NPR News Now - NPR News: 04-17-2025 5AM EDT

Episode Date: April 17, 2025

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This message comes from the Kresge Foundation. Established 100 years ago, the Kresge Foundation works to expand equity and opportunity in cities across America. A century of impact, a future of opportunity. More at kresge.org. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Louise Schiavone. The clash between the Trump administration and Harvard University continues to escalate with the tax-exempt status of the Ivy League School potentially in peril. The Trump administration has frozen $2 billion in federal research grants to the university

after the institution pushed back against government efforts to regulate speech and contain activism. Education Secretary Linda McMahon now says the administration is especially focused on campus protests over Israel's war against Hamas and the anti-Semitism associated with those demonstrations. We encourage open debate on campuses and different points of view. That's what education is about but we're not going to we're not going to have civil rights trampled on on these colleges. Trump has also frozen $60 million in federal contracts to Harvard.

Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland traveled to El Salvador Wednesday to advocate for Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the man mistakenly sent to the nation's maximum security prison. But as NPR's Claudia Gersalas reports, Salvadoran officials refused his request. Senator Chris Van Hollen, a Maryland Democrat, said the Salvadoran vice president also refused his request visit with Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia.

Regardless, Van Hollen said more US officials will travel to fight for his release. I may be the first United States senator visit El Salvador on this issue, but there will be more and there will be more members of Congress coming. Van Hollen argued against the administration's claims that Rodrigo Garcia has ties to gang activity. He was granted protection from deportation by a judge in 2019.

The administration admitted in legal proceedings the deportation was a mistake but have since refused a Supreme Court decision upholding an order they must facilitate the man's return. Javier Gonzalez, NPR News. China has harshly criticized U.S. levies on its goods, though many of its electronics products are exempt for now. As NPR's Emily Fang reports, China has so far declined to match the U.S. tariffs. China's government has promised further retaliation for the U.S. tariffs and said it wasn't afraid

of fighting a trade war. It's also cut off more so-called rare earth minerals to the U.S. These are metals for which China dominates the mining and refining process, and which are critical for defense technologies, some medical treatments, and our consumer electronics. But China's Commerce Ministry called President Trump's tariffs a, quote, joke, and has kept its levies on US tariffs at 125%. US customs duties are now already so high, it's prohibitive for most Chinese exporters to sell their goods in the U.S. Instead, China has been reaching out to regional neighbors to boost trade with them. Emily Fang, NPR News, Washington.

This is NPR News. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro says he has total faith in his security detail after an arson attack at the governor's mansion Sunday. For a member station WESA, Tom Reese has more. A motive for the attack is still under investigation, but documents shared with reporters Wednesday say the suspect may have blamed Shapiro for Israel's war on Gaza. State police said 38-year-old Cody Balmer allegedly admitted to the attack in a phone call less than an hour after he entered and torched the governor's residence in Harrisburg.

Balmer told police he, quote, will not take part in Shapiro's plans for the Palestinian people. After an unrelated press conference, Shapiro declined to say whether he believed the attack was an anti-Semitic hate crime. Hours earlier, Shapiro and guests had celebrated the Jewish holiday of Passover at the home. Shapiro agreed an independent review of the state police assigned to protect him was necessary. For NPR News, I'm Tom Reese in Harrisburg.

Pope Francis was on the sidelines as the Vatican opened the most solemn days of the liturgical year with Holy Thursday services. Designated cardinals have been presiding in the place of the 88-year-old Pontiff, who continues to recover after a five-week hospital stay for a severe respiratory ailment. Tomorrow the pope will not participate in the Good Friday Way of the Cross procession. Myanmar's state-run media reports that in a bow to the country's traditional New Year,

the head of Myanmar's military government has granted amnesty to around 4,900 prisoners. It's not clear how many are political prisoners the releases are to occur at prisons across that country. I'm Louise Schiavone, NPR News, Washington.