NPR News: 04-25-2026 5AM EDT

0:00Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Windsor Johnston. The White House says it's sending a team of U.S. negotiators to Pakistan for another round of peace talks with Iran, but it's still not clear whether negotiations will take place. Betsy Joel's reports Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araqi, arrived in Islamabad overnight, but the Iranian foreign ministry says no meeting is planned. In addition to Islamabad, Araqi said in a post on X that he'll also visit Muskat and Moscow for discussions, unquote, bilateral matters. Pakistan's foreign ministry said in a statement that Araqi would hold meetings with its senior leadership. White House press secretary Caroline Levitt told Fox News that Jared Kushner and Steve Whitcoff would travel to Pakistan on Saturday for talks. Araqi did not say if he would participate in talks with the U.S. in Pakistan. For NPR News, I'm Betsy Joel's in Islamabad. Violence is continuing despite a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon with ongoing strikes

1:03and clashes on both sides. The U.S. backtruth has been extended for another three weeks in an effort to create space for broader negotiations, but officials warned the situation remains fragile. A federal appeals court has ruled the White House ban on asylum at the U.S. Southern border is unlawful. So blow for the proclamation that President Trump signed on his first day in office. NPR 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 they're ruling is a victory for those seeking safety and protection at the U.S. Mexico border.

2:04Sergio Martinez-Beltran in P.R. News. Wildfires are continuing to burn in South Georgia where fire activity is expected to remain extremely high through the weekend. Officials say dry conditions and gusty winds are fueling the flames, making them harder to contain. Governor Brian Kemp says the fires are under investigation. We believe that one of the fires started when somebody was welding their gate. Spark fell on the ground, started a fire that could get it put out and it just spread from there. We believe the other fire was a balloon that landed on a power line. The fires have destroyed dozens of structures including 120 homes, state officials are urging people to avoid outdoor burning or anything that could create sparks, warning that even a small mistake could quickly lead to another wildfire. This is NPR News. Members of the Screenwriters Union have approved a new four-year contract with Hollywood Studios.

3:07Main leaders say it includes gains in health coverage and increases in minimum pay, actors though are still negotiating their own contract. Another liberal arts college in Massachusetts is closing, unable to overcome mounting financial and enrollment challenges. Anna Maria College in Paxton says it will close this summer. Kurt Carrapeza, a member station GBH, has more. The 80-year-old Catholic school was known for catering to future police officers, firefighters and athletes with its large sports programs. But Robert Keltchen, who teaches higher ed policy at the University of Tennessee Knoxville, says that model was no longer viable for the small private school. The sweaty butts in seat strategy is pretty common. Many small colleges are 30% or more athletes. The challenges athletic programs are often expensive to run. During Hampshire College in Amherst, Anna Maria is at least the 11th four-year private college in Massachusetts to merge or close over the past decade.

4:09For NPR News, I'm Kurt Carrapeza in Boston. China is sending two giant pandas to the Atlanta Zoo when what's being seen as the latest example of so-called panda diplomacy. The pandas will begin a decade-long conservation partnership under agreement signed with the zoo. Not clear exactly when the pandas will arrive, but the zoo says it's upgrading its facilities to prepare for their new home. I'm Winsor Johnston, NPR News in Washington. Wanna hear 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. www.NPR.org