NPR News: 04-26-2025 8PM EDT

Summary

NPR News Now: Detailed Summary of April 27, 2025, 8 PM EDT Episode

Hosted by NPR, this episode of "NPR News Now" delivered the latest news updates across various fronts, including international politics, significant global events, governmental operations, and notable sports developments. Below is a comprehensive summary of the key topics discussed, complete with notable quotes and timestamps.

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1. President Trump's Return and Meeting with President Zelensky

Overview: President Donald Trump concluded his brief visit to Vatican City, where he attended the funeral of Pope Francis. During his stay, Trump engaged in a noteworthy meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Key Points:

• Meeting Location and Context: The meeting occurred in St. Peter's Basilica, just before the commencement of Pope Francis's funeral program. (Jeanine Herbst, [00:18])

• Content of the Discussion: Although the White House has not divulged specifics, Trump shared insights via his social media platform, Truth Social. He expressed concerns regarding Russian President Vladimir Putin's potential interference, stating, "I think Russian leader Vladimir Putin might be, quote, tapping me along and doesn't want to end the war." He also criticized Russia's assaults on civilian areas and hinted at imposing further sanctions against Russia, though he withheld additional details. (Deepa Shivaram, [00:33])

• Post-Visit Plans: Following the meeting and funeral, Trump plans to spend the remainder of the weekend at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey. (Deepa Shivaram, [00:33])

Notable Quote:

"I think Russian leader Vladimir Putin might be, quote, tapping me along and doesn't want to end the war." — President Donald Trump (Deepa Shivaram, [00:33])

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2. Pope Francis's Funeral and Burial

Overview: Pope Francis was laid to rest in a historic ceremony held in Rome, marking a significant moment as he became the first pope in over a century to be buried outside Vatican City.

Key Points:

• Funeral Ceremony: The funeral took place in a basilica in Rome, attracting world leaders, dignitaries, and hundreds of thousands of mourners. Pope Francis passed away on Monday at the age of 88. (Jeanine Herbst, [01:07])

• Global Representation: Leaders from various nations, including presidents, kings, princes of the church, and members of the laity and clergy, attended the traditional Requiem Mass. The service was conducted in Latin and included prayers in Chinese and Arabic, reflecting the church's global diversity, particularly its vibrant presence in the Global South. (Jason DeRose, [01:26])

• Final Resting Place: Post-funeral, Pope Francis was transported across the Tiber River to the Basilica of St. Mary Major. He was guided to his final resting place by representatives of the groups central to his ministry: refugees, homeless individuals, the impoverished, and victims of violence. (Jason DeRose, [01:26])

Notable Quote:

"Presidents and kings and princes of the church gathered to bid Francis farewell..." — Jason DeRose, reflecting on the diverse attendance at the funeral (Jason DeRose, [01:26])

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3. IRS Job Cuts Amidst Tax Filing Season

Overview: Despite significant layoffs at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the current tax filing season has proceeded without major disruptions, with efficiency in processing returns surpassing last year's performance.

Key Points:

• Tax Return Processing: Over 140 million tax returns were filed by the week of the April 15 deadline, with approximately 98% processed to date. This rate is slightly ahead of last year's pace, even after the IRS reduced its workforce by thousands. (Jeanine Herbst, [02:08]; Scott Horsley, [02:31])

• Refunds Distribution: More than 60% of filers are receiving refunds, averaging over $2,900 each. Refunds are being issued on schedule, alleviating concerns about delays. (Scott Horsley, [02:31])

• Filing Patterns: About one in six taxpayers delayed filing until the last week, a trend that aligns with historical patterns and has not contributed to any backlog in processing. (Scott Horsley, [02:31])

• Future Implications: While current operations remain robust, additional job cuts at the IRS are anticipated, potentially hindering the agency's capacity to pursue affluent individuals evading taxes. (Scott Horsley, [02:31])

Notable Quote:

"More than 140 million people filed tax returns by the week of the April 15 deadline, and so far about 98% of those returns have been processed." — Scott Horsley, highlighting the IRS’s efficiency despite workforce reductions (Scott Horsley, [02:31])

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4. Third Round of US-Iran Nuclear Talks

Overview: The United States and Iran concluded a third round of negotiations concerning Tehran's nuclear activities. While the talks ended without a definitive agreement, there remains cautious optimism for future progress.

Key Points:

• Negotiation Details: Senior officials and technical experts from both nations engaged in several hours of discussions, mediated by Oman. Despite the absence of an immediate agreement, a senior administration official described the talks as "positive and productive." (Jeanine Herbst, [03:11])

• Iran's Stance: Iran's Foreign Minister communicated via state television that while disagreements persist, there is cautious optimism about advancing the talks. (Jeanine Herbst, [03:11])

• Potential Impact: Successfully reaching a deal could significantly alter Iran's economic and political landscape by easing existing US sanctions, thereby reshaping regional dynamics. (Jeanine Herbst, [03:11])

Notable Quote:

"Today's talks were positive and productive." — Senior US administration official, summarizing the nature of the recent negotiations (Jeanine Herbst, [03:11])

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5. NFL Draft: Shadora Sanders Selected by Cleveland Browns

Overview: In a surprising turn during the 2025 NFL Draft, Shadora Sanders, son of renowned football coach Deion Sanders, was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the later rounds, defying early first-round expectations.

