NPR News Now - NPR News: 04-18-2025 12AM EDT

Episode Date: April 18, 2025

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Oh, hey there. I'm Brittany Luce. And I don't know, maybe this is a little out of pocket to say, but I think you should listen to my podcast. It's called It's Been A Minute, and I love it. And I think you will too. Over the past couple months, over 100,000 new listeners started tuning in. Find out why.

Listen to the It's Been A Minute podcast from NPR Today. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Shea Stevens. U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen has met with a Maryland resident who was mistakenly deported. Gilmar Obrego-Garcia was sent to a notorious prison in El Salvador last month, despite having legal protection from deportation. Manuel Rueda has the latest. At about 8 p.m. Eastern, the Maryland senator published a photo on his ex-account that shows him meeting with Abrego Garcia in a room with wooden tables and wine glasses. The meeting was confirmed by El Salvador's president, who posted more pictures on his account,

and wrote that Abrego Garcia was now, quote, sipping margaritas in El Salvador. Abrego Garcia immigrated illegally to the U.S. in 2011, but had obtained protection from deportation a few years ago. In March, he was arrested by ICE agents and sent to El Salvador's notorious Secaut prison. The Trump administration has said that Abrego Garcia's removal was an administrative error, but it has also refused to bring the 29-year-old back to the United States. For NPR News, I'm Manuel Rueda in Bogota.

The man accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson has been indicted on four more counts. One count would make Luigi Mangione eligible for the death penalty. NPR's error of entry reports on the federal grand jury counts announced in Manhattan on Thursday. Mangione's federal charges include two counts of stalking, one firearms offense, and murder through use of a firearm. Earlier this month, Attorney General Pamela Bondi directed federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty in Mangione's case, the first such statement since a 2021

moratorium on federal executions. Mangione's attorney called that statement barbaric and referred to the justice department as, quote, lawless. In addition to the federal indictment, Mangione is being charged in Pennsylvania, as well as New York state, where he faces charges of murder and terrorism. His case continues to spark national discussion about the state of the healthcare industry. Sarah Ventry, NPR News, New York. President Trump is expressing anger over the Federal Reserve's refusal to lower interest rates,

noting that the European Central Bank has done so. Chairman Jerome Powell says the Fed is leaving rates unchanged for now, while monitoring inflation and other economic conditions. European Central Bank leader Christine Lagarde spoke fondly of Powell after Trump's remarks were posted online. I have a lot of respect for my esteemed colleague and friend, Jay Powell. We have a steady, solid relationship amongst central bankers. I think that that relationship is decisive in order to have a solid financial infrastructure on

which to make sure that there is financial stability. Powell was initially appointed by President Trump in 2017 and reappointed in 2022 by President Biden. Trump is now suggesting he may fire Powell before his term expires. This is NPR. A California judge has rescheduled a new resentencing for Eric and Lyle Menendez because of disputes between defense attorneys and prosecutors. The hearing is to determine if the pair have been rehabilitated and deserve a lighter sentence. The Menendez brothers were convicted of the

1996 murders of their wealthy parents. Defense attorneys say the siblings acted in self-defense, while prosecutors insist they killed their parents for money. President Trump's top envoys met with European powers and Ukrainian diplomats in Paris Thursday to step up efforts to end Russia's war in Ukraine. NPR's Eleanor Beersley reports it was the first substantive high-level and in-person talks on Trump's peace push that have included the Europeans. The talks come as the Trump administration has gotten nowhere with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Ukraine analyst Nicholas Tenzer says the U.S. is cozying up to Moscow has worried Europeans. The US administration has made proposals that are basically unacceptable for both the Ukrainians and the Europeans. Like letting Russia take four Ukrainian provinces it partially occupies, Tenzer says that would signify a full defeat of Ukraine and jeopardize European security. And it will of course be a kind of reward to Putin for his war of aggression. Despite Tenzer's pessimism, the Europeans, Ukrainians and Americans said they made good progress and will meet again next week in London. Eleanor Beardsley, NPR News, Paris.

US futures are mostly higher in after hours trading on Wall Street. This is NPR News. If buying a home feels out of reach, you might have more options than you think. reading on Wall Street.