NPR News Now - NPR News: 03-23-2025 5AM EDT

Episode Date: March 23, 2025

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There's a lot of news happening. You want to understand it better, but let's be honest, you don't want it to be your entire life either. Well, that's sort of like our show, Here and Now Anytime. Every weekday on our podcast, we talk to people all over the country about everything from political analysis to climate resilience, video games. We even talk about dumpster diving on this show. Check out Here and Now Anytime, a daily podcast from NPR and WBUR. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Giles Snyder. In Ukraine's capital overnight, Ukrainian officials say a Russian drone attack on Kyiv killed at least three people, including a five-year-old child. The attack is reported to have sparked fires in high-rise apartment buildings

and elsewhere in the capital. The attack came ahead of have sparked fires in high-rise apartment buildings and elsewhere in the capital. The attack came ahead of ceasefire negotiations in Saudi Arabia tomorrow aimed at cementing a pause in attacks on energy infrastructure. However, both sides have continued to launch attacks. The Russian Defense Ministry says it shot down nearly 60 Ukrainian drones overnight, most of them over the Rostov region. Hamas says one of its leaders had been killed in an Israeli airstrike in the southern Gaza down nearly 60 Ukrainian drones overnight, most of them over the Rostov region.

Hamas says one of its leaders have been killed in an Israeli airstrike in the southern Gaza city of Kanyunas. Israeli officials have not commented, but Salah Abadaril's wife is said to have also died in the strike, and Hamas is accusing Israel of carrying out an assassination. Venezuela says it will again accept flights

of its citizens deported from the United States beginning today. Repatriation flights had been halted by Venezuela's authoritarian leader, Nicolas Maduro. The Trump administration had threatened to slap more sanctions on Maduro if the flights did not resume, as NPR's Kary Kahn reports. The president of Venezuela's National Assembly, Jorge Rodriguez, announced the resumption of flights in a statement on Instagram. Rodriguez, who has been negotiating with the U.S., stated, Migration is not a crime and Venezuela will not rest until it secures the return of all those who require it. A week ago, the U.S. sent more than 200 Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador, claiming most were members of a violent gang. President Maduro says the deportations

are a kidnapping and demands the migrants return. Maduro's capitulation on accepting repatriation flights come as Trump is considering extending the Chevron oil company's license to operate in Venezuela, which provides vital revenue for the country. Carrie Cahn, NPR News, Rio de Janeiro. Back in the U.S., protests against Elon Musk's Department of Government efficiency have popped up at Tesla dealerships across the country. Ben Abrams of member station KWGS reports on a demonstration this weekend in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Around 60 protesters who've been gathering on Saturdays voiced their anger at cuts to government by the musk-led

Doge team. About a dozen people sympathetic to the GOP platform looked on, like Trump supporter Chuck Williams, who spoke to some demonstrators. I'm not coming at none of them wrong. I'm not here to start arguments or anything like that. If I don't understand something, I want to be explained to. You don't have to yell it, push it down my throat, just explain it. That's all I'm looking for." The gathering followed a social media offer from a local man to pay people to support

Tesla at the protest. No one reported being compensated, and the mourning ended peacefully. For NPR News, I'm Ben Abrams in Tulsa. And you're listening to NPR News. Changes the Trump administration has announced that the Social Security administration has seniors concerned, including 73-year-old Veronica Taylor, who's worried about being required to appear in person for her monthly checks because over-the-phone identity checks are being phased out. She says she'd use the Social security website, but she's not computer savvy. I don't know how to even go on the internet.

I don't even know how to hook it up. My grandkids got after me one time. They said, Grandma, you don't know how to turn it on. I said, Grandma, I don't know how to turn it on. Taylor lives in MacDowell County, West Virginia, where many are facing similar issues. Critics call the changes an unnecessary barrier for vulnerable populations. Pope Francis expected to be discharged from a hospital in Rome today after being treated

for severe respiratory illness, but his medical team says he will need to rest for two months for a complete recovery. Here's MPR's Emma Bowman reporting. The 88-year-old Pontiff has spent over five weeks at Rome's Gemelli Hospital. He was admitted with a case of bronchitis that doctors said had evolved into pneumonia in both of his lungs. Sergio Alfieri, the hospital's head of surgery, told journalists on Saturday that the Pope is in stable condition and that he will continue to receive medical care while at the Vatican. Today we are happy to say that tomorrow he will be at home.

The Vatican says Francis will give his blessing shortly after noon on Sunday to a crowd outside the hospital, his first public appearance since being hospitalized. Emma Bowman, NPR News. And I'm Giles Snyder. This is NPR News. Hey, it's A Martinez. And I'm Jaiel Snyder. This is NPR News.