NPR News: 04-11-2026 6PM EDT

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Janine Herbst. Peace talks are underway in Islamabad between Iran and the U.S. to find an end to the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran. Meanwhile, the U.S.'s two warships have passed through the hotly contested Strait of Hormuz. Imperial Zalaina Weiss reports, it's the first transit of American warships since the start of the Iran War six weeks ago. The Defense Department says two Navy-guided missile destroyers passed through the Strait of Hormuz as the critical water passageway has become a key landmark in the ongoing conflict. U.S. Central Command said that the U.S. forces had begun setting conditions to clear Iranian sea mines planted throughout the waterway. The blockage of the Strait has led to global energy concerns and spikes in the prices of oil and natural gas. U.S. Central Command said additional American forces would join in helping to clear the Strait of Hormuz of mines in the coming days. Alana Weiss, NPR News. And talks are planned for next week to talk about another front in the Middle East war that's still going on in Lebanon. Imperial Zalaina Weiss has more. Lebanese President Joseph Owens says the Lebanese ambassador in Washington had a phone call Friday with the Israeli ambassador there. It's the first official contact between the two countries since 1983. They consider each other enemy states. Anyone who's ever set foot in Israel is technically not allowed to enter Lebanon. Owens says there will be face-to-face talks Tuesday at the State Department, focusing on a ceasefire. President Trump says he asked Israel to scale back its invasion of Lebanon, which is aimed at stopping Hezbollah from firing into Israel. Israeli airstrikes are still hitting villages across the country's south, but have not hit Beirut's southern suburbs, where Hezbollah has offices since Wednesday, when more than 350 people were killed in Israeli attacks, according to Lebanese officials, on the deadliest day here of this war. Lauren Freyer and PR News, Shitora, Lebanon. The Trump administration is defending a plan to restructure the U.S. Forest Service and send its headquarters to Utah. Rachel Cohen of the Mountain West News Bureau reports it would also close dozens of research laboratories. 57 of 77 Forest Service labs nationwide are on a list to shudder. Scientists at these labs study everything from pollinators to wildfires. The agency said this week the closures don't mean an end to research, it's just relocating small teams to other spaces. But Carl Holtman, a union representative with the National Federation of Federal Employees, says those workers haven't been told where their jobs could be moved. We asked them for details, they say, well, those are still being worked out. He says the changes could harm long-term projects. For NPR News, I'm Rachel Cohen. And you're listening to NPR News from Washington. Americans wagered more than $165 billion on sports in 2025. That's according to the American Gaming Association. And it's not just adults. Young people are increasingly taking part legally or otherwise. Imperial Sequoia Carillo reports that's prompting new concerns for parents about how to talk to their kids about gambling. Experts say the most common mistake parents make is waiting to talk about gambling until they're worried about their kid. You're coming in and talking with your teenager about problem gambling, but you're coming in fire and brimstone. This is the worst thing in the world. That's Matt Misar. He's an addiction counselor in Pittsburgh. Teachers are going to shut down. They're not going to want to have that conversation. Most of Misar's clients are boys and young men. He says parents need to take a beat and avoid a confrontation. Whether or not you're worried, approach it with curiosity, not judgment. Sequoia Carillo, NPR News. The Federal Appeals Court says work on President Trump's plans for a new ballroom at the White House, reportedly to be funded with donations, can continue for now. The three-judge panel today ruled that a lower court judge should clarify a series of national security-related questions that could affect the construction. Trump says pausing the $400 million project threatens the president. The panel says the White House can keep working at least through next week, granting Trump three extra days before a lower court's pause on construction goes into effect. I'm Jeanine Herbst, and you're listening to NPR News from Washington. 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.