NPR News Now - NPR News: 05-18-2025 12PM EDT

Episode Date: May 18, 2025

NPR News: 05-18-2025 12PM EDTLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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 Dwahleesha Kaotow. President Trump on his

Truth Social platform warned Walmart against raising prices. And he says his economic team may soon announce new tariff rates in the coming weeks for select countries. Speaking on CNN, Treasury Secretary Scott Besson said President Trump has just come back from his historic Middle East trip and there's trillions of dollars coming into the U.S. I can tell you that with a few exceptions, the countries are coming with very good proposals for us. And I look at these proposals and they want to lower their tariffs, they want to lower

their non-tariff barriers. Some of them have been manipulating their currency, they've been subsidizing industry and labor. And I look at these proposals, and I think these are excellent proposals. AMNA NAWAZ...TREASURY SECRETARY SCOTT BESSEND. Authorities in the Southern California resort town of Palm Springs say they are investigating a major explosion there as an act of terrorism. NPR's Jason DeRose is in Palm Springs and has this report. The FBI says a car that exploded outside a fertility clinic late Saturday morning has left one person dead and several others injured. Akhil Davis is assistant director in charge of the FBI in Los Angeles.

Make no mistake, this is an intentional act of terrorism. The FBI is working with Palm Springs law enforcement. Andy Mills is chief of police for the city. This is going to take a great deal of time for us to process this scene. There are blocks of debris. Large areas of the city's commercial core surrounding the American Reproductive Center's building are blocked by police barricades. Jason DeRose, NPR News, Palm Springs, California.

The nation's only sitting black governor has vetoed a bill to create a commission to study reparations in Maryland. NPR's Amy Held reports the panel would have defined economic harms to descendants of enslaved people in Maryland and recommend possible remedies. In his veto letter, Governor Wes Moore writes, now is not the time for another study. Instead, he writes, it's time for action, including policies he will introduce to address barriers to Black families' access to work and wealth. Maryland's Black Caucus issued their own statement expressing disappointment, noting the measure passed with a veto-proof majority and, quote, the

legislature will have the final say. A Pew study from 2022 finds three-quarters of Black Americans think, descendants of people enslaved in the U.S. should be repaid in some way. A majority of all U.S. adults oppose reparations. California is among several states and cities moving forward on reparations plans. Amy Held, NPR News. Voters in Romania are going to the polls today casting ballots in a presidential runoff election. You are listening to NPR News from New York. Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope, has celebrated his inaugural Mass in front of

tens of thousands of people and foreign delegations from around the world, including Vice President J.D. Vance. Pope Leo promised to try to address challenges of the modern age while safeguarding traditional teachings of the Catholic Church. And Pérez Ruth Sherlock reports on the ceremony. Soaring choir music rang across St. Peter's Square as Pope Leo XIV processed up the Isle of the Basilica. He was given the gold fisherman's signet ring and the white woolen pallium liturgical dress.

In his homily, Pope Leo said, he desires a united church. He criticized the global economic system that he said exploits the Earth's resources and marginalizes the poorest. And he called for a changed, better, peaceful world. Ruth Sherlock, NPR News, Vatican City. Ukraine's Air Force says Russia launched the largest drone attack

since the start of its full scale war. Military officials say more than 270 drones were reported and that air defenses shot down about 90 drones. The governor of Kiev Oblast said on Telegram that a woman died and three others were injured. The overnight attacks came just days after Moscow and Kiev met in Istanbul for direct talks to negotiate a ceasefire. I'm Dua-Helisa Icautau, NPR News. Look, we get it.

When it comes to new music, there is a lot of it. And it all comes really fast. Psy Cal Tau, NPR News.