NPR News Now - NPR News: 05-21-2025 8AM EDT

Episode Date: May 21, 2025

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We've all been there running around a city looking for a bathroom but unable to find A very simple free market solution is that we could just pay to use a bathroom But we can't on the Planet Money podcast the story of how we once had thousands of pay toilets And why they got banned from Planet Money on NPR wherever you get your podcasts Live from NPR news wherever you get your podcasts. Live from NPR News in Washington, on Korova Coleman, House Republican leaders are still working to finalize their massive tax and border protection bill. That's a day after President Trump visited Capitol Hill to rally support for it.

NPR's Deirdre Walsh reports GOP holdouts say they won't vote for the bill without changes. President Trump stressed that his party was unified and warned those who didn't back the package risked a major tax increase. I mean what Republican could vote for that to happen because there wouldn't be a Republican much longer. They would get, they would be knocked out so fast. But House Speaker Mike Johnson is still balancing a push for moderates to increase a tax break for constituents who live in districts with high state and local taxes with demands from conservatives to slash federal spending.

He can only afford to lose three votes and get it through the chamber. The committee that sets rules for floor debate is still meeting, and there are no details on a deal yet. Even if the House passes the bill this week, Senate GOP leaders say they expect to make changes to it. Deirdre Walsh, NPR News, the Capitol. President Trump welcomes South Africa's president to the White House today. Relations between the two nations have been recently strained. New flight limits are now in effect at New Jersey's Newark Liberty International Airport. NPR's Giles Snyder reports the Federal

Aviation Administration ordered the limits after weeks of flight delays and tech issues. The FAA is imposing the flight limits after meeting with airlines last week. The ordered limits arrivals and departures to 56 per hour until runway construction is largely completed on June 15th. After that, the FAA says it will allow more traffic. Newark has experienced a string of problems that have led to congestion, including tech issues and outages that led a handful of air traffic controllers to take trauma leave. NPR's Giles Snyder reporting. The Justice Department says it has opened an investigation into whether the city of Chicago had hired people solely on the basis of race.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson says the investigation will not deter him from diversity efforts. From member station WBEZ Mariah Wolfel has more. The DOJ cites Johnson's comments over the weekend at a church in Woodlawn where he was asked about hiring for minorities and in response listed top black officials in his cabinet. When you hire our people, we always look out for everybody else. The DOJ cites the Civil Rights Act of 1964, a landmark win in the fight against segregation of black Americans. Johnson called the investigation the latest hostile attack on diversity by the Trump administration. My administration reflects the country, reflects the city.

His administration reflects the country club. Johnson's office is 34 percent black, 30 percent white and 24 percent Hispanic, a spokesperson says. For NPR News, I'm Moriah Wiffle in Chicago. You're listening to NPR News from Washington. Two major retailers are out with earnings news this morning. Retailer Target says its first quarter sales dropped. It said that consumers were worried about prices and that consumer boycotts cut into the sales numbers.

The boycotts are linked to Target's decision to drop many diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts this year. Separately, Lowe's said it posted a smaller-than-expected drop in sales. Like Home Depot's recent report, Lowe's says consumers are spending on home maintenance and not on big-ticket items. Actor George Wendt, who played the character Norm Peterson on the NBC sitcom, Cheers, died yesterday. He was 76 years old. Wendt earned six Emmy nominations for his portrayal of the role.

From member station WBUR, Suvon Lee reports from the Boston bar that inspired the theme of the show. In the sub-ground tavern in Boston's Beacon Hill neighborhood, staff had set a large vase of flowers and a mug of Sam Adams at the corner of the bar. A laminated printout showed a photo of Wendt with a message, thank you for all the laughs. Miles Hager says he came to the bar to pay tribute to the late actor. He was just absolutely hilarious, a typical, I wouldn't call him a bar fly, but a typical bar regular who came in and you know he's part of the

crew in a sense and part of the show. Wendt appeared in all episodes of the show from 1982 until its finale which aired May 20th 1993 exactly 32 years prior to the day of his passing. For NPR News I'm Suvahn Lee in Boston. This is NPR. Imagine if you will a show from NPR that. This is NPR. Imagine if you will, a show from NPR that's not like NPR. A show that focuses not on the important, but the stupid, which features stories about people smuggling animals in their pants and competent criminals in ridiculous science studies.

And call it Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me because the good names were taken. Listen to NPR's Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me. Yes, that is what it is called wherever you get your podcasts.