NPR News Now - NPR News: 04-24-2025 6AM EDT

Episode Date: April 24, 2025

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Aviv Regev is the co-founder of the Human Cell Atlas. It's a huge leap in understanding how human cells work. She says it's like upgrading from a 15th century map of the world to Google Maps. If I want to develop a medicine that would only go to the place where something is broken, I need to know how to get there. The new wave of biotechnology. That's on the TED Radio Hour podcast from NPR. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Korva Coleman. Russia has launched deadly strikes

on Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, overnight. This came after the Trump administration pushed a plan to end Russia's war on Ukraine. The plan sharply favors the Kremlin. NPR's Joanna Kokissus reports from Kyiv that drones and missiles rained down on the city overnight, killing at least nine people and wounding 70 more. I recorded these explosions overnight as Ukrainian air defense tried to shoot down a buzzing drone flying over our neighborhood. The Ukrainian military says Russia launched 215 drones and missiles at Ukraine, most aimed at Kiev in one of the deadliest strikes on the capital. In a video post on social media, Kiev Mayor Vitaly Klitschko

said rescue workers were digging survivors out with their bare hands. We see for the first time... Once again, we are seeing the face of Russian peace, he said, with sarcasm. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says he's cutting short a trip to South Africa to return to Kiev. Joanna Kigisys, NPR News, Kiev. Stock markets are slipping today and pre-market trading on Wall Street. Dow Jones futures are down 250 points. Investors had enthusiasm yesterday when the Dow closed up more than 400 points. That was after President Trump said he would not fire Federal Reserve Board Chair Jerome Powell.

Then Treasury Secretary Scott Besant said that the high tariffs between the U.S. and China were not sustainable. Yesterday, President Trump continued to hint at a possible deal to lower tariffs, saying it depends on what China brings to the table as an offer. It could be with China, but maybe we'll make a special, you know, a deal and we'll see what it will be. Right now it's 145 percent. That's very high. It got there because of the fentanyl.

But China says there are no talks underway with the United States. The Chinese government says any report of trade talks with the U.S. are false. NPR has confirmed that a third medical journal has received a letter from a U.S. attorney. NPR's Rob Stein reports it is probing the publication's editorial practices. 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 NPR 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, quote, 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. On Wall Street, Dow futures and NASDAQ futures are still lower. This is NPR. Secretary of State Marco Rubio says that Iran must give up all of its programs to enrich nuclear material if it wants to secure a deal with the Trump administration. Rubio spoke during an

interview with the online publication, the Free Press. Iran insists its nuclear enrichment is for peaceful purposes. Former South Korean President Moon Jae-in has been indicted on charges of bribery. NPR's Anthony Kuhn reports from Seoul Moon presided over a period of engagement and diplomacy with North Korea during his five-year presidency. Anthony Kuhn, NPR News, Newsweek, NPR News Prosecutors allege that Moon appointed former lawmaker Lee Sang-jik as head of the Small and Medium Enterprises and Startups Agency. They allege that in exchange, he hired Moon's former son-in-law in 2018 as an executive

at the budget carrier Thai Eastar Jet, which Lee founded. Prosecutors argued that the compensation paid to the son-in-law amounted to Lee bribing Moon. South Korea has traditions of presidents falling afoul of the law and incoming administrations pursuing vendettas against outgoing ones. Moon's predecessor, former president Pak Koon-Hae, was impeached in 2016. His successor, Yoon Sung-Yul, was impeached last year and removed from office this month. Anthony Koon in PR News, Seoul. The Tennessee Board of Parole has recommended country music star Jelly Roll should be pardoned

by the governor for his criminal record. Jelly Roll, a Nashville native, has spoken candidly about his criminal record and his rehabilitation. Jelly Roll often visits jails and rehabilitation centers before he goes to perform concerts. I'm Korva Coleman, NPR News in Washington. This message comes from the Kresge Foundation. I'm Korva Coleman, NPR News in Washington.