NPR News Now - NPR News: 05-14-2025 1PM EDT

Episode Date: May 14, 2025

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A lot of short daily news podcasts focus on just one story. But right now, you probably need more. On Up First from NPR, we bring you three of the world's top headlines every day in under 15 minutes. Because no one story can capture all that's happening in this big, crazy world of ours on any given morning. Listen now to the Up First podcast from NPR. Live from NPR News, I'm Lakshmi Singh. President Trump is now on the second leg of his overseas visit to the Gulf. Upon his arrival to Qatar today, Trump and the country's ruling emir

signed several business agreements, including one for Qatar's purchase of up to 210 Boeing airplanes. NPR's Aya Batraoui reports. Qatar hosts the largest number of U.S. troops in the region. It's able to maintain and expand the El-Adeid airbase because of its massive wealth from gas exports. Qatar also plays the role of go-between for the U.S. with groups Washington doesn't traditionally speak with, like Hamas. But since Hamas' attack on Israel in 2023, Qatar has faced an onslaught of negative publicity over its hosting of the group's leaders in exile. Its ruling emir is expected to press Trump to secure a deal that permanently stops Israel's

lethal offensive in Gaza and frees Israeli hostages held by Hamas. Trump recently said it's time to end this quote, very brutal war. Aya Beltraui, NPR News, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, members of Congress have raised security and ethical concerns after President Trump said that he planned to accept a freight luxury jet from Qatar to use as Air Force One. As air traffic controllers walk off the job, bridges buckle and rail systems falter, a growing number of Americans questioning

the safety of the nation's transportation infrastructure. NPR's Windsor Johnson reports during a hearing on Capitol Hill today, lawmakers zeroed in on the crisis unfolding at U.S. airports. House lawmakers pressed Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on a series of near misses, outdated radar systems, and a critical shortage of air traffic controllers. Duffy acknowledged a 35% washout rate among recruits at the FAA's training academy. When I was there, some of the young people said,

if you could just give us some help, if there's some tutors that could assist us with just a little extra help we may need, a lot of these washout students are actually going to make it. They're going to be good controllers, but just give us some extra support." Duffy says the agency is on track to graduate more than 1,500 air traffic controllers this year. He says the department is also working to boost retention to keep experienced staff on the job. Windsor-Johnston, NPR News, Washington. Mexico and the U.S. have a new agreement that the two countries believe will help avoid

a water shortfall, Carlos Morales reports. Farmers and water experts say the new agreement won't be enough, partly because of the intense drought both sides of the Texas-Mexico border are experiencing right now. Chris Bell is a farmer in Presidio, Texas. Right now it's just been hard on everybody to get enough water. It's not raining that much and there's just a lot of things have changed. in Presidio, Texas. The U.S. and Mexico plan to meet this summer to review water deposits and evaluate rainfall and see how the new agreement and changes they've made are working so far. For NPR News, I'm Carlos Morales in Marfa, Texas. It's NPR.

Some Maryland schools are closed and people are being told to stay off the roads because of flash floods. Alleged county officials say several secondary roads are still underwater. Meanwhile, authorities in central Virginia posted on social media this morning, crews recovered the body of a child they believe the victim's a 12-year-old boy they'd been searching for since he was swept away by rushing water on a road. Federal health officials have opened the first comprehensive review of the nutritional content of infant formula since 1988. And Pierce Maria Godoy reports. The Food and Drug Administration and other agencies say they want to ensure the safety

of baby formula. The FDA is seeking public input to help determine whether existing nutrient requirements for infant formula should be revised or expanded based on the latest scientific data. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than half of all babies receive formula at some point in their first three months of life. A recent study found many formulas contained high amounts of added sugar,

and an investigation from Consumer Reports found some formulas contain concerning levels of arsenic and lead. The FDA says it will also increase testing for contaminants in formula as part of Operation Stork's speed. Maria Godoy, NPR News. U.S. stocks are mixed this hour. The NASDAQ is up more than 100 points, or roughly half a percent. The S&P is up slightly.

The Dow is down 93 points. This is NPR. Listen to this podcast sponsor free on Amazon Music with a prime membership or any podcast down 93 points. This is NPR.