NPR News Now - NPR News: 03-25-2025 9AM EDT

Episode Date: March 25, 2025

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On the embedded podcast. No, no. It's called denying a speech. It's misinformation. Like so many Americans, my dad has gotten swept up in conspiracy theories. These are not conspiracy theories. These are reality. I spent the year following him down the rabbit hole, trying to get him back. Listen to alternate realities on the embedded podcast from NPR.

All episodes available now. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Korova Coleman. The White House National Security Council says it's reviewing top Trump administration officials' use of a commercial messaging app to talk about upcoming U.S. military strikes in Yemen. Journalist Jeffrey Goldberg was inadvertently added to that chat. He left the chat after realizing what he thought was a hoax was real-time military information. It was being discussed in highly insecure channels. And Piers Greg Myrie says the administration officials should have been using a special room for these conversations,

known as a skiff. Piers Myrie, P.S.P.S.A. These airstrikes against the Houthis in Yemen began on a Saturday afternoon, so officials may not have been near a skiff. But it doesn't mean they should be discussing the launch of a major U.S. military operation in real time on their phones on a commercial messaging app. And here's Greg Myrie reporting. Some of the people on that text chain reportedly included the director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, and CIA director John Ratcliffe Both are supposed to appear today at a pre-scheduled hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee

Ukrainian officials say they will meet again today with us officials to discuss talks about a ceasefire with Russia NPR's Eleanor Beardsley reports the US delegation met yesterday with Russian officials at the top of Russia's agenda with the U.S. was a ceasefire in the Black Sea. That's because it's one of the places where Ukraine has caused real pain for the Kremlin, chasing Russia's Black Sea fleet from its base in Crimea. So far the Kremlin has refused a comprehensive ceasefire and continues to attack Ukraine's cities. In his nightly address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia remains the only actor dragging out the war.

To push Russia toward peace, he said, the world needs to apply pressure on Russia, which means sanctions, and give support to Ukraine. Eleanor Beardsley in Peer News, Keefe. President Trump has a new nominee to run the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. His initial choice was withdrawn from consideration. And Piers Pinghuang reports the new nominee has recent CDC experience. Susan Minares has served as the CDC's acting director since January. She's kept the agency running while also overseeing the implementation of executive orders that led to public data

sets being pulled from the agency's website and a round of firings targeting temporary and probationary employees. In a post on Truth Social announcing Minars as his choice to lead CDC on a permanent basis, Trump said she would work closely with health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to address the chronic disease epidemic. Minars previously worked in leadership at the Federal Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health. She'll now face a Senate confirmation hearing. The White House withdrew the previous nominee, Dr. Dave Weldon, after some Republican lawmakers balked at his anti-vaccine views. Ping Huang, NPR News. On Wall Street in pre-market trading, Dow futures are higher. This is NPR. The U.S. Postmaster General is stepping down.

Last month, Louis DeJoy had asked the Postal Service Governing Board to seek his replacement. Since then, President Trump has said he's thinking about having the Commerce Department take over the Postal Service. Legal experts suggest that would likely violate federal law. The U.S. Constitution explicitly gives Congress the power to create post offices. A co-director of the Oscar-winning film, No Other Land, reportedly was attacked by Israeli settlers

in the West Bank and arrested by Israeli forces. And Piers Mandelit Del Barco reports he was seen being beaten in the West Bank last night. Weeks ago, Hamdan Bilal was on stage at the Academy Awards holding an Oscar for the Palestinian-Israeli co-production No Other Land. The documentary chronicled ongoing bulldozing of Palestinian homes in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

It was in one of those villages that Bilal was attacked with other Palestinians and Jewish activists, according to the Center for Jewish Nonviolence. The group reports the assault was carried out by a group of Israeli settlers, some masked, some carrying batons, knives and an assault rifle. The Israeli military did not immediately respond to NPR's request for information, but police told Channel 12 News in Israel that the clash began with Palestinians throwing stones at a Jewish miner.

They report three Palestinians, including Bilal, were arrested along with a Jewish miner. Mandelit Del Barco, NPR News. It will be hot in the western and central U.S. this week. The National Weather Service says that some record highs are possible. I'm Korva Coleman, NPR News from Washington.