NPR News Now - NPR News: 05-25-2025 7PM EDT

Episode Date: May 25, 2025

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Know that fizzy feeling you get when you read something really good, watch the movie everyone's been talking about, or catch the show that the internet can't get over? At the Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast, we chase that feeling four times a week. We'll serve you recommendations and commentary on the buzziest movies, TV, music, and more. From lowbrow to highbrow to the stuff in between, catch the Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast from NPR. Live from NPR News in between, catch the pop culture happy hour podcast from NPR. Janine Herbst Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Janine Herbst. The Senate is expected to take up President Trump's big tax cut and spending bill that was narrowly passed by the House last week by just one vote. When it returns from its Memorial Day holiday, House Speaker Mike Johnson warned the Senate not to meddle with it. The

Senate Majority Leader John Thune says they will make their own mark. President Trump says that's fine. I think the Senate is going to get there. I hope they're going to get there. I think they're going to have changes. Some will be minor and some will be fairly significant. But we've been working with the House all the way up. They've been working together.

Speaking there from New Jersey just before boarding Air Force One back to the White House. The bill includes $3.8 trillion in tax cuts that skew to the wealthy and more than a trillion dollars in spending cuts focusing on social safety net programs. Today marks five years since the police murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis. As Matt Sepick of Minnesota Public Radio reports, the community is marking the anniversary with events honoring both Floyd and the racial justice movement that his death ignited. The intersection where George Floyd was killed in 2020 soon became a gathering place for racial justice demonstrations and remains the site of a memorial. Commemorative events at what is now

called George Floyd Square include a religious service, gospel concert, and a candlelight vigil. The 46-year-old black man died after a white police officer kneeled on his neck and back for more than nine minutes. Floyd's killing led to court-ordered oversight of the Minneapolis Police Department by a state judge. Last week, the Trump administration moved to scuttle plants for a federal court to provide additional oversight through a consent decree. For NPR News, I'm Matt Sepick in Minneapolis. Authorities in North Korea have detained three shipyard officials, including the chief engineer, over last week's botched launch of a newly built 5,000-ton Navy destroyer, this according to state media.

Satellite imagery shows the ship lying on its side with parts of it submerged. Leader Kim Jong-un, who was watching, says the failed launch was caused by criminal negligence and promised stern punishment. A section of the Pacific Coast Highway that's been closed to the public since the January Palisades fire has reopened. In Piers, Liz Baker has more. At the Malibu Country Mart, General Manager Stephen McNellis watches a parking lot start to fill up with holiday weekend shoppers. More than he's seen since January.

It was pretty devastating. It's just been kind of a ghost town. Now that PCH has reopened, he thinks there's a chance this weekend will help businesses get somewhat back to normal. But Frank Millerin, working in a fashion sneaker store, says he's not convinced. A lot of that traffic is going to be people just taking in the terrible devastation and it's gonna be like a parking lot probably for a little bit. Rebuilding business, like rebuilding from the fires, won't be done in a weekend. Even a long one. Liz Baker and Peer News,

Malibu. You're listening to NPR News from Washington. In Texas, a bill requiring the Ten Commandments be posted in public school classrooms, similar to ones in Louisiana and Arkansas, cleared a key state legislative hurdle today, this after a week of debates and delays as Democrats tried to introduce amendments. The legislation, though, doesn't have any enforcement power, meaning it's not clear what happens if schools or individual teachers refuse. The state Senate passed its own version of the bill in March, but we'll have to vote on this new House bill. It's not clear when that will happen.

Gary Sinise and Esai Morales will co-host this year's National Memorial Day concert live from the U.S. Capitol this evening. The show will be broadcast on PBS at 8 p.m. Eastern. And here's Elizabeth Blair has more. Elizabeth Blair This year's concert will include special tributes to World War II soldiers and to Vietnam War Air Medevac units known as Dustoff crews. Musical performers include gospel star Yolanda Adams and country singer and veteran Scotty Hastings. Last year, longtime co-host Gary Sinise's son died from cancer. Max Sinise was a composer. The National Symphony Orchestra will perform one of his patriotic pieces.

In addition to PBS, the National Memorial Day concert will stream live on YouTube. Elizabeth Blair, NPR News, Washington. Wall Street is closed tomorrow in observance of Memorial Day, making it a short trading week for the markets, which reopen on Tuesday. I'm Janene Herbst, and you're listening to NPR News from Washington. Look, we get it. When it comes to new music, there is a lot of it and it all comes really fast.

But on All Songs Considered, NPR's music recommendation podcast, we'll handpick what we think's the greatest music happening right now and give you your next great listen. So kick back, settle in, get those eardrums wide open, and get your dose of new music from All Songs Considered, only from NPR.