NPR News Now - NPR News: 04-24-2025 8AM EDT

Episode Date: April 24, 2025

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Do you remember when discovering a new artist felt like finding buried treasure? At All Songs Considered, NPR's music recommendation podcast, we put that kind of magic back into discovering new tracks. We're here to make the hunt for new music easy, delivering you the cream of the crop from every genre. We'll help you make music feel fun again, only on All Songs Considered from NPR. Live from NPR. injured in Kiev. Kate Bartlett has more from Pretoria, South Africa. Zalensky said he would still meet with South African President Sura Ramaphosa, but the rest of the program in South Africa, including meeting with civil society leaders, would

now be handled by his foreign minister. He said he would return to Ukraine immediately after his meeting with Ramaphosa. Zalensky's first trip to South Africa indicates the change in global geopolitical environment. South Africa has taken an officially neutral stance on the Ukraine war, but has been accused of favoring BRICS ally Moscow. The Ukrainian president's visit comes amid renewed attacks from President Trump, who has also had the South African government in his crosses this year. For NPR News, I'm Kate Butler in Pretoria.

President Trump says he is going to work toward a fair trade deal with China. This comes as the U.S. and China have slapped steep tariffs on each other's exports. It's rattled stock market investors, but Amperes Asmahalit explains why Trump may be hinting at a change. There's really two main reasons for the shift. This tariff rate, you know, if they remain in place, they would virtually bring trade between China and the U.S. to a halt. But this is also fundamentally about the stock market and the economic uncertainty that Trump's

tariffs have created. Trump initially acknowledged that there could be some sort of short-term economic pain, but that it would be worth it. And now you hear his team boasting that they're striking deals, that they're in conversation with some 90 countries. And Piers Asma Khalid reporting. However, Beijing is rejecting any talk of a trade deal between China and the United States. Chinese officials say that any report of trade talks between the countries is false. Officials at the Vatican have kept the doors open all night at St. Peter's

Basilica. That was to allow about 50,000 mourners to pass the body of Pope Francis in the first 24 hours of viewing. NPR's Lauren Freyer reports from Rome the Basilica is still open. Amid higher than expected turnout, the Vatican closed St. Peter's only for about an hour, around 6 a.m. local time, for cleaning.

Among those joining the shuffling hushed line up the Basilica's main aisle is Martine Jaby, who traveled from France. Just to say goodbye and we know he will see the father, he will see God. Some waited more than five hours to see the Pope's body in a red velvet lined simple wood coffin. Francis died of a stroke Monday, aged 88.

After Saturday's funeral attended by world leaders, the Pope will be buried outside the Vatican in a break with tradition at the Basilica of St. Mary Major in an immigrant area. Lauren Freyer, NPR News, Rome. You're listening to NPR News. President Trump has signed several executive orders on education. One targets college accreditation.

This is the process colleges use to receive federal financial aid. The process sets standards for quality. Trump says he'll target this to combat what he says is ideological bias in higher education. Another order requires schools to disclose foreign gifts. Federal law already requires schools to disclose gifts or contracts worth $250,000 or more from foreign entities. A new national youth poll from Harvard University shows potential warning signs for lawmakers who are looking to engage with younger voters. And Pierce Elena Moore reports just 15 percent of Americans younger than 30 say the country is headed in the right direction.

The poll conducted in mid-March surveyed more than 2,000 Americans between 18 and 29. It found that less than a third approve of congressional Republicans or President Trump's performances in office. That's consistent with past Harvard polling. But the bigger change concerns Democrats in Congress. Just 23 percent of Americans under 30 approve of their performance, dropping by half since 2020. Young voters have historically voted blue, but in 2024 Democrats lost ground with this group nationwide. It's a deficit some Democratic leaders say must be addressed ahead of the 2026 midterms. Elena Moore, NPR News.

The 2025 NFL draft starts tonight. The Tennessee Titans are widely expected to take Miami quarterback Cam Ward with the first overall pick. The NFL draft will take three days. I'm Corva Coleman, NPR News.