asylum at the U.S. southern border is unlawful. NPR's Sergio Martinez Beltran reports.
Back in January 2025, the White House said that suspending asylum at the southern border was meant to prevent immigrants participating in a, quote, invasion from coming to the U.S. But now the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled Trump's proclamation circumvents the removal procedures crafted by Congress. The court also says the administration's policy cast aside the federal laws that give people the opportunity to claim asylum. Immigrant rights groups say their ruling is a victory for those seeking safety and protection at the U.S.-Mexico border. Sergio Martinez Beltran, NPR News.
In Mali, armed groups, including suspected Islamist militants, have launched coordinated attacks across the country. Gunfire and explosions have been heard around government buildings and major military installations in what appears to be the largest coordinated attack by militants in years. NPR's Jewel Bright reports.
Attacks have been reported in Mali's capital Bamako and in at least three other cities. Explosions and sustained gunfire has been heard around Bamako's main airport and flights in and out of the city have been cancelled. The U.S. Embassy in Mali has advised Americans to shelter in place and avoid travel. Mali's government says fighting is ongoing, but claims the situation is under control. Videos circulating on social media suggest the attacks were launched by militants from the Al-Qaeda-linked JNIM group and Tuareg Azawad rebels. A spokesperson for the Azawad rebels claimed fighters have taken control of several locations across the country. Drew Bright, NPR News, Lagos.
This is NPR News in Washington. The Trump administration plans to expand the number of ways the federal government can put a prisoner to death. It announced yesterday it will add electrocution, gas asphyxiation, and death by firing squad. Most death sentences are carried out by state governments. President Biden had ordered a moratorium on federal executions. which President Trump rescinded when he returned to office last year. The U.S. is one of a few Western nations that still uses the death penalty. The White House Correspondents' Dinner will not be hosted by a comedian as in years past. Instead, mentalist Oz Perlman will appear to read the minds of those in the room. which include President Trump.
NPR's Rachel Treisman reports.
Perlman rose to fame on America's Got Talent in 2015. He often goes viral on social media, appearing to guess the ATM pin codes and innermost thoughts of various celebrities. His audience on Saturday is a room full of political journalists, government officials, and Trump, who plans to attend the correspondence dinner for the first time as president. Perlman told NPR his job is to bring people together.
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