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The Trump administration asserts a nearly 50-year-old law requiring the preservation of federal government records is unconstitutional. Historians warn important papers could be destroyed.

2026 has proven to be yet another significant year in the Commonwealth with new legislation, constitutional amendments, redistricting and more. It’s a lot to keep track of! That’s why VPM News is excited to introduce its four-episode Amending Virginia series designed to keep Virginians up to date on the upcoming votes on changes to the Commonwealth’s constitution. “All four of these issues will have an impact on the lives of Virginians,” said producer Adrienne Hoar McGibbon.

Updated April 17, 2026 at 10:00 AM ET President Trump says the U.S. naval blockade on ships accessing Iran will continue, despite an announcement Friday by the Iranian foreign minister that the Strait of Hormuz was open. The conflicting announcements came in a flurry of social media messages Friday. First, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the passage for commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz was "completely open" on a coordinated route previously indicated by Iran.

Updated April 17, 2026 at 13:40 PM ET Iran said it has reopened the Strait of Hormuz for commercial ships, after Israel and Hezbollah began a temporary ceasefire overnight. But while President Trump celebrated the reopening, he insisted the U.S. naval blockade remained in enforced on Iran. The announcements came in a flurry of social media messages Friday.

For StoryCorps, a family that lived near Prince in Minnesota remembers the artist in his early years -- as their babysitter.

The House on Friday voted by unanimous consent to extend a controversial surveillance program until April 30. Earlier in the morning GOP leaders had pushed for either a five-year renewal or the 18-month renewal President Trump had demanded, but both votes tanked. The stop-gap measure was pushed through and Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which was set to expire Monday, now heads to the Senate.

Updated April 17, 2026 at 11:14 AM ET Congress has voted to extend a controversial surveillance program until April 30. The extension, which first passed overnight in the House, came after GOP leaders failed to secure a five-year renewal, as well as an 18-month renewal President Trump had demanded. Both votes tanked. That left a stop-gap measure for Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which was set to expire Monday.

WASHINGTON — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement acting director Todd Lyons, a key executor of President Donald Trump's mass deportations agenda, will resign at the end of May, federal officials announced Thursday. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin announced Lyons' departure, calling him a great leader of ICE who helped to make American communities safer. Mullin said Lyons' last day will be May 31.

LOS ANGELES — Singer D4vdhas been arrested on suspicion of killing a 14-year-old girl whose decomposed body was found last year in his apparently abandoned Tesla that was towed from the Hollywood Hills, authorities said Thursday. Los Angeles police said in a brief statement that the 21-year-old Houston-born alt-pop singer whose legal name is David Burke was being held without bail on suspicion of murder after his arrest in the investigation of the killing of Celeste Rivas Hernandez.

Today marks a historic moment for NPR and public media: NPR has received philanthropic gifts totaling $113 million to invest in the future of public media in America. This extraordinary support — anchored by a landmark $80 million investment from philanthropist Connie Ballmer and an extraordinary $33 million contribution from an anonymous donor — is designed to accelerate our digital innovation and strengthen the sustainability of the NPR Network.