NPR News Now - NPR News: 05-18-2025 7AM EDT

Episode Date: May 18, 2025

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These days, there's a lot of news. It can be hard to keep up with what it means for you, your family, and your community. Consider This from NPR is a podcast that helps you make sense of the news. Six days a week, we bring you a deep dive on a story and provide the context, backstory, and analysis you need to understand our rapidly changing world. Listen to the Consider This podcast from NPR. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Gile Snyder. The FBI says it's investigating an explosion at a Southern California fertility clinic as an act of terrorism.

Akil Davis is the assistant director in charge of the FBI's Los Angeles field office. Make no mistake, this is an intentional act of terrorism. The explosion happened late yesterday morning. Police say one person was killed. The FBI says it is not revealing the name of the suspect, but says investigators are no longer looking for anyone linked to the blast. And Palm Springs police chief says the community is no longer at risk. The severe weather that hit parts of the Midwest and South Friday night is being blamed for

killing at least 27 people, including 18 in Kentucky alone. Stan Engold with Member Station WEKU in Lexington reports that officials expect that number to rise in Kentucky. Governor Andy Beshear says he has spoken with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and officials with FEMA and that they have vowed to help. He's also made an official request for a federal disaster declaration. Bashir, a Democrat who has often butted heads with the Trump administration, says politics have no place in natural disasters like this one.

For the two events that we've already had this year, we've seen a White House and a FEMA organization that has performed well and has done what we've asked. FEMA officials are already on the ground helping with flooding disasters. This is the third major natural disaster to hit Kentucky this year. For NPR News, I'm Stan Engold in Richmond, Kentucky. Investigators in New York City are working to figure out why a Mexican Navy sailing ship crashed into the Brooklyn Bridge last night, killing two crew members. At least 19 others aboard the ship needed medical attention. Preliminary

reports say there was a mechanical issue, but the exact cause remains unclear. Thousands of teachers across California rallying against President Trump's proposed budget cuts to K-12 education. From Member Station KQED in San Francisco, Juan Claro-Slero reports. Rallying teachers say they're concerned by Trump's proposal to cut billions of dollars in federal funding to K-12 schools, including the elimination of programs for low-income and English-learner students. Celia Medina-Owens is a second-grade teacher and president of the Pittsburgh Education Association.

Our community schools not only service our students, but they also service the neighborhood in that area. And so not having funding would really impact not just our students and our educators and our support staff, but also the neighborhoods that are in Pittsburgh. Since taking office again, Trump has also threatened to cut funding to schools that recognize transgender identities or continue diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, programs, sparking legal battles with California. For NPR News, I'm Juan Carlos Lada in San Francisco. Nat.

Talks aimed at getting New Jersey's commuter-trained engineers back on the job expected to resume today. The engineers walked out Friday, leaving commuters scrambling. And you're listening to NPR News. At the Vatican today, Pope Leo XIV led his inaugural mass before thousands gathered in St. Peter's Square, marking the official start of his papacy. In his homily, Leo said he would work for unity within the Catholic Church. Vice President J.D.

Vance led the U.S. delegation. He was one of the last foreign officials to see Pope Francis before he died. Leo is expected to meet privately with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The meeting comes after Russia overnight launched one of its most intense drone attacks since the full-scale invasion in 2022.

Ukraine's Air Force has Russia fire more than 270 exploding drones and decoys. Austria has won the 69th Eurovision Song Contest. Wasted Love by JJ beat out 25 other songs for the top prize at the finals held in Basel, Switzerland in BR's Chloe Veltman reports. Wasted Love is in some way similar to last year's winner, Nemo's The Code, in that it includes soaring operatic vocals. But while the 2024 victor was more club anthem than Aria, Wasted Love is the opposite. Banging beats only appear in the final part of the song.

This is the third time Austria has won the International Singing Competition. Udo Jürgens claimed the top prize in 1965 and Conchita Wurst in 2014. Israel took second place and Estonia came in third this year. As is customary, the 70th Eurovision Song Contest will be held next year in this year's winning country. You're listening to NPR News. Conductor Robert Franz says a good melody captures our attention. And then it moves you through time.

Music is architecture in time. If you engage in the moment with what you're listening to, you do lose a sense of the time around you. How we experience time. That's on the TED Radio Hour from NPR.