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

Episode Date: May 23, 2025

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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. Live from NPR News. I'm Lakshmi Singh.

A federal judge is blocking a Trump administration decision to revoke Harvard University's ability to enroll international students. NPR's Janaki Mehta reports the court acted quickly after Harvard filed a lawsuit against the administration today. On Thursday, the Trump administration told Harvard it would put an end to its ability to admit international students. Less than 24 hours later, Harvard filed suit calling the administration's actions unlawful. Now a federal judge has issued a temporary restraining order against the Trump administration, blocking its ability to revoke the certification that

allows Harvard to sponsor international students. This is part of a weeks-long battle that began when Harvard refused to follow a slew of demands from the Trump administration to overhaul its campus policies, including diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. Janaki Mehta and Per News. Treasury Secretary Scott Besson tells Fox News President Trump's tariffs threat should light a fire under the European Union. EU has a collective action problem here. It's 27 countries but they're being represented by this one group in Brussels so some of the feedback that I've been getting is

that the underlying countries don't even know what the EU is negotiating on their behalf. President Trump warned he would impose new tariffs on the EU if the bloc does not agree to new trade deals. On social media, he recommended a 50% tariff on imports of EU goods starting June 1st. Trump also threatened a levy of at least 25% against the tech giant Apple unless it agrees to make its smartphones in the United States. Ukraine says that the first stage of a massive prisoner exchange is underway. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says that nearly 400 Ukrainian troops held by Russia have been exchanged today and more are coming. NPR's Joannika Kisses reports from Ukraine where families of captured troops are

holding out hope. At the request of Ukrainian authorities who cite security reasons NPR is not disclosing the location where the families are waiting. Katya Kovel weeps as she holds a banner emblazoned with an image of her husband, Grigoriy, a soldier. He has been in captivity since December 7, 2023. I hope he will be exchanged today. 1,000 Ukrainian POWs are expected to come home if the exchange happens as planned. Joanne Kekises, NPR News.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average is down nearly 100 points at 41,759. From Washington, this is NPR News. A Paris court is expected to hand down a verdict today in a trial of 10 people accused of robbing celebrity Kim Kardashian of some 10 million dollars worth of jewelry when she was staying in a luxury Paris hotel in 2016. NPR's Eleanor Beardsley has been following the case. Four of those on trial faced 10 years behind bars. Kardashian was tied up with her mouth taped and threatened with a gun. She says she feared for her life at the time. But the thieves turned out to be hapless bunglers, easily caught by the fingerprint clues they left in the apartment.

They also spilled the jewels out on the sidewalk as they fled the scene. Most of the accused are now in their 60s and 70s and have been dubbed the grandpa robbers by French media. The alleged mastermind is now completely deaf and had to read the court's instructions on a screen. Kardashian has said while

the incident changed her, she forgives the nine men and one woman. I believe in second chances, she told her 300 plus million Instagram followers. Eleanor Beardsley in Pierre News, Paris. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear says FEMA has done a good job responding to tornadoes last week that claimed the lives of at least 19 people and left hundreds more without homes. But the Democrat warned that cuts

to FEMA and the Trump administration's move to shift disaster recovery away from the federal government could cripple states ability to respond to damaging storms and other natural disasters. The Nasdaq has fallen a hundred points. The Dow is down nearly as much. This is NPR News.