NPR News: 04-11-2026 8PM EDT

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Janine Herbst. U.S. officials say two U.S. Navy ships have crossed the Strait of Hormuz. NPR's Franco-Ordonez reports on U.S. efforts to reopen the channel. The passage of the guided missile destroyers marks the first transit of American warships since the start of the war six weeks ago. According to U.S. Central Command, the USS Frank E. Peterson and USS Michael Murphy are part of a broader mission to ensure the Strait is fully clear of mines previously laid by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard. U.S. officials say additional forces, including underwater drones, will join the effort in the coming days. The reopening of the Strait is a key U.S. condition of the ceasefire. The waterway is critical to the global economy, accounting for about 20 percent of the world's oil supply. Franco-Ordonez and NPR News. Vice President Vance is leading a delegation of face-to-face talks with Iran and Pakistan today to end the U.S.-Israeli War in Iran. President Trump tonight said the talks were going well, but that regardless of what happens with them, quote, we win. This as the temporary ceasefire continues. Thousands have died in the violence, mostly in Iran and Lebanon, and the global economy has been damaged. Empires Deir Hedid has more from Islamabad. The ceasefire that was announced last Tuesday has been shaky from the get-go. I have a disagreement about whether it includes Lebanon, whether it's been fighting between the Iranian proxy, Hezbollah and Israel. Now what we're hearing today is that the Lebanese and the Israelis are going to speak directly. But potentially we have another historic outcome from this 43-day war. Empires Deir Hedid reporting from Islamabad. Democratic leaders are calling on congressman Eric Swalwell to end his bid for governor of California following allegations made by a former staffer that he sexually assaulted her. NPR hasn't independently verified the allegation, which was first published in the San Francisco Chronicle and on CNN. Empires Elena Moore reports. Swalwell is denying the sexual assault allegation, saying in a video posted online Friday that they were absolutely false. But he also said this. I have certainly made mistakes in judgment in my past. But those mistakes are between me and my wife. And to her, I apologize deeply for putting her in this position. Several women have accused him of sexual misconduct. California's primary is set for June, and Swalwell was seen as a front-runner in the race. Now his standing in congress is also uncertain. In a statement, House Democratic leaders stopped short of calling for his resignation, but demanded he end his gubernatorial campaign and that there be a quote, swift investigation. Elena Moore, NPR News. You're listening to NPR News from Washington. Plastic like polyester is commonly used in clothing, and researchers at Utah State University are looking to replace some of that plastic with things like fish slime. From Everestation Kuer, Macy Lipkin has more. Hagfish are long, tubular, deep-sea dwellers. They kind of look like intestines. Their bodies are grayish pink, and they have teeth but no jaw. They're not cute, but Utah State biology professor Justin Jones says they have something else going for them. They exude a slime when they're bitten to clog the gills of predators. And it's useful because of its fibers. When you take those fibers out of the slime and you stretch them and you allow them to dry, they're as strong as spider silk is. Jones' lab can make those fibers without any hagfish involved. Now they're studying how to turn them into clothing. For NPR News, I'm Macy Lipkin in Logan, Utah. A raffle in France is offering the chance to win a Picasso. The tickets cost 100 euros and proceeds support Alzheimer's research. The drawing for the Tette de Femme painting, created in 1941, takes place on Tuesday at Christie's in Paris. Previous raffles in 2013 and 2020 raised over 10 million euros for cultural and humanitarian causes. The number of tickets is now capped at 120,000, and the drawing will be broadcast online. Stocks soared this week on Wall Street for the week that I was up 3%, the S&P 500 was up 3.5% and the NASDAQ jumped nearly 4.7%. I'm Janine Herbst, NPR News in Washington.