NPR News: 04-08-2026 8PM EDT

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Ryland Barton. Lebanon has declared a national day of mourning after Israeli attacks killed more than 250 people today, according to the country's civil defense department. The violence has marred a two-week ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran in the wider Middle East War. NPR's Lauren Freer reports from Beirut. Chaos in central Beirut, where Israeli warplanes struck without warning, including near the city's seaside Corniche promenade. The capital has absorbed many of the more than a million people displaced by Israeli attacks farther south, including Rana Dimash, who six weeks ago fled Beirut's southern suburbs, where Hezbollah has offices. She stayed up all night in the vacant building where her family has been sheltering and rejoiced at news of a ceasefire. Yes, we thought that we would go home, but then the bombs appeared. She says the building shook with explosions nearby. Israel says it struck 100 Hezbollah targets in just 10 minutes. The International Committee of the Red Cross says it's outraged by such attacks on densely populated urban areas. Lauren Freyer and PR News Beirut. California's Supreme Court today ordered the Riverside County Sheriff, who's also a Republican candidate for governor, to halt a controversial investigation into the 2025 election from member station KQED. Guy Marzerati reports the sheriff has seized hundreds of thousands of ballots. Sheriff Chad Bianco says he's investigating voter fraud, but he hasn't publicly detailed any crime. And Riverside County election officials say no fraud has occurred. In their order, the state Supreme Court's six justices ordered Bianco to quote, pause the investigation, which Bianco says he's done voluntarily. The court agreed to hear a challenge from California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who argues Bianco is overstepping his authority as sheriff. Bianco is a leading Republican candidate in polling ahead of California's June 2nd primary. For NPR News, I'm Guy Marzerati in San Jose. Measles cases in Utah continue to climb. The state has confirmed 583 cases of the highly contagious disease since the outbreak started last summer. Sean Higgins with member station KUER has more. State epidemiologist Dr. Lisa Nolan says while the outbreak started in a small community along the Utah-Arizona border, it's quickly spreading. It is now hitting people from all different areas of the state with all different practices, from all different kinds of communities. It isn't limited to any specific group anymore. According to the state health department, more than 80% of cases are among unvaccinated people. Nolan says it's hard to know when the outbreak could slow down, but warmer weather could help as people spend less time inside. For NPR News, I'm Sean Higgins in Salt Lake City. Stock markets surged worldwide today. The S&P 500 left 2.5%. The Dow and Nasdaq both jumped more than 2.75%. This is NPR. South Korea's military says it detected North Korea firing several short-range ballistic missiles towards the sea. North Korea has launched missiles in two consecutive days. The launches came hours after a senior North Korean official issued a statement ridiculing South Korean hopes for warmer ties. Delta Airlines expects to pay over $2 billion for fuel as the war in the Middle East continues to impact the global economy, from member station WABE Marlin Hyde reports. Delta is the first major U.S. airline to report quarterly earnings since late February, when the war in Iran began. The carrier says first-quarter fuel costs soared by $332 million. CEO Ed Bastion says the company is moving quickly to recapture higher expenses, including reducing capacity in the current quarter. The war in the Middle East has driven an unprecedented spike in jet fuel, with prices roughly double what they were earlier in the year. Delta announced Tuesday it is raising check bag fees, as airlines also raised fares to cover the spike in jet fuel costs. Bastion says it's still early to update the full-year outlook, but summer travel demand remains strong. For NPR News, I'm Marlin Hyde in Atlanta. Route 66 turns 100 this year, crossing eight states and three time zones. The journey mixes restored landmarks with faded reminders of boom and bust towns in Illinois. Diners like the Cozy Dog keep old recipes alive. In Missouri, the Chain of Rocks Bridge bends across the Mississippi River. Oklahoma highlights the safe stops that existed for black motorists during segregation, and the drive ends at the Santa Monica Pier. This week on Up First, with the president threatening to target Iran's civilian infrastructure, such as power plants and bridges, even as gas prices in the U.S. continue to climb, what are the chances of an end to the war in Iran? Listen for updates every morning on the latest overnight news on Up First. Find us on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts.