NPR News Now - NPR News: 05-26-2025 11AM EDT

Episode Date: May 26, 2025

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Hey, it's Sarah Gonzalez. The economy has been in the news a lot lately. It's kind of always in the news and Planet Money is always here to explain it. Each episode we tell a sometimes quirky, sometimes surprising, always interesting story that helps you better understand the economy. So when you hear something about cryptocurrency or where exactly your taxes go, yes, I was. Listen to the Planet Money podcast from NPR. Live from Johnston Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Winza Johnston. A ceremony honoring the nation's fallen service members is getting underway at Arlington National Cemetery at this hour. NPR's Ava Pukac reports President Trump will take part in a wreath-laying ceremony and deliver remarks. The 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, also known as the Old Guard, placed American flags at more than 260,000 headstones,

and on Sunday, visitors placed flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and at grave sites throughout the more than 600-acre cemetery. The first Decoration Day, now known as Memorial Day, was held at Arlington National Cemetery in 1868. Service members from every major American war dating back to the Revolutionary War are interred at the cemetery. Recent presidents have typically participated in a reef-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on Memorial Day honoring fallen service members and commemorating their sacrifices. Eva Pukanch, NPR News.

The head of a new U.S.-backed aid program for Gaza has resigned, saying the initiative does not adhere to humanitarian principles. NPR's Daniel Estrin reports the director's resignation puts into question the future of assistance in the region. Jake Wood, a U.S. Army veteran, says he's resigning from leading the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. In a statement, he said it's not possible to implement the plan while also strictly adhering to principles of humanity and neutrality. The plan, backed by the U.S., is supposed to replace how food is delivered in Gaza amid

rampant hunger. It's come under criticism from the UN and aid groups, who say the program would limit civilians' access to aid, and serve Israeli military goals. Israel says the program will keep aid away from Hamas, concentrating aid mostly in southern Gaza with Israeli soldiers guarding nearby. The U.S.-backed aid group says it will maintain humanitarian principles and will begin delivering aid in Gaza Monday. Daniel Estrin, NPR News, Tel Aviv.

As the summer travel season kicks into high gear, airports across the nation are once again being pushed to their limits. NPR's Joel Rose reports staffing shortages and outdated technology at Newark Liberty International Airport are adding to the uncertainty. The FAA has now capped the number of flights in and out at Newark at a level that the agency says is more in line with what air traffic control can handle. The FAA says it's working to install new fiber optic lines and adding new backup systems to help with the technical problems in Newark. The FAA says it's also trying to speed up hiring and training of new air traffic controllers, but the reality is that it takes years to

train them to work in complex and congested airspace. That's NPR's Joel Rose reporting. This is NPR News in Washington. Swedish carmaker Volvo has announced that it's cutting an estimated 3,000 jobs globally. The company says it's part of a move to address declining demand for electric vehicles and an increase in operational costs. The layoffs will impact about 1,200 workers in Sweden. The remaining reductions will occur across other international markets.

Food apps that rate the healthfulness of packaged foods have become increasingly popular. You can scan the food's barcode with your phone, and the app will rank it for its nutritional content. As NPR's Maria Godoy reports, dieticians say they can be helpful with some caveats. Lindsay Moyer is a registered dietitian with the Center for Science and the Public Interest. She says food apps can put more information in the hands of consumers. If you use them, she says look for ones that rank food for overall nutrition rather than focusing on single ingredients.

And she says take the results with a grain of salt. It's important not to panic, because some of the way that these apps rate food additives in the ingredients list, it's a little bit overblown. This may not be a safety concern or a reason not to eat the food. And remember, some of the healthiest foods, like fruits and vegetables, often don't come with a barcode.

Maria Godoy and NPR News. Republican lawmakers in Texas are closer to passing legislation that would require classrooms and public schools to display the Ten Commandments. The bill passed by a wide margin in the state house on Sunday. I'm Windsor Johnston, NPR News in Washington.