NPR News: 05-12-2026 1AM EDT - NPR News Now

Summary4 min read

NPR News Now: May 12, 2026, 1AM EDT

Host: Giles Snyder
Episode Theme: Top U.S. and international news highlights, focusing on responses to the Iran war’s impact, public health issues, Supreme Court decisions, U.S. immigration policy, and global economic updates.

1. Gas Prices Surge: President Trump Proposes Suspending the Federal Gas Tax

[00:01–02:11]

Context: The Iran war continues to disrupt global energy markets, with U.S. gas prices reaching $4.52 per gallon—nearly a 50% rise since before U.S. military actions in Iran.
Trump’s Announcement: President Trump states he wants Congress to temporarily suspend the federal gas tax to ease consumer burden.
- “The potential suspension is an acknowledgement from the White House of the toll that high gas prices have taken on American consumers.”
  —Danielle Kurtzleben, [00:21]
Political Response:
- The move would require congressional approval—not an action Trump can take alone.
- Bipartisan support exists, but opinions vary on broader solutions.
  - Senator John Hoeven (R-ND) expresses support but emphasizes:
    - “I would, and I think others would, but what’s going to make the real difference is... getting control of the [Strait of] Hormuz.”
      —Sen. Hoeven, [01:11]
  - Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) urges Republicans to support using the War Powers Act to check the President’s military actions and reduce gas costs.
- Poll Results: NPR/PBS/Marist poll:
  - 8 in 10 Americans say gas prices are hurting their budgets.
  - 63% blame Trump for the price hikes.
Upcoming Presidential Trip: Trump heads to China to discuss trade, but the Iran war will be a backdrop, as China is a key buyer of Iranian oil.
Notable Quote:
- “At the White House on Monday, Trump called Iran’s response to the U.S. proposal to end the war ‘garbage’ and said the ceasefire is on life support.” —[01:59]

2. Hantavirus Outbreak on U.S. Cruise Ship

[02:11–02:56]

Incident: Eighteen Americans from a cruise ship affected by hantavirus return for observation and treatment.
Quarantine Details:
- 15 passengers without symptoms are quarantined at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.
  - Dr. Michael Wadman, overseeing the unit, reports:
    - “The 15 that were welcomed here were in good shape. They were in good spirits. They definitely were tired and needed some rest. So we did a quick assessment.”
      —Dr. Wadman, [02:23]
- 1 patient with mild symptoms is in a biocontainment unit.
- 2 others, including a symptomatic patient, are in containment at Emory University in Atlanta.
- Health officials will monitor for 42 days, though some may quarantine at home after further evaluation.

3. Supreme Court Extends Access to Abortion Pill

[02:56–03:36]

Update: The Supreme Court temporarily extends access to mifepristone while reviewing a lower court’s ruling.
Current Status: Women can continue to obtain mifepristone by mail or at pharmacies, without in-person doctor visits, at least through Thursday.

4. U.S. Shifts Stance at UN Migration Forum

[03:36–04:16]

UN Meeting: Member states met to reaffirm support for the Global Compact for Migration.
U.S. Position Shift:
- The Trump administration’s State Department did not attend and publicly rejected the premise of managing migration.
  - Instead, their stated goal is “remigration”—encouraging migrants to return to their countries of origin.
- Their statement alleges the UN is promoting “replacement immigration”—a term echoing white nationalist rhetoric.
  - “The State Department did not explain what that means, though the language echoes that of the white nationalist great replacement theory.”
    —Michelle Kellerman, [04:08]

5. Global Financial Market Updates

[04:16–04:40]

Market Snapshot:
- Wall Street sees gains, but Asia-Pacific stocks are mixed.
- Tokyo and Hong Kong up; Seoul, Sydney, and Shanghai down.
- South Korea’s market drops over 1%.
- Oil prices remain steady at ~$104 per barrel.

Notable Quotes

“The potential suspension is an acknowledgement from the White House of the toll that high gas prices have taken on American consumers.”
—Danielle Kurtzleben, [00:21]
“I would, and I think others would, but what’s going to make the real difference is... getting control of the [Strait of] Hormuz.”
—Sen. John Hoeven, [01:11]
“The State Department did not explain what that means, though the language echoes that of the white nationalist great replacement theory.”
—Michelle Kellerman, [04:08]

Summary

This NPR News Now update covers urgent domestic and international developments: President Trump’s response to gas prices amid the Iran war; a hantavirus outbreak quarantining cruise ship passengers; major reproductive rights litigation; a sharply more restrictive U.S. migration policy at the UN; and global financial market movements. Insightful commentary from NPR reporters and direct quotes from policymakers provide both context and color.

