NPR News Now - NPR News: 05-31-2025 4PM EDT

Episode Date: May 31, 2025

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World news is important, but it can feel far away. Not on the State of the World podcast. With journalists around the world, you'll hear firsthand the effects of U.S. trade actions in Canada and China, and meet a Mexican street sweeper who became a pop star. We don't go around the world. We're already there. Listen to the State of the World podcast from NPR every weekday. Noor Rahm Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Noor Rahm. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says the U.S. is reorienting its military posture to focus on China.

NPR's Anthony Kuhn reports from Singapore, where Hegseth spoke at an annual defense forum. Hegseth said that the U.S. does not seek to strangle, dominate, or humiliate China. But he warned that China is intimidating its neighbors and threatening Taiwan. It has to be clear to all that Beijing is credibly preparing to potentially use military force to alter the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific. Hegseth called on allies to ramp up defense spending. He also devoted much of his speech to praising President Trump's skills as a dealmaker and for increasing the security of U.S. borders.

French President Emmanuel Macron spoke ahead of Hegseth. He warned that abandoning Ukraine would undermine the credibility of the U.S.'s commitment to defend Taiwan. Anthony Kuhn in PR News, Singapore. Hamas said today it's accepting part of a U.S. proposal to end the violence in Gaza. Israel has agreed to the plan, which includes a temporary ceasefire. Hamas says it will release 10 living hostages and the bodies of 18 others in exchange for the release of a number of Palestinian prisoners.

Hamas is not agreeing to the ceasefire without changes. President Trump announced yesterday he's doubling the tariffs on imported steel to 50 percent to boost the U.S. steel industry. The Trump administration has said it's in negotiations with several countries on new trade deals, except for Britain, agreements have not been announced. NPR's Ron Elving has more. And all this has been complicated further by court decisions this week saying Trump does not have the authority to impose all these tariffs without Congress. That ruling by the International Trade Court could cripple the

whole anti-tariff campaign, but that too is on pause just now while a higher court reviews that ruling. Danielle Pletka NPR's Ron Elving, the Centers for Control and Prevention has removed the routine recommendation for children to get COVID vaccines. It contradicts advice from medical experts. NPR's Ping Wong reports. The CDC vaccine schedule now reflects a directive

announced Tuesday by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Previously, the CDC recommended that everyone six months and older get annual COVID vaccines. Now, the vaccine schedule recommends COVID vaccines for kids through shared clinical decision-making that's if a doctor and patient decide together that it makes sense. And there's no recommendation for pregnant women to get COVID vaccines. The changes contradict the advice of professional medical groups who continue to recommend COVID vaccines to children and pregnant women based on scientific evidence that shows they are

safe and effective. Public health experts are alarmed by how the changes were made. The closed-door process upends the public discussions and votes that have been a staple of the process for decades. Ping Huang, NPR News. This is NPR News. This is NPR News. The drug company Moderno said today the Food and Drug Administration has approved its next-generation COVID vaccine.

It said it's been approved for everyone age 65 and older and for those 12 to 64 who have at least one underlying risk factor. The new vaccine can be stored in refrigerators rather than freezers. This provides a longer shelf life and easier distribution. The Texas legislature has approved a bill to pay $8.5 billion for school. It now heads to Governor Craig Abbott for his signature. The Texas newsroom's Blaise Ganey reports. House Bill 2 includes $4.2 billion for teacher and staff pay raises, with amounts based on

experience and district size, up to $8,000 for some teachers. It also provides $1.3 billion to cover costs like insurance and utilities, $850 million for special education, including student evaluations, and $430 million for school safety upgrades like fencing and secure doors. The bill allows flexibility for public schools to begin offering full-day pre-K. While the basic allotment only increases by $55, most new funds are tied to specific uses. Supporters call it targeted and classroom-focused, while advocates say it could limit flexibility in spending for some districts.

I'm Blase Ganey in Austin. Thousands of people are in southern Hong Kong today for the Dragon Boat races. Rowers in decorated boats race to be the first to cross the finish line in sync with drumbeats. The Dragon Boat Festival is more than 2,000 years old. It's celebrated in mainland China and Taiwan, as well as Singapore and Malaysia.

I'm Nora Rahm, NPR News. You're listening to the NPR Network. Live from NPR News, I'm Nora Rahm, NPR News.