NPR News Now - NPR News: 05-28-2025 12PM EDT

Episode Date: May 28, 2025

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Politics is a lot these days. I'm Sarah McCammon, a co-host of the NPR Politics Podcast, and I'll be the first to tell you what happens in Washington definitely demands some decoding. That's why our show makes politics as easy as possible to wrap your head around. Join us as we make politics make sense on the NPR Politics Podcast, available wherever you get your podcasts. Lyle from NPR News. I'm Lakshmi Singh. The Trump administration suspending visa interviews for international students attempting to study in the United States. A US official who spoke on condition of anonymity says the State Department plans to expand its review of applicant social media activity. So far this year, the administration's undertaken widely controversial actions targeting student protests against the Gaza war and illegal immigration.

They've prompted a number of international students who currently hold visas to reconsider whether it's safe to travel out of the US or even out of state. President Trump has announced full pardons for reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley. He's the patriarch of perfection. We're not perfect. But perfect should be something you should strive to be. NPR's Rachel Triesman reports the couple had been serving prison sentences for tax evasion and bank fraud. Todd and Julie Chrisley rose to fame with the show, Chrisley Knows Best, which documented the family's lavish Southern lifestyle.

It was canceled after they were convicted of defrauding community banks to get more than $36 million in personal loans, spending it on luxury goods and avoiding taxes for several years. The Chrisleys have been in prison since 2023. Their daughter Savannah, who spoke at the

2024 Republican National Convention, says they were unfairly targeted because of their conservative beliefs. Trump called her this week to notify her of their pardon. Rachel Triesman, NPR News. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is in Berlin for talks with the Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, to discuss efforts to help bring an end to the Russian war. Esme Nicholson reports Ukraine is looking for increased support as Russia's bombing campaign intensifies. Speaking to journalists after a one-on-one meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart, Friedrich Merz said Germany and Ukraine have agreed to start the joint production of long-range

missiles. Merz said cooperation on an industrial level will take place both in Ukraine and in Germany. The German leader raised hopes earlier this week that he would green-light the delivery of Taurus missiles to Ukraine, but stressed in the press conference with Zelensky that such decisions will not be discussed in public. Maertz did promise to continue and expand Germany's military support for Ukraine. For NPR News, I'm Esme Nicholson in Berlin. In Gaza, a crowd was fired upon as they rushed to a humanitarian aid distribution point run

by a US back group. The Associated Press quotes Gaza's health ministry in reporting at least one Palestinian died and 48 other people were wounded. This development underscores the fragility of the process of trying to feed people confronting a hunger crisis in the wake of Israel's ongoing military operations targeting Hamas in Gaza. From Washington, this is NPR News. Investors got some encouraging news today from big retailers. NPR's Scott Horsley reports that Bellwether from the tech sector will offer an update later today.

Department store giant Macy's delivered better than expected results for the most recent quarter. Sales and profits were down from a year ago, but not as much as forecasters had predicted. Macy's says shoppers are cautious, but the chain reaffirmed its sales forecast for the year. Macy's is projecting lower profits, however, partly as a result of the president's trade war. Later today, investors will be listing for computer chip maker Nvidia's latest earnings report. The company is a darling of the tech sector and a barometer of demand for artificial intelligence. Scott

Horsley, NPR News, Washington. After school programs are widely encouraged in low income areas for free child care and they also help students meet academic and non-academic goals. But NPR's Tanaki Method reports some advocates worry such programs could be cut by the Trump administration. In one rural school district in central Maine, students participate in Cooking Club After School as a way to learn all kinds of new skills. You are going to be making parfait cups. We're making it to like the French flag, so red for strawberries, white for yogurt, and blue for blueberries. They're learning about multicultural cuisine and learning math and science as a measure

and mix ingredients. Plus, after school programs are known to help kids attend school during the day. This program is funded by a federal grant for after-school programs in low-income areas. After President Trump released his initial budget proposal earlier this month, advocates for these programs began to worry that grant might go away. Janaki Mehta and Peer News. It's NPR. Conductor Robert Fr Franz says a good melody

captures our attention. And it moves you through time. Music is architecture in time. If you engage in the moment with what you're listening to, you do lose a sense of the time around you. How we experience time. That's on the TED Radio Hour from NPR.