NPR News Now - NPR News: 05-17-2025 11AM EDT

Episode Date: May 17, 2025

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You've probably seen clips from the Jennifer Hudson show Spirit Tunnel on TikTok or Instagram, the ones where celebrities dance down the hallway to a clever song. These videos can reveal a lot. Do they have rhythm? And how famous are they, really? We're breaking down the inescapable internet trend. Listen to the Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast from NPR. Live from NPR News in New York City, I'm Duah Lisa Icautao.

In Missouri and Kentucky, communities are today grieving the loss of 24 people following powerful storms and reports of tornadoes. Many of the deaths are in London, Kentucky, where that city's mayor says the death toll is expected to rise. We get more from Member Station WUKY reporter Karen Zarr. There are areas where there used to be a neighborhood and there's nothing left but sticks. It is completely flat. The damage is devastating and it looks similar to what we saw in Western Kentucky several years ago. Karen Zarr of Member Station WUKY.

In Missouri, at least seven bodies have been found and emergency responders are continuing to search homes and buildings for possible survivors. Local officials are asking the public to stay away from hard-hit areas. The U.S. Supreme Court has temporarily blocked the Trump administration from deporting a group of migrants in Texas under the Alien Enemies Act. The 18th century wartime power was invoked by Trump to quickly deport Venezuelans, it says, are members of a gang. And Piercero here, Martinez Beltrond reports.

The Supreme Court says the Trump administration did not give the men at a detention center in northern Texas enough time to challenge their deportations under the Alien Enemies Act. The unsigned order says the Tainis are entitled to more notice than the roughly 24 hours the government gave the Venezuelan men at the center of this case. Conservative justices Samo Alito and Clarence Thomas dissented. This ruling did not address the question of whether Trump's invocation of the Alien Enemies Act was legal.

The High Court did say that this order does not stop the government from removing people from the US under other lawful authorities. Sergio Martinez Peltran, NPR News, Austin. It's the 71st anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education, the Supreme Court decision that required the desegregation of public schools. But civil rights leaders warned that the country is on the verge of ending desegregation enforcement and Pearsons-Dierdurk reports. The Justice Department has already dismissed a desegregation order in a school district in Louisiana. Civil rights leaders worry more could follow. Janay

Nelson, head of the Legal Defense Fund, says ending enforcement of Brown would render the ruling toothless. Our public school system has never been fully desegregated, which means that we've never fully tapped into the promise of Brown. Studies show that overall, public schools are more segregated today than they were in the 1980s. And Nelson fears that the administration's

actions will make it far worse. But the Trump administration and Louisiana Republicans say the orders are no longer needed and that they bog down districts in paperwork and legal fees. Sandhya Dirk's NPR News. And this is NPR News from New York. Israel's army has intensified attacks in the Gaza Strip, killing nearly 150 people in the last 24 hours, according to Palestinian health authorities. The Defense Minister of Israel says it launched Operation Gideon Charits to pressure Hamas

into releasing remaining hostages. This as both sides are negotiating ceasefire talks in Qatar and as President Donald Trump arrived back in the U.S. concluding his visit to the Middle East this past week. The eyes of the horse racing world turn to Baltimore today for the 150th running of the Preakness Stakes, the middle jewel of the Triple Crown. Wambui Kamau of member station WYPR says organizers are pulling out all the stops for the milestone anniversary. Wyclef Jean will perform trackside before the thoroughbreds thunder down the stretch.

Journalism is the favorite, chasing a $2 million purse. But this year's race comes with a twist. It's the last one before a Pimlico Racecourse is torn down and rebuilt into a year-round venue. Residents of the Park Heights neighborhood, home to the tracks, say it's a chance to bring jobs and much-needed investment. And in the infield, a cultural event called AfroPREQ is drawing new fans. In a city that's majority black, co-founder Derek Chase says the goal is to make more people feel at home. We've created a bridge for something that historically

people didn't see themselves as a part of and now they feel welcome. After the race, T-Pain closes it out. For NPR News, I'm one boy Kamau in Baltimore. This is NPR.