NPR News Now - NPR News: 05-06-2025 6PM EDT

Episode Date: May 6, 2025

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When Malcolm Gladwell presented NPR's Throughline podcast with a Peabody Award, he praised it for its historical and moral clarity. On Throughline, we take you back in time to the origins of what's in the news, like presidential power, aging, and evangelicalism. Time travel with us every week on the Throughline podcast from NPR. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jack Spear. India's military says it's targeted multiple sites inside Pakistan in a dramatic escalation of the tensions between the two nuclear armed rivals.

The Indian Armed Forces say they were hitting terrorist infrastructure from where terrorist attacks against India have been planned and directed. Pakistani security officials say there have been civilian casualties. Tensions have been on the rise between India and Pakistan since April 22nd when gunmen killed at least 26 tourists and injured a dozen others in an Indian-administered part of Kashmir. India accused Pakistan of having a connection to the attack. A second federal judge has blocked the Trump administration from invoking the Alien Enemies Act to deport certain non-citizens.

This time the order comes from Judge Alvin Hellerstein in the Southern District of New York. More from NPR's Jasmine Garst. Back in March, President Trump proclaimed the Alien Enemies Act, a wartime law from 1798, to quickly remove Venezuelan migrants accused of being gang members. Judge Hellerstein, a Clinton appointee, said the administration failed to demonstrate the existence of a war or invasion, so invoking the Alien Enemies Act is not valid. Last week, a Trump appointee, Judge Fernando Rodriguez, blocked officials from using the act in southern Texas.

Last month, the Supreme Court allowed removals under the act but said migrants are entitled to the opportunity to challenge accusations made against them. In response, challenges have been filed in districts across the country. Jasmine Garst, NPR News, New York. Travelers lacking a real ID will be able to fly for now, but those lacking the official star or flag in a corner of their driver's license should be ready for extra scrutiny. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem told lawmakers today 81% of travelers already have IDs that comply with real ID requirements.

Passports and tribal identification also qualify. Over the deadline hitting tomorrow, Noem says those people without an ID that complies with real ID could be diverted. Commerce Department is reporting a widening of the nation's trade gap, and PR Scott Horstley reports the changes do largely to import some companies trying to beat the Trump administration's tariffs. The nation's trade deficit jumped to a record high,

topping $140 billion in March, a 14% increase from the previous month. Imports jumped nearly four and a half percent as businesses and consumers raced to stock up on foreign goods before worldwide tariffs took effect. Exports were also up during the month, but just barely. The rush of international trade is expected to slow now that President Trump has imposed the highest import taxes since at least the 1930s.

Policymakers at the Federal Reserve will be weighing the fallout from the President's trade war as they begin a two-day meeting here in Washington. The central bank will announce its decision on interest rates at the conclusion of that meeting. They're expected to hold steady. Scott Horsley, NPR News, Washington. On Wall Street, the Dow is down 389 points today. You're listening to NPR. Rescue crews in Texas using search dogs and drones with thermal imaging technology

confirm they've now recovered the body of a 10-year-old girl swept away by rapidly rising floodwaters. Forecasters meanwhile warning more heavy rains could be on the way for the Houston area. After being scaled back overnight due to rain, four swift water rescue boats resumed the search today. Forecasters say the next round of storms should bring up to six inches of rain to parts of southeastern Texas. About 30 pro-Palestinian protesters could be facing trespassing and disorderly conduct charges after taking over a building at the University of Washington. Member station KUOW in Seattle, Natalie Newcomb reports.

The university is condemning what it calls an illegal occupation after protesters took over an engineering building for about six hours last night. The building was partially sponsored by the Boeing Company. Organizers of the protest are demanding that the university cut ties with Boeing over the company's military contracts with the Israeli military. The University of Washington is under federal investigation over its handling of alleged anti-Semitic discrimination and harassment after demonstrators camped out on the campus last year. For NPR News, I'm Natalie Newcomb in Seattle.

The Senate has confirmed President Trump's pick to run the Social Security Administration by a 53 to 47 vote. Frank Bisognano, a Trump donor and former CEO of payment technology company FizzServe, will lead the federal agency that runs programs providing retirement, survivor and disability benefits as well as supplemental income for the very poor. I'm Jack Spear, NPR News in Washington.