NPR News: 04-21-2026 1PM EDT

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Libby Casey. President Trump's pick to lead the Federal Reserve insisted today that he would be independent, despite past comments from President Trump that any nominee would have to cut rates. During Kevin Warsh's appearance today before the Senate Banking Committee, Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren pressed him on how he would make decisions as Fed chair. Donald Trump has made clear that he does not want an independent Fed. In fact, he has said, and I quote, anybody that disagrees with me will never be Fed chairman. And he's made clear that you are his sock puppet, saying last week that interest rates will drop, quote, when Kevin gets in. Warsh told lawmakers that President Trump has never asked him to commit to rate cuts. Democrats also pushed for details on how Warsh would divest his assets, about $100 million worth, if he's confirmed. As the end of a two-week ceasefire looms, Iran's chief negotiator says the country will, quote, not accept negotiations under the shadow of threats. Duri Bouskarin is in Vaughan, a Turkish city near the Iranian border and she says Iranians there share mixed feelings about the prospect that peace talks could fail More than half of the people NPR interviewed at a train station near the Turkey border told us they participated in widespread anti protests in January But now, many say they feel numb. A woman saying she's given up on everything. She asked us not to share her name due to the risk of arrest when she returns to Iran. Some people supported the war, another woman said, but no one likes a war. Now we see the regime has survived, and if there is peace, they're going to exist in a new form, a form she thinks will be worse for the Iranian people. For NPR News, I'm Dery Bouskaran. Invan, Turkey. New army regulations taking effect this week raise the maximum enlistment age to 42 and also drop a waiver requirement for recruits who have a single conviction for marijuana possession. Jay Price reports. That new maximum age is up from 35. It brings the Army into line with the Navy and Air Force, which have similar limits. The changes come against a backdrop of societal shifts, including the widespread legalization of marijuana. Military branches have also eased restrictions on tattoos in recent years. The Army had suffered recent major recruiting shortfalls but it exceeded its targets for the past two years in part because it created preparatory courses to help potential recruits raise their entry test scores and drop weight to meet basic requirements For NPR News, I'm Jay Price. Shoppers accelerated their spending in March from February, but they spent a good chunk of their money at the gas pump. Gas prices spiked because of the U.S.-Israel war against Iran now in its eighth week. Retail sales jumped 1.7 percent. This is NPR News. A California measure that would establish guardrails for AI chatbots has won support from state lawmakers. They were urged to act by a woman who lost her son to suicide. From member station KQED, Rachel Miro reports. Maria Rain of Southern California says her 16-year-old Adam, started using OpenAI's ChatGPT for help with his homework, college applications, and how best to end his life. With ChatGPT's support, he hanged himself a year ago. ChatGPT did what it was designed to do, sycophantically validate and encourage everything Adam said and above all keep him engaged Now she suing OpenAI and encouraging state and federal legislation The Trump administration has tried unsuccessfully to impose a moratorium on states enacting any kind of AI safety rules. For NPR News, I'm Rachel Miro. Virginia voters are deciding today on a redistricting plan that could help Democrats gain four more U.S. House seats. The proposed constitutional amendment would bypass the state's bipartisan commission, allowing lawmakers to use new districts approved for this year's midterm elections. It's a test of Democrats' ability to counter President Trump's influence. Trump previously urged Texas Republicans to redraw districts in their favor, and soon other states joined in a national redistricting battle. Today's vote in Virginia might not be the final word on the issue in that state, because Republicans have already filed legal challenges, including one before the state's Supreme Court. It's NPR. 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.npr.org. That's plus.npr.org.