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

Episode Date: May 7, 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. It is called Wherever You Get Your Podcasts. Lai from NPR News in Washington, I'm Lakshmi Singh. At the Vatican, black smoke has risen from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel in the first

round of voting of the conclave to select a successor to the late Pope Francis who died Easter Monday. Black smoke means the Cardinals have not yet decided on who should become the next leader of the Roman Catholic Church. Here's NPR's Ruth Sherlock. The first vote just hours after the start of the conclave was always unlikely to result in a papal election but nonetheless crowds of thousands stood in St. Peter's Square keeping their eyes trained on that small chimney, the Cardinals' only way of signalling to the outside world if they've chosen a new pope.

Many priests and nuns were among the crowd, praying that the Cardinals will hear the Holy Spirit to discern God's will about who should become pope. There was laughter too as a seagull landed near the chimney, settling in for a front row seat. The sky grew dark and then black smoke rose from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel. Ruth Sherlock, NPR News, St. Peter's Square, The Vatican. Three former Memphis, Tennessee police officers have been acquitted in the beating death of

Tyree Nichols. Today, the jury cleared to Darius Bean, Demetrius Haley, and Justin Smith of all state charges, including second degree murder. The defendants were among five former officers initially fired and charged in federal and state crimes for their roles in the black motorist's 2023 death following a traffic stop. The officers are also black. The armed hostilities between India and Pakistan are escalating as India's army accused their Pakistani counterparts of killing more than a dozen civilians. NPR's Omkar Kandekar reports Pakistan's defense minister has told the local news channel that the ongoing conflict would result in nuclear war if he says India escalates further. Indian officials tell NPR that Pakistani artillery fire damaged a Sikh temple and injured more

than 40 civilians in Indian-administered region of Jammu and Kashmir. The artillery barrage came after Indian missiles struck multiple locations in Pakistan. Long-simmering tensions between India and Pakistan have spiked since a group of gunmen killed 26 people in Indian-administered Kashmir last month. India blames Pakistan-based militant groups for the attack and has said its missiles last night targeted the militants' training camps. Pakistan says India's strike mostly killed civilians, including women and children.

Omkar Khandekar, NPR News, Mumbai. The Federal Reserve has decided to keep its key interest rate where it is for now. The decision was announced after a two-day policymaking meeting. President Trump has been pressuring the central bank to reduce rates. However, the Fed says it needs to examine the overall economic impact of Trump's sweeping tariffs. You're listening to NPR News. The list of states that ban or restrict the use of cell phones when schools in session

could soon include Alabama. Governor Kay Ivey is expected to sign legislation that clear the state Senate today by a vote of 30 to 2. The measure affects students in K through 12 public schools. More than half a dozen states have similar bans. A race for a seat on the North Carolina Supreme Court has finally come to an end with the Republican candidate conceding after losing his latest court battle. For member station WUNC, Russie Jacobs has details. Voting rights advocates like Common Cause North Carolina's Bob Phillips are breathing a sigh of relief. That was always the concern about this, that it was literally to borrow the phrase, someone trying to steal an election.

Phillips says Jefferson Griffin's efforts in state and federal courts to overturn an electoral loss by throwing out lawful ballots posed a danger to legitimate elections across the country. Griffin trailed Democratic incumbent Allison Riggs by 734 votes as confirmed by two recounts. He conceded after a federal district court judge denied his request to toss more than 5,000 military and overseas ballots with no evidence the voters had done anything wrong. For NPR News, I'm Rusty Jacobs in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Homeland Security's website is asking air

travelers, are you RealID ready? Under a new law that fully came into effect today, people are required to show RealID-compliant driver's licenses or identification cards to board a domestic flight. U.S. stocks have ended the day high with the Dow closing up 284 points. I'm Lakshmi Singh, NPR News.