NPR News Now - NPR News: 05-07-2025 4AM EDT

Episode Date: May 7, 2025

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This is Ira Glass, the host of This American Life. So much is changing so rapidly right now with President Trump in office. It feels good to pause for a moment sometimes and look around at what's what. To try and do that, we've been finding these incredible stories about right now that are funny and have feeling and you get to see people everywhere making sense of this new America that we find ourselves in. This American Life, wherever you get your podcasts. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Shae Stevens. Indian forces fired missiles into Pakistani territory today,

killing at least 19 people. The strikes were in response to an attack on Indian tourists two weeks ago in Kashmir. President Trump says he hopes the cross-border clashes will end soon. I guess people knew something was gonna happen based on a little bit of the past. They've been fighting for a long time, you know. They've been fighting for many, many decades and centuries, actually, if you really think about it.

No, I just hope it ends very quickly. A spokesperson says UN Secretary-General Antonio Gutiérrez is very concerned over the military escalation between two nuclear powers and is calling for maximum restraint. President Trump has announced a ceasefire between the U.S. and Houthi rebels in Yemen. Under the truce, Trump says the U.S. will stop attacking Houthis and the Iran-backed rebels will stop firing on shipping in the Red Sea. The Houthi attacks were launched in solidarity with Palestinians, who have been under assault

since the October 2023 attack on Israel sparked the ongoing war in Gaza. U.S. and Chinese officials have both announced plans to meet in Switzerland this week amid an escalating trade war. From Hong Kong, Sharice Pham has more. Treasury Secretary Scott Besant and U.S. Trade Representative Jameson Greer will meet Beijing's lead economic representative, He Li-Feng, in Switzerland. The meetings could potentially pave the way for broader trade talks. The U.S. and China have been locked in a tit-for-tat trade war.

Both sides have imposed hefty tariffs on each other's goods, making trade between the two nations near impossible. Investors and global policymakers will be looking for any signs of an off-ramp as the ongoing trade war threatens a global recession. A spokesperson for China's Ministry of Commerce said that China's door remains open for negotiation, but that it will not, quote, sacrifice its principles for just any agreement. For NPR News, I'm Cherise Pham in Hong Kong. Severe storms and a high risk of flash flooding are forecast to hit portions of the south

from eastern Texas to Louisiana. A large swath of Texas is facing possible tornadoes as well. From the Texas newsroom, Lucio Vasquez has more. The National Weather Service has issued severe weather alerts across much of Texas. Forecasters are expecting gusty winds, isolated tornadoes, floods, and storms capable of dropping pee to ping pong sized hail. This comes after authorities near Houston recovered the body of a 10-year-old girl killed in flood waters Monday. And according to forecasters, the weather isn't expected to let up. Thunderstorms have spanned hundreds of miles across the state, and major cities are expected to see severe flooding.

For NPR News, I'm Lucile Vázquez. A second judge has blocked the Trump administration's use of an 18th century wartime law to deport migrants. The judge noted that the law is meant to be used during a declared war. This is NPR. The Environmental Protection Agency is preparing to dismantle two divisions that focus on climate change and energy efficiency. The move will eliminate the EPA's popular Energy Star program, which helped consumers

find washers, refrigerators, and other appliances that have been certified energy efficient. It's unclear how workers in the two divisions will be affected by the cuts. In New York, Lincoln Center Theatre has announced it would open its season in September with the revival of the epic musical Ragtime. As Jeff London reports, it'll be the first production of a new artistic director. Ler de Bessonet takes over as artistic director of the Lincoln Center Theatre with a restaging of her production of Ragtime, which was a hit in a limited run at New York City Center. The show, which won several Tony Awards after it premiered in 1998, is an adaptation of

E.L. Doctorow's audacious novel set in the early 20th century. It tells the story of upper middle class white suburbanites, African Americans in Harlem, and Jewish immigrants weaving fictional characters with real life figures. DeBasne has had two other city center revivals transferred to Broadway, Into the Woods and Once Upon a Mattress. For NPR News, I'm Jeff London in New York. Wade Wodger says it's seeking Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection to get rid of more than a billion

dollars in debt. The 60-year-old company is also trying to transition into telehealth services. Its stock is currently trading below one dollar a share. This is NPR News. Know that fizzy feeling you get when you read something really good, watch the movie everyone's $1 a share. This is NPR News.