NPR News: 04-11-2026 9AM EDT

Summary

NPR News Now – April 11, 2026, 9AM EDT

Host: Windsor Johnston (NPR)
Length: 5 minutes
Main Theme: The episode delivers concise updates on major U.S. and global news stories, highlighting diplomacy, politics, space exploration, national monuments, and weather alerts.

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Key Stories and Discussion Points

1. U.S. Delegation in Pakistan for Iran Ceasefire Talks

Segment Starts: [00:13]

• Background: Vice President J.D. Vance is leading a high-level U.S. delegation in Islamabad, Pakistan, aiming to stabilize a fragile ceasefire recently reached between Washington and Tehran.
• Focus Points:
  • Main topics: Maintaining the ceasefire and addressing operations in the Strait of Hormuz.
  • Reporting from Islamabad: Betsy Joels highlights the tightly controlled nature of the talks and the surprising role of Pakistan as a host.
• Local Perspective:
  • Quote, Kisra Zahir (Islamabad local, 19) [01:08]:

    "Pakistan isn't usually important at all, and now US is like they listen to Pakistan."

• Significance:
  • Pakistan’s government deems the meeting "make or break" for the ceasefire. Betsy Joels notes weeks of behind-the-scenes work to secure the negotiations.
  • Quote, Betsy Joels [01:14]:

    "Pakistan's prime minister called the talks, quote, make or break for whether a fragile ceasefire will hold."

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2. Kamala Harris Hints at 2028 Presidential Bid

Segment Starts: [01:29]

• Context: Former Vice President Kamala Harris is on a public tour through key southern states.
• Public Statement:
  • At the National Action Network convention in New York, asked by Reverend Al Sharpton whether she would consider running for president:
    • Quote, Kamala Harris [01:49]:

      "Listen, I might. I might."

    • Quote, Kamala Harris [01:52]:

      "I'm thinking about it."

• Analysis by NPR’s Deepa Shivaram:
  • Harris’s remarks are not an official campaign announcement, but her planned visits to South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia underscore her potential interest in a third presidential campaign.

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3. Artemis II: NASA Astronauts Return from Lunar Mission

Segment Starts: [02:10]

• Event: The Artemis II crew successfully returned from a groundbreaking flyby of the moon.
• Accomplishments:
  • Set a new distance record from Earth.
  • Captured unprecedented images of unexplored lunar regions.
• NASA’s Response:
  • NASA leadership, particularly Lori Glaze, is “fired up” and highlights the historical significance of the mission.
    • Quote, Lori Glaze (NASA) [02:45]:

      "Apollo was when I was a child. And to be here now and say, we actually did this, we've gone back and we're going to go build a moon base, we are going to have an enduring presence on the moon, just incredibly powerful."

• Next Steps:
  • Testing lunar landers in the coming year.
  • Goal: Land astronauts on the moon by 2028.

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4. Trump’s Proposed National Mall Arch Revealed

Segment Starts: [03:10]

• Announcement: The White House has released designs for a 250-foot arch, proposed by President Trump, to be added to the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
• Design Details (reported by Anastasia Salukas):
  • The committee reviewing the proposal is the Commission of Fine Arts, now largely comprised of Trump appointees.
  • The structure, designed by Harrison Design, closely resembles the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.
  • Features: Topped with two eagles and a winged, crowned figure reminiscent of the Statue of Liberty.
  • Inscriptions: One side reads “One Nation under God” and “with liberty and justice for all”.
  • The proposal would make the arch more than twice as tall as the Lincoln Memorial.

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5. Severe Weather in Hawaii

Segment Starts: [04:20]

• Situation: Hawaii is experiencing heavy rain, leading to flash flood warnings and landslide risks.
• Details:
  • The National Weather Service maintains a statewide flood watch.
  • Saturated soils from previous storms mean higher danger from runoff and rising streams.
  • Some regions could receive multiple inches of rain; worsening conditions expected into the weekend.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Kisra Zahir on Pakistan’s Surprising Diplomatic Role [01:08]:
  "Pakistan isn't usually important at all, and now US is like they listen to Pakistan."
• Kamala Harris on a Possible Presidential Run [01:49]:
  "Listen, I might. I might."
  [01:52] "I'm thinking about it."
• Lori Glaze’s Reflections on Artemis II [02:45]:
  "Apollo was when I was a child... We've gone back and we're going to go build a moon base, we are going to have an enduring presence on the moon, just incredibly powerful."

