NPR News Now - NPR News: 05-21-2025 12AM EDT

Episode Date: May 21, 2025

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This is Ira Glass, the host of This American Life. So much is changing so rapidly right now with President Trump in office. It feels good to pause for a moment sometimes and look around at what's what. To try and do that, we've been finding these incredible stories about right now that are funny and have feeling and you get to see people everywhere making sense of this new America that we find ourselves in. This American Life, wherever you get your podcasts. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Shae Stevens. President Trump is trying to persuade holdout Republicans

to sign onto a multi-billion dollar spending plan that barely made it out of committee. Trump traveled to Capitol Hill Tuesday to make his case for passing a proposal that encompasses his agenda, which includes massive tax cuts. Before the meeting, the president repeated a misleading claim about use of an auto pen by his predecessor.

And then after about two weeks, they said, wait a minute, this is a gift. He'll do anything. We're going to use the auto pen. And they used the auto pen and everything. He didn't approve this up because when Joe Biden was with it, he would never have approved it. You take a look, he would have never approved open borders. The law does not govern the president's use of auto pen, which has been used by other presidents

for decades. A federal judge in Massachusetts is blocking Trump administration plans to send deported migrants to South Sudan. U.S. District Court Judge Brian Murphy says those migrants must first be given a chance to argue their case before a judge and in their native language. The European Union has adopted a new round of sanctions targeting Russia's shadow fleet of oil tankers. As NPR's Eleanor Beardsley reports, the sanctions are meant to curb Moscow's ability to export oil on some 200 tankers that are now blacklisted. The EU sanctions also include asset freezes and visa bans on dozens more Russian officials.

And in a same-day coordinated effort, the British government unveiled new sanctions targeted at entities supporting Russia's military machine, energy exports, and information war. So far, the Trump administration shows no inclination to punish Russia. But Republican Senator Lindsey Graham has assembled a bipartisan, veto-proof package of 500 percent tariffs on products from countries that continue to buy Russian gas and oil. Eleanor Beardsley in PR News, Paris. The National Weather Service has confirmed that it was an EF4 tornado that touched down in southern Kentucky last weekend, killing 19 people.

WUKY's Karen Zarr reports from London, Kentucky, where 17 of the victims lived and where recovery efforts are still underway. The Emergency Operations Center remains activated in Kentucky where severe weather warnings have been issued off and on since last Friday. Eric Gibson, director of the E. O. C. Says they have operated 58 days so far in 2025, and the number of deaths has been steep. This adds up to the 60th fatality that we've documented in these storms and that's an incredible number for this early in the year. Gibson says

currently more than 900 Kentuckians who've been displaced by storms this year are utilizing the state shelter resources. For NPR News, I'm Karen Zarr in London, Kentucky. This is NPR. In Louisiana, a maintenance worker has been arrested in connection with the escape of ten inmates from an Orleans, Paris jail. Thirty-three-year-old Sterling Williams has told authorities an inmate threatened to stab him if he did not help the escapees, five of whom remain on the loose. Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner has won a

Democratic primary for a third term in office. Krasner defeated a challenge from civil rights attorney and Army veteran Pat Dugan. The victory all but guarantees another term since no Republicans entered the race. Krasner has survived an impeachment effort by the state house and criticism from President Trump. Actor George Wendt, who starred in the hugely popular TV series, Cheers, has died at the age of 76. Steve Futterman looks back at his career. George Wendt played Norm Peterson, a regular at the Boston bar where everyone knows your name.

They certainly knew his name. His entrance in quick one liners became a mainstay. Morning everybody. Hey Mr. Peterson, what's up? The warranty on my liver. Wint received six Emmy Award nominations for the role appearing in all 275 episodes of the show during its 11 year run. He also earned acclaim as part of a recurring sketch on Saturday Night Live,

being part of a group of devoted Chicago Bears fans. Quint got his start in his hometown of Chicago as part of the Second City Comedy Club. For NPR News, I'm Steve Futterman in Los Angeles. This is NPR News. This message comes from WISE, the app for doing things and other currencies. With WISE, you can send, spend, or receive money across borders, all at a fair exchange rate.

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