NPR News Now - NPR News: 05-20-2025 8PM EDT

Episode Date: May 21, 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. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is defending the Trump administration's outreach to Russia

to try to end the war in Ukraine. He testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee were used to serve and is facing tough questions from Democrats, NPR's Michelle Kelley Minnesmore. The ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Jean Shaheen, says the Trump administration is giving up its leverage with Russian President Vladimir Putin. What Vladimir Putin is doing now is playing for time,

and he's playing this president like a fiddle. Rubio rejected that, saying Trump is trying to end a war that no one can win. Russia wants what they do not currently have and are not entitled to and Ukraine wants what they cannot regain militarily and that's been the crux of the challenge. He also argues that the US hasn't given Putin any sanctions relief Shaheen and other Democrats say Putin should face more pressure to stop Russia's aggression. Michelle Kellerman and NPR News, the State Department. Immigration attorneys are asking a Massachusetts federal judge to block what they say is a

plan by the Trump administration to deport migrants to South Sudan. More from NPR's Scott Newman. The attorneys represent migrants from Myanmar, Vietnam, and other countries who don't have legal status to remain in the U.S. They allege that the Department of Homeland Security is in the process of deporting them to the politically unstable country of South Sudan. The attorneys say the administration's actions violate a federal judge's order, barring such deportations without due process. They said one person from Myanmar had already been removed to the East African country.

The Department of Homeland Security and White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Scott Newman, NPR News, Washington. Singer Cassie Ventura remains at the center of the federal government's criminal case against Sean Combs. Today, Ventura's mother testified about what she witnessed during her daughter's relationship with the rapper and entrepreneur. NPR's Isabella Gomez-Sarmiento reports.

When Regina Ventura took the witness stand, she said Combs threatened her daughter in 2011. Ventura testified that her daughter Cassie was dating another rapper, and Combs became so angry he demanded $20,000 from her family. He had allegedly already threatened to release sexually explicit videos of Cassie and to physically harm her. Regina Ventura testified that she and her husband took out a home equity loan and wired the money to an account linked to Combs' label, Bad Boy Records. She said the money was returned to her account a few days later, and Combs never

contacted her about the payment. Combs faces charges that include sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy. Isabella Gomez-Harmiento, NPR News. Stocks moved mostly lower today as some of Wall Street's recent momentum fizzled. The Dow dropped 114 points to 42677. The Nasdaq was down 72 points today. You're listening to NPR. Authorities in New Orleans say they've arrested an Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office maintenance worker in connection with the escape of 10 inmates from a jail there. The office in a statement saying Sterling Williams admitted to lawmakers he turned the water off in a

cell before the men slipped away through a hole behind a toilet early Friday. Williams told authorities he was worried about being stabbed by the inmate if he didn't help. Three other employees at the jail were suspended pending an investigation. Four of the inmates have been apprehended. Six remain at large. The NBA conference finals tip off tonight. There are four teams remaining in the playoffs. None have won a championship in decades, if ever. NPR's Becky Sullivan has a preview. The last time the Oklahoma City Thunder won an NBA title, the team was still in Seattle. That was back in 1979.

The Thunder moved to Oklahoma City in 2008 and have only appeared in the finals once since then. They'll face the Minnesota Timberwolves, who have never won a title or even reached the finals since they entered the league in 1989. In the Eastern Conference, it's a classic matchup between the New York Knicks and the Indiana Pacers. Both franchises have been successful over the years, yet the Pacers have never won an NBA title, and the Knicks haven't won one in more than 50 years. It's a remarkable show of parity for the NBA. For decades, the league was dominated by dynasties and repeat winners. Now, no matter which team wins, this

will be the seventh straight season with a new champion. Becky Sullivan in PR News. Home improvement company Home Depot today said it does not expect to pass any additional costs from the Trump administration tariffs on the customers. While a number of companies, including Walmart, have warned of potentially higher tariff-driven prices, Home Depot says it's spent years diversifying its sources. I'm Jack Spear and PR News in Washington. This message comes from WISE, the app for doing things and other currencies. Jack Spear, NPR News in Washington.