NPR News Now - NPR News: 05-15-2025 8AM EDT

Episode Date: May 15, 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 on Corva Coleman, President Trump spoke to U.S. troops stationed at a major air base in Qatar.

NPR's Franco Ortonius reports Trump stopped to speak there before traveling on to the United Arab Emirates. The Al-Udeid Air Base, just southwest of Doha, is the largest U.S. military facility in the Middle East, housing thousands of U.S. troops facility in the Middle East, housing thousands of U.S. troops. No visit to the Gulf would be complete without stopping to salute the people who keep America safe, strong and free.

Trump regaled the troops with a campaign-style speech, with lots of stories from his time in office, including his efforts to end diversity programs. The president is on a four-day tour of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, mixing some business deals with diplomacy as the administration works with the region to try and end conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine. Franco, Ordonez, Al-Udeid Air Base, Qatar. A US-backed group says humanitarian aid will resume to Gaza by the end of the month. Israel has been blocking all food and supplies into Gaza for more than two months. International experts are warning about a risk of famine.

And Piers Daniel Estrin reports from Tel Aviv. The Trump administration is leading an effort with Israel's support to resume aid to Gaza using a new organization called the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, run by a US military veteran. The aim is to deny aid to Hamas members, whom Israel and the US say steal it. The group says it has received Israeli approval to take over aid operations in Gaza by the end of the month, and to expand the areas where it will distribute food and supplies. Israeli officials have declined requests for comment. The United Nations and its partner groups have run humanitarian aid distribution in

Gaza until now. They have refused to cooperate with the new aid system, calling it a military plan to force civilians into a concentrated zone. Daniel Estrin, NPR News, Tel Aviv. Israeli airstrikes in Gaza have killed more than 100 Palestinians this week, including many children, according to health officials in Gaza. The Federal Aviation Administration says a hotline between the Pentagon and the air traffic

control tower at nearby Reagan National Airport has not worked in three years. This came to light during a Senate Commerce Committee hearing yesterday. NPR's Joe Hernandez says it comes months after a mid-air collision near the airport killed 67 people. An FAA official confirmed that the hotline between the Pentagon and the airport doesn't work but that the FAA wasn't aware of that before the January collision. The official said the FAA was insisting it be brought back online before the military resumed flights out of the Pentagon,

which were paused after another Blackhawk helicopter got too close to two commercial planes. The FAA says a direct access line was out due to the construction of a new tower at the Pentagon, but that the two facilities coordinate by phone. Joe Hernandez, NPR News. This is NPR. The Trump administration is dropping a proposal to limit the sale of Americans' personal data to what are known as data brokers. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau says this is no longer needed. Consumer advocates say the decision will leave consumers private information unprotected. They claim scammers will be able to take the data and hurt Americans.

The Trump administration is delaying rules that put limits on the levels of forever chemicals in drinking water and Piers Ping Huang reports the Environmental Protection Agency is reconsidering its PFAS rules. PFAS 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. Retailer Walmart says it has to raise prices. The country's largest retailer says that's because of President Trump's worldwide tariffs. Walmart officials say the company's profits slipped in the first quarter of this year,

but they do expect to see good sales growth in the next quarter. I'm Korva Coleman, NPR News. The scary new movie Sinners from the director of Black Panther quarter. I'm Korva Kuhlman, NPR News.