NPR News: 04-25-2026 6AM EDT

0:00Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Windsor Johnston. The White House says it's sending U.S. envoy Steve Wyckoff and Jerry Kushner to Islamabad for another round of peace talks with Iran. Officials are pointing to early signs of progress from Tehran, but caution there's still a long way to go. Press Secretary Caroline Levitt says the administration wants to test whether that momentum can turn into something more concrete. We've certainly seen some progress from the Iranian side in the last couple of days. Again, the president has made the decision to send Stephen Jared to hear the Iranians out. And so we'll see what they have to say this week. Iran, though, is pushing back on the idea of direct talks with the U.S. raising new questions about how much progress is actually possible. The talks are being mediated by Pakistan and come after an earlier round failed to produce a deal. President Trump is set to attend the annual White House correspondent's association dinner tonight in Washington, D.C. and PR's Tamara Keith reports it will be his first appearance

1:04as president, but not his first time at the dinner. In 2011, Trump attended as a celebrity guest at a time when he was on a high-profile conspiracy driven quest to get then President Obama to release his birth certificate. Both Obama and comedian Seth Meyers mocked Trump relentlessly that night. And boycaught at the dinner, his entire first term. This year, the association hired a mentalist instead of a comedian, and the president, who calls the press the enemy of the people, agreed to attend. Press Secretary Caroline Levitt gave a preview of sorts. And his speech will be very entertaining. That is what I will tell you. So everyone should tune in. The event is meant to be a celebration of a free and independent press, Tamara Keith and PR News. The Ukraine and Russia carried out another prisoner exchange on Friday. President Volodymyr Zelensky says 193 Ukrainian soldiers have returned home. And PR's Hannah Palomarenko reports from Keith.

2:09The president of Ukraine and the coordination headquarters for the treatment of prisoners of war released a video showing the first moments of the Ukrainian soldier's return. Most of them were held in the Chechen Republic. Two of the released prisoners are celebrating their birthday. I wish to spend my birthday at home. I will remember this day for the rest of my life, says one of them. This exchange is a part of the Easter exchange, and the implementation of related agreements with the assistance of the U.S. and the United Arab Emirates. Hannah Palomarenko and PR News vive. Russia's Defense Ministry says all of their servicemen are currently in Belarus receiving psychological and medical assistance. You're listening to NPR News from Washington. A federal appeals court has blocked President Trump's executive order, suspending asylum access at the southern border.

3:10The court ruled that immigration law allows migrants to apply for asylum once they reach the U.S. and says the president cannot bypass that process. The White House argues the policy falls within presidential powers, but the Justice Department says plans to seek further review. K-POP's biggest group is coming to the United States this weekend. BTS will kick off the North American leg of its worldwide tour in Tampa. NPR's Isabella Gomez-Sarmiento has more. BTS' World Tour spans more than 70 dates, and within just days of tickets going on sale, all of the stadium shows in North America, Europe, and the UK sold out. That's because this isn't just any regular tour. It's the band's comeback since they went on hiatus nearly four years ago, from mandatory

4:10military service in South Korea. Last month, BTS released the long-awaited album Ari Wrong, which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart. The group's return is a major milestone for its fervent fanbase, known as the Army. Bloomberg projects that this tour could rival Taylor Swift's Ares tour, which is the most successful tour of all time. This is Isabella Gomez-Sarmiento and PR News.