NPR News: 04-24-2026 9AM EDT

0:00Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Kristen Wright. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Dan Cain gave an update moments ago on Operation Epic Fury and the U.S. blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. The Pentagon says it continues to turn around all ships to and from Iranian ports. Cain says the blockade is a major pressure point for Iran. U.S. Central Command continues to maintain a strict blockade on all the ports. We're enforcing the blockade across the board against any ship of any nationality that is transiting to or from an Iranian port or territory. President Trump is extending a shipping waiver to ease oil disruptions caused by the war with Iran. The White House says it's issuing a 90-day extension of a waiver to the Jones Act that allows more oil supplies to reach U.S. ports more quickly by opening up domestic shipping routes to foreign flagged vessels. According to AAA, national gas prices are averaging about 406 for regular.

1:05Drone strikes have hit an Iranian opposition base in the Kurdistan region of Iraq. As NPR's Jane Araf reports, Iran and its proxies have continued attacks against opposition groups there throughout a ceasefire with the U.S. The Kurdistan Freedom Party, known as PAC, said several drones hit one of its bases in the air-bale province late Thursday, wounding three fighters. Iran and Iran-backed Iraqi militias have continued to attack Iranian Kurdish opposition bases throughout a ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran that began April 8th. Kurdish government officials say those attacks have killed at least five people since then. The ceasefire expired this week with President Trump announcing a unilateral extension, PAC, which was trained along with Iraqi Kurdish fighters by U.S. forces to fight the militant group ISIS, called on Trump to protect Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdish region, where the U.S. has bases. Jane Araf and Pierre News amon. The Justice Department says it's stopping a major cryptocurrency scam, NPR's Jacqueline

2:09DS has more. Two Chinese nationals are facing charges for operating a major fraud compound in Burma. Federal officials say they trafficked workers into Burma, then force them to run fake crypto investment schemes, apps and websites to dupe victims. Authorities shut down 500 fake investment websites and took down a telegram messaging channel used to recruit workers into force labor. Jeanine Piro, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, says the work to stop these scams continues. Some of these victims are so distraught that they end up taking their own lives. This is economic homicide. These scams are one of the fastest growing forms of cybercrime. Jacqueline DS reporting, you're listening to NPR News from Washington. Routine childhood vaccination rates are recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. NPR's Jonathan Lambert reports a major push by the World Health Organization and others,

3:11delivered more than 100 million inoculations to kids in dozens of countries. The COVID-19 pandemic threw a major wrench in routine childhood vaccination programs for diseases like measles and polio. In 2021, more than 25 million children missed at least one vaccination, as clinics closed and resources were diverted to fighting the pandemic. In response, global health leaders launched the big catch-up in 2023. It was a major effort to get vaccines to kids aged 1-5 who'd missed doses. As the three-year program winds down, the WHO reports that it reached more than 18 million young kids in 36 countries, roughly in line with the original goals. But millions of kids are still missed by vaccine programs, roughly 14 million in 2024. In the face of declining foreign aid worldwide, officials worry vaccination rates could worsen again. Jonathan Lambert and NPR News. Pope Leo is urging the U.S. and Iran to return to the negotiating table for talks to end the war.

4:11Speaking during a press conference on his way back from Africa, the Pope insisted leaders adopt a culture of peace. The Pope's comments follow a back-and-forth with President Trump over the war. The Las Vegas Raiders drafted Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza last night as the number one overall pick. The Heisman winner watched from home with his family in Florida. I'm Kristen Wright, NPR News from Washington. Court for NPR comes from one of here this podcast without sponsor breaks. Amazon Prime members can listen to NPR News now, sponsor free through Amazon Music. Or you can also support NPR's vital journalism and get NPR Plus at plus dot NPR dot org. That's plus dot NPR dot org.