NPR News Now - NPR News: 05-21-2025 10AM EDT

Episode Date: May 21, 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 as 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 Korova Kuhlmann. Israel says it has allowed some aid into Gaza. This comes after nearly three months of a total blockade of the Palestinian enclave. The UN says a handful of trucks are there, but no aid has reached Palestinians.

NPR's Hadil Al-Shelchi reports Palestinian babies have been badly affected. In the patient friend's hospital's malnutrition department in Gaza City, Ilham Abdul-Hafid waits for her daughter to be seen by a doctor. The 28-year-old woman says her one-year-old daughter is weak and won't stop crying from hunger. Abdul-Hafid says she has no milk to feed her baby and just gives her daughter water. She's really tortured, Abdul-Hafid says. She's suffering because of a lack of nutrition.

On Monday Israel said it allowed some baby food into Gaza, of which Abdul Hafez says she hasn't seen any. The UN says it's not enough and that the denial of essential supplies to civilians risks breaching international law. Hadeel Alshalchi, NPR News, Tel Aviv. The House Rules Committee is still in session trying to finish work on the multi-trillion dollar budget bill backed by President Trump. The committee started work just after midnight.

All Democrats oppose the budget bill and Republicans' majority in the House is so small they can only lose three votes. They may not have them yet. Fiscal conservatives say the proposal balloons the U.S. debt. Other Republicans, such as New York Congressman Mike Lawler, are demanding the restoration of a federal tax deduction for state and local taxes. He says he won't vote for the budget bill without that fix. The president wants us to come to agreement.

We spent the better part of yesterday afternoon into the evening meeting with the speaker and coming to terms on an agreement. But we are we're still working through some of the finer points. He spoke to NPR's morning edition. House Speaker Mike Johnson told CNN this morning he thinks there's a deal on the tax deduction. He says he thinks the full house will vote on the budget bill later today. Stocks opened lower this morning after some mixed results from big retailers. NPR's Scott Horsley reports the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell about 280 points in early trading. Discount retailer Target reported disappointing sales and earnings for the most recent quarter

and lowered its forecast for the full year. The chains become a target for both sides in the culture wars, prompting boycotts. Like other retailers, targets also wrestling with the rising cost of tariffs. The home improvement chain Lowe's had slightly better news for investors, with profits that outpaced Lowe's expectations. Lowe's sales dropped during the quarter, but not as much as had been feared. The yield on government bonds continues to climb as House Republicans inch closer to passing a big tax cut and spending bill.

Congressional forecasters say that measures tax cuts will add $3.8 trillion to the federal debt over the next decade. Scott Horsley, NPR News, Washington. You're listening to NPR News. President Trump welcomes South African President Cyril Ramaphosa to the White House today. The visit comes as relations between the two countries have frayed. Trump has admitted a group of white South Africans to the U.S. as refugees, claiming white genocide.

South Africa rejects the claim, saying it is demonstrably false. South Africa says that Trump is also bringing billionaire Elon Musk to the White House meeting. Musk, who was born in South Africa, has also made false claims of genocide against white people in South Africa. The Trump administration is moving toward allowing deep sea mining in federally controlled waters. It's an effort to boost the production of critical minerals. Daniel Ackerman reports the Interior Department says it's considering selling mineral rights in water's offshore American Samoa.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said the move would support economic growth and national security. Mining companies say the seabed near the U.S. territory contains rocks rich in nickel and cobalt, which could be used in electric car batteries. Commercial-scale deep sea mining has never been done, but the idea is under consideration by at least half a dozen countries. Hundreds of marine scientists have signed a letter opposing the practice, citing potential harm to fisheries and ocean ecosystems. The Interior Department is seeking public comment on the matter before the potential sale of mineral rights.

For NPR News, I'm Danielle Ackerman. The championship series for the Professional Women's Hockey League is now underway. The Ottawa Charge defeated the Minnesota Frost last night 2-1 in overtime. This was the first game of the Best of 5 series. I'm Korva Coleman, NPR News in Washington.