NPR News Now - NPR News: 05-09-2025 10PM EDT

Episode Date: May 10, 2025

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Am I a propagandist? A truth teller? An influencer? There's probably no more contested profession in the world today than mine, journalism. I'm Brian Reed, and on my show, Question Everything, we dive head first into the conflicts we're all facing over truth and who gets to tell it. Listen now to Question Everything, part of the NPR News in Washington, I'm Jack Spear. A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration's sweeping overhaul of the federal government for at least 14 days. NPR's Shannon Bond reports the judge says Trump's executive order directing agencies to conduct mass layoffs and shutter programs is likely illegal.

U.S. District Judge Susan Ilston, a Clinton appointee, says a temporary restraining order is necessary to, quote, protect the power of the legislative branch. The case, brought by a coalition of labor unions, nonprofits, and local governments, argues the approach being taken by Trump, Elon Musk, and agency heads to restructure the government violates the Constitution. Judge Ilston saysructure the government violates the constitution. Judge Ilston says while the president does have the authority to seek changes at agencies, he needs to work with Congress to do so. It's just the latest in a string of court battles testing the limits of Trump's executive authority. Shannon Bond, NPR News.

Pakistan says it has struck military sites in India after India targeted three of its air bases in Punjab province. It's another major escalation of tensions between the two nuclear armed rivals. Pakistan's military spokesman, Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chowdhury accused India of pushing the whole region toward dangerous war. He vowed a stern response. India has not responded to Pakistan's action. It's the latest escalation in a conflict triggered by a gun massacre last month, which India blames on Pakistan. The mayor of Newark, New Jersey was arrested today to protest outside an immigration detention center.

MPR's Joel Rose reports the incident marks an escalation in the fight between city officials and federal immigration authorities over the facility. Newark Mayor Ross Baraka was arrested after allegedly refusing to leave the detention center in his city. That's according to a social media post from Alina Habba, the interim U.S. attorney for New Jersey. Three members of Congress from northern New Jersey say they were also on hand to conduct quote oversight of the detention center. The Department of Homeland Security accused them in a statement of quote storming the facility, but the members of Congress deny that. Immigration authorities have touted the reopening of Delaney Hall, which began holding detainees

for ICE this month. The thousand bed facility is one of the largest in the Northeast, but city officials say it does not have the proper permits to operate. Joel Rose, NPR News. A day after the announcement of the election of a new pope, the first American to ever hold the position, details are starting to emerge about the voting process. Now that the conclave has ended, some cardinals describing the hours and days leading up to the final ballot that brought the newly named Leo XIV past the required two-thirds majority. Given

some of the factors involved, a number of cardinals said they were amazed the Chicago-born Augustinian missionary reached the threshold so rapidly. During his first mass as Pope today, Leo called his election both a cross to bear and a blessing. A mixed close on Wall Street today, the Dow fell 119 points. The Nasdaq closed up a fraction. You're listening to NPR. Iran and the U.S. are meeting over the weekend for talks about Iran's nuclear program. The country's foreign minister plans to sit down with President Trump's special envoy,

Steve Witkoff, for talks Sunday to be held in Oman. Oman did not immediately acknowledge the talks, which will come ahead of President Trump's visit to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE. That's set for next week. Witkoff appears to be hardening the U.S. position, saying as far as the White House is concerned, Iran will not be allowed to enrich uranium even at non-bomb levels. A Russian spacecraft launched 53 years ago

could come crashing down any time now, but exactly where on earth it will crash or more likely splash isn't known. NPR's Amy Held reports people are on alert for what may be an unusual reentry. Since 1972's failed launch to Venus, the craft has been orbiting Earth, slowly sinking. It's expected to finally fall this weekend. It's not unusual for space junk to enter

the atmosphere, often it just burns up. This time could be different. Cosmos 482 was built to sustain landing on the second planet from the sun, Venus. So it's possible the 1,000-pound craft with a titanium shell will withstand the heat, pressure, and speed of entry to Earth. Experts say the vast possible landing area is mostly ocean or uninhabited land, but not all of it. And because it's an uncontrolled entry, the risk is also not zero. but not all of it. And because it's an uncontrolled entry, the risk is also not zero. Space agencies are monitoring it. Amy Held, NPR News.

Crude old futures prices moved higher today. Oil up more a dollar a barrel, just buy more than a dollar a barrel, settle at 61.01 a barrel in New York. I'm Jack Spear, NPR News in Washington. This message comes from NYU Langone. The NYU Langone Health app gives you access to your electronic health record. Spear NPR News in Washington.