NPR News Now - NPR News: 05-01-2025 9AM EDT

Episode Date: May 1, 2025

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Imagine, if you will, a show from NPR that's not like NPR, a show that focuses not on the important but the stupid, which features stories about people smuggling animals in their pants and competent criminals in ridiculous science studies, and call it Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me Because the Good Names Were Taken. Listen to NPR's Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me. Yes, that is what it is called wherever you Get Your Podcasts. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Korova Coleman. The U.S. and Ukraine have signed an agreement that gives the U.S. access to Ukraine's vast

mineral deposits. It creates a joint investment fund. It will allow the U.S. to share revenue from that fund with Ukraine as negotiations to end the war with Russia continue. William B. Taylor was the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine under former presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama. He says the arrangement works for both sides. It's fair and balanced on both sides, the American and Ukrainian.

Both sides are pleased with it, are satisfied, and both sides will benefit. But full details of the arrangement were not released. Ukraine has been insisting that the U.S. provide it with strong security guarantees. It does not include explicit guarantees, but the fund can be used for new military aid. Today is Israel's Independence Day. Its annual celebrations regularly include honors to its security forces and soldiers. But this year, those receiving tributes are shielding their identities

for fears of reprisal abroad. And Piers Daniel Estrin has more from Tel Aviv. At this year's ceremony, the names of honored soldiers were classified. Photos of them only showed the backs of their heads. The military says it's to protect them. Pro-Palestinian groups have been publicizing the names of soldiers who served in Gaza, seeking their arrest abroad on alleged war crimes. At another tribute, three Israeli Mossad intelligence agents, donning sunglasses and masks, were honored. They are Mossad agents and special forces. They were identified as agents who led the operation

of the exploding pagers and devices in Lebanon last year, targeting Hezbollah that killed dozens and injured thousands, according to Lebanese authorities. Daniel Estrin, NPR News, Tel Aviv. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has ended a mortgage rescue program for veterans. NPR's Quill Lawrence reports housing industry experts fear that thousands of vets and their families

will face foreclosure. The Department of Veterans Affairs set up the VA Service Purchase Program, or VASP, to correct an error with the home loan program during the Biden administration that left tens of thousands of veterans facing foreclosure through no fault of their own. In the less than six months it was up and running, VA says VASP saved at least 17,000 veterans from losing their homes. But Republicans in Congress oppose VASP because it has VA buy up the troubled loans. There is a bill in the House to replace it with a different program, but there's no saying when that might make it into law.

The VA has now ended VASP despite groups like the Mortgage Bankers Association warning it would lead to thousands of foreclosures. Quill Lawrence, NPR News. The Labor Department has released its report on weekly jobless claims. The number of people applying for initial unemployment rose by 18,000 last week to 241,000. Tomorrow the government will release job data for the month of April. This is NPR. A federal judge has again instructed the Trump administration to give her information about

its efforts to facilitate the return of a migrant illegally deported to El Salvador. U.S. District Judge Paula Zinies had given the Justice Department a week to turn over information about Kilmar Abrego Garcia. That deadline expired yesterday. Now, the judge has set deadlines in May for the Trump administration to give sworn testimony for information about Kilmar Abrego Garcia. That deadline expired yesterday. Now the judge has set deadlines in May for the Trump administration to give sworn testimony about what officials have done to return him to the US.

A new law in Alaska will require businesses that sell alcohol to post signs warning of its cancer risks. From Alaska Public Media, Rachel Cassandra reports, this is one of the first states in the country to require these warnings. Alaska liquor stores, bars, and restaurants must post signs that say alcohol use can cause cancer, including colon and breast cancer, beginning August 1st. Alaska Representative Andrew Gray co-wrote the bill.

Educating folks that alcohol is a risk factor for those very common cancers is going to save lives. Research that alcohol can cause cancer is well established. But alcohol industries have lobbied against health warnings. Gray says this law passed as part of a bill lowering age requirements to serve alcohol, which the state industry supported. For NPR News, I'm Rachel Cassandra in Anchorage. About a quarter of a million customers are still without power in Western and Central

Pennsylvania. Powerful storms swept through the state earlier this week. Four people were killed in Pennsylvania. I'm Korva Coleman, NPR News in Washington.