NPR News Now - NPR News: 05-21-2025 1AM 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, wherever you get your podcasts.

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Shea Stevens. President Trump has unveiled the concept of his proposed Golden Dome missile defense system. Trump says his administration has chosen the architecture for a missile shield that'll be integrated with the nation's current defense capabilities. Once fully constructed, the Golden Dome will be integrated with the nation's current defense capabilities. Once fully constructed, the Golden Dome will be capable of intercepting missiles, even if they are launched from other sides of the world, and even if they are launched from space.

Trump says the proposed Republican spending plan calls for $25 billion to help jumpstart construction of the Golden Dome. He says the system should be fully operational before the end of his term in office. The Doge team, led by billionaire Elon Musk, says it is trying to end some of the surveys conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. As NPR's Hansi Leung reports, Doge says it's already terminated five surveys. It's not clear which federal government surveys Doge has ended, but in a social media post on X, Doge called them, quote, wasteful and pointed to their questions about people's

internet usage and alcohol consumption. Both topics have long been tracked by some of the surveys the Census Bureau conducts to produce statistics that help guide policymaking and research. That includes a survey of inmates in local jails, which is the only national source of detailed information on alcohol use and other characteristics of people incarcerated in jails. The bureau did not immediately respond to NPR's request for comment. Like other federal agencies, it's been under pressure from the Trump administration to shrink its workforce.

It's raised concerns about its ability to produce accurate 2030 census results that are said to be used to redraw voting maps in the next decade. Hansi Luang, NPR News, Washington. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the Trump administration's foreign policy during a Senate hearing on Tuesday. Rubio claimed the administration's achievements include getting other nations to accept migrant deportees.

He also rejected claims that Trump budget cuts will hurt the nation's standing on the world stage. The United Kingdom is pausing trade talks with Israel and summoning the country's ambassador. As NPR's Lauren Fraher reports, the move follows the expansion of Israel's military operation in Gaza. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer told Parliament the trickle of aid Israel has allowed into Gaza. It's totally and utterly inadequate.

So we must coordinate our response. It's totally and utterly inadequate. So we must coordinate our response. In addition to pausing trade talks with Israel, the UK government says it's also imposing more sanctions on settlers responsible for violence against Palestinian communities in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Those include a travel ban on 79-year-old Daniella Weiss, who's often referred to as the grandmother of the extremist settler movement. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calls his military actions in Gaza defensive and said recent criticism from the UK, France and Canada is

a quote, huge prize for Hamas. Lauren Freyer, NPR News, London. This is NPR. The Food and Drug Administration is no longer approving routine COVID-19 vaccines for healthy people under the age of 65. The FDA says drug companies will have to conduct larger studies before marketing the shots to younger groups. The move comes as Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. shifts government policy away from routine vaccinations for various diseases. The mother of prosecution witness Cassie Ventura took the witness stand Tuesday at the criminal trial of hip-hop local Shawn Combs. NPR's Isabella Gomez-Sarmiento reports from New York.

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 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-Germiento, NPR News. LESLIE KENDRICK-HERNANDEZ, NPR NEWS ANCHOR, NPR NEWS Veteran actor George Wendt has died at his home in Southern California. He was 76. For nearly five decades, Wendt appeared on a list of television shows. He earned six Emmy nominations for his most iconic role as Norm on the NBC sitcom Cheers.

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