NPR News: 05-09-2025 9PM EDT

Summary

NPR News Now: May 10, 2025, 9 PM EDT

NPR's "News Now" episode from May 10, 2025, delivers a comprehensive update on the latest global and national events. This summary encapsulates the key discussions, insights, and conclusions presented during the episode.

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1. President Trump's Middle East Tour

[00:18 – 00:34]

Host: Jack Spear introduces President Donald Trump's upcoming Middle East trip, marking his first policy-focused foreign visit of his second term.

Reporter: Franco Ordonez elaborates on the trip, highlighting its objectives and the geopolitical context:

• Focus on Cooperation: The White House emphasizes enhancing cooperation in the region, transitioning from extremism to commerce and cultural exchanges.
• Military Engagement: Trump plans to meet with U.S. troops stationed at the Al Uddin Air Base in Doha, Qatar.
• Peace Efforts and Business Deals: Originally, Trump's agenda included accelerating peace in the Middle East, curbing Iran's nuclear ambitions, and encouraging Saudi Arabia to normalize relations with Israel as part of the Abraham Accords. However, due to ongoing conflicts, particularly the war in Gaza, the emphasis is shifting towards forging business agreements.

Notable Quote:

"...Trump and the Gulf leaders are expected to focus less on the quest for peace and more on making business deals." — Franco Ordonez [00:34]

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2. Passing of Retired Supreme Court Justice David Souter

[01:23 – 02:12]

Host: Jack Spear announces the death of retired Supreme Court Justice David Souter at age 85.

Reporter: Nina Totenberg provides an in-depth tribute:

• Judicial Journey: Appointed by a Republican president, Souter began as an old-fashioned conservative but evolved into a centrist, often siding with liberal justices.
• Political Impact: His shift angered political conservatives, who opposed his potential replacement, leading to decreased efforts to appoint successors aligned with their views.
• Legacy and Respect: Over 19 years, Souter earned widespread admiration. Chief Justice John Roberts praised him for his "uncommon wisdom and kindness."

Notable Quote:

"...Souter brought uncommon wisdom and kindness to a lifetime of public service." — Chief Justice John Roberts [02:12]

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3. Pope Leo XIV's First Mass

[02:12 – 02:56]

Host: Jack Spear reports on Pope Leo XIV's inaugural Mass, marking his official installation as the successor to Pope Francis.

Reporter: Jason DeRose describes the ceremony:

• Historic Significance: Leo XIV is the first U.S.-born pope in 2,000 years.
• Ceremonial Details: The Mass took place in the Vatican's Sistine Chapel with traditional rituals, including multiple Bible readings in both English and Spanish.
• Attire and Homily: Unlike his predecessor, Leo wore black shoes similar to Pope Francis. His homily, delivered in Italian, emphasized the importance of spreading Christianity in a world that sometimes opposes it.

Notable Quote:

"...the need to spread Christianity to a world that sometimes mocks it." — Pope Leo XIV [02:56]

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4. International Tribunal for Russian Leaders

[02:56 – 04:08]

Host: Stock markets closed mixed with the Dow down by 119 points.

Reporter: Terry Schultz covers the advancement of an international tribunal aimed at prosecuting Russian leaders for aggression against Ukraine:

• Global Support: Over three dozen countries, mainly European, have endorsed the tribunal. The meeting in Lviv, Ukraine, established the legal framework to hold Russian officials accountable.
• Exclusion from ICC: Since Russia is not a member of the International Criminal Court (ICC), this new body becomes essential for prosecution.
• Calls for Accountability: EU Foreign Policy Chief Kaia Kallis stated, "If there is no accountability, we will see this happening again."

Notable Quotes:

"...if there is no accountability, we will see this happening again." — Kaia Kallis [04:04] "Pope Leo didn't wear the red slippers that Benedict wore. Instead, he wore rather the black shoes that Francis wore." — Jason DeRose [Note: This quote seems misplaced in this context; ensure accurate attribution in the transcript.] [Assumed Correct Timestamp: 02:31]

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5. Chimpanzees Exhibit Rhythmic Drumming

[04:15 – 04:57]

Host: Jack Spear introduces a fascinating scientific discovery about chimpanzees.

Reporter: The episode highlights new research published in Current Biology:

• Rhythmic Ability: Chimpanzees exhibit regular drumming rhythms on tree trunks, often developing unique styles.
• Evolutionary Insight: This behavior suggests that the ability to produce rhythm may trace back over 6 million years, challenging previous beliefs that drumming was solely a human form of long-distance communication.

Notable Quote:

"It may not make some drummers happy, but apparently even a monkey can keep the beat." — Jack Spear [04:15]

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6. Market Updates

[04:56 – 04:57]

Host: Jack Spear provides brief updates on the financial markets:

• Stock Market: The Dow Jones fell by 119 points.
• Crude Oil Prices: Oil surged by over $1 per barrel, reaching $61.01 a barrel in New York.

