NPR News Now: April 16, 2025, 1AM EDT
Host: Shea Stevens
Harvard University Stands Firm Against Trump Administration
Harvard University has made headlines by formally rejecting the Trump administration's demands to overhaul its admissions, hiring, and other policies. This defiance comes despite the administration freezing over $2.2 billion in federal funding primarily designated for research and threatening to revoke the university's tax-exempt status.
Ted Mitchell, president of the American Council on Education, emphasized the significance of Harvard's stance:
"If Harvard hadn't stood up, it would have sent a chill across higher education that would have hampered the ability of other institutions to define for themselves where that red line is now."
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University leaders, including professors, are actively engaged in at least two major lawsuits challenging the administration's policies, underscoring a broader resistance within the higher education sector against governmental overreach.
State Department Faces Significant Budget Cuts Under Secretary Rubio
Secretary of State Marco Rubio continues his campaign to reduce the U.S. foreign aid budget, appointing Jeremy Lewin, a former DOGE associate instrumental in dismantling the U.S. Agency for International Development, as the acting head of foreign assistance. This move aligns with Rubio's broader efforts to implement substantial budgetary reductions within the State Department.
NPR's Michelle Kellerman reports:
"The State Department has canceled another 139 grants worth $214 million under Secretary Rubio's direction."
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Additionally, the State Department has refrained from commenting on leaked memos suggesting even more drastic budget cuts proposed by the Trump administration. Tammy Bruce, a spokesperson, indicated that the White House is still formulating its budgetary proposals.
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Progressive Lawmakers Launch "Fight the Oligarchy" Tour
Democratic leaders Senator Bernie Sanders and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez are actively touring the United States on their "Fight the Oligarchy" campaign. Their tour has attracted substantial crowds, including in areas traditionally dominated by Republicans, signaling a growing national interest in their progressive agendas.
At a rally in Folsom, California, Sanders passionately stated:
"We as Americans will not accept oligarchy, we will not accept authoritarianism, and we will not accept a rigged economy where working people struggle while billionaires become richer."
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Sanders continues to critique President Trump, asserting that his actions are undermining the Constitution on a daily basis. This rhetoric aligns with their broader efforts to mobilize support against perceived systemic inequalities and governmental overreach.
Legal Battle Over the Deportation of Kilmore Abrego Garcia
A federal judge has granted the Trump administration a two-week window to demonstrate efforts to repatriate Kilmore Abrego Garcia, who was erroneously deported and subsequently detained in a Salvadoran prison under accusations of gang affiliation. The Supreme Court previously mandated the administration to facilitate Garcia's return, highlighting ongoing legal challenges faced by the administration regarding immigration enforcement practices.
Humanitarian Crisis Escalates in Haiti
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has described Haiti as experiencing one of the world's most complex and urgent crises. Peter Goffin of the BBC reports from Port-au-Prince:
"Criminal gangs now control vast sections of the city. Many families have been forced to flee several times in a matter of weeks, leaving them without access to shelter or water."
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The United Nations has reported that over 1,500 Haitians have been killed in the first three months of the year due to gang violence, security force operations, and other conflicts. The pervasive instability has led to widespread human rights abuses, including home ransackings, sexual violence, and executions targeting men, women, and children alike.
Tribute to Link Martindale, Beloved Game Show Host
NPR mourns the passing of Link Martindale, a former game show host, who died at the age of 91 after battling lymphoma. Martindale's broadcasting career began in radio with popular programs like Hit Parade, before transitioning to television where he hosted beloved game shows such as Gambit and Tic Tac Dough.
In an April 2018 interview with the Television Academy, Martindale reflected on the enduring appeal of game shows:
"People gravitate to games that they know they can sit there and they say to themselves, man, I could have gotten that. I could play that game."
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Martindale's contributions to entertainment left an indelible mark on both radio and television, endearing him to generations of fans.
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