NPR News Now - NPR News: 05-25-2026 4PM EDT

Episode Date: May 25, 2026

NPR News: 05-25-2026 4PM EDTSee pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Amy Held. President Trump says any peace deal with Iran should include an agreement by more Middle Eastern and Muslim countries to normalize relations with Israel. NPR's Brian Mann reports. Most U.S. allies are focused on reopening the Strait of Hormuz and limiting Iran's nuclear program. But writing on his social media platform, Trump added a new demand. It should be mandatory that these countries, at a minimum, simultaneously sign on to the Abram Accords, Trump said, referring to a diplomatic agreement now in place between Israel, the U.S., and a handful of countries, including Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates.

Trump says Egypt, Jordan, Pakistan, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia should also establish full diplomatic relations with Israel. The proposal comes after months of war sparked by U.S. and Israeli strikes. The former U.S. ambassador to Israel, Dan Shapiro, calls Trump's bid for a sweeping regional diplomatic breakthrough, unrealistic. Brian Mann, NPR News. Trump delivered remarks at Arlington National Cemetery on this Memorial Day, a time to honor the war dead, including in the war with Iran. In Operation Epic Fury, we lost 13 wonderful souls, wonderful special people. These incredible men and women gave their lives to ensure that the world's number one state sponsor of terror will never have a nuclear weapon.

Current talks have centered on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, not on Iran's nuclear program. Oil prices fell almost 6% today to two-week lows as optimism grew that a deal could be closer that would reopen the vital waterway. Ebola cases are rising in the outbreak's epicenter, the Democratic Republic of Congo. Flight restrictions are making it harder to fight the disease. Emmett Livingstone reports from Kinshasa. The World Health Organization says there are now 101 confirmed cases of Ebola in DRC. This number doesn't reflect the true picture. Health workers have recorded at least 220 suspected Ebola-related deaths, according to the WHO, and more than 900 suspected cases.

In neighbouring Uganda, health authorities also confirmed two new ones, bringing the total number there to seven. With fears that Ebola will spread further, Congo's government over the weekend suspended flights to the city of Bunya, which is at the heart of the outbreak. But aid and health workers have to come in and out. the flight restrictions have created uncertainty and added another logistical problem to an already complex international response to the disease. For NPR News, I'm Emmett Littingstone in Kinshasa. The most pressing risk of an overheating chemical tank in Orange County, California, has been averted for now. Fire officials say it won't explode after a crack eased pressure overnight. But what happens to the highly toxic and flammable chemical inside, the huge damaged tank, that's unclear.

Tens of thousands of residents who have evacuated don't know when they will be allowed back home. It's NPR news. Tomorrow, Texas will conclude its primary runoff election. The Republican Senate contest has cost millions and is seen as another test of Trump's sway. He has endorsed State Attorney General Ken Paxton over incumbent Senator John Cornyn. Some Republican senators have reacted angrily, warning it puts the seat at greater risk, as the party fights to keep its majority after the midterms. Hollywood's blockbuster season starts today,

and NPR's Bob Mandelo reports the industry's poised to have its best summer since the pandemic. Hollywood always tries to have something for everyone, sometimes even a couple of somethings, and with Minion 7, and Minion Vision, and Toy Story 5. It's good to see them fighting again. Spider-Man a brand new day. My name is Peter Park.

And Superman's cousin, Supergirl. He sees the good and everyone. and I see the truth. Christopher Nolan's epic, The Odyssey. No one could stand between me and home. And Steven Spielberg's latest close encounters movie Disclosure Day. People have a right to know the truth. What are you going to do?

Full disclosure? There are a lot of potential blockbusters. This summer has 57 films opening on more than a thousand screens up sharply from last year, which has analysts saying 2026 might just top the previous post-pandemic people. Hi, Barbie! Hi, the Barbenheimer summer of 2023. Bob Mandelo, NPR News. It's that time of year again when the spelling prowess of a select few is on full display.

The 98th script's National Spelling Bee starts tomorrow showcasing the best young spellers in the nation. And after a long run in Maryland, it's returning to the nation's capital. You're listening to NPR News.