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Conclusion

This episode of NPR News Now offers a diverse range of topics, from international diplomacy and significant political legacies to groundbreaking scientific research and market movements. Whether it's the strategic maneuvers in the Middle East, the enduring legacy of Justice Souter, the historic ascent of Pope Leo XIV, the pursuit of justice against Russian aggression, or the rhythmic talents of chimpanzees, listeners are provided with insightful and engaging coverage of the day's most pressing issues.

Transcript

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[Jack Spear]

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jack Spear. President Trump leaves for the Middle East Monday. NPR's Franco Ordonez reports. Trump will travel to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates for his first policy focused foreign trip of his second term.

[Franco Ordonez]

The White House says the trip will highlight greater cooperation in the region, where it says extremism is being replaced with commerce and cultural exchanges. Trump also plans to visit with US Troops stationed at the Al Udid air base outside of Doha. In Qatar, Trump strode into office promising to bring peace in the Middle east quickly and stop Iranian advances toward becoming a nuclear power. He also wants to persuade Saudi Arabia to normalize relations with Israel, joining what's known as the Abraham Accords. But those efforts have been complicated by the ongoing war in Gaza, and with little progress to announce, Trump and the Gulf leaders are expected to focus less on the quest for peace and more on making business deals. Franco Ordonez, NPR News.

[Jack Spear]

Retired Supreme Court Justice David Souter has died at the age of 85. Bures needed, Totenberg has more.

[Nina Totenberg]

Souter, appointed to the Supreme Court by a Republican president, was an old fashioned conservative who was initially a centrist on the Supreme Court. But as the court grew more conservative, he voted more and more reliably with the court's liberal justices. Political conservatives were so infuriated by his drift to the center left that the next time there was an opening on the court, their rallying cry was no more suitors. But over his 19 year tenure, Souter came to be widely admired by all of his colleagues. As Chief Justice Roberts put it in a statement on Friday, Souter brought uncommon wisdom and kindness to a lifetime of public service. Nina Totenberg, NPR News, Washington.

[Jack Spear]

Pope Leo XIV celebrated his first Mass since being chosen as the designated successor to Pope Francis leo, the first US born pope in the 2000 year history of the Catholic Church, processing into the Sistine Chapel and blessing cardinals as he approached the frescoed Altar Bureau's Jason DeRose reports.

[Jason DeRose]

Much of it was formal, of course. It was, after all, in the Vatican's Sistine Chapel and cardinals processed in in their white chasubles and mitres. But Pope Leo didn't wear the red slippers that Benedict wore. Instead, he wore rather the black shoes that Francis wore. There were the traditional multiple Bible readings, two by women, one in English and one in Spanish. And the sermons started in English and then switched to Italian.

[Jack Spear]

For most of it, Leo acknowledged the great responsibility placed upon him before delivering a brief but dense homily in Italian on the need to spread Christianity to a world that sometimes mocks it. Leo will formally be installed as pope in a mass on May 18. Stocks drifted to a mixed close on Wall street today. The dow was down 119 points. This is NPR. An international court will try Russian leaders for the crime of aggression against Ukrainians, and that has now moved a step closer to reality. Terry schultz, More than three dozen countries have signed onto a plan to create such a tribunal.

[Terry Schultz]

Meeting in Lviv, Ukraine, foreign ministers from almost 40 countries, more than half of them European, signed a document marking the conclusion of the legal framework for the new tribunal. It will pursue Russian decision makers for the crime of aggression and starting the full scale war against Ukraine. Because Russia does not belong to the International Criminal Court, the ICC cannot prosecute Russian President Vladimir Putin and other Russian leaders, making a new body necessary. EU foreign policy chief Kaia Kallis is among its strongest backers and called for more countries to join because if there.

[Kaia Kallis]

Is no accountability, we will see this happening again.

[Terry Schultz]

Former President Joe Biden had backed the creation of the court, but President Trump withdrew that support. For NPR News, I'm Terry Schultz in Brussels.

[Jack Spear]

It may not make some drummers happy, but apparently even a monkey can keep the beat. That's based on a new analysis showing chimpanzees drum with regular rhythm when they beat on tree trunks, in many cases with their own signature styles. Scientists looked at hundreds of instances of chimp drumming to come up with their conclusion. Researchers say it would appear to show the ability to produce rhythm dates back more than 6 million years. It's long been believed that drumming is a form of long distance communication. The research is published in the journal Current Biology. Crude oil futures prices moved higher today. Oil up more than a dollar a barrel to $61.01 a barrel. In New York, I'm Jack Spear, NPR News, in Washington.

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