NPR News Now - NPR News: 05-15-2025 9PM EDT

Episode Date: May 16, 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, I'm Jack Spear. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has

met with his Syrian counterpart as the Trump administration begins to wind down sanctions. NPR's Michelle Kalman reports the move is getting bipartisan support in Washington. Speaking to reporters on a trip to neighboring Turkey, Secretary Rubio says he's just getting to know Syria's new leaders who toppled Bashar al-Assad's regime last year. We think that a peaceful, stable Syria would be one of the most dramatic improvements in the region in a very long time. And we want to do everything we can

to help achieve that. Rubio says Syrian authorities, who were former jihadi fighters, are promising to build a pluralistic society. They've also asked for help, he says, in removing chemical weapons from the country. The secretary says the U.S. will help with that and will ease sanctions that were put in place during Bashar al-Assad's rule. Michelle Kelliman, NPR News, the State Department. The Supreme Court seems intent on continuing to block President Trump's efforts to restrict birthright citizenship while also looking for a way to scale back nationwide court orders.

During oral arguments today, a majority of the court expressed concerns about what would happen if the Trump administration were allowed even temporarily to deny citizenship to children born of some immigrants, Amanda Frost is professor of Constitutional Law at the University of Virginia. It would mean that all 3.6 million children, on average, born every year in the United States, their parents would have to scramble

to prove their citizenship. It would no longer be good enough to show the child's birth certificate. And it would cause chaos and confusion, as the lawyers for the plaintiffs argued. The 14th Amendment says a child born in the U.S. is automatically a U.S. citizen, but President Trump has sought to overturn birthright citizenship that's been placed on hold by lower court judges. Representatives from Russia and Ukraine hold their first direct peace talks in three years, the hopes for any major breakthrough have now dimmed. That's after Russian President

Vladimir Putin spurred an offer by Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky for a face-to-face meeting in Turkey. In Los Angeles, the sheriff's department has been opening an investigation into Motown legend Smokey Robinson over allegations of sexual assault. Steve Futterman reports. Steve Futterman, The announcement of a criminal probe comes a week after a civil suit was filed by four women, all former housekeepers, accusing Smokey Robinson of a series of sexual crimes dating back to 2014. Attorney John Harris represents the women he outlined the allegations.

Sexual battery, assault, false imprisonment, gender violence, and creating a hostile work environment. An attorney for Robinson calls the allegations manufactured and says Robinson, who is 85, did nothing wrong. The four women say they did not come forward earlier because of their immigration status. For NPR News, I'm Steve Futterman in Los Angeles. On Wall Street, the Dow is up 271 points. This is NPR.

When we think of people having their wages garnished for non-payment of student loans, Social Security recipients may not be the first group that comes to mind, but for some older people it is a reality. While student loan borrowers had their payments and interest halted during the coronavirus pandemic, that is now over and the federal government says it will restart garnishing the wages of non-payers. Student loan debt among older Americans has grown at a staggering rate. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau says the number of people whose Social Security checks have been garnished is up 3,000 percent over the past 20 years. Scholars in Britain say a replica of the Magna Carta that Harvard bought nearly 80 years ago for less than $30

turns out to be the real thing and likely worth millions, emperors Lauren Fraher reports. The 13th century Magna Carta laid out how the King of England was subject to law, and it's since become the foundation of many constitutions. In 1946, Harvard's Law Library bought what was assumed to be a Magna Carta replica for $27.50. Then two years ago, a medieval history professor in London spotted the stained, faded document on Harvard's website. He and others analyzed it using ultraviolet light and spectral imaging and have now concluded it's one of six originals dating back to the year 1300. Others have sold it auction

for more than $20 million, but Harvard says it has no plans to sell this one. Lauren Freyer, NPR News, London. Crypto futures prices lost ground today mid-talk of progress toward a U.S.-Iran nuclear deal that could put more oil on global markets. Oil fell $1.53 a barrel to $61.62 a barrel. I'm Jack Spear, NPR News in Washington. This message comes from WISE, the app for doing things and other currencies. to a barrel. I'm Jack Spear, NPR News in Washington.