"Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Janine Herbst.
President Trump has canceled sending a delegation to Pakistan for further peace talks about
Iran.
“It appears that Lonstor reports from Beirut "that's after Iran's foreign minister left”
Pakistan earlier today without meeting with U.S. officials." U.S. special envoy Steve Whitkoff and President Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner were supposed to travel to Islamabad. After Iranian officials made it clear, they only plan to meet with Pakistani officials, not with the U.S.
Iran has dismissed Trump's unilateral extension of the U.S. Iran ceasefire as "meaningless," saying the continued U.S. blockade on Iranian ports is in violation of that agreement. The U.S. is intercepting ships coming to or from Iran as Iran is maintaining military control of the Strait of Hormuz. Most ships in and around the Strait are not moving, and neither side appears to be budging.
Cat-Lonstor and Pyrenees Beirut. Times are running out for registering to vote in this year's primary elections in some states.
“As impairs Hansi Lohong reports, these states are preparing to hold their primaries next”
month. "Today is a last chance for eligible voters in Louisiana to register online in time to cast balance in the states May 16th primary, and Monday is Nebraska's deadline for registering online or by mail, though in-person voter registration doesn't end until May 1st. In Oregon, you can still register online by mail or in-person through Tuesday, and there's
still about a week left in Alabama and Pennsylvania to sign up to vote in those primaries." Elisra voters in Montana also have until May 4th to register by mail, and they can sign up in-person through June 2nd. If you're planning to use the U.S. Postal Service to mail your application, U.S. P.S. recommends sending it at least a week before your state's deadline, and to make sure it gets a postmarked
date, U.S. P.S. says, "Stop by a post office and ask for a free manual postmark at the counter on Z-Lohong and Bjornus."
“In Southeastern Georgia, two wildfires continue to threaten homes and lives as officials warn”
that strong winds could spread the flames amid historic drought conditions. Officials are asking people to evacuate if they're called to do so. The Brantley County Highway 82 Fire has destroyed at least 87 homes. Brantley County Manager, Joey Cason, says the fire is moving at a fast pace and that they don't have much control over where it's going.
"I've said this is a dynamic fire event that is wind-driven, and you can rest assured if you're out here today, you can feel this wind, it has stoked that fire, and this is a major event." The fire has burned more than 14 square miles, and officials say it started when a party balloons struck a power line causing a spark.
And a second fire about 70 miles to the southwest has burned more than 46 miles.
Square miles and it's destroyed at 35 homes. This is NPR. The famous Rocky Balboa statue is moving indoors to be featured in a new exhibit. Philadelphia's Museum of Art is launching rising up, Rocky, and the making of monuments. A head of the 50th anniversary year of the original film's release this fall, and here's
a lot of why it's has more. The statue is instantly recognizable, a bronze Rocky Balboa portrayed by Sylvester Stallone, raising his hands above his head, and a show of triumph despite the odds. The fictional heavyweight champion has become one of Philadelphia's most famed figures, and his statue standing at top to museum steps is a sacred pilgrimage for fans.
But in the 40 years since it was first unveiled, this is the first time it's been brought
inside the museum. The Rocky exhibition will feature over 150 pieces of art for more than 50 artists. The museum described the statue as part of the city's " Civic and Cultural Identity." The exhibition will run through August 2nd, along a wise NPR news. Members of the screenwriters' union ratified a four-year deal with Hollywood Studios.
This move ends a smooth process, as compared to the prolonged strike that happened 3 years ago. The agreement lasts for 4 years instead of the usual 3, and that gives workers gains in health coverage, and it provides modest compensation increases, especially for comedy and variety writers.
It also strengthens protections for writers against exploitative practices. Actors and directors are still negotiating their new contracts. I'm Janine Herbst and P.R. News in Washington.
