NPR News Now - NPR News: 04-21-2025 7PM EDT

Episode Date: April 21, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Janene Hurst. Tributes are pouring in from around the world for Pope Francis, who died this morning from a stroke and heart failure at the age of 88. Some are traveling to St. Peter's Square, others are gathering in churches around the world, including a cathedral in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Francis was the first Pope from Latin America. Meanwhile, the UN Secretary General is remembering Francis as a voice for peace, human dignity, and social justice. And he's reminding the world of the critical role Francis played

in reaching an international agreement on climate change. And Piers Michelle Kellerman has more. Secretary General Antonio Guterres says he was inspired by the Pope's commitment to the goals and ideals of the United Nations to help the most vulnerable, to fight hunger and to advance development. Pope Francis also understood that protecting our common home is at heart a deeply moral mission, a responsibility that belongs to every person. Guterres says the Pope's encyclical was a major contribution to the Paris Agreement on climate change.

On that front, the UN chief adds that our, quote, divided and discordant world would be a better place if we follow the Pope's example of unity and mutual understanding. Michelle Kelliman, NPR News, the State Department. The fate of two Venezuelan men in Colorado who feared deportation to a prison in El Salvador is in the hands of a federal judge. Colorado Public Radio's Allison Sherry has more. The judge had agreed last week to temporarily halt any plans the federal government had to move the men to a Salvadoran prison until she could hear arguments.

The ACLU of Colorado says at least 11 men who were detained here have already been transferred to El Salvador and at least another hundred could be eligible based on interviews from inside the detention center. The judge seemed willing to extend her temporary restraining order banning the government from moving anyone else from this jurisdiction abroad. The hearing comes on the heels of a US Supreme Court order over the weekend that temporarily halted the transfer of some migrants from Texas. The Colorado judge said she'd rule within 24 hours. For NPR News, I'm Allison Sherry in Denver. Harvard University is suing the Trump administration, arguing the

government's actions, which include freezing 2.2 billion dollars in federal funding, didn't follow legal procedures and violate the First Amendment. It's the latest move in the growing feud between the country's oldest and wealthiest school and President Trump. The suit against several agencies seeks to block the White House from withholding the funding, saying the administration is trying to get control of academic decision-making at Harvard. After Harvard refused his demands, President Trump asked the IRS to revoke the school's tax-exempt status. Wall Street, lower by the closing bell, you're listening to NPR News. Faculty members at some Big Ten universities areECREATE A NATO-STYLE MUTUAL

DEFENSE COMPACT TO COUNTER ANY ACTIONS AGAINST THE SCHOOLS TAKEN BY THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION. QUINN KLEINFELTER OF MEMBER STATION WDET REPORTS TWO MAJOR UNIVERSITIES IN MICHIGAN ARE AMONG THE LATEST TO VOTE FOR THE MEASURE. Last week, faculty at Michigan State University approved the non-binding resolution, which calls for members of the Big Ten to pool financial and legal resources together to help any school that faces action from the federal government. Now, the University of Michigan's faculty has overwhelmingly voted for the plan, which holds that an attack on one is an attack on all.

Michigan professor Kevin Coakley calls it a reaction to a climate of uncertainty on campus. Faculty, staff, and students are literally afraid of what is going to be the next executive order or the next sort of mandate that comes from this administration. University officials have yet to say whether they will enact the recommendation. For NPR News, I'm Quinn Klinefelter in Detroit. The Federal Trade Commission is suing Uber, accusing the ride-sharing company's Uber One service of deceptive billing and cancellation practices in its subscription service. The FTC says Uber makes it hard to cancel memberships for Uber One and charges customers without their consent. Uber says it's confident it will win in court.

Uber One launched four years ago and cost $9.99 a month for discounts on some ride bookings, delivery and pickup orders. In its latest report, the company said it had around 30 million Uber One subscribers. I'm Janene Herbst, NPR News in Washington.