NPR News Now - NPR News: 04-23-2025 5PM EDT

Episode Date: April 23, 2025

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Have you or someone you love been confused by the push to make America healthy again? Then you, my friend, are in dire need of our new series. On It's Been A Minute from NPR, we're delving into some of the origins, conspiracy theories, and power grabs that have led us to this moment and what it could mean for our health. That's on the It's Been A Minute podcast from NPR. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jack Spear. A federal judge appeared skeptical today of President Trump's executive order targeting the law firm Perkins-Cooey. The firm is one of four that is sued after being targeted by presidential executive action.

More from NPR's Ryan Lucas. U.S. District Judge Bareryl Howell spent two hours grilling a Justice Department attorney over the executive order against Perkins-Cooey. Trump's order takes several punitive steps, including suspending security clearances for the firm's employees and barring its attorneys' access to government officials and buildings.

Judge Howell last month temporarily blocked enforcement of aspects of the order. At this hearing, she pressed the Justice Department for details on the deals that other law firms have struck with the president to avoid punishment, as well as legal basis for targeting Perkins Cooey for embracing diversity and inclusion in its hiring. At a separate hearing in the same courthouse, another federal judge heard arguments from the law firm Wilmer Hale that also has sued over a similar executive order targeting it. Ryan Lucas, NPR News, Washington.

President Trump is again lashing out at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. That's after Zelensky pushed back on ceding Crimea to Russia. Zelensky this week ruled out the idea as part of a peace deal European and Ukrainian officials met today after US officials pulled out. During similar talks last week in Paris, U.S. officials proposed allowing Russia to keep control of Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in 2014. A growing number of congressional Democrats in safely blue districts are facing primary challenges from younger candidates. As NPR's Elena Moore explains, driving many

of the challengers is a dissatisfaction with the current state of the party. 26-year-old activist and teacher Elijah Manley is running for Congress in southeast Florida. He's frustrated and says voters are too. They don't see any urgency to fight back against Donald Trump. I understand that it's not going to be easy, but if we don't even put up a fight, what are we doing? Though challengers have ousted incumbents of their own party before, strategists say it's nearly impossible.

So the Democrats already in office have a significant edge over those seeking to shake up the party and good odds of staying where they are. In the 2024 election, 96% of incumbents held on to seats. Elena Moore, NPR News. The Trump administration is shutting down data collection for a landmark federally funded study about women's health. More from NPR's Rob Stein. The Health and Human Services Department is cutting off funding for all the centers that

have been collecting data about tens of thousands of women who have been participating in the Women's Health Initiative for decades. The project has produced a series of landmark discoveries about women's health, including the risks and benefits of hormone replacement therapy for menopausal women. Scientists say the decision cuts off crucial research at a time when the nation needs to study older women and chronic disease more than ever. Rob Stein, NPR News. You're listening to NPR News in Washington.

The death toll has risen to 26 in a militant attack where gunmen shot down tourists in Indian controlled Kashmir. The attack occurred while Vice President J.D. Vance was visiting India. President Trump said on social media India has quote America's full support. MPR's Dee Hadid does more from Mumbai. One eyewitness told local outlet, the Press Trust of India, that a gunman asked her father

to recite a declaration of Muslim faith. When he did not, he was shot dead. It also cited another woman who said her sister, an eyewitness, said a gunman targeted Hindus. The attack and the claims of targeting Hindus raises tensions with neighboring Pakistan, which also claims Kashmir. It came days after Pakistan's army chief reiterated support for those resisting Indian

rule. Reuters reports that a little-known group, Kashmir Resistance, says it conducted the attack in retaliation for Hindus settling in Kashmir, which is a Muslim majority territory. for auction, the auction house choosing today. The author's 461st birthday to make the announcement. Next month's sale marks the first time since 1989. A set of first, second, third, and fourth folios have been offered in a single lot. The first folio was published in 1623, seven years after Shakespeare's death. The lot is expected to go for as much as $6 million. I'm Jack Spear, NPR News.