NPR News: 04-23-2025 9AM EDT

Summary

NPR News Now: April 23, 2025, 9AM EDT Summary

From NPR News in Washington, Korva Coleman and a team of reporters bring you the latest updates on global events, legal proceedings, governmental changes, and cultural developments.

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Pope Francis's Funeral and Papal Succession

Korva Coleman opens the episode with significant news from the Vatican:

The public is now able to pay last respects to Pope Francis. His body is lying in State in St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. His funeral is set for Saturday. As Roman Catholic cardinals from around the world start gathering, conversations have begun about Francis's likely successor. (00:16)

Willem Marx provides an in-depth analysis of potential candidates for the next pope:

Francis was the first pope from Latin America elected to the church's highest office, leading some to speculate that the cardinals could choose someone from Africa or Asia, regions where Catholicism is still gaining new devotees. (00:46)

Marx highlights key contenders, including:

• Luis Antonio Tagle, a Filipino ally of Francis, known for leading the Vatican's global charity arm and evangelization efforts in the developing world.
• Fridolin Mbongo Bazungu, the conservative-leaning Archbishop of Kinshasa, with a substantial following in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
• Pietro Parolin, France's chief deputy, alongside other European candidates from France, Portugal, and Hungary.

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Harvey Weinstein's Sex Crimes Trial Resumes

Transitioning to significant legal developments, Korva Coleman reports on the ongoing trial:

Opening statements are expected today in New York in the sex crimes trial of former Hollywood film executive Harvey Weinstein. (01:25)

Amelia Maritz elaborates on the case:

Weinstein was tried once before and convicted in 2020. Last year, an appeals court overturned the conviction on procedural grounds. The trial, starting now, will include testimony from two witnesses who gave evidence at the last trial and a new accuser whose identity has not yet been revealed. The charges are one count of rape in the third degree and two counts of criminal sexual act in the third degree. Weinstein has pleaded not guilty. (01:35)

Additionally, Korva Coleman touches on related legal actions:

Separately, Weinstein is appealing his conviction in California on three counts related to rape and sexual assault. (02:02)

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Cuts Affecting FDA Support Staff

In governmental news, Korva Coleman introduces changes within the Food and Drug Administration (FDA):

The Food and Drug Administration inspectors who examined factories around the world have been spared from federal layoffs this month. But NPR's Sidney Lupkin reports that federal workers who support these inspectors have been let go. (02:02)

Sidney Lupkin provides further details:

FDA staffers responsible for handling travel arrangements for FDA inspectors are gone. They were cut as part of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr's plan to eliminate thousands of workers from federal health agencies. Current and former FDA inspectors tell NPR that this will slow down inspections and make the US food and drug supply less safe. (02:24)

Chris Middendorf, a former FDA inspector with two decades of experience, expresses concerns:

What you don't want to see are basically operators touching their face, messing around with their mask, touching things with their hands they shouldn't be, but the only way you can see them is by standing outside the production window and watching for hours. (02:48)

In response, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) stated:

HHS told NPR it's monitoring the situation and working to make sure inspections continue. (03:03)

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International Peace Efforts and Regulatory Actions

Korva Coleman shifts focus to international diplomacy and regulatory news:

Officials from several countries are meeting in London to discuss potential peace steps in Ukraine, but these talks have been downgraded from a high level. Yesterday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio pulled out of the talks, citing "logistical issues." Meanwhile, Vice President Vance says the U.S. has given Ukrainians and Russians a proposal about ending the war. He emphasizes, "It's time for them to say yes or the US will walk away from the process." (03:10)

Economic and Cultural Updates:

• The European Union is imposing fines on big tech companies Apple and Meta, accusing them of blocking app developers from communicating directly with consumers about sales and alternative products.

• The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that next year's Oscars ceremony will take place on March 15th. With new rules in place, Mandalit Del Barco reports:

  To be eligible to vote on the finalists at next year's Oscars, Academy members will be required to watch every film in the nominating categories. Until now, they've only been encouraged to do so. The Academy will monitor which films voters see on its online screening platform or ask them to specify if they've watched them elsewhere. (04:09)

  Additional changes include:

  • Consideration of the extent to which generative artificial intelligence and other digital tools were used in making competing films.
  • Eligibility for filmmakers with refugee or asylum status in the international feature film category.
  • Introduction of separate Academy Awards for casting directors.

