NPR News Now - NPR News: 06-03-2025 6AM EDT

Episode Date: June 3, 2025

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On NPR's Thru Line, witnesses were ending up dead. How the hunt for gangster Al Capone launched the IRS to power. Find NPR's Thru Line wherever you get your podcasts. Live from NPR News in Washington, onkurva Coleman, health officials, and the International Committee of the Red Cross say that 27 Palestinians have been killed today in Gaza and dozens injured by the Israeli military. The Palestinians were trying to get food delivered by a private U.S.-backed contractor in Gaza.

NPR's Hadil Al-Shalchi reports that disorder has continued around delivery of the food, as aid organizations warn Gaza is close to famine. It was another day of chaos and confusion as thousands of Palestinians tried to receive food from a site delivering supplies in the south of Gaza. Witnesses who were approaching the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, or GHF site, said the Israeli military shot into the crowd.

The Israeli military said that it initially fired warning shots to disperse a crowd that had gotten too close to troops and then directed fire near individuals who continued to approach them. The military said it was aware of casualties and was investigating. G.H.F. insisted there was no shooting in its facility and said the incident took place beyond their quote secure distribution site. The United Nations said that aid distribution has become a quote death trap. Hadil Alshalchi, NPR News, Tel Aviv.

Authorities in Boulder, Colorado have charged the suspect in Sunday's fiery attack on peaceful marchers. The authorities say the suspect told police he had planned the attack for a year and wanted to kill everyone in the marching group. Boulder District Attorney Michael Doherty says that more victims have been identified along with the initial eight people who were hurt. We've now identified four additional victims. There's now a total of 12 victims. We're going to continue to encourage victims and witnesses to come forward and contact law enforcement. The suspect has also been charged with violating federal hate crime laws.

The victims were holding their weekly walk in Boulder to support Israeli hostages held in Gaza. U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon is expected to testify before a Senate subcommittee this morning. NPR's Corey Turner reports she'll likely be questioned about the Trump administration's budget proposal for her agency and why the administration is trying to close the department.

The administration is calling for the education department to get nearly $67 billion in fiscal year 2026, and that would be a 15% cut. Its budget proposal would leave two key funding streams untouched. One that helps schools in high-poverty neighborhoods, the other supports students with disabilities. It would, however, consolidate a bunch of other K-12 programs, including for rural schools and students experiencing homelessness, and then dramatically reduce their funding. On the higher ed side, the administration is pushing for cuts to federal work study and to the maximum Pell Grant a low income student can receive.

Corey Turner, NPR News. You're listening to NPR News from Washington. The Trump administration is seeking to start oil and gas drilling on millions of acres of public land in Alaska. The area is part of the National Petroleum Reserve, but it's mostly undeveloped that's important to wildlife. Environmental groups oppose the change, but the American Petroleum Institute asked the Trump administration to end the ban on drilling. The polls will close in an hour in South Korea where voters are choosing a new president. The new leader will replace South Korea's last elected president who was impeached for declaring martial law.

NPR's Anthony Kuhn reports from Seoul. The vote comes exactly six months after former President Yoon Sung-yol declared martial law, triggering a political crisis and huge street protests. Yoon was removed from office in April. The frontrunner is opposition leader Lee Jae Myung, a 61-year-old former human rights lawyer. He enjoys a double-digit lead in the polls over conservative ruling party candidate Kim Moon Soo. Lee has moderated his liberal positions to capture centrist voters. He promises a continued strong alliance with the U.S.

He's also willing to engage with North Korea and help facilitate any move by President Trump to resume negotiations with the North's leader Kim Jong-un. Anthony Kuhn, NPR News, Seoul. A Romanian man is pleaded guilty in U.S. federal court to making fake phone calls to trigger the use of aggressive police tactics known as swatting against victims. Authorities say for years, Thomas Saba had scores of targets, including members of Congress,

judges, and numerous journalists. He also threatened a mass shooting at New York City synagogues. You're listening to NPR. President Donald Trump is testing the power of the presidency in ways that are stressing global financial markets, federal courts, and changing the United States relationship with the rest of the world. What is Trump trying to do and is it working? Trump's Terms keeps you up to speed. It's a short podcast where we curate NPR's coverage of the Trump administration.

Trump's Terms. Listen in the NPR app wherever you get your podcasts.