NPR News Now - NPR News: 05-18-2025 5PM EDT

Episode Date: May 18, 2025

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Know that fizzy feeling you get when you read something really good, watch the movie everyone's been talking about, or catch the show that the internet can't get over? At the Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast, we chase that feeling four times a week. We'll serve you recommendations and commentary on the buzziest movies, TV, music, and more. From lowbrow to highbrow to the stuff in between, catch the Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast from NPR. Live from NPR News in between, catch the pop culture happy hour podcast from NPR. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Janene Herbst. Former President Biden has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer, according to a statement from his office.

NPR's Tamara Keith has more. The prostate cancer has metastasized to the former president's bone, which means it is a more aggressive form of the disease. But according to a statement from his office, the cancer appears to be hormone sensitive, which allows for effective management. The statement goes on to say that the president and his family are reviewing treatment options with his physicians. Former President Biden was the oldest person to ever serve as president of the United States. Prostate cancer is a common cancer among older men.

And here's Tamara Keith reporting. Biden is 82 years old. Republicans are hoping to get President Trump's big tax bill back on track with a rare Sunday committee meeting today. And Bear's Luke Garrett reports last week, five House Republicans joined Democrats in voting against the domestic policy bill. Luke Garrett Fiscal hawks on the House Budget Committee voted the bill down because of its price tag. South Carolina Congressman Ralph Norman called the bill smoke and mirrors. At issue is work requirements for Medicaid, the federal health

care program for poor, elderly, and disabled Americans. House Speaker Mike Johnson said on Fox News Sunday that he largely agrees with the rebelling lawmakers. Work requirements is a no-brainer. It's like a 90 percent issue on polling. Able-bodied adults who can work should work. But this group of Republicans believes the bill doesn't go far enough. They want more cuts to Medicaid. Johnson said he is negotiating with them and that they'll fall in line. We're going to deliver on this and we'll get everybody in line to do it. The House Budget Committee is meeting again late Sunday.

Luke Garrett, NPR News, Washington. Israel's military says an extensive ground operation is underway throughout Gaza. This as ceasefire talks continue. NPR's Carrie Kahn has more. A Hamas official says the militant group is now negotiating without preconditions. Prime Minister Netanyahu's office says Israel is willing to talk terms for a permanent end to the war not just a temporary ceasefire as he has long demanded. The new movement in the talks comes as Israel's airstrikes

pound Gaza forcing residents like 43 year old Fathia Nasser to flee. In a voice memo sent from northern Gaza, Nasser says before Israel would give some warning a strike was coming. But this time there was none, she says. Glass and rocks were flying after a close-by strike, and she says she's lucky she survived. Kari Kahn in PR News, Tel Aviv. And Israel's prime minister's office says it will now allow a limited amount of food into Gaza after blocking all humanitarian aid for 11 weeks.

The S&P 500 is getting a new company in its mix, Coinbase, where people trade all kinds of cryptocurrency like Bitcoin joins the exchange tomorrow. You're listening to NPR News from Washington. Scientists are learning more about what makes orange cats, well, orange. Unlike tigers or orangutans, the orange fur of a cat is linked to their biological sex. And Piers Emily Kwong has more on a scientific breakthrough in feline genetics. After decades of searching, scientists have pinpointed the exact gene responsible for calico, tortoise shell, and orange cats like my orange tabby, Zuko.

Scientists have long suspected that orange color was a sex-linked trait. Now, research teams in the United States and Japan have independently located and characterized the mutation responsible for the orange color. Study author Greg Barsh says the Stanford team partnered with cat lovers and community scientists to gather orange cat DNA samples. It's an example, I think, of how scientists and the public can work together to not only uncover cool things, but also learn important aspects about biology. Both teams recently published their results in the journal Current Biology.

Emily Kwong and PR News. At the Weekend Box Office, Final Destination Bloodlines took the top spot with an estimated $51 million in ticket sales. Globally, it's taken in $102 million in its debut. In second place, Thunderbolts, with $16 million, pushing its global total to over $325 million. And repeating our top story, former President Biden has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer, which has metastasized to the bone. I'm Janene Herbst, NPR News in Washington.