NPR News Now - NPR News: 05-25-2025 1AM EDT

Episode Date: May 25, 2025

NPR News: 05-25-2025 1AM EDTLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Shortwave thinks of science as an invisible force, showing up in your everyday life. Powering the food you eat, the medicine you use, the tech in your pocket. Science is approachable because it's already part of your life. Come explore these connections on the Shortwave Podcast from NPR. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Windsor Johnston. A massive spending package backed by President Trump is now heading to the Senate after it passed the House by a narrow margin last week. NPR's Deidre Walsh reports the legislation is facing a number of hurdles in the upper

chamber but sends a clear message about where the Republican Party is today. There are going to be changes, and it's possible at the end of the day the sort of one thing that brings the Republican Party together, extending these tax cuts, could be sort of the one thing that ends up sort of being the easier thing to get done, along with money for the border. Medicaid cuts could be a problem for some Senate Republicans, and there are other conservatives in the Senate who just dismiss the House bill as really not serious on slashing spending. That's NPR's Deidre Walsh reporting.

President Trump has signed an executive order calling on science agencies to adhere to a quote gold standard. NPR's Jeff Brumfield explains what that order means. Jeff The executive order claims that federal scientific agencies have, in the past, used scientific information in a quote, highly misleading manner. It cites COVID-19 restrictions and dire warnings over climate change as examples. Under the order, federal scientists must make their data and scientific models open to public

scrutiny. They must also explain uncertainty in their models for things like climate change. It also calls for scientists to do many things they already do, like conduct peer review. Since coming to office in January, the Trump administration has pushed out thousands of employees from agencies like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It's also seeking to slash funding for basic research in next year's budget. Jeff Brumfield, NPR News. Saturday was the second day of a prisoner swap between Russia and Ukraine, with nearly

700 exchange since Friday. In the meantime, at least 15 people were injured in a Russian attack on Kyiv Saturday morning. NPR's Joanna Kikissis reports. Anton Kobylnyk stepped off the bus draped in Ukraine's blue and yellow flag. The soldier was emaciated and pale after three years in Russian captivity. He told NPR he cannot wait to hug his mother. I am finally in Ukraine, he said, but I won't truly feel I'm home until I'm next to my mom in our cottage.

Nearby, 18-year-old Milena Moroz holds a photograph of her dad, Yevhen. He disappeared in February of this year. I wish I had told him, I love you, dad. Joanna Kakissis, NPR News, Northern Ukraine. This is NPR News in Washington. President Trump delivered the commencement address for the U.S. Military Academy at West Point on Saturday. During his speech, the President congratulated the cadets, calling them winners and asserting

that they were entering the Golden Age of America. It was his first military commencement speech of his second term. Sunday's 109th running of the famed Indianapolis 500 auto race will begin under a cloud of controversy. Quinn Kleinfelter of member station WDET reports that legendary race team owner Roger Penske is embroiled in a cheating scandal. Penske owns the Indy 500. Literally, His race teams won more times there than any other, and he bought both the track and the Indy car league itself. But this time, two of his three cars start last and next to last, penalized for using illegal parts, possibly for more than a year.

Driver Pato O'Ward, who lost to a Pinsky car on the final lap of last year's Indy 500, says the scandals shake in trust in the racing icon. It's a shame really, because they don't need to be doing that stuff. They're a great team, great drivers. Why, why are you doing that? Makes no sense. Penske recently fired his top race team management

and vows to bring in outside officials to help govern the sport. For NPR News, I'm Quinnen Klinefelter in Detroit. It's Memorial Day weekend and AAA estimates that 45 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home this year. That would break a record set in 2005. GasBuddy says drivers will find fuel prices at their lowest level in four years. It's NPR. This message comes from WISE, the app for doing things and other currencies. With WISE, in four years. It's MPR.