NPR News Now - NPR News: 06-05-2025 1AM EDT

Episode Date: June 5, 2025

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This is Ira Glass with This American Life, each week on our show. We choose a theme, tell different stories on that theme. All right, I'm just going to stop right there. You're listening to an NPR podcast, chances are you know our show. So instead, I'm going to tell you, we've just been on a run of really good shows lately. Some big epic emotional stories, some weird funny stuff too. Download us, This American Life. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Dan Roman. President Trump has issued a full travel

ban for foreign nationals of 12 countries, he says, pose a very high risk to the U.S. NPR's Sario Martinez Beltran reports the ban goes into effect Monday, May 9th. The 12 countries covered by the full travel ban include Afghanistan, Haiti, Iran and Sudan. According to Trump's order, the justification to include many of the countries on that list is that they lack a competent central authority for issuing passports and screening and vetting measures. An additional seven countries, including Cuba, Venezuela and Laos, are on a partial ban. Trump says many nationals of those countries pose a risk of overstaying their visas. The ban would only apply to foreign nationals who are outside the US and do not have a valid visa.

Lawful permanent residence will be allowed in. Sergio Martinez Beltran, NPR News, San Juan, Puerto Rico. Imported steel and aluminum just got more expensive. President Trump's 50 percent tariffs on those metals kicked in Wednesday doubling what they were earlier in the week. Trump said last week the tariffs are needed to secure the steel industry in the United States. Martha Gimble at Yale's budget lab estimates the price of new cars will jump by 13 percent because of the tariffs and she expects other products to also increase.

You can look at the first set of Trump tariffs and how much that has been passed on to consumers, and you'll see economists arguing, you know, was it 97% passed on? Was it 99% passed on? Was it 100% passed on? That's a fun debate for us to have, but for the American consumer,

it basically means the same thing. They're going to be paying these tariffs. Gimble, who previously worked in the Biden administration, estimates the average family will pay about $2,500 more for items if these Trump administration tariffs remain in place. The U.S. Education Department is calling into question Columbia University's accreditation. This is the latest escalation between the Trump administration and many elite colleges. NPR's Alyssa Nodroni reports.

The Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights sends a notice to the accrediting body that audits Columbia University, saying the school is in violation of anti-discrimination laws and therefore fails to meet standards for accreditation. The findings stem from an investigation from February anti-discrimination laws and therefore fails to meet standards for accreditation. The findings stem from an investigation from February looking into whether the school adequately protected Jewish students on campus.

The commission that accredits the school can revoke the university's eligibility for federal funding if it deems that Columbia is not in compliance. In a statement, a Columbia University spokesperson said the school takes the issue of anti-Semitism seriously and is working with the federal government to address it. Alissa Nadwani, NPR News. On Wall Street Wednesday, stocks were mixed, the Dow was down, but the Nasdaq and the S&P were up in active trading. You're listening to NPR News.

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky is reacting publicly to a memorandum that Russia handed over to Ukraine at recent talks in Istanbul, Turkey. NPR's Hanna Polymarenko reports that Zelensky calls the document an ultimatum that neither Ukraine nor its partners will take seriously. President Zelensky says the document contradicts the UN Charter, the Constitution of Ukraine and, quote, common sense. Speaking to reporters, Zelensky emphasized that he is ready for a meeting at the level of the leaders of the states starting next Monday

and proposed a ceasefire before the meeting. If we see that we can continue the dialogue and are ready for appropriate de-escalation steps, we will continue the ceasefire with American monitoring and guarantees of mediation, he added. Zelensky also announced a large-scale exchange of prisoners of war to take place over the weekend. Hanna Polomarenko, NPR News, Kyiv. A big change is likely coming to Major League Baseball for the 2026 season.

The Commissioner Rob Manfred said Wednesday he's going to propose that the sport implements what called an automatic ball strike challenge. Under the plan, teams would get two challenges per games on balls and strikes. A video system would review the accuracy of the umpires original call. The system has been used in spring training and it's currently being tested in several minor leagues. The challenge aspect though means current umpires will continue to call the majority of balls and strikes. This is NPR News. Support for NPR. The Constitution. The border. The rising costs of everything. Issues this important can't be explained in a one-way conversation.

Sometimes you need to talk things out. Every day on the 1A Podcast, we bring together experts and public figures to discuss the topics at the top of your mind so you hear more sides of a story and understand why it matters. Listen to the 1A Podcast from NPR and WAMU.