NPR News Now - NPR News: 03-22-2025 4AM EDT

Episode Date: March 22, 2025

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Hey, it's a Martinez a lot of short daily news podcasts focus on one story, but sometimes you need Tomas for up first on NPR We bring you the three top world headlines every single day in under 15 minutes because no one story can capture all that's happening It's the mundo tangrande on any given morning. So listen to the up first podcast from NPR Live from NPR News in Washington, D.C., I'm Dale Willman. Elon Musk visited the Pentagon on Friday. By why he was there caused some confusion. NPR and other news outlets reported that Musk was going to be briefed on China, but Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said later he met with Musk to discuss potential defense budget cuts. NPR's Tom Bowman says the idea

of a China briefing caused some consternation. Officials I spoke with on Capitol Hill, they were very concerned by the report saying it raised many questions. First of all, it does not appear Musk has the security clearance to see such highly classified intelligence, which is very closely held. What was his need to know? And who authorizes briefing, even if it were to be an unclassified briefing.

Now, the other concern is this. Musk is a businessman with Pentagon contracts. What would he be learning about the various weapons systems and technologies that could possibly be a conflict of interest? NPR's Tom Bowman. In West Texas, 500 Army troops are being deployed to an isolated stretch of the border. As part of the Trump administration's immigration policy, officials say the deployment will involve the use of combat striker vehicles and troops deployed inside a national park.

For Marfa Public Radio, Travis Bobenak reports. The Army says the troops will be supporting border patrol agents in the Big Bend region, a sparsely populated part of the West Texas desert that's historically had among the lowest numbers of illegal border crossings in the southwest. CBP reported apprehending fewer than 200 people in the region last month. Major General Jared Stefani says the troops will not be directly involved in arresting people. We will not be actively on patrols. We'll be at detection and monitoring sites to provide that information

to Border Patrol to then go out and do their law enforcement function. The Army says some of the troops will be stationed inside Big Bend National Park, located on the southern border. For NPR News, I'm Travis Bubinik in Marfa. A federal lawsuit was filed Friday that accuses the Trump administration of unlawfully shutting down Voice of America. The broadcaster was closed last Friday.

The suit was filed by VOA reporters, some unions, and a press freedom group. They said the end of the broadcaster would be a boon to authoritarian regimes that back censorship. George Foreman, who rose to prominence as a boxer but also became well-known as a pitchman for a grill named after himself, has died at the age of 76. Greg Eklund has this remembrance. Foreman grew up in Houston. It was just 19 when he won a gold medal in boxing

at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City. He turned professional after the Olympics and became a two-time world heavyweight champion. In 1994, Foreman became well-known for the George Foreman Grill, which was bought by millions. Foreman's family announced his passing late Friday on social media. No cause of death was announced, but the Post stated that he was surrounded by loved ones.

For NPR News, I'm Greg Eklund. And you're listening to NPR News from Washington. The Israeli military has ordered the demolition of dozens of Palestinian homes in the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank. The camp has been a focal point of Israel's extended military operation in the territory. NPR's Kat Lonsdorf has more. In an order obtained by NPR, Israeli Commander Avi Bluth instructed troops to demolish 95 residential buildings in the neighborhood beginning this week. obtained by NPR, Israeli commander Avi Bluth instructed troops to demolish 95 residential

buildings in the neighborhood beginning this week. This is part of a two-month-long operation that Israel says is for counterterrorism. The military has already emptied the camp of residents. The Israeli military told NPR the demolitions are a, quote, operational necessity and that residents can contact authorities to, quote, explore the possibility of getting their belongings. Palestinian officials in Jenin tell NPR that Israel has yet to allow residents to collect personal items. More than 40,000 Palestinians in the West Bank have been displaced by Israel's military operation there. Israeli officials have said that those who have fled will not be allowed to return. Kat Lonsdorf, NPR News, Tel Aviv. Columbia University officials Friday announced a

number of policy changes. The moves come one week after the Trump administration threatened to suspend the school's federal funding unless Columbia complied with a list of demands. Among the changes are overhaul of its rules for protests and a review of its Middle Eastern Studies program. An ancient bronze griffin head has been returned to a museum in southern Greece. The item was stolen almost 100 years ago and most recently had been on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

The 7th century BC artifact was part of a ceremonial cauldron that was dedicated to the Greek god Zeus. I'm Dale Willman, NPR News in Washington.