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Giles Snyder
In Washington, I'm Giles Snyder. President Trump is defending his administration's use of the 18th century Alien enemies Act, a wartime law to deport more than 100 accused Venezuelan gang members to a prison in El Salvador.
Donald Trump
Because we want to get criminals out of our country, number one. And I don't know when it was signed because I didn't sign it. Other people handled it. But Marco Rubio has done a great job and he wanted him out and we go along with that.
Giles Snyder
Although Trump says he did not sign the proclamation, the document appears in the Federal Register with his signature on it. Trump spoke to reporters yesterday after a federal judge expressed skepticism about the Trump administration's arguments. Federal Judge James Boasberg pledged to get to the bottom of whether the administration defied his order that temporary block deep deportation flights under the law. Justice Department opening a criminal investigation into what it says is a leak of classified intelligence related to that Venezuelan gang at the heart of the disputed deportation flight. As NPR's Ryan Lucas reports, Deputy Attorney.
Todd Blanche
General Todd Blanche announced the criminal investigation into what he calls, quote, the selective leak of inaccurate but nevertheless classified information from U.S. intelligence agencies about Trend Aragua. He says the department will not tolerate what he calls politically motivated efforts by the Deep state to undercut Trump's agenda by leaking false information to the New York Times. The department does not specify what reporting in the Times prompted the investigation, but the newspaper reported this week that a U.S. intelligence assessment had concluded that Trend Aragua is not directed by Venezuela's government, a conclusion that contradicts President Trump's assertions. Ryan Lucas, NPR News, Washington.
Giles Snyder
New York's Columbia University is implementing policy changes a week after the Trump administration cut federal funding to the school until its demands were met. The White House pulled $400 million in funding over allegations that the school tolerated anti Semitism on campus. Columbia has now agreed to implement a ban on protests in academic buildings, among other measures. Heathrow Airport has announced it has reopened for flights following a fire at a nearby electrical substation that closed Europe's busiest airport and caused global travel chaos. Villa Marks reports the first few flights arrived this morning.
Bill Marks
An airport spokes confirmed Heathrow was, quote, open and fully operational this morning, while airlines raced to get stranded passengers whose flights were diverted or cancelled through to their final destinations. The airport added hundreds of additional staff to help 10,000 additional passengers travel through Heathrow from around the world. But travellers are still being asked to check their flight status, as several routes early Saturday had already been cancelled. The shutdown had initially prompted the counterterrorism force at London's Metropolitan Police Force to conduct an investigation. However, suspicious causes for the fire have been ruled out, leaving UK Lawmakers and ministers concerned about the resilience of Britain's critical infrastructure. For NPR News, I'm Bill and Marks in London.
Giles Snyder
And from Washington, this is NPR News. State health officials in Texas say they expect the measles outbreak in the western part of the state to continue for several more months. The number of cases continues to rise, with 309 cases in Texas and another 42 in neighboring New Mexico. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says 18 states have now reported measles infections after more than 16,000 structures were damaged or destroyed in Los Angeles wildfires. One organization is taking on a less traditional form of disaster relief, fireproofing history by preserving it online. Andrea Dominick of member station KCRW has that story.
Emery D'Alessio
On a recent Sunday afternoon at the Hammer Museum in la, two dozen volunteers gathered over laptops and cups of coffee for a Wikipedia edit a thon. They're writing new entries about the landmarks and community hubs lost in the wildfires, adding citations, updating information and uploading photos.
Andrea Dominick
We have the potential ourselves to preserve what we lost and make sure that what was destroyed in the fires isn't forgotten.
Emery D'Alessio
That's Emery D'Alessio, a facilitator with WikiLeaks who's helping train newcomers. So far, more than 40 articles have been created or updated at editathons like this one, and they're already resonating. D'Alessio says those articles have racked up more than 200,000 views since their edits. For NPR News, I'm Andrea Dominik in Los Angeles.
Giles Snyder
Tributes are being paid today to boxing legend George Foreman. Tennis great Billie Jean King says Foreman was a good friend and a great champion. And basketball's Magic Johnson says he was a knockout artist in the ring. Foreman died yesterday at age 76. This is NPR News.
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NPR News Now: March 22, 2025, 7 AM EDT – Detailed Summary
NPR News Now delivered a comprehensive update on the latest national and international events in its March 22, 2025, episode. Hosted by Giles Snyder, the episode covered a range of topics from U.S. immigration policies and educational policy shifts to global travel disruptions, public health concerns, innovative disaster relief efforts, and a poignant tribute to a sports legend. Below is a detailed summary of the key points, discussions, insights, and conclusions presented.
