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Episode Date: March 23, 2025

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Hey, I'm Scott Schaeffer. And I'm Marisa Lagos. We host Political Breakdown. With the 2024 election over and President Trump in the White House, there's going to be a lot to keep up with this year. Political Breakdown has got you covered. We'll bring smart analysis, a wide range of voices, and even some laughs. Join us for Political Breakdown every Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from KQED, part of the

NPR Network. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Louise Schiavone. Israel says it has fired on multiple Hezbollah targets in Lebanon in response to rockets fired on Israel from Lebanon. Lebanese officials say there have been deaths and injuries. Hezbollah denied firing those rockets. The Israeli military ordered thousands of Palestinians to evacuate their homes in neighborhoods this week as it resumed the war in Gaza.

Gaza health officials say more than 600 have died since Tuesday. And Piyar's Anas Baba reports from Gaza City. Hundreds of families fleeing the north of Gaza have set up tents in a landfill in Gaza City. The conditions are horrific. The air is thick with a stench of garbage and mosquitoes buzz around the waste. Yasser Sabuh says he has little choice, either survive in this landfill of garbage or die under Israeli bombardments.

Sabuh says we are suffocated from the smell. Disease, illness and displacement. Close by, Fida'a Homaid and her family have sought refuge in Gaza's Islamic University library where people are burning books to stay warm. She says, this war is an injustice to my children. Instead of learning, they are forced to burn the books. Anas Baba, NPR News, Gaza City.

President Trump has revoked security clearances for more than a dozen political adversaries, including former Biden administration officials. NPR's Rebecca Rossman has more. Among those affected are former President Joe Biden, former Vice President Kamala Harris, and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. In a memorandum, Trump said it was no longer in the national interest for them and around a dozen others to access classified information. The move is widely seen as retaliation for Biden's decision to strip Trump of his clearance in 2021. While the withdrawals have drawn attention, their practical effects are minimal. Security clearances for former officials

are typically revoked after they leave office, unless they're involved in national security matters. Many on the list haven't had active clearances in years. Rebecca Rossman, NPR News. The Canadian government has launched an advertising campaign in the United States against Trump administration tariffs. Dan Carpinchuk has that story. Ottawa is paying for a series of huge billboards along highways in the US. They will appear in a dozen Republican voting states,

including Florida, Nevada, Georgia, Michigan, and Ohio. Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Jolie says Canada needs to send a message to the American people so they understand what's at stake. She calls them the first victims of Trump's tariff war. She also says Canada wants hard working Americans to pressure their government over the tariffs. The two countries are in a trade war with Trump promising more tariffs to come on April 2nd. For NPR News, I'm Dan Karpanchuk in Toronto. This is NPR. After a 38-day hospitalization for double pneumonia, the

Vatican says Pope Francis will be sent home tomorrow. Just before that, the Pope will bless the faithful from his 10th floor suite at Rome's Gemelli Hospital. Before their term ended, Biden administration officials sought to protect a fund that compensates black lung disease victims whose coal companies have gone bankrupt. Wyoming Public Radio's Chris Clements reports sought to protect a fund that compensates black lung disease victims whose coal companies have gone bankrupt. Wyoming Public Radio's Chris Clements reports House Republicans are now asking the Trump administration to reverse that. Advocates say the rule closed a loophole that let bankrupt companies push the costs of their

workers' black lung treatments onto the taxpayer-backed trust fund, which is more than $30 billion in debt. Rebecca Shelton with the Appalachian Citizens Law Center says eliminating the rule would steer the fund deeper into debt, which might lead Congress to lower minors' monthly disability payments. Minors really feel that these companies that they gave so much for, now they need to get back when they're sick. A spokesperson said in an email that the Secretary of Labor is eager to quote find common-sense solutions that will boost our economy and put American workers first. For NPR

News, I'm Chris Clements in Laramie. At London's Heathrow Airport, British Airways says it was able to deliver 90% of its Saturday schedule after an electrical substation fire shut down flights for almost a day. In general, airlines operating in the major hubs say they expect disruptions to last for days. The British government has ordered an investigation into the country's energy resilience. I'm Louise Schiavone at PR News Washington. Am I a propagandist? A truth teller? An influencer? There's probably no more contested profession NPR News, Washington.