NPR News Now - NPR News: 04-06-2025 6PM EDT

Episode Date: April 6, 2025

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This message comes from Mint Mobile. Mint Mobile took what's wrong with wireless and made it right. They offer premium wireless plans for less and all plans include high-speed data, unlimited talk and text, and nationwide coverage. See for yourself at mintmobile.com slash switch. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Janene Herbst. The Trump administration is defending its deportation of a Maryland man that it mistakenly sent to El Salvador. Meanwhile, a U.S. district judge is ordering the White House to bring the man back by tomorrow night.

And here's Luke Garrett has more. In 2019, an immigration judge barred Kilmaro Abrego-Garcia from being sent back to El Salvador because he was being targeted with threats and violence. The Trump administration deported him there anyway and admitted it was a, quote, administrative heir. On Sunday, a judge called the deportation, quote, wholly lawless, end quote. But Attorney General Pam Bondi said Abrego Garcia is a member of the MS-13 gang and deserved to be deported.

When asked for evidence on Fox News Sunday, Bondi responded. So we have to rely on what ICE says. We have to rely on what Homeland Security says. They're our clients. And I firmly believe in the work they are doing. A court order says Abrego Garcia must be returned by Monday night, but the Justice Department says it can't. They are appealing the judge's order.

Luke Garrett, NPR News, Washington. Taiwan says it won't pursue retaliatory tariffs against American ones and will instead pursue more investment in the U.S. If here's Emily Fang has more. The U.S. lapped a 32 percent base tariff on Taiwan, though that does not cover the semiconductor chips the U.S. relies on Taiwan for. Taiwan had tried to head off these American tariffs. Its top semiconductor-making company, TSMC, promised to invest $100 billion more in the US to build semiconductor facilities in Arizona. And now Taiwan's President, Mai Ching-ge, says Taiwan will buy more from the US to reduce its trade deficit and reduce any other non-trade barriers and export controls. He has also promised subsidies

for Taiwanese companies affected by the U.S. tariffs and said Taiwan quote, must stand firm and not be shaken by this turmoil. The Asian island relies on the U.S. for defense against China, which is threatened to invade Taiwan. Emily Fang, and Pure News, Washington. Severe storms continue to batter parts of the south and Midwest today, leaving at least 18 people dead, according to the AP. And here's Joe Hernandez reports a punishing and slow moving system has unleashed flash floods and tornadoes from Mississippi to Kentucky. Areas hit by high winds and washed out by heavy rain since midweek saw even more bad

weather over the weekend. The system produced thunderstorms, flash floods, and even some tornadoes over a roughly five-day period. The National Weather Service says parts of Kentucky, Arkansas, and Tennessee received more than a foot of rain, while more than 10 inches fell in areas of Illinois, Mississippi, and Missouri. But forecasters also warn that even after the heavy rain slowed over the weekend, flooding could continue for several days.

Joe Hernandez, NPR News. And the National Weather Service has issued flood advisories and tornado watches across several states in the South. You're listening to NPR News from Washington. The State Department is revoking visas for South Sudanese passport holders as a civil roar threat looms at home. Washington once cheered the creation of South Sudan as an independent nation, but now

Secretary of State Marco Rubio says the country's government has failed to accept the return of its citizens in a timely manner. This means South Sudanese could be returned to a nation again on the brink of civil war or unable to seek the US as a haven. There was no immediate response from South Sudan's government. Hockey has a new all-time scoring

leader Alex Ovechkin, the Washington Capitals star, scored the 895th goal of his career, enough to finally overtake hockey's all-time great Wayne Gretzky. And here's Becky Sullivan has more. Becky Sullivan It couldn't have been a more fitting goal for Ovechkin, a Capitals power play with number eight drifting all alone by the left face off circle. A teammate passed him the puck, he squared up the shot and made history. Wayne Gretzky claims the NHL goals record back in 1994 and by the time he retired five years later, many in hockey wondered if anyone would ever break it. Then along came Alex Ovechkin, the Russian goal-scoring machine in Washington. It's

taken him 20 seasons to get here. He's 39 now. And in a TV interview after breaking the record, Ovechkin said it was a relief to have it done. Finally, no one's going to ask me about when you're going to do it. So it's over. Right now we just have to focus on our game. Next up, the playoffs and he hopes a second Stanley Cup. Becky Sullivan, NPR News. And I'm Janine Herbst, NPR News in Washington. Am I a propagandist, a truth teller, an influencer? There's probably no more contested profession in the world today than mine, journalism.

I'm Brian Reed, and on my show, Question Everything, we dive headfirst into the conflicts we're all facing over truth and who gets to tell it. Listen now to Question Everything, part of the NPR Podcast Network.