NPR News Now - NPR News: 04-25-2025 6PM EDT

Episode Date: April 25, 2025

NPR News: 04-25-2025 6PM EDTLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jack Spear. The FBI has arrested Wisconsin Judge Hannah Dugan. They're accusing her of obstructing an immigration arrest operation. More from NPR's Jasmine Garst. Dugan, now in her ninth year as a Milwaukee County Circuit judge, is under federal investigation for allegedly helping an immigrant without legal status avoid arrest by U.S. immigration and customs enforcement officials. The incident occurred on April 18. Agents attempted to arrest a Mexican citizen after a hearing in her courtroom.

Dugan allegedly directed them to another judge's office and allowed the defendant to leave the courtroom through a side door. The man is now in custody. A spokesperson for the US Marshals confirmed this morning's arrest. In a now-deleted post on X, FBI Director Kash Patel wrote, quote, the judge's obstruction created increased danger to the public. Jasmine Garst, NPR News, New York. In a major reversal, the federal government now says it is restoring the legal status of more than 1,000 international students whose visas it had moved to cancel in recent weeks.

That's according to a lawyer representing plaintiffs in one of the cases. Multiple judges have already issued temporary orders directing the government to restore the students' records in a federal database that Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, uses to monitor student visa holders while they're in the U.S. Government lawyers says DHS will develop a new process for terminating international student visas. White House envoy Steve Whitkoff has wrapped up talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin,

discussions focused on a U.S. peace plan for Ukraine. Charles Maynes has more from Moscow. Putin and Whitkoff met for three hours of talks that Kremlin adviser Yuri Shukhov later characterized as constructive and useful. Yushchenkov said positions on Ukraine and other international issues had grown closer as a result. Yet at least for now, it appears Witkoff failed to get Russian support for the U.S.-backed

peace plan. Critics of the U.S. proposal said it overwhelmingly favors Moscow in recognizing Russia's hold over territories it sees from Ukraine by force. Instead, Russia raised the possibility of direct talks with Ukraine while agreeing to more active dialogue with the US. Trump had been threatening to walk away from peace efforts in Ukraine entirely if he didn't see immediate progress. Charles Mainz, NPR News, Moscow. While the Trump administration has backed off some of its global tariffs, the American public still appears nervous, at least based on the latest read on consumer sentiment from

the University of Michigan. The poll taken this month shows consumer sentiment dropping 8 percent from March to its fourth lowest level on records that date back to 1952. Surveys director says consumer sentiment fell across a wide swath of income levels and the drop was particularly pronounced among middle class families. Stocks gained ground at week's end on Wall Street. The Dow up 20 points today. The S&P 500 rose 40 points. You're listening to NPR. Swiss President Caren Keller Sutter in an interview published today says the US has

confirmed its plans to hold what it's calling privilege negotiations to help reach a deal in the wake of sweeping US tariffs that have roiled global markets. Keller-Sutter is saying she was satisfied with talks held this week, including a one-on-one meeting with Treasury Secretary Scott Besson at the International Monetary Fund meeting in Washington. The US has promised privileged status to 15 countries. Keller Sutter also serves as the country's finance minister. A federal judge in New York has sentenced former U.S.

Representative George Santos to just over seven years in prison for wire fraud and identity theft. Santos deceived voters and donors during his 2022 campaign for Congress. Desiree Dioria of member station WSHU has more. The less than one term congressman represented parts of Queens and Long Island before his historic expulsion in 2023. U.S. Attorney John Durham says Santos has been ordered to pay over half a million dollars in restitution and penalties.

And he's going to be punished for his staggering fraud, the abuses he put on our electoral process, for mocking our democratic institutions, and most importantly for betraying and defrauding his supporters, his voters, his donors, federal agencies, state agencies. Santos is expected to report to federal prison this summer. For NPR News, I'm Desiree Diorio on Long Island. Crude oil futures prices move higher though we're still down a bit for the week with the oil market under pressure due to expected oversupply. Oil up 23 cents a barrel to settle at $63.02 a barrel in New York. I'm Jack Spear, NPR News in Washington.