Loading summary
Transcript11 lines
- [00:00]
Progressive Insurance
This message comes from Progressive Insurance. Progressive makes it easy to see if you could save when you bundle your home and auto policies. Try it@progressive.com Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates. Potential savings will vary. Not available in all states.
- [00:16]
Korva Coleman
Live from NPR News. In Washington, I'm Korva Coleman. The U.S. supreme Court says former Justice David Souter has died at his home in New Hampshire. He was 85. Souter was nominated to the high court in 1990 by former President George H.W. bush. He served until 2009. Souter had strong Republican support, but surprised many by voting with liberal justices during much of his tenure. Trade negotiators from the US And China are starting talks this weekend in Switzerland. These are the first high level face to face trade talks between the two countries since President Trump returned to the White House. NPR's Emily Feng has more.
- [00:51]
Emily Feng
The talks come despite pretty consistent defiance from China, which said it would fight to the end as levies on its goods climbed over the last few weeks. China has also demanded sincerity before this weekend's talks take off and for new US Levies to first be lowered, something President Trump has refused to do. Analysts say China also wants the US to roll back export controls on AI related technology like semiconductor chips. The US Meanwhile, has not yet laid out what concessions it would like to see from China. A phase one trade deal during Trump's first term required China to buy more American goods, which China largely ended up not doing. I'm only Fang, NPR News, Washington.
- [01:30]
Korva Coleman
A federal judge in San Francisco will hear arguments today in a lawsuit challenging the administration's sweeping overhaul of the federal government. As NPR's Andrea Hsu reports, the case was brought by a coalition of unions, nonprofits and local governments.
- [01:45]
Andrea Hsu
The case is the broadest legal challenge yet to President Trump's efforts to dramatically downsize the government. The plaintiffs contend that Congress has the sole authority to undertake the kind of wholesale transformation Trump has ordered, shutting down programs and firing large swaths of the workforce. They argue actions taken by Trump, Elon Musk and the heads of nearly two dozen federal agencies. Agencies usurp Congress's authority under the Constitution. They're asking the court to void agencies plans for mass layoffs, as well as Trump's executive order directing agencies to come up with those plans. Trump has repeatedly said that he has a mandate from the American people to root out waste and bloat and make government more efficient. Andrea Hsu, NPR News.
- [02:29]
Korva Coleman
Pope Leo XIV celebrated the first mass of his papacy today in the Vatican's Sistine Chapel. Robert Prevost is the first ever American pope. Born in Chicago, he is the youngest of three brothers. The pope's older brother, John Prevost, says his younger brother cares deeply for the poor because of the type of person.
- [02:50]
John Prevost
That he is, a regular run of the mill person. I think because he was trained in missionary work in South America for so many years. He will be looking out for the disenfranchised. He will be looking out for the poor.
- [03:04]
Korva Coleman
The Vatican says that Leo will be formally installed as pope during a mass on Sunday, May 18th. On Wall street, the Dow is now down 70 points. This is NPR. The U.S. postal Service board of Governors has named new postmaster general. It's David Steiner, the former CEO of Waste Management, an environmental and waste management corporation. Steiner has also served on the board of directors for FedEx. A Russian spacecraft launched 53 years ago could come crashing down as soon as tonight, but exactly where on Earth it will land remains unclear. NPR's Amy Held reports people are on alert for what may be an unusual re entry.
- [03:46]
Amy Held
Since 1972's failed launch to Venus, the craft has been orbiting Earth, slowly sinking. It's expected to finally fall this weekend. It's not unusual for space junk to enter the atmosphere. Often it just burns up. This time could be different. Cosmos 482 was built to sustain landing on the second planet from the sun, Venus. So it's possible the 1000 pound craft with a titanium shell will withstand the heat, pressure and speed of entry to Earth. Experts say the vast possible landing area is mostly ocean or uninhabited land, but not all of it. And because it's an uncontrolled entry, the risk is also not zero. Space agencies are monitoring it. Amy Held, NPR News.
- [04:31]
Korva Coleman
Transportation officials in the San Francisco Bay region say the area's rail transit system is entirely suspended. Officials with the Bay Area Rapid Transit System, or bart, say a computer networking system problem has forced all trains to shut down. Many commuters in the wider San Francisco area are stranded. I'm Korva Coleman, NPR News.
- [04:56]
Saatva
This message comes from Saatva, the first company to sell luxury mattresses online without the hassle or expense of traditional mattress stores. So Saatva customers have always paid about 50% less than retail. Visit saatva.com NPR today, where NPR listeners save an additional $200.