NPR News Now - NPR News: 05-08-2025 12AM EDT

Episode Date: May 8, 2025

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Look, we get it. When it comes to new music, there is a lot of it, and it all comes really fast. But on All Songs Considered, NPR's music recommendation podcast, we'll handpick what we think is the greatest music happening right now and give you your next great listen. So kick back, settle in, get those eardrums wide open, and get your dose of new music from All Songs Considered, only from NPR. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Shea Stevens. In what would be the first agreement since U.S. tariffs on global imports took effect, President Trump says he will announce a trade deal on Thursday.

Trump's announcement on Truth Social did not mention which country is involved in the deal. Many new tariffs have taken effect or are about to come online. And NPR's Emily Fang reports that a lot of the cost is being borne by Americans. NPR asked people in the U.S. to share their shopping bills to see how the tariffs were hitting them. And they sent in dozens of receipts. One of the people who responded is Sandy Alonso. She ordered a replacement for her old wheelchair.

Only China makes it. By the time it arrived in Tampa, she was facing a 145% tariff. She ended up paying nearly $6,000. $3,500 in tariffs alone. I'm just sitting here going, wow, I can't believe I've just paid this much for this chair. Small Business has also sent in screenshots of new price hikes they've had to pass on to customers. They say sharing tariff data is a choice and sometimes a political one. Emily Fang and Peer News, Washington. House Republicans have added a proposed public land sale to their sweeping tax cut plan.

The proposal calls for the sale of thousands of acres of public lands in Nevada and Utah. The land could be used for economic development, mining and infrastructure projects, but some partials would also be considered for building affordable housing. In Memphis, three former police officers have been acquitted of state charges stemming from the 2023 beating death of Tyree Nichols. The 29-year-old motorist was pepper sprayed and hit with batons and a taser after fleeing a traffic stop. All five officers involved in the incident have been convicted of federal charges.

The 133 cardinal electors gathered in secrecy at the Sistine Chapel have yet to agree on a new pope. Black smoke emanated from the chimney of the chapel late Wednesday after the first round of voting following a day of religious rituals. As NPR's Jason DeRose reports, the Cardinals are considering an array of issues when it comes to choosing a successor to the late Pope Francis. One of the big questions before them is whether they want to continue the reforms that Pope

Francis began, those were popular with many progressives but unpopular with conservatives? Or do the Cardinals want to go in another direction, perhaps a more conservative one, perhaps in the vein of Benedict XVI? Or is there a middle path, keeping on the reform track but maybe moving more slowly than Francis did? Those are political considerations and the Cardinals also view this as a profoundly religious, spiritual time. They believe the Holy Spirit is helping them discern God's will. And as many Cardinals have said

over the last several weeks, they're electing the successor to Saint Peter, not the successor to Pope Francis. Jason DeRose reporting from Rome. This is NPR. President Trump has nominated a wellness influencer to become Surgeon General. This is NPR. President Trump has nominated a wellness influencer to become Surgeon General. Trump says Dr. Casey Means has impeccable credentials to make America healthy again. Casey is also a close friend of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. She is the president's second pick to become surgeon general after his first choice was

withdrawn amid questions about her medical education. Weight Watchers has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. NPR's Yuki Noguchi reports that the company is burdened with debt as its customers turn more towards medications instead. Yuki Noguchi, NPR News Reporter Weight Watchers was started by a housewife struggling with overeating in the 1960s. It gained a worldwide following using a method to track food intake using a point system and encouraging members to attend regular support meetings to stay on track. But in recent years, the company struggled to keep up as new obesity medications like

Wigovia and ZetBound entered the market. Weight Watchers hopes to shed over a billion dollars in debt in a Chapter 11 bankruptcy while it continues operations. The company is trying to pivot by focusing more on offering telehealth prescriptions for the newer drugs. Yuki Noguchi, NPR News. Disney posted profits and revenue in the second quarter. The entertainment giant added well over one million subscribers during the period. It earned over three billion dollars in the first three months of the year, a turnaround from Disney's 20 million dollar loss in 2024. Disney has also announced plans to build a waterfront theme park in Abu Dhabi.

This is NPR News. You may have heard that President Trump has issued an executive order seeking to block all federal funding to NPR. This is the latest in a series of threats to media organizations across the country. NPR remains committed to serving the public. And in this pivotal moment, we need your support. Donate today at donate.npr.org. Thank you.