NPR News: 04-26-2026 11AM EDT

0:00Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Noor Rahm. Investigators say they believe that the gunmen who opened fire at the White House of Correspondence dinner last night was targeting Trump administration officials. The man tried to storm the ballroom where the dinner was taking place, but was stopped by secret service agents. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told Face the Nation they don't know yet if he acted alone. We're actively combing through all the evidence that we've collected and going to continue to do that today in the coming days and weeks. And if he did not act alone or if folks knew what he was doing or helped him along the way, we will find that out. We don't have evidence to show that as of this morning. The suspect has been identified as Cole Allen, a 31-year-old man from the Los Angeles area. He's to be arraigned in federal court tomorrow on weapons charges and assault an a federal officer. Officials say an agent was hit by gunfire, but was saved by a bulletproof vest and has

1:03been released from the hospital. The president several cabinet officials and hundreds of journalists were at the hotel when gunshots rang out outside the ballroom as the dinner began. NPR's Deepa Shiverham reports. It was the first time Trump was attending the dinner as president, shortly after 8.30 pm, several gunshots were heard in the hotel near the entrance where security screening took place. The president was hurriedly ushered off the stage and later brief reporters at the White House. This was an event dedicated to freedom of speech that was supposed to bring together members of both parties with members of the press and in a certain way it did. The president also said the hotel where the dinner took place was not particularly secure. In Sunday, he posted on social media and made the case for his plan to construct a ballroom at the White House, which he says would be more secure. Deepa Shiverham and P.R. News, Washington. Iran's foreign minister is expected to return to Islamabad a day after leaving Pakistan

2:05without meeting U.S. officials for peace talks. President Trump yesterday called off sending a dialogue allegation during Bussgarin reports from Istanbul. After hopes of a new round of peace talks dimmed, U.S. negotiators may have another shot. According to Iranian state media, foreign minister Abbas Aragchi will complete his planned trip to Oman, but make an unplanned return to Islamabad today. He'll continue on to Russia afterwards. Trump on Saturday canceled the U.S. negotiating team's own planned trip to Pakistan shortly after the Iranian foreign minister left and told reporters he'd rejected a new peace proposal from Iran. Iran's president, Masood Paseşkyan, told Pakistan's prime minister that his country would not enter, quote, forced negotiations under pressure, threats, or a blockade. For NPR News, I'm Gary Bussgarin in Istanbul. This is NPR News. It was 40 years ago today that the Chernobyl nuclear plant exploded in what was then the

3:06Soviet Union. It exposed millions of people in the region to dangerous levels of radiation and forced the permanent evacuation of hundreds of towns and villages in Ukraine and in Belarus. Thousands have died from radiation-related illnesses. A vigil is held in Ukraine every year to honor those who died. Some states that use the Colorado River are trying to break a standstill in negotiations about sharing its water. As Alex Hager of Member Station KJZZ reports, they're calling for talks to resume with a mediator in the room. The states haven't met for negotiations in over two months. If they can't reach a deal for sharing the shrinking water supply, the federal government will likely force big, unpopular cutbacks that could trigger lawsuits. Now, Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and New Mexico are calling for a mediator to join those talks and help states lay down their sorts. Becky Mitchell represents Colorado. This is really trying to see if we can break any of the deadlock and set aside the legal

4:08theories and try to find a way to get to a deal. It's not clear exactly who would mediate the talks. Colorado's Mitchell says it should be a decision among all seven states that use the river's water. For NPR News, I'm Alex Hager in Phoenix. A runner from Kenya set a new record today at the London Marathon. Sebastian Sawway finished in under two hours, at one hour, 59 minutes and 30 seconds. He later thanked the crowds that lined the streets for the race, saying, with them calling you feel so happy and strong. I'm Nora Rom, NPR News. Want to 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. That's plus dot NPR dot org.