Key Points:

• Draft Selection: Shadora Sanders was chosen as the 144th overall pick, later than sports analysts had anticipated. His selection was unexpected, especially after being overlooked by teams in the first two days of the draft. (Jeanine Herbst, [04:07]; Chandelyse Duster, [04:07])

• Sanders's Reaction: Demonstrating resilience, Sanders remained optimistic despite being passed over initially. Upon his selection, he expressed gratitude towards the Browns and emphasized the importance of patience and faith. (Chandelyse Duster, [04:31])

• Performance and Background: Sanders played as a quarterback for the Colorado Buffaloes, coached by his father. He earned the title of Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, showcasing his exceptional talent and potential in the sport. (Chandelyse Duster, [04:42])

Notable Quote:

"Just gotta remain positive, stay happy at all times and know God got you. I knew the whole time God had me, so I wasn't really panicking because I understood it's about perfect timing." — Shadora Sanders, reflecting on his draft experience (Chandelyse Duster, [04:31])

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Conclusion: This episode of "NPR News Now" provided listeners with a comprehensive overview of significant global events, political developments, governmental operations, and notable moments in the sports realm. From President Trump's international engagements and the historic funeral of Pope Francis to the IRS navigating tax season amidst job cuts, and the ongoing US-Iran nuclear talks, the episode encapsulated a wide array of timely and impactful stories. Additionally, the unexpected NFL draft selection of Shadora Sanders added a personal and inspiring narrative to the day's news.

Transcript

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[Jeanine Herbst]

In Washington, I'm Jeanine Herbst. President Trump is back in the US after his very brief trip to Vatican City to attend Pope Francis funeral. As NPR's Deepa Shivaram reports, while there, he met with Ukraine's Zelensky.

[Deepa Shivaram]

The meeting between Trump and Zelensky took place in St. Peter's Basilica shortly before the funeral program began. The White House hasn't released any detail of the conversation between the two leaders, but Trump posted on his social media platform Truth Social and said he thinks Russian leader Vladimir Putin might be, quote, tapping me along and doesn't want to end the war. He was critical of Russia's attacks on civilian areas and floated the idea of sanctions against Russia, but provided no further detail. Trump is spending the rest of the weekend at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey. Deepa Shivaram, NPR News.

[Jeanine Herbst]

Pope Francis was laid to rest in a basilica in Rome today. He's the first pope in more than 100 years to be buried outside of Vatican City. World leaders and hundreds of thousands of others paid their respects to Francis this morning. He died Monday at the age of 88. And Pier's Jason DeRose has more from Rome.

[Jason DeRose]

Presidents and kings and princes of the church gathered to bid Francis farewell, also laity and clergy from around the world. The traditional Requiem Mass sung in Latin, also included prayers in Chinese and Arabic languages from the Global south, where the church is vibrant. Following the funeral itself, Francis Bari was driven across town over the Tiber river to the Basilica of St. Mary Major for burial. There he was seen to his final resting place by a group representing those on whom Francis focused his ministry, refugees, homeless people, the poor and victims of violence. Jason DeRose, NPR News, Rome.

[Jeanine Herbst]

Meanwhile, now that Francis has been laid to rest, a nine day period of mourning begins, followed by a conclave to select a new pope. Large scale job cuts at the IRS don't appear to have affected this year's tax filing season. NPR Scott Horsley reports. The agency has processed slightly, slightly more returns so far than at this time last year.

[Scott Horsley]

More than 140 million people filed tax returns by the week of the April 15 deadline, and so far about 98% of those returns have been processed. That's slightly ahead of last year's pace, even after the IRS laid off thousands of workers this spring. Refunds also appear to be going out on schedule. More than 60% of tax filers get money back from the government. The average refund this year is more than $2,900. About one in six taxpayers waited until the last week to file, but that's not unusual and doesn't appear to have caused any backlog. Many more job cuts are looming at the irs, though that's likely to inhibit the agency's ability to go after wealthy tax cheats. Scott Horsley, NPR News, Washington.

[Jeanine Herbst]

You're listening to NPR News from Washington. A third round of talks between Iran and the US Over Tehran's nuclear activities ended today after several hours of negotiations between senior officials, officials and teams of technical experts from both sides. A senior administration official says today's talks were positive and productive. Iran's foreign minister told state TV the disagreements remain between the two sides, but that he is cautiously optimistic that they can make progress. Talks will continue soon, with Oman continuing to mediate the talks. A deal could transform Iran's economic and political landscape by easing US Sanctions. The son of a famed football coach, Deion Sanders has been drafted by an NFL team after several days of anticipation that left fans and analysts nervous. NPR Chandelyse Duster has more.

[Chandelyse Duster]

Shadora Sanders was selected by the Cleveland Browns as the 144th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft on Saturday. Sports analysts had expected Sanders to be drafted in the first round, but he was surprisingly passed over by teams during the draft's first two days. But Sanders was optimistic and after Saturday's announcement, thanked the team for giving him a chance. He also said the moment was perfect timing.

[Shadora Sanders]

Just gotta remain positive, stay happy at all times and know God got you. I knew the whole time God had me, so I wasn't really panicking because I understood it's about perfect timing.

[Chandelyse Duster]

Sanders was a quarterback for the Colorado Buffaloes under his father and named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year. Chandelyse Duster, NPR News.

[Jeanine Herbst]

And I'm Jeanine Herbst, NPR News, in Washington.

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