NPR News: 05-13-2025 6AM EDT

Summary

NPR News Now – May 13, 2025, 6 AM EDT

Host: Korva Coleman
Producer: NPR
Description: The latest news in five minutes. Updated hourly.

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President Trump's Middle East Trip and U.S. Spending Bill Developments

International Diplomacy: President Donald Trump has embarked on a significant four-day diplomatic mission to the Middle East, starting with his arrival in Saudi Arabia. He was warmly received on the tarmac by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, marked by a ceremonial 21-gun salute. This trip includes subsequent visits to Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, underscoring the administration's focus on strengthening ties in the region.

Domestic Legislative Efforts: Meanwhile, House Republicans are intensifying their efforts to finalize a substantial spending bill within the week. The process involves three key committees:

• House Energy and Commerce Committee
• Ways and Means Committee
• Committee on Agriculture

Internal Divisions: Despite holding a slim majority, Republicans face internal challenges in reconciling demands for significant spending cuts with the interests of members from competitive districts who seek the protection of expensive programs and tax incentives. A critical point of contention is the cap on State and Local Tax (SALT) deductions. In districts such as New York, New Jersey, and California, GOP members have stated that their support hinges on increasing the SALT deduction cap.

Elena Moore, NPR:
"It's crucial for GOP leaders to get these folks on board." [00:49]

The necessity for near-unanimous party approval makes these negotiations pivotal for the bill's passage.

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Judicial Ruling on IRS and ICE Data Sharing

A significant legal decision has emerged concerning the Internal Revenue Service's (IRS) collaboration with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). A federal judge has declined to block the IRS from sharing tax data with ICE, a move that could facilitate the identification and deportation of individuals residing in the U.S. without legal status.

Legal Context: Despite existing restrictions on the type of information ICE can request, the ruling by U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich, appointed by former President Trump, allows this data sharing to proceed.

Controversy and Privacy Concerns: The decision follows the resignation of IRS Commissioner Melanie Krause, who stepped down over an agreement permitting ICE access to IRS tax records. ICE has maintained that the data sharing is limited to major criminal cases. However, nonprofit organizations argue that this practice infringes on the privacy rights of all taxpayers, regardless of their immigration status, posing a broader threat to American privacy.

Jasmine Garsd, NPR:
"To do otherwise threatens the privacy of all Americans." [01:43]

The ruling has sparked a debate over the balance between law enforcement needs and individual privacy rights.

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Air Traffic Control Issues at Newark International Airport

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has announced that federal officials will engage with major airlines in Washington to address persistent air traffic control problems in the Northeast, particularly those originating from Newark International Airport.

Aviation Concerns: The inefficiencies have led to extensive flight delays, with families enduring wait times of four to five hours for flights that fail to take off promptly.

Secretary Duffy:
"The goal is to have a manageable number of flights land at Newark. Families shouldn't have to wait four or five hours for a flight that never takes off." [02:52]

In response, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has established an emergency task force to evaluate and enhance air traffic control safety measures at Newark, aiming to streamline operations and reduce delays.

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Legal Proceedings: Gerard Depardieu and Texas Supreme Court Appeals

French Judicial Verdict: Renowned French actor Gérard Depardieu has been convicted of sexual assault in a French court. The charges stem from allegations of repeatedly groping two women on a film set in 2021. The court has sentenced Depardieu to an 18-month suspended prison term, a decision he has vowed to appeal.

Texas Supreme Court Appeal: In the United States, a notable legal battle is unfolding as lawyers representing Kern and former foster children in Texas seek to overturn a recent appeals court decision. Their goal is to have the removal of Judge Janice Jack from their case reinstated by the U.S. Supreme Court. Judge Jack, a long-standing jurist in the case, was ousted by the conservative Fifth Circuit Appeals Court, which cited perceived bias in her handling of the case.

