NPR News Now - NPR News: 05-20-2025 6PM EDT

Episode Date: May 20, 2025

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When Malcolm Gladwell presented NPR's Throughline podcast with a Peabody Award, he praised it for its historical and moral clarity. On Throughline, we take you back in time to the origins of what's in the news, like presidential power, aging, and evangelicalism. Time travel with us every week on the Throughline podcast from NPR. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jack Spear. Billionaire Elon Musk says he plans to cut back his political spending, as NPR's Bobby Allen reports, Musk's spending in the 2024

presidential election for President Trump made him the country's top political donor. In an interview with Bloomberg News at the Qatar Economic Forum, Musk said his days of funneling his wealth into politics may be behind him. In terms of political spending, I'm going to do a lot less in the future. And why is that? I think I've done enough. Musk spent nearly 300 million dollars to support Trump for president, but some Republicans are beginning to see his support as a liability.

He spent millions to back a Wisconsin Supreme Court judicial candidate who lost. And polls show Musk is far less popular than Trump. Musk did keep the door open to political spending, saying if there's a reason to resume it, he will. In recent weeks, Musk's prominence at the White House has faded, but he still does have the ear of Trump. Bobby Allen of PR News. President Trump traveled to Capitol Hill today to lobby on behalf of his so-called big, beautiful

bill. Trump employing House Republican lawmakers to put aside their internal differences over his tax cut and spending plan. Trump was upbeat, even as it remains unclear whether the multi-trillion dollar measure has the support ahead of a plan vote this week. That includes sweeping tax breaks and cuts to Medicaid, food stamps, and green energy programs. Israeli strikes have expanded across Gaza, Israel ordering a mass evacuation of civilians in southern Gaza as part of a widening

offensive aimed at pressuring Amassan to releasing hostages. Here's MPR's Adil El-Shalchi. Thousands of Palestinians make their way out of Khan Yunis, dust rising from the destroyed streets. A man balances his children and suitcases on a horse-drawn cart. Israel's military says the southern Gaza city of Khan Yunus is now designated a dangerous combat zone. Carrying a big yellow water can over his shoulders, Tahir Al-Farrah says he's desperate. No food, no drink, no education, no health, no medical care, he says. Just displacement, humiliation, destruction and death every day. Ceasefire talks resumed this week but broke down within two days.

Hadil Alshalchi, NPR News, Tel Aviv. The FDA has announced plans to limit access to COVID vaccines. NPR's Rob Stein is more. The FDA says that it plans to impose new requirements on COVID vaccines to focus on immunizing people at highest risk for serious complications from COVID. That would include people who are age 65 and older, and younger people with other health problems. For children and younger healthy adults, the FDA wants vaccine companies to conduct additional

research to demonstrate the safety and effectiveness of the vaccines. The FDA says the moves are necessary to restore trust in the vaccines. Critics say the moves are unnecessary because the vaccines are very safe and effective and they would limit the ability of younger healthy people to get vaccinated. Rob Stein, NPR News. This is NPR News. This is NPR. Southwest Airlines says it wants passengers to be in keeping their portable chargers in plain sight while using them. The move comes amid concerns about the rising number of lithium battery fires. There have already

been 19 this year. The airline cites the growing number of devices powered by lithium-ion batteries. It says the new policy will take effect later this month. A summer reading list that included made-up book titles by famous authors has appeared in major newspapers. As NPR's Elizabeth Blair reports, the list was generated by AI and was a piece of fiction in its own right. Percival Everett never wrote a book called The Rainmakers, and Isabel Allende never wrote a book called Tidewater Dreams, but both of those fake titles and descriptions of them appeared on a summer reading list published in the Chicago Sun-Times and the Philadelphia Inquirer.

The list of mostly fake books set off a wave of angry comments on social media. "'This is the future of book recommendations when libraries are defunded and dismantled,' lamented author and editor Kelly Jensen. The list didn't have a byline and came from content licensed from King Features, a unit of Hearst Newspapers. But writer Marco Buscaglia has claimed responsibility for it. Huge mistake on my part, he tells NPR in an email. The fake list got published two months after about 20% of staff at the Chicago Sun-Times took buyouts. Elizabeth Blair, NPR News.

After George Wendt, best known for playing Norm on the NBC sitcom, cheers his died in a statement sent by his publicist, Wendt's family confirmed his death, saying he died in his sleep. George Wendt was 76 years old. I'm Jack Spear, NPR News in Washington.