President Trump's Defense of Deportations The episode opened with Giles Snyder reporting from Washington, focusing on President Donald Trump's defense of the administration's use of the 18th-century Alien Enemies Act. This wartime law has been invoked to deport over 100 individuals accused of leading Venezuelan gangs to a prison in El Salvador.
Notable Quote:
Donald Trump [00:31]: "Because we want to get criminals out of our country, number one. And I don't know when it was signed because I didn't sign it. Other people handled it. But Marco Rubio has done a great job and he wanted him out and we go along with that."
Trump justified the deportations by emphasizing the administration's commitment to removing criminals from the United States. Despite Trump's assertion that he did not sign the deportation proclamation, Snyder noted that the document bears his signature in the Federal Register.
Legal Scrutiny and DOJ Investigation The report highlighted legal challenges, including comments from Federal Judge James Boasberg, who expressed skepticism regarding the administration's use of the Alien Enemies Act. Judge Boasberg committed to investigating whether the administration violated his order to temporarily halt the deportation flights.
Adding to the controversy, the Department of Justice initiated a criminal investigation into a suspected leak of classified intelligence concerning the Venezuelan gang leader, Trend Aragua. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche stated:
Todd Blanche [01:17]: "The department will not tolerate what he calls, quote, the selective leak of inaccurate but nevertheless classified information from U.S. intelligence agencies about Trend Aragua."
Blanche accused the leak of being a politically motivated attempt by the "Deep state" to undermine President Trump's agenda, specifically referencing the New York Times' reporting that contradicted Trump's claims about Aragua's connections to the Venezuelan government.
Federal Funding Withdrawal The episode transitioned to higher education, with Snyder reporting on significant policy changes at Columbia University. These changes came after the Trump administration withdrew $400 million in federal funding, citing concerns over the university's alleged tolerance of anti-Semitism on campus.
Columbia's Response In response to the funding cut, Columbia University agreed to implement several measures, including a ban on protests within academic buildings. This move aims to address the administration's demands and restore federal support.
Fire Causes Global Travel Chaos Snyder next brought listeners to London, where Heathrow Airport, Europe's busiest, reopened for flights following a fire at a nearby electrical substation. The incident had previously caused widespread travel disruptions worldwide.
Operational Resumption and Passenger Assistance Bill Marks reported that Heathrow was "fully operational" as of early morning, with airlines working tirelessly to manage stranded passengers. The airport had augmented its staff by hundreds to handle an influx of 10,000 additional travelers.
Notable Quote:
Bill Marks [02:31]: "Heathrow was, quote, open and fully operational this morning, while airlines raced to get stranded passengers whose flights were diverted or cancelled through to their final destinations."
Despite reopening, travelers were advised to check flight statuses regularly, as several routes had already been canceled earlier. Additionally, the Metropolitan Police Force ruled out suspicious causes for the fire, shifting the focus to concerns over the resilience of Britain's critical infrastructure among UK lawmakers and ministers.
Rising Measles Cases Returning to the United States, Snyder highlighted public health concerns as Texas state health officials reported a continuing measles outbreak in the western region of the state. As of the report, there were 309 cases in Texas and an additional 42 in neighboring New Mexico.
CDC's Findings The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicated that 18 states had reported measles infections. The outbreak is associated with the aftermath of the Los Angeles wildfires, which resulted in significant infrastructure damage, including the destruction of over 16,000 structures.
Preserving Lost Landmarks Digitally Amid the devastation caused by the wildfires, innovative efforts to preserve history emerged. Andrea Dominick from KCRW shared a story from the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles, where volunteers participated in a "Wikipedia edit-a-thon" to document landmarks and community hubs lost to the fires.
Community Engagement and Impact Facilitated by Emery D'Alessio of WikiLeaks, the event saw two dozen volunteers collaborate to create and update Wikipedia entries, adding citations and photos to ensure that the destroyed sites are remembered. Dominick emphasized the mission behind the initiative:
Andrea Dominick [04:11]: "We have the potential ourselves to preserve what we lost and make sure that what was destroyed in the fires isn't forgotten."
Notable Achievements:
Honoring a Sports Icon The episode concluded with heartfelt tributes to George Foreman, the legendary boxer who passed away at the age of 76. Foreman's legacy in sports was celebrated by notable figures:
Foreman's impact extended beyond boxing, and his contributions to the sport and his personal character were commended by peers and fans alike.
NPR News Now continues to provide concise and comprehensive news updates, ensuring listeners are well-informed on critical issues shaping the world.