NPR News Now - NPR News: 04-23-2025 9AM EDT

Episode Date: April 23, 2025

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Imagine, if you will, a show from NPR that's not like NPR, a show that focuses not on the important but the stupid, which features stories about people smuggling animals in their pants and competent criminals in ridiculous science studies, and call it Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me because the good names were taken. Listen to NPR's Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me. Yes, that is what it is called wherever you Get Your Podcasts. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Corva Coleman. The public is now able to pay last respects to Pope Francis.

His body is lying in state in St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. His funeral is set for Saturday. As Roman Catholic cardinals from around the world start gathering, conversations have begun about Francis' likely successor. As Villamarks reports, dozens of cardinals are eligible to become the next Pope and they will vote in a secret gathering called the Conclave. Francis was the first Pope from Latin America elected to the Church's highest office, leading some to speculate that the cardinals could choose someone from Africa or Asia, regions

where Catholicism is still gaining new devotees. A Filipino ally of Francis, called Luis Antonio Tagle, may be a front-runner. He's led the Vatican's global charity arm and more recently its evangelization efforts, particularly in the developing world. The conservative-leaning Archbishop of Kinshasa, Fridolin Ambongo Bezungu, is a top African candidate with a massive flock in his native Democratic Republic of Congo. There are several Italian contenders too, including France's chief deputy Pietro Parolin, as well as other Europeans from France, Portugal and Hungary. For NPR News, I'm Willem Marques. Opening statements are expected today in New York in the sex crimes trial of former

Hollywood film executive Harvey Weinstein. Reporter Ilya Meretz has more. Weinstein was tried once before and convicted in 2020. Last year an appeals court overturned the conviction on procedural grounds. The trial starting now will include testimony from two witnesses who gave evidence at the last trial and a new accuser whose identity has not yet been revealed. The charges are one count of rape in the third degree and two counts of criminal sexual act in the third degree. Weinstein has pleaded not guilty. For NPR News, Amelia Meretz in New York.

Separately, Weinstein is appealing his conviction in California on three counts related to rape and sexual assault. The Food and Drug Administration inspectors, who examined factories around the world, have been spared from federal layoffs this month. But NPR's Sydney Lupkin reports that federal workers who support these inspectors have been let go. FDA staffers responsible for handling travel arrangements for FDA inspectors are gone. They were cut as part of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s plan to eliminate thousands of workers from federal health agencies. Curran and former FDA inspectors tell NPR that will slow down inspections and make the U.S. food and drug supply less safe. Chris Middendorf spent most of his 20 years at the

FDA doing inspections. What you don't want to see are basically operators touching their face, messing around with their mask, touching things with their hands they shouldn't be. But the only way you can see them is by standing outside the production window and watching for hours. HHS told NPR it's monitoring the situation and working to make sure inspections continue. Sydney Lepkin, NPR News.

And you're listening to NPR News from Washington. Officials from several countries are meeting in London to discuss potential peace steps in Ukraine, but these talks have been downgraded from a high level. Yesterday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio pulled out of the talks suddenly. The State Department cited logistical issues. Meanwhile, Vice President Vance says the U.S. has given Ukrainians and Russians a proposal about ending the war. He says it's time for them to say yes, or the U.S. will walk away from the process. The European Union is fining big tech

companies, Apple and Meta. The EU says they're blocking app developers from communicating directly with consumers about sales and alternative products. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences says next year's Oscars ceremony will take place on March 15th. NPR's Mandela Del Barco reports the organization now has a few new rules. To be eligible to vote on the finalists at next year's Oscars, Academy members will be required to watch every film in the nominating categories. Until now, they've only been encouraged to do so. The Academy will monitor which films voters see on its online screening platform or ask them to specify if they've watched them elsewhere. According to the new rules, the Academy will also take into account

how much generative artificial intelligence and other digital tools were used to make films that are competing. Filmmakers with refugee or asylum status will be eligible to compete in the international feature film category and for the first time casting directors will get their own academy awards. Mandelita Del Barco, NPR News, Los Angeles. And I'm Corva Coleman, NPR News in Washington. Cell phones, cars, coffee. How do these goods make their way to us from overseas Los Angeles.