NPR News Now - NPR News: 05-25-2025 6AM EDT

Episode Date: May 25, 2025

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Live from NPR. J.L. S. O'BRIEN Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm J.L. Snyder. Polls are opening this hour in Venezuela, where voters are electing governors and a new Congress today. But as reporter John Otis reports, it's unclear whether many Venezuelans will turn out. John Otis Up for grabs are 285 seats to the National Assembly and 24

state houses. They include a controversial new position, Governor of Ezequibo. That's an oil rich region of neighboring Guyana that Venezuela's authoritarian leader, Nicolás Maduro, has threatened to annex. The opposition is divided over what to do. Its leader, Maria Corina Machado, points to evidence that Maduro stole last year's presidential election and claims voting today would legitimize his power grab. In a video posted on X, she said, this isn't an election, it's a farce. That's why on Sunday I'm asking you to stay home. But other opposition politicians say boycotting the election could backfire by giving Maduro even more power. For NPR News, I'm John Otis. An Israeli woman who was held hostage in Gaza has said

that while in captivity, Israeli airstrikes scared her the most. Nehama Levy spoke to a crowd in Tel Aviv this weekend. What frightened me most were the bombings. First you hear the whistling, praying it won't fall on us. Then the explosions, sounds so intense they paralyze your body, the earth shaking. Each time I was certain it was my end. In one bombing, part of the house collapsed. Fortunately, the hole I was leaning against did not crumble. That saved my life.

Levy, speaking there through a BBC interpreter, said she fears for the lives of the remaining Israeli hostages. Gaza's health ministry, meanwhile, says Israeli attacks have killed nearly 80 people, including nine of a doctor's ten children. In Kentucky, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has opened two disaster recovery centers following last weekend's deadly tornadoes, as Karen Czar reports from member station WUKY. Karen Czar, WUKY Newsroom Storm victims are flowing into the FEMA's

Center in London, Kentucky, where they can talk directly to agents about individual assistance. If approved, they'll get funds to cover things like property loss, damage to their homes, and temporary housing. FEMA Public Information Officer Daniel Bernardi says the center was up and running within hours of President Trump granting Governor Andy Beshear's request for federal aid.

We will get those wheels rolling ahead of time. There's a major disaster so that we can be ready to respond quickly. FEMA was already in Kentucky helping with major weather disasters that hit the state in February and April. For NPR News, I'm Karen Zarr in London, Kentucky. This is NPR. Russia and Ukraine have carried out the final phase of a three-day prisoner swap, I'm Karen Zarr in London, Kentucky. This is NPR. Russia and Ukraine have carried out the final phase of a three-day prisoner swap.

Both sides say the exchange today saw each bring home 303 more soldiers after the release on Friday and Saturday of hundreds of combatants and civilians. Today's swap came after Russia launched another night of drone and missile attacks that killed at least 12 people and injured dozens. Today's 109th running of the famed Indianapolis 500 auto race begins under a cloud of controversy. Quinn Kleinfelder, member station WDET, reports that the 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 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 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 Quinn Klinefelter in Detroit. Race fans keeping an eye on driver Cara Kyle Larson today. He's attempting to complete the double and become the fifth driver to compete in both the Indy 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 at North Carolina's Charlotte Motor Speedway. He

tried last year, but stormy weather got in the way. I'm Gile Snyder. This is NPR News.