NPR News Now - NPR News: 04-20-2025 8AM EDT

Episode Date: April 20, 2025

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Want to know what's happening in the world? Listen to the State of the World podcast. Every weekday we bring you important stories from around the globe. In just a few minutes you might hear how democracy is holding up in South Korea or meet Indian monkeys that have turned to crime. We don't go around the world. We're already there. Listen to the State of the World podcast from NPR. Live from NPR. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Giles Snyder. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeated his vow to make sure Iran never requires a nuclear weapon.

He made the statement during a prerecorded message that aired on Israeli TV last night. His remarks came as Iran and the U.S. wrapped up a second round of indirect talks on Iran's last night. His remarks came as Iran and the US wrapped up a second round of indirect talks on Iran's nuclear program, impures Hadyl Al-Shalchi reports. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he would not give up or back down on preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. I don't give up on it.

I don't want much of it. His statement came hours after Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Rakhchi and U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Wittkopf met in Rome for a second round of indirect talks mediated by Oman. After the talks, the Omani Foreign Ministry said that the two sides agreed to enter a next phase aimed at reaching a deal that would lift U.S. sanctions on Iran and allow the country to develop quote, peaceful nuclear energy only. Last week, President Trump said Israel would lead in any military action against Iran to

prevent it from obtaining a nuclear weapon. Hadeel Al-Shalchi, NPR News, Tel Aviv. Prime Minister Netanyahu has also talked about the war in Gaza, saying Israel has no choice but to continue fighting. Netanyahu says he has instructed the Israeli military to intensify pressure on Hamas. Earlier this week, Hamas rejected an Israeli proposal for another temporary truce,

saying it wants to see an end to the war in exchange for the release of hostages. Thousands again turned out for scores of events around the country this weekend to protest the Trump administration, including in Lexington, Kentucky, where around 1,000 people gathered. John McGarry at Member Station WBKU has more.

The rally was titled, No Kings Then, No Kings Now. The courthouse square in downtown Lexington was filled with people carrying signs calling actions by the Trump administration both illegal and unconstitutional. Penny Gibson was among the protesters. I'm very upset with what's going on. I'm a boomer and I thought we had gotten everything all fixed up and now look at this, look where we are now. The rally was the third here in the last five weeks. Gibson said she believes the protests are making a difference. She cited a report of a local teacher saying kids are suddenly

interested in their civics classes. For NPR News, I'm John McGarry in Lexington, Kentucky. Easter Sunday at the Vatican. Tens of thousands gathered in St. Peter's Square to celebrate Easter, and they cheered when Pope Francis made a brief appearance to offer his blessing. With the Pope still recovering from a severe bout of pneumonia, the retired Archpriest of St. Peter's Basilica led the open air mass. Francis has only appeared in public a handful of times since his 38-day hospital stay. The Vatican says the Pope met this morning for a few minutes with Vice President J.D.

Vance. The Vatican statement says the two met at the Pope's residence to exchange Easter greetings. This is NPR. Ukraine and Russia are accusing each other of breaking the truce that Russian leader Vladimir Putin unilaterally announced yesterday. In a social media post today, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the Russian army is trying to create the impression of a ceasefire. Russia's defense ministry says Ukrainian forces launched attacks overnight in the Donetsk region. Two people reported dead

in the city of Moore, Oklahoma following violent storms last night that prompted tornado warnings. Police tell local media that three others were able to escape to safety after two vehicles went off the road and got caught up in floodwaters. One landed on top the other.. In Eta, Oklahoma, a suspected tornado damaged multiple buildings. The capsule carrying NASA's oldest serving astronaut and two Russian cosmonauts from the International Space Station landed in Kazakhstan early today. The BBC's Rolanda Teal has more. Standing by for touchdown and touchdown.

The landing in the remote steppe area of Kazakhstan took place on schedule in the early morning. The three men were carried one by one out of the capsule and given time to adjust to gravity before being whispered away by a helicopter. The American astronaut Don Pettit, who is celebrating his 70th birthday, looked disorientated as he was carried out, but there was no indication of any major problem. One of the Russian cosmonauts' first move, as he returned to Earth, was to peel and eat an Easter egg, handed to him by one of the crew. The BBC's Orlando Teal reporting, and you're listening to NPR News.

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