NPR News: 04-26-2026 8AM EDT

0:00Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Windsor Johnston. President Trump and the First Lady were rushed from the White House correspondent's dinner in Washington, D.C. last night after gunfire broke out. Secret Service agents scrambled to secure the Washington Hilton after reports of shots fired there. NPR's Tamara Keith was in the ballroom when the shooting took place nearby. The White House correspondent's Association dinner was just beginning with the President and the Vice President up on stage. Then we heard a burst of what sounded like gunfire. It did not sound like it was in the room. Then security personnel, including many heavily armed security personnel, rushed in, tactical team getting the President out, the Vice President and many members of the cabinet, as well as the Speaker of the House. That's NPR's Tamara Keith reporting. President Trump spoke at the White House shortly after he was evacuated from the dinner. This was an event dedicated to freedom of speech that was supposed to bring together

1:04members of both parties with members of the press. And in a certain way it did, because the fact that they just unified, I saw a room that was just totally unified, it was in one way, a very beautiful, a very beautiful thing to see it. Authorities say the suspect shot the Secret Service agent at a security checkpoint inside of the hotel before he was taken into custody. The agent was wearing a bulletproof vest and is expected to recover. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Piero says the gunman is facing a number of charges. Right now the defendant is being charged with two counts, 924 C, using a firearm during a crime of violence and a second crime under 111, which is assault on a federal officer using a dangerous weapon. The suspect is scheduled to be arraigned in federal court on Monday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is directing the Israeli military to quote vigorously attack Hezbollah's targets in Lebanon.

2:07The order comes just days after a temporary ceasefire was extended for three weeks. And PR's Kat Lonstorf reports. The Israeli military issued new evacuation orders for a part of Southern Lebanon beyond the area currently occupied by Israeli troops, warning of upcoming strikes. Israeli strikes in the South have killed more than 20 people since the ceasefire went into effect according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health. Hezbollah says it attacked Israeli soldiers and fired rockets into Northern Israel in response to what it says are Israeli violations of the ceasefire. Many in Lebanon are closely watching the status of the U.S. Iran peace talks, which were largely canceled yesterday. The worry that if those talks fall apart, the war here will reignite again in full. Kat Lonstorf and PR News, Beirut. You're listening to NPR News from Washington. President Trump says the U.S. Navy is working to clear Iranian minds from this straight of Hormuz.

3:08Experts say clearing underwater explosives could take months, even with a fragile ceasefire in place. When they mourn, it may take time before commercial ships and insurers consider the waterway safe again. The key shipping route remains largely closed, adding strain to the global economy. Today marks the 40th anniversary of the disaster at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. NPR's Hannah Palomaranko reports that nuclear safety has taken on added urgency for Ukraine amid rushes full-scale war. Resubitions of the nuclear disaster 40 years ago are taking place in Kiev. For Ukrainians, it doesn't feel like history. Chernobyl's nuclear reactors were shut down, but radioactive material remains. One of the exhibits is a model of a Russian drone that struck Chernobyl's protective confinement just last year. State Border Service Officer Anatoliy Suskov was protecting the area at the time.

4:09He visited the exhibit. Three actions rushes showing that one can never feel safe, and the whole world needs to think about the consequences which could turn out to be very serious, he said. President Volodymyr Zelensky says Russian drones are constantly flying over the Chernobyl nuclear power plant and called for, quote, not allowing this nuclear terrorism to continue. Hannah Palomaranko, NPR News, Kiev. This is NPR News. 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. That's plus dot NPR dot org.