NPR News Now - NPR News: 05-26-2025 7PM EDT

Episode Date: May 26, 2025

NPR News: 05-26-2025 7PM EDTLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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 Washington, I'm Janene Hurst. The Kremlin is playing down President Trump's criticism of a weakened barrage of Russian attacks across Ukraine that killed at least 12 people and injured scores of others. NPR's Charles Maines has more.

In comments posted to social media, Trump said Russian President Vladimir Putin had quote gone absolutely crazy and was shooting missiles and drones into Ukraine for no reason whatsoever. Trump also said he was considering additional new sanctions on Russia as a result. In response, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov thanked Trump for his efforts to end the war in Ukraine, but suggested Trump's latest criticism was, quote, emotional overload, at a tense moment in wider peace negotiations. Following a lengthy phone call with Putin last week, Trump declared Moscow and Kiev were ready to immediately start negotiating a ceasefire.

They have not, and critics accuse the Kremlin of dragging out talks as it improves its battlefield position. Charles Main's NPR News, Moscow. British police have arrested a 53-year-old British man after his minivan plowed into a crowd of people celebrating Liverpool's soccer club win today. Dozens were injured. Nick Cyril is the chief fire officer. On arrival, the crews were met with numerous injured people and four persons trapped under

a vehicle. Our crews rapidly lifted the vehicle, removed three adults and one child from beneath and passed them to our ambulance service colleagues. In all, 27 people were sent to hospitals and at least 20 others were treated at the scene for children are among the injured. Police are still working to determine what happened, but they say they don't believe this is terrorism and they think this was an isolated incident. The Senate is expected to take up the multi-trillion-dollar government spending bill after it returns from the Memorial Day recess. People with disabilities and rights groups, though, fear

proposed cuts to Medicaid and a larger state role in the program could have devastating consequences. And Pierce Christian Wright has more. Millions of children and adults with disabilities rely on Medicaid for doctors' visits, specialized care and medications, also long-term care. Katie Nese, CEO of the ARC, says billions in cuts would mean people would lose coverage. To assume that states can stand up these new administrative procedures swiftly and efficiently just isn't pragmatic.

Advocates say new work requirements would also kick off many who should be exempt. White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt insists those requirements target waste, fraud, and abuse. It should be going to people who physically cannot work. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates 8.7 million people could lose Medicaid coverage under the bill. Kristin Wright, NPR News. U.S. futures contracts are trading higher at this hour. S&P 500 futures up more than 1%.

You're listening to NPR News from Washington. King Charles is in Ottawa, Canada today for his two-day visit that Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney says underscores his nation's sovereignty. This amid President Trump's talk of annexing its northern neighbor. Tomorrow, Charles will open Parliament and give a speech from the throne outlining his government's agenda for the new Parliament. Charles is the head of state in Canada, which is a member of the British Commonwealth of former colonies. Phil Robertson, the patriarch of reality TV's dock dynasty, has died at the age of 79. He had Alzheimer's disease. From 2012 until 2017, his family's life was fodder for one of the most popular shows on

A&E. And Piers Mandelit-Dalbarco has more. In 1972, Louisiana hunter Phil Robertson whittled a duck calling whistle he dubbed the Duck Commander. That led him to found a family-run duck hunting gear company that was documented on the reality show Duck Dynasty. I'm a low-tech man in a high-tech world. When mallard ducks see these decoys they will be mesmerized, hypnotized, and paralyzed. The irreverent series followed Robertson and his large family as they hunted, prayed, and more. Robertson once

sparked controversy for anti-gay comments he made in a magazine, but his popularity resulted not only in spinoffs, but also Duck Dynasty merchandise, an album, and a podcast with a series revival set to begin this summer. Mandelit Del Barco, NPR News. And I'm Janene Herbst, NPR News in Washington.