NPR News Now - NPR News: 05-24-2025 5AM EDT

Episode Date: May 24, 2025

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On Fridays, the 1A podcast is all about helping you cut through the info fog and get to what's important in the news. Close out the week with us on our Friday News Roundup. Here from reporters who've been embedded with the biggest news of the week. Join us every week for the Friday News Roundup. Listen to the 1A podcast from NPR and WAMU. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Giles Snyder. Federal judge in Boston has blocked a Trump administration decision to revoke Harvard

University's ability to enroll international students. The judge put the move on hold pending Harvard's lawsuit, but there is still confusion and concern on campus. Robert Goulston of member station GBH spoke with a number of students. Harvard is home to nearly 7,000 international students who could be forced to transfer. One post-doctoral fellow from India requested anonymity to avoid bringing attention

to her student visa status. She says most of her team members in the chemistry and chemical biology program are also from abroad and they're all worried. Shock, disbelief, sadness, yeah, I mean, it was just really hard to figure out what this means for the entire international student body at Harvard. The Trump administration's efforts to block international students is just the latest in a series of punitive measures it's taking against Harvard.

For NPR News, I'm Robert Goulston in Cambridge. The Trump administration is shaking up the National Security Council. NPR has confirmed that dozens of policy experts were let go late yesterday, although the exact number is unclear. Trump shrunk the NSC in his first term as well. A fifth round of nuclear talks with Iran has wrapped up in Rome. MPR's Michelle Kalman reports that both sides say they made progress, but no deal yet. President Trump's envoy, Steve Wittkopf, and a top State Department official, Michael Anton, met for over two hours with an Iranian delegation in Rome.

That's according to a U.S. statement, which says the talks continue to be constructive, but there's still work to be done. They agreed to meet again but have not set a date. The diplomacy comes against the backdrop of Israeli threats to strike Iranian nuclear facilities. The White House has been warning Iran that this could end with a diplomatic deal or a quote very negative situation for Iran. Oman is mediating the talks, and it, too, is reporting some but not conclusive progress. Michelle Kelliman, NPR News, the State Department. The FBI releasing new detail in its investigation into the bombing at a fertility clinic in Palm Springs, California, for member station KVCR in San Bernardino Medicine Allman reports.

The FBI said in a short statement that the sole suspect in the explosion, 25-year-old Guy Edward Bartkis, had access to large amounts of commercially available chemicals. They said those could be combined to create a homemade explosive device. The statement did not say how Bartkis, who was killed in the blast, got the chemicals. And it did not say what kind of explosive device was used in the bombing. Meanwhile, the doctor who runs the American Reproductive Center that was largely destroyed says they will rebuild, but will work out of a temporary space across the street starting Tuesday. For NPR News, I'm Madison Aument. Nat. This is NPR. The Justice Department's tentative deal allowing Boeing to avoid prosecution over two fatal

crashes of the 737 MAX is getting pushback. A lawyer representing many of the families of victims says the families hope to convince the court to reject it. 346 people were killed in the crashes in Ethiopia and Indonesia. The Justice Department says the agreement in principle requires the company to pay more than $1 billion in fines and compensation to families and more than $445 million to strengthen compliance, safety, and quality programs. After four years of negotiations, United Airlines and its flight attendants have reached a tentative

agreement on a new contract. NPR's Andrea Hsu reports there are a few more steps before it's a done deal. The union representing some 28,000 flight attendants at United says the first year of the new contract would bring 40 percent in financial gains. The airline notes the cabin crews would also receive a signing bonus and many scheduling and quality of life improvements. Flight attendants had been demanding a double-digit base pay increase and higher pay for time spent on the ground.

Union leadership will decide next week on whether to send the agreement to the membership for a final vote. In a statement, United CEO Scott Kirby praised the company's flight attendants and said they'd earned an industry-leading contract. Andrea Hsu, NPR News. President Trump is set to speak at West Point this morning. He is to deliver the commencement address to the graduating class on this Memorial Day weekend. Trump delivered remarks here in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. I'm Giles Snyder.

This is NPR News. You're listening to the NPR Network. Live from NPR News.