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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Ryland Barton. A federal judge is temporarily blocking the Trump administration's nearly $1.8 billion fund for people who claim they were targets of politicized prosecutions. NPR's Ryan Lucas reports.
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In a two page order, U.S. district Judge Leonie Brincama bars the Justice Department from taking any further action to create the so called anti weaponization fund, including transferring money to the fund, considering any claims or making any payments out of it. This temporary pause is necessary, the judge says, in order to give the court time for a full briefing from both sides on the legal arguments before any funds are irreversibly paid out. The fund was created as part of a settlement agreement between the Justice Department and President Trump, who in return dropped his lawsuit against the IRS over his leaked tax returns. The fund has faced intense backlash from Democrats as well as many Republicans. Right. Ryan Lucas, NPR News, Washington.
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And another federal judge has ruled that President Trump's name should not have been added to the Kennedy Center. He's also temporarily halting a planned two year closure of the arts complex. In response, Trump says he's backing away from his proposed renovation and returning control of the institution to Congress. NPR's Anastasia Tsiolkis has more.
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In his ruling, U.S. district Court Judge Christopher Cooper writes, quote, the Kennedy Center's organic statute makes crystal clear that the center is to be named for President Kennedy and it cannot bear any other formal name or public memorial based on the board's unilateral say. So Congress gave the Kennedy center its name and only Congress can change it. Judge Cooper also ruled that the center could not wind down its programming and close for two years of renovations, at least for now. He wrote that the board did not have sufficient details to make an informed decision about the closure. All of the current board's voting members were selected by Trump. The Kennedy center told NPR it plans to appeal the decision. Anastasia Tsiolkas, NPR News.
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The rate of U.S. foreclosures rose to its highest level in six years in March, according to real estate Data. Company Totality NPR's Stephen Besarha says that's the first increase in the rate in over a year.
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Out of all the active mortgages in the U.S. nearly half a percent of them are in foreclosure. Mortgage delinquencies were also up 3% in March from a year earlier.
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It's a flashing warning sign that consumers are under stress.
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Molly Basel is Goudi's principal economist. But while this is the first foreclosure increase in a while, it is still just a small increase.
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We're not looking at any kind of like foreclosure wave or foreclosure shock here like we did during the financial crisis.
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Bezos says the increase was shallow but widespread. More than 75% of metros across the country saw an increase in their foreclosure rate. Stephen Besarha, NPR News.
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Major U.S. stock indexes closed higher today. You're listening to NPR News. From Washing. A court in Kenya has suspended a US Plan to establish a quarantine facility for Americans exposed to a rare Ebola virus. The decision came after backlash from medical workers and activists. The US Intended to send affected and exposed individuals to Kenya instead of flying them home. The high court in Nairobi halted any agreements until petitions are heard next week. The Kenya Law Society challenged the facility, citing public health risks and lack of public participation. More than two years after a cargo ship collided with Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge, the families of six construction workers who were killed have settled their claims with the vessel's owner and operator, Wambui Kamau of member station WYPR reports.
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The settlement resolves all claims brought by the families and survivor Julio Cervantes, who was rescued from the river in March 2024. Legal teams say its terms are confidential. This announcement comes just days before a federal civil trial begins on June 1. That court case will decide if the companies behind the Dolly can cap their total liability at $44 million for the remaining plaintiffs, the trial will move forward for local governments and small businesses still seeking damages. For NPR News, I'm Oneboy Kamau in Baltimore.
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Mexico's president, Claudia Sheinbaum has given away her ticket to the World cup opening match. The first female president in Mexico's history donated her ticket to Yolette Cervantes Kwakewa, a young indigenous woman from Veracruz. She was chosen for her ball handling skills in a contest. Shane Baum also gave tickets to three other matches to other amateur athletes. This is NPR News.
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