NPR News Now - NPR News: 03-22-2025 12AM EDT

Episode Date: March 22, 2025

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I'm Scott Detrow and NPR has a podcast that can help. It's called Trump's Terms, stories about big changes the 47th president is pursuing on his own terms. Each episode is short, usually around five minutes or so. We keep it calm and factual. We help you follow what matters and we leave out what doesn't. Listen to Trump's Term terms from NPR. Live from NPR News in Washington, D.C., I'm Dale Willman. The Justice Department is opening a criminal investigation

into what it says is a leak of classified intelligence related to the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. As NPR's Ryan Lucas reports, this comes after President Trump invoked a wartime statute last week to summarily deport suspected members of the gang. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanch announced the criminal investigation into what he calls,

quote, the selective leak of inaccurate but nevertheless classified information from U.S. intelligence agencies about Tren de Aragua. He says the department will not tolerate what he calls politically motivated efforts by the deep state to undercut Trump's agenda by leaking false information to the New York Times. The department does not specify what reporting in the Times prompted the investigation but the newspaper reported this week that a US intelligence assessment had concluded that Tren de Aragua is not directed by Venezuela's government, a conclusion that contradicts President Trump's assertions.

Ryan Lucas, NPR News, Washington. President Trump announced Friday his latest steps aimed at dismantling the Department of Education. NPR's Corey Turner says the department's student loan portfolio will be turned over to the Small Business Administration. It is very difficult to imagine any other agency just picking up the federal student loan portfolio and doing any better with it than the education department has done. But I also want to be very clear here. The student loan portfolio is doing any better with it than the education department has done. But I also want to be very clear here.

The student loan portfolio is a mess. Some 8 million borrowers are still in legal limbo right now, not making payments because their Biden era repayment plan was frozen by a judge for being potentially illegal borrowers can't currently enroll in any income-driven repayment plan. We expect that to change in the coming days. Trump also said the Education Department's programs for students with special needs will be moved to the Department of Health and Human Services. Ukraine hopes to secure a more comprehensive ceasefire at upcoming talks in Saudi Arabia.

On Monday, U.S. officials will begin separate meetings with Russian and Ukrainian delegations. In the meantime, NPR's Eleanor Beardsley tells us that the two countries continue to attack each other. Ten o'clock at night, Kiev. We're finishing dinner and this is what we're hearing. Air defenses shoot down drones over the Ukrainian Capitol, a nightly occurrence. Ukraine said yes to a US proposed 30-day ceasefire on land, air and sea, but Russia rejected it. After a call with President Trump,

Russian President Vladimir Putin accepted a limited 30-day pause on strikes targeting energy infrastructure. Ukraine says at these talks it will present a list of civilian targets that it wants to include in a ceasefire. Zelensky has called on allies to exert joint pressure on the Kremlin. Eleanor Beardsley, NPR News, Kyiv. And you're listening to NPR News from Washington, D.C. A federal lawsuit was filed on Friday that accuses the Trump administration of illegally to NPR News from Washington, D.C.

A federal lawsuit was filed on Friday that accuses the Trump administration of illegally shutting down the voice of America. The suit was filed by VOA reporters, some unions, and the Press Freedom Group. The administration has described the new outlet's content as rot. VOA has broadcast news around the world since it first went on the air in the 1940s to counter Nazi propaganda during World War II. Computer programming jobs in the U.S. have dropped to their lowest level in 45 years. As NPR's Windsor Johnston reports, recent data show the decline is linked to an increase

in the use of artificial intelligence. The numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics reflect a stunning reversal for a field once seen as a golden ticket to job security. Industry experts warn that while software development isn't disappearing, it's evolving in ways that are leaving many traditional programmers behind. The integration of artificial intelligence in software development is being used by many companies and is expected to continue reshaping the industry. Experts say AI will handle more routine tasks, allowing human programmers

to focus on higher-level functions. Windsor-Johnston, NPR News. Former world heavyweight boxing champion and entrepreneur George Foreman has died. He was 76 years old. Foreman began his boxing career as an Olympic gold medalist. He won his first championship by beating Joe Frazier in 1973 before losing it later to Muhammad Ali.

Later in life, Foreman was known for his TV commercials, selling grills and other kitchen products. I'm Dale Willman, NPR News. Support for NPR News.