NPR News Now - NPR News: 05-12-2025 7AM EDT

Episode Date: May 12, 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,

on Korova Coleman in Israel and Gaza, residents are praising President Trump for striking a deal with Hamas to release a dual US-Israeli citizen held in Gaza. Hamas says it will release Israeli soldier Edan Alexander today. NPR's Danielle Estrin reports from a public square in downtown Tel Aviv.

Israelis are gathered in front of a large screen in downtown Tel Aviv, awaiting Alexander's release. Many are criticizing their government's leaders for not securing the release of scores of other Israeli hostages still held in Gaza. Around 20 are believed to still be alive. Yehuda Cohen's son is a hostage in Gaza. We have no trust of any official in our country. We need you.

We need the United States. In Gaza City, resident Ahmad Abu Hadid praised President Trump. Trump has shown Israel that the U.S. is stronger. Without the U.S., there would never be any solutions, he said. Daniel Estrin, NPR News, Tel Aviv with Anas Baba in Gaza City. President Trump says he'll sign an executive order today to reduce drug prices. NPR's Luke Garrett reports. President Trump is promising to reduce drug prices by 30 to 80 percent, quote, almost

immediately. Posting on social media, Trump says his executive order will lower pharmaceutical costs to, quote, the same price as the nation that pays the lowest price, end quote. He's calling it a most favored nation policy. In 2020, Trump signed an executive order of the same name and general principle, but it was blocked by the courts and then killed by President Joe Biden a year later. The driving idea is that Medicare would refuse to pay more for certain drugs than the lowest price paid by other developed nations. Drug companies criticized the idea

as unworkable and irresponsible in 2020. It's unclear what payments or drugs this new order would apply to. Luke Garrett, NPR News, Washington. The US and China have agreed to temporarily lower their sky-high tariffs on each other. This pause will last for 90 days. U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods will fall from 145% to 30%.

Chinese tariffs on imported U.S. goods will fall from around 125% to 10%. On Wall Street in pre-market trading, U.S. stock indexes are up more than 2%. Cherise Femme reports from Hong Kong that stock markets in Asia also rallied on the news. Hong Kong stocks led the rally with the Hang Seng index rising nearly 3 percent in its final hour as details of the trade agreement between the world's two largest economies emerged.

Meanwhile, key indexes in mainland China ended the day up around 1 percent. Chinese stocks have now recovered all their losses since President Trump's tariff announcement early last month. India stocks also saw big gains after the ceasefire between India and Pakistan over the weekend. The country's benchmark Nifty 50 rose around 3.4 percent. For NPR News, I'm Charisse Pham in Hong Kong. This is NPR.

House Republicans have released their first draft to overhaul Medicaid. GOP lawmakers have been asked to make major spending cuts in their next budget bill. There are more work requirements and more frequent eligibility checks for people on Medicaid. The Republican-backed proposal also strips money from states that offer any type of state or local health care programs to migrants who are illegally in the US. Jury selection for the federal sex trafficking trial of Sean Combs is expected to wrap up today in New York City and Pierce Isabella Gomez-Sarmiento reports opening statements are then scheduled to begin immediately. Jury selection has stretched

out for a week. For three days Judge Arun Subramanian questioned New Yorkers on their knowledge of the allegations against the powerful music producer and entrepreneur and their ability to remain impartial. After dozens of jurors were selected to move forward, the final steps of the process were delayed twice. There were fears jurors would back out from serving once selected. Today, the defense and prosecution will narrow that group down to the 12 who will serve plus six

alternates. Then opening statements will begin. Prosecutors allege that Sean Diddy Combs used his businesses to organize and conceal sex crimes for over a decade. Isabella Gomez-Sarmiento, NPR News. Pope Leo XIV met with journalists today at the Vatican. He spoke about the work of communication and the role it plays in creating a peaceful society. Leo also reiterated the Catholic Church's solidarity with imprisoned journalists who are seeking the truth

in war-torn regions. He called for their release. This is NPR. Look, we get it. When it comes to new music, there is a lot of it, and it all comes really fast. their release. This is NPR.