NPR News Now - NPR News: 04-21-2025 11PM EDT

Episode Date: April 22, 2025

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You have your job, but you also have a life. And you're not just one thing. Neither is the Here and Now Anytime podcast. Every weekday, we break down the biggest story of the day and something else, like a new trend everyone's talking about. It's Here and Now Anytime, a daily podcast from NPR News in Washington, I'm Shae Stevens. Catholics around the world are mourning the death of Pope Francis. The Vatican held a solemn mass today at the Basilica of St. John Lateran. Francis died early today ending a papacy that lasted 12 years. The Argentine government has declared seven days of mourning.

Francis was the first Latin American pope and Argentine native. Cardinal Kevin Farrell is the acting head of the Vatican until a new pope is elected. In his final Easter address, Pope Francis called the situation in Gaza dramatic and deplorable following a year and a half of war. As NPR's Annis Babel reports, the Pope was a constant source of comfort to Christians in Gaza. Up until his last moments, Pope Francis reached out and spoke up for Palestinians in Gaza. George Anton is a leader at the Holy Family Church, Gaza's only Catholic church. He said that the Pope called the congregation every evening,

blessing them over speakerphone, asking if they had enough food or if they were safe in the church where they are sheltering from Israeli bombing. Anton said the last call was made the day before he died. How are you? Anton said the Pope asked. I'm praying for you. Pray for me. I need your prayers. Anton Said, we feel orphaned now. The Pope was a shield for Christians in Gaza.

Today, he said, less than 600 Christians remain in Gaza. Anas Baba, NPR News, Gaza City. White House officials say there is no truth to reports that President Trump is looking to replace Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. As NPR's Quill Lawrence explains, they're responding to reports that Hegseth is under fire over a second incident of sharing classified information. NPR has learned that the White House has begun the process of looking for a new Secretary of Defense, according to a U.S. official who was not authorized to speak publicly.

NPR has reached out to the White House for comment. In March, Hegseth shared details about airstrikes in Yemen in a signal chat that accidentally included a journalist. Now NPR has confirmed he also shared details in a group chat, including his wife and brother using his personal cell phone. Hegseth is trying to turn the tables. This is what the media does. They take anonymous sources from disgruntled former employees

and then they try to slash and burn people and ruin their reputation. Not gonna work with me. In recent weeks, four senior advisors to Hegseth have left abruptly and suggested that Pentagon infighting is hurting President Trump. Quill Lawrence, NPR News. Harvard University has filed suit to block the Trump administration's freeze on funding

to institutions that do not adhere to its policies. Harvard President Alan Garber says the administration's decision to freeze more than $2 billion in grants is unlawful and beyond the government's authority. This is NPR. The final phase of the nearly five-year-old antitrust case against Google is underway in Washington. At issue is the penalties that Google should have to pay for monopolizing Internet search. A federal judge has already agreed with Justice Department claims that Google has created a monopoly by paying web browsers to make Google their default search engine.

Google says it will appeal once the current phase of the case is over. A new women's record was set at the Boston Marathon today from member station GBH. Esteban Bustillos has more. Last year, Kenya's Sharon Loquetti lost to Helen O'Berry by just eight seconds in the women's race. But Loquetti flipped the tables this year by beating Obiri and setting a new course record in the process with a time of 2 hours 17 minutes 22 seconds. Afterwards Loketi said she loves competing with Obiri. The only difference this year is where she passed me last year is where I passed her

today. I was like I'm just not going to let gonna not gonna get a like letter, take it today from me. So I just wanted to fight as hard as I could. John career also of Kenya, one on the men's side with a time of two hours, four minutes, 45 seconds. His brother Wesley won the marathon in 2012 for NPR news. I'm a step on both deals in Boston.

Many Americans were forced to postpone cancer screenings during the COVID-19 pandemic, but it made no significant impact on cancer rates. And experts who track cancer data find that cancer death rates are continuing to decline. The findings are the broadest analysis of the pandemic's effect on cancer data and are published in the journal Cancer. This is NPR News. Having news at your fingertips is great, but sometimes you need an escape. And that's where Shortwave comes in.

We're a joy-filled science podcast driven by wonder and curiosity that will get you out of your head and in touch with the world around you. Listen now to Shortwave, the science podcast from NPR.