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Korva Coleman concludes the update:

And I'm Korva Coleman, NPR News, in Washington. (04:51)

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For more detailed coverage on these stories and other news, visit NPR.org.

Transcript

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[Korva Coleman]

From NPR News in Washington, I'm Korva Coleman. The public is now able to pay last respects to Pope Francis. His body is lying in State in St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. His funeral is set for Saturday. As Roman Catholic cardinals from around the world start gathering, conversations have begun about Francis likely successor. As Willem Marx reports, dozens of cardinals are eligible to become the next pope and they will vote in a secret gathering called the Conclave.

[Willem Marx]

Francis was the first pope from Latin America elected to the church's highest office, leading some to speculate that the cardinals could choose someone from Africa or Asia, regions where Catholicism is still gaining new devotees. A Filipino ally of Francis called Luis Antonio Tagle may be a frontrunner. He's led the Vatican's global charity arm and more recently its evangelisation efforts, particularly in the developing world. The conservative leaning archbishop of Kinshasa, Fridolin Mbongo Bazungu, is a top African candidate with a massive flock in his native Democratic Republic of Congo. There are several Italian contenders, too, including France's chief deputy, Pietro Parolin, as well as other Europeans from France, Portugal and Hungary. For NPR News, I'm Willem Marks.

[Korva Coleman]

Opening statements are expected today in New York in the sex crimes trial of former Hollywood film executive Harvey Weinstein. Reporter Ilya Merritz has more.

[Amelia Maritz]

Weinstein was tried once before and convicted in 2020. Last year, an appeals court overturned the conviction on procedural grounds. The trial, starting now, will include testimony from two witnesses who gave evidence at the last trial and a new accuser who whose identity has not yet been revealed. The charges are one count of rape in the third degree and two counts of criminal sexual act in the third degree. Weinstein has pleaded not guilty. For NPR News, Amelia Maritz in New York.

[Korva Coleman]

Separately, Weinstein is appealing his conviction in California on three counts related to rape and sexual assault. The Food and Drug Administration inspectors who examined factories around the world have been spared from federal layoffs this month. But NPR's Sidney Lupkin reports that federal workers who support these inspectors have been let go.

[Sidney Lupkin]

FDA staffers responsible for handling travel arrangements for FDA inspectors are gone. They were cut as part of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr's plan to eliminate thousands of workers from federal health agencies. Current and former FDA inspectors tell NPR that will slow down inspections and make the US Food and drug supply less safe. Chris Middendorf spent Most of his 20 years at the FDA doing inspections.

[Chris Middendorf]

What you don't want to see are basically operators touching their face, messing around with their mask, touching things with their hands they shouldn't be, but the only way you can see them is by standing outside the production window and watching for hours.

[Sidney Lupkin]

HHS told NPR it's monitoring the situation and working to make sure inspections continue. Sidney Lupkin, NPR News.

[Korva Coleman]

And you're listening to NPR News from Washington. Officials from several countries are meeting in London to discuss potential peace steps in Ukraine, but these talks have been downgraded from a high level. Yesterday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio pulled out of the talks. Suddenly, the State Department cited logistical issues. Meanwhile, Vice President vance says the U.S. has given Ukrainians and Russians a proposal about ending the war. He says it's time for them to say yes or or the US Will walk away from the process. The European Union is fining big tech companies Apple and Meta. The EU says they're blocking app developers from communicating directly with consumers about sales and alternative products. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences says next year's Oscars ceremony will take place on March 15th. NPR's Mandalit del Barco reports. The organization now has a few new rules.

[Mandalit Del Barco]

To be eligible to vote on the finalists at next year's Oscars. Academy members will be required to watch every film in the nominating categories. Until now, they've only been encouraged to do so. The Academy will monitor which films voters see on its online screening platform or ask them to specify if they've watched them elsewhere. According to the new rules, the academy will also take into account how much generative artificial intelligence and other digital tools were used to make films that are competing. Filmmakers with refugee or asylum status will be eligible to compete in the international feature film category. And for the first time, casting directors will get their own Academy Awards. Mandalit Del Barco, NPR News, Los Angeles.

[Korva Coleman]

And I'm Korva Coleman, NPR News, in Washington.

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