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Transcript12 lines

[00:01]
A
Live from NPR News, I'm Giles Snyder. The Iran war has disrupted energy markets for more than 10 weeks. Now President Trump says he wants to temporarily suspend the federal gas tax. NPR's Danielle Kurtzleben reports on Trump's latest response to surging prices at the pump.
[00:21]
B
Suspending the gas tax would require an act of Congress. Currently, the tax is 18.3 cents per gallon of gas and 24.3 cents on diesel. The potential suspension is an acknowledgement from the White House of the toll that high gas prices have taken on American consumers. The latest NPR PBS News Marist poll found that 8 in 10Americans say gas prices are straining their budgets and that 63% say those price increases are Trump's fault. Regular gasoline cost just under $3 per gallon before the U.S. bombed Iran. Now it costs 50% more at $4.52, according to AAA. Danielle Kurtzleben, NPR News, the White House.
[00:57]
A
President Trump cannot act to suspend the federal gas tax on his own. He would need to seek congressional approval. Lawmakers from both parties have pushed for such a move, though Republican Senator John Hoeven of North Dakota yeah, you know,
[01:11]
C
I would and I think others would, but what's going to make the real difference is what I just described again, getting control of the straight Hormuz.
[01:19]
A
Massachusetts Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren said Monday that Republicans could help cut the cost of gas if they would use the War Powers act to rein in President Trump. The federal tax is currently set at just over 18 cents per gallon on gasoline and roughly 24 cents per gallon on diesel fuel. President Trump is to leave for a trip to China Tuesday. The White House says the focus of his trip is keeping trade stable, but the Iran war will likely loom in the background. China, a major buyer of Iranian oil. At the White House on Monday, Trump called Iran's response to the US Proposal to end the war garbed garbage and set the ceasefires on life support. Eighteen Americans aboard a cruise ship hit with a hantavirus outbreak have returned to the U.S. as NPR's Ping Huang reports, are staying in specialized facilities for observation and treatment.
[02:12]
D
US Cruise passengers arrived at the University of Nebraska Medical center, home to a federally funded quarantine unit. Dr. Michael Wadman oversees the facilities in which 15 passengers who don't have symptoms are quarantining.
[02:23]
C
The 15 that were welcomed here were in good shape. They were in good spirits. They definitely were tired and needed some rest. So we did a quick assessment.
[02:33]
D
One passenger who tested mildly positive for hantavirus is staying in a higher level biocontainment unit and two passengers were sent to Atlanta, a couple in which one person has symptoms. They're staying in biocontainment at Emory University. Health officials said the passengers would be monitored for symptoms over 42 days, though after an initial assessment, some may do it from home. Ping Huang, NPR News.
[02:56]
A
And you're listening to NPR News. The U.S. supreme Court has temporarily extended access to the abortion medication mifepristone. The order allows women seeking abortions to continue obtaining mifepristone at pharmacies or through the mail without an in person visit to a doctor, at least through Thursday, while the court considers whether to allow restrictions imposed by a federal appeals court to take effect. The Trump administration's State Department did not participate in a UN forum last week about international migration. NPR's Michelle Kellerman reports on how the administration is trying to redefine refugee issues.
[03:36]
E
UN Member states met last week to recommit themselves to what's known as the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular migration. But the U.S. state Department says its goal is not to manage migration, but to foster what it calls remigration, that is, getting migrants to leave the US and return to their home countries. In a statement, the department also accuses the UN of trying, trying to advocate for and facilitate, quote, replacement immigration in the US The State Department did not explain what that means, though the language echoes that of the white nationalist great replacement theory. Michelle Kellerman, NPR News, the State Department
[04:17]
A
following Monday's rally on Wall Street. Shares in Asia are mixed. Stocks in Tokyo and Hong Kong are up, but they're declining in Seoul, Sydney and Shanghai. South Korea's benchmark is down more than 1% profit taking. Oil prices are steady at around $104 per barrel. I'm Giles Snyder. This is NPR News.
[04:41]
F
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