NPR News Now - NPR News: 04-23-2025 7PM EDT

Episode Date: April 23, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jack Spear. The body of Pope Francis is lying in state at St. Peter's Basilica where three days of public viewing are underway. NPR's Lauren Freyer reports mourners have been filing past the Pope's casket to pay their respects ahead of Saturday's funeral in St. Peter's Square. A choir sang and cardinals chanted in Latin as Pope Francis' body was carried in a red velvet-lined open casket into St. Peter's Basilica, flanked by Swiss guards and priests carrying long candles. Public viewing lasts through Friday evening.

Then on Saturday, hundreds of thousands are expected to attend the Pope's open air funeral in St. Peter's Square. President Trump, Ukrainian President Zelensky, and Britain's Prince William are among those who have confirmed their attendance. The Cardinal's conclave, where a new pope will be chosen through secret ballot inside the Sistine Chapel, is not expected for another two weeks. Lauren Freyer, NPR News, Rome. NPR has confirmed a third medical journal has received a letter from a U.S. attorney

probing the publication's editorial practices. More from NPR's Rob Stein. The prestigious New England Journal of Medicine told NPR that the magazine had gotten a letter of inquiry from the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia. That comes after a journal called Chest confirmed receiving the letter, and NBR confirmed that JAMA, which is published by the American Medical Association, also got the inquiry. In response, the New England Journal of Medicine's editor-in-chief,

Eric Rubin, wrote that the publication, "...publishes evidence-based scientific information that has, quote, brought practice-changing and life-saving advances to patients in the U.S. and around the world. Rob Stein, NPR News. The world's biggest companies are responsible for a significant share of global climate change. That's according to a new study from Dartmouth College. According to the analysis, 111 companies combine their to blame for roughly 28 trillion in climate damage. That more than half was blamed on 10 fossil fuel providers

including Chevron, ExxonMobil, BP, Shell and SaudiRamco. A relief rally continued on Wall Street today. Here's NPR's Scott Horsley. Investors are cautiously optimistic there could be some easing of trade tensions between the U.S. and China. Treasury Secretary Scott Besson says there's an opportunity for a big deal between the world's two largest economies, though so far the Trump administration has not offered to relax its triple-digit tariffs on imports from China. Boeing is one of the nation's largest exporters and one of the blue-chip firms that make up the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The jetmaker's stock gained altitude after Boeing reported

a smaller-than- than expected quarterly loss. Tesla shares were also up after CEO Elon Musk promised to spend more time running the company and less time in Washington. Tesla suffered a sharp drop in sales and profits in its most recent quarter. Scott Horsley, NPR News, Washington. This is NPR. Drugmaker Novavax says it's closely watched COVID-19 vaccine is on track for full U.S. approval after discussions with the Food and Drug Administration.

The new scent company shares soaring more than 21 percent in morning trading. A decision on the vaccine was delayed earlier this month, which sparked some concerns the shot might be held up for political reasons. Novavax makes the nation's only traditional protein-based COVID-19 vaccine. Southern California could be dealing with its worst harmful algae bloom ever and its killing marine wildlife up and down the coast. Remember station LAist, McKenna Severson has the story. Sea lions, pelicans, and at least two whales from separate species have died from a neurotoxin

connected to the bloom, which affects the animal's brain and nervous system. Dave Bader is with the Marine Mammal Care Center in San Pedro, which has rescued hundreds of sick and stranded animals. He says dolphins have no chance of recovery. We'll give them the dignity of a humane end of life and one that is reduced in as much stress as possible. This is the fourth year in a row there's been a bloom like this.

And Bader says it's gotten worse in recent years because of climate change. For NPR News, I'm McKenna Sievertsen in Los Angeles. Kids pretending to be adults signing up for Instagram may have to deal with the company's version of a RoboCop. The photo and video sharing, says it's using AI to determine people's ages. Parent company Meta says it plans to proactively look for accounts it suspects belong to teens, even if they signed up using an adult birthday. If those accounts are discovered, the company says they'll be converted to teen accounts. I'm Jack Spear, NPR News in Washington.