NPR News Now - NPR News: 05-22-2025 1PM EDT

Episode Date: May 22, 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 is 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 Lakshmi Singh. An investigation is underway into last night's fatal shooting outside a capital Jewish museum event in Washington, DC.

A young couple who worked for the Israeli embassy were killed. Attorney General Pam Bondi says security's been increased at the site of the attack. Our US Marshals are working hand in hand to make sure the embassy is safe, our ambassador is safe. And again, please note, everything we know now, he acted alone. From everything we know now, this is an ongoing investigation. But whether you're Jewish or not, be vigilant. Authorities say that after the shooting, the detained gunman repeated, free Palestine.

A coalition of unions, nonprofits, and local governments is back in federal court this hour seeking a further pause on President Trump's sweeping overhaul of the federal government. Meanwhile, the administration says the court aired in ordering a pause in the first place. More from NPR's Andrea Hsu. Two weeks ago, US District Judge Susan Ilston ordered federal

agencies to temporarily halt their reorganization plans, including issuing new layoff notices. Agencies had been preparing to shutter offices and lay off thousands of employees in response to an executive order President Trump signed back in February. Judge Ilston found Trump could not undertake such a radical transformation of government without approval from Congress. The Trump administration has argued he merely told agencies to use their own lawful authorities to accomplish his policy goals. The administration has already asked the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to allow his executive order to go forward. Andrea Hsu, NPR News. Andrea Hsu, NPR News. A deadlock. U.S. Supreme Court effectively blocked the creation of the nation's first religious charter school in Oklahoma, leaving in place

a state Supreme Court ruling that declared the school violated the constitutional separation of church and state. The vote was four to four, and the order did not specify which justice voted which way. Justice Amy Coney Barrett had recused herself from the case. Several days after human rights activist was picked up by authorities in El Salvador, the State Department says it was aware Ruth Lopez was arrested, but the statement did not criticize the government in this case. Here's NPR's Michelle Kellerman. Michelle Kellerman We refer you to the government of El Salvador

and their authorities. That's how the State Department responded three days after NPR asked about the arrest of Ruth Lopez. Lopez leads the anti-corruption and justice program for a human rights group called Cristoso, and she's an outspoken critic of Salvadoran President Naib Bukele. Secretary of State Marco Rubio calls Bukele a friend. In hearings on Capitol Hill this week, Rubio calls Boukele a friend in hearings on Capitol Hill this week. Rubio brushed off concerns by lawmakers that the U.S. is deporting people to be jailed in El Salvador's mega prisons without due process and defended U.S. security

aid to El Salvador. Michelle Kelliman, NPR News, the State Department. It's NPR. People in the market for buying a home are encountering even higher mortgage rates this week. The housing finance entity Freddie Mac says the fixed rate has risen to 6.86 percent from 681 last week. That's for a 30-year loan. And the 15-year fixed rate mortgage on average is just above 6%.

New data show a record-breaking amount of forested area disappeared in 2024. NPR's Rebecca Hersch reports fires were the main reason for the losses. Researchers at the University of Maryland track how much forested area is lost each year in tropical areas around the world. In the past, agriculture has been the main reason that tropical forests are destroyed. But in 2024, fires were the leading cause of forest loss. Fires accounted for almost half of all forest destruction last year. That includes both wildfires and fires used to intentionally clear forested areas.

And the total amount of forest loss last year nearly doubled compared to the year before. Forests are important for many reasons. They provide habitats for animals, clean the air, protect drinking water sources, and trap carbon dioxide that would otherwise contribute to global warming. Rebecca Herscher, NPR News. The Senate has voted to overturn a waiver allowing California to set its own air pollution standards for cars that are stricter than national regulations. The vote was 51 to 44. U.S. stocks are lower this hour.

The Dow is down 25 points at 41,834. You're listening to NPR News. As NPR News.