NPR News Now - NPR News: 05-14-2025 5PM EDT

Episode Date: May 14, 2025

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Does the idea of listening to political news freak you out? Well, don't sweat it. The NPR Politics podcast makes politics a breeze. Every episode will break down the day's headlines into totally normal language and make sure that you walk away understanding what the day's news might mean for you. Take a deep breath and give politics another chance with the NPR Politics podcast available wherever you get your podcasts. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jack Spear.

President Trump is now on the second leg of his overseas visit to the Gulf. Upon his arrival in Qatar, Trump and the country's ruling emir signed several business agreements, including one for Qatar's purchase of up to 210 Boeing planes. And here's Ibra Trawi is more. 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's 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.

Ayyub El-Trawi, NPR News, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The Trump administration has pledged to fight anti-Semitism, but as NPR's Tom Drysbach reports three senior administration officials have ties to anti-Semitic extremists. The White House liaison to the Department of Homeland Security, the Communications Director for the Office of Management and Budget, and a senior Justice Department official have various links to extremists, including a prominent Holocaust denier and an alleged Nazi sympathizer who stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021. Two of the officials have now condemned the anti-Semitic rhetoric of the January 6 rioter and denied that they are themselves extremists.

Amy Spitalnik is the CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs. If the administration were serious about countering anti-Semitism, first and foremost, they wouldn't be appointing people with anti-Semitic and other extremist ties to senior roles in the administration. The White House did not respond to NPR's requests for comment. Tom Dreisbach, NPR News. Federal rules to reduce the levels of forever chemicals in drinking water are being delayed, as NPR's Ping Wong explains the Environmental Protection Agency is reconsidering them. PFFS are a class of chemicals that have been used for decades to waterproof and stain-proof

products. They've been linked to certain cancers and damage to the liver and immune system. Last April, the Biden administration set limits on the amount of PFAS chemicals allowed in drinking water, requiring community water systems to start installing filters to remove them. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced that the agency is delaying the compliance timeline for some chemicals and reconsidering the allowable levels for others. But that doesn't mean that it gets weaker. The number might end up getting lower, not higher. Health advocates worry that the move will delay the removal of these chemicals from drinking water and that more people will

be exposed to chemicals that can contribute to chronic health problems. Ping Huang, NPR News. President Trump's so-called big, beautiful spending bill cleared the House Ways and Means Committee today, moving it a step closer to passage, where some conservatives say they want deeper cuts to programs like Medicaid. I'm Jack Spear, NPR News in Washington. Baristas at around 75 U.S. Starbucks stores have been on strike since Sunday. They're protesting a new dress code.

Starbucks last month said it was setting new limits on what baristas at its stores can wear under their green aprons. Beginning Monday, it called for wearing a solid black shirt and khaki black or blue denim bottoms. Starbucks Workers United, which represents about 570 Starbucks employees, says the dress code needs to be a subject of bargaining. Spring is baby animal season, but that can sometimes mean rescuing wildlife that does not need to be saved. Remember Station Northwest Public Broadcasting? Lauren Patterson has the story. Marcy Logsdon is a wildlife veterinarian at Washington State University. This time of year,

she's already taken care of a bunch of baby animal rescues. Logsdon says this is just the beginning of the busy season. Fawns are a big one that we see people unintentionally kidnapping and taking away from the parents even if they're fine. She says mama deer leave their baby fawns curled up in a ball for most of the day while they forage for food and rabbit moms only visit their babies twice a day. If you see blood on an animal, if it's laying on its side and panting or covered in fleas and ticks, that's when it's best to rescue. When in doubt, call your local wildlife rehabilitator. For NPR News, I'm Lauren Patterson in Pullman, Washington.

Stocks closed on a mixed note today on Wall Street. The Dow was down 89 points. The NASDAQ rose 136 points. The S&P 500 closed up 6 points today. I'm Jack Spear, NPR News in Washington.