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Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment Topic | Timestamp | |-----------------------------------|------------| | U.S.-Iran talks in Pakistan | 00:13–01:29| | Kamala Harris 2028 hints | 01:29–02:10| | Artemis II astronauts return | 02:10–03:10| | Proposed Trump arch | 03:10–04:20| | Hawaii severe weather | 04:20–end |

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Overall Tone: Rapid, matter-of-fact, focused on clarity over commentary.
Purpose: To inform listeners of the most current and significant news highlights in under five minutes.

Transcript

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[Windsor Johnston]

[e-mail] Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Windsor Johnston. Vice President J.D. vance is leading a U.S. delegation in Pakistan today for high level talks aimed at ending the war in Iran. The negotiations in Islamabad are exp expected to focus on stabilizing a fragile ceasefire that was reached between Washington and Tehran earlier this week. The talks are also expected to include operations in the Strait of Hormuz. Betsy Joels reports from Islamabad.

[Betsy Joels]

Journalists have been corralled into the city's convention center waiting for any news about how exactly these talks will look. The details of the meeting between the US And Iran have been kept under close wraps. Even their exact timing remains in question. People I spoke to were mostly surprised that Pakistan managed to pull this off. Here's 19 year old Kisra Zahir.

[Kisra Zahir]

Pakistan isn't usually important at all, and now US Is like they listen to Pakistan.

[Betsy Joels]

Pakistan's prime minister called the talks, quote, make or break for whether a fragile ceasefire will hold. That's after the country's leaders wrangled behind the scenes and then publicly for weeks to make them happen. For NPR News, I'm Betsy Joels in Islamabad.

[Windsor Johnston]

Former Vice President Kamala Harris is not ruling out a run for the White House in 2028. NPR's Deepa Shivaram reports. Harris is kicking off a tour through southern states, including South Carolina.

[Deepa Shivaram]

At the National Action Network convention in New York, Harris told Reverend Al Sharpton that she might run for president again.

[Kamala Harris]

Listen, I might. I might.

I'm thinking about it.

[Deepa Shivaram]

It's by no means a commitment to launch what would be her third big for the White House. But her recent comments come as the former vice president and California native is about to embark on a series of stops to key election states, including North Carolina and Georgia. Deepa Shivaram, NPR News.

[Windsor Johnston]

The Artemis II astronauts are adjusting to life back on Earth following a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean on Friday. NPR's Nell Greenfield Boyce reports. The crew's successful flyby of the moon is seen by NASA as a key step toward the agency's plan to build a permanent base on the moon.

[Nell Greenfield Boyce]

The four astronauts set a new distance from Earth record. They also snapped stunning photos of the moon as they saw parts of its surface that had never been seen by human eyes before. After their safe return, NASA's Lori Glaze said that everyone working with the Artemis moon program is fired up.

[Lori Glaze]

Apollo was when I was a child. And to be here now and say, we actually did this, we've gone back and we're going to go build a moon base, we are going to have an enduring presence on the moon, just incredibly powerful.

[Nell Greenfield Boyce]

Next year, the agency plans to test out lunar landers in space with a goal of landing astronauts on the moon in 2028. Nell Greenfield Boyce, NPR News.

[Windsor Johnston]

You're listening to NPR News from Washington. The White House has released official plans for a 250 foot arch that President Trump has proposed to add to the national mall in washing, D.C. nPR's Anastasia Salukas reports. The proposal will be reviewed next week.

[Anastasia Salukas]

The committee charged with reviewing the plans for the arch is the Commission of Fine Arts, a group President Trump has filled with his appointees. The submitted plans from the Harrison Design firm show a structure very similar to the model that Trump showed off at a fundraising dinner at the White House last October. The proposed arch bears a striking resemblance to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris and is topped with two eagles and a winged crowned figure reminiscent of the Statue of Liberty. On one side, the words One Nation under God appear with the phrase with liberty and justice for all. On the other, the structure would be more than twice the height of the nearby Lincoln Memorial. Anastasia Tsulkis and Pierre News, New York.

[Windsor Johnston]

Heavy rain is pounding parts of Hawaii, with forecasters warning of flash flooding and possible landslides. The National Weather Service says a flood watch remains in effect statewide as multiple rounds of rain move across the islands. Saturated ground from earlier storms is increasing the risk of dangerous runoff and rising streams. Some areas could see several inches of rain, with conditions expected to worsen into the weekend. I'm Windsor Johnston, and you're listening to NPR News from Washington.