NPR News Now - NPR News: 05-23-2025 2AM EDT

Episode Date: May 23, 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. A new White House report blames a range of chronic diseases

in children on a number of factors, including poor diet, exposure to chemicals, and insufficient exercise. The 72-page document was drafted by a commission created under an executive order. President Trump says his administration is determined to stop the rise of chronic diseases in children. Here are just some of the alarming findings, and they really are alarming, unbelievable, terrible.

More than 40 percent of American children now have at least one chronic health condition. Since the 1970, rates of childhood cancer have soared in many cases by nearly 50 percent, 5.0, 50 percent. Well... Danielle Pletka, Ph.D., Ph.D. President, National Health Service, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New

York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York, New York Eight mostly Asian migrants deported to South Sudan will remain in the East African nation

at least for two more weeks. NPR's Jasmine Garz reports that the White House is calling the court order an attempt to control U.S. foreign policy. The migrants are from Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Cuba, and South Sudan. Earlier this week, lawyers were told they were being deported to South Sudan. At a hearing in Massachusetts this week, Judge Brian Murphy said the Trump administration was in violation of an injunction

that prevents people from being deported to countries other than their own without a chance to voice fears for their wellbeing. Murphy ordered that the individuals be given at least 15 days to challenge their deportation. At her daily briefing, White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt confirmed the migrants will stay in Djibouti and accused Judge Murphy of threatening U.S. diplomatic relationships.

Jasmine Garst and Peer News, New York. Community groups in Louisiana are suing the Department of Environmental Quality over a recent air monitoring law. From member station WWNO, Eva Tesfai has that story. The law prevents air monitoring data from being used to enforce pollution regulations if it isn't collected by EPA-approved equipment. That gear is expensive. Community groups say the law violates their freedom of speech by preventing them from

using air monitoring data collected in other ways. Kate Lyon Hunter is a lawyer with Rise St. James, one of the plaintiffs. She says the state isn't doing enough of its own monitoring. You have all of this polluting industry that's putting out tons of different carcinogenic stuff and all they were really measuring for was ozone and lead.

A similar law was passed in Kentucky. Another is making its way through the West Virginia legislature. For NPR News, I'm Eva Tesfai in New Orleans. The Supreme Court says the president has brought authority to fire the board leaders of two independent agencies. The ruling is temporary but lifts a lower court order to reinstate the officials. It's a win for President Trump's efforts to gain greater control of the federal bureaucracy.

This is NPR. The Senate has voted to overturn a waiver that allowed California to establish air pollution standards that are stricter than the federal ones. Republicans used a law called the Congressional Review Act, or CRA, to cancel the waivers. The Government Accountability Office and the Senate

parliamentarian both say the CRA was not meant to be used for that purpose. At least two people are dead after a small private plane crashed into a military neighborhood in San Diego, California Thursday morning. Katie Anastas from member station KPBS has more. One home was badly damaged and several cars burned. Scott Wall is San Diego's police chief. With the jet fuel going down the street and everything on fire all at once, it was pretty horrific to see. The Federal Aviation Administration says six people were on board the plane. Music agency Sound Talent Group told the Associated Press

that included three of its employees. At least eight other people were injured while evacuating. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash. For NPR News, I'm Katie Anastas in San Diego. The Department of Homeland Security has revoked Harvard's ability to enroll international students. In a letter to the university, DHS claims Harvard is hostile to Jewish students, promotes pro-Hamas sympathies, and employs racist policies.

The department is giving the school 72 hours to comply with its demands, including handing over records on every international student attending the school or face more action. Harvard has roughly 68,000 foreign students who make up about 27 percent of its enrollment. This is NPR News. This message comes from WISE, the app for doing things and other currencies. This is NPR News.