Paul Flav, Texas Public Radio:
"The conservative Fifth Circuit Appeals court misapplied key legal standards when it ordered Judge Janice Jack removed from the case." [03:52]

The plaintiffs argue that navigating the judicial process should respect the integrity of longstanding judges and that the contempt fines levied against the Texas Health and Human Services Commission were unjustly nullified.

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Public Health Alert: Listeria Outbreak Linked to Prepared Foods

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has reported that ten individuals have been hospitalized due to infections caused by Listeria monocytogenes, a bacterial pathogen. Investigations have traced the outbreak to prepared food products manufactured by Fresh and Ready Foods, a company specializing in sandwiches and snacks.

Affected Regions and Response: The contaminated products were distributed in Arizona, California, Nevada, and Washington state towards the end of the previous month. In response, a comprehensive recall of all implicated Fresh and Ready Foods products has been initiated to prevent further cases.

Public Health Advisory: Consumers are urged to check their purchases and heed recall notices to avoid exposure to the bacteria, which can cause severe illness, particularly in vulnerable populations such as the elderly and immunocompromised individuals.

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Stay informed with NPR News Now for the latest updates on these and other pressing stories.

Transcript

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[Korva Coleman]

Live from NPR News in Washington. On Korva Coleman, President Trump has arrived in Saudi Arabia. He was greeted on the tarmac by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman with the fanfare that included a 21 gun salute. Saudi Arabia is the start of a four day trip for Trump. He'll also visit Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. House Republicans are hoping to finish crafting their massive spending bill this week. The remaining three committees are set to mark up and advance their portions of the bill, but NPR's Elena Moore reports some internal divisions remain at play.

[Elena Moore]

The House Energy and Commerce Committee, the Ways and Means Committee and the Committee on Agriculture will each meet. GOP leaders must find a way to meet demands for deep spending cuts while also working to appease members who want to protect costly programs and tax incentives. One example is over salt state and local property taxes members in competitive New York, New Jersey and California districts say their support for the bill is tied to a higher cap for SALT deductions. It's crucial for GOP leaders to get these folks on board. Republicans hold a slim majority in the House, and they'll need nearly full party approval to get the bill passed. Elena Moore, NPR News.

[Korva Coleman]

A federal judge has refused to block the Internal Revenue Service from sharing immigrants tax data with Immigration and Customs enforcer. NPR's Jasmine Garde reports ICE could use the data from the IRS to find and deport people who are illegally in.

[Jasmine Garsd]

The US There are restrictions on what kind of information ICE can request from the irs, but US District Judge Dabney Friedrich, a Trump appointee, has denied a preliminary injunction. The decision comes weeks after IRS Commissioner Melanie Krause resigned over a deal to allow ICE to use IRS tax records to identify immigrants without legal status in the US ICE has said working with the IRS is strictly for major criminal cases. Various nonprofit groups argued that immigrants who pay taxes are entitled to the same privacy as US Citizens regardless of their legal status. They argue that to do otherwise threatens the privacy of all Americans. Jasmine Garsd, NPR News, New York.

[Korva Coleman]

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy says federal officials will meet representatives from major airlines tomorrow in Washington. They're going to discuss air traffic control problems in the Northeast. Many of these stem from flights originating or leaving Newark International Airport. Duffy says the officials will talk about reducing the number of flights at the New Jersey airport.

[Sean Duffy]

The goal is to have a manageable number of flights land at Newark. Families shouldn't have to wait four or five hours for a flight that never takes off.

[Korva Coleman]

The Federal Aviation Administration has launched an emergency task force to review air traffic control safety at Newark Airport. You're listening to npr. French film star Garard Depardieu has been convicted of sexual assault in a French courtroom. He had been accused of repeatedly groping two women on a film set in 2021. The French court imposed an 18 month suspended prison sentence. Depardieu says he will appeal. In the US Lawyers for Kern and former foster children in Texas are appealing their lawsuit to the U.S. supreme Court. They want to overturn an appeals court decision that yanked a lower court judge off the case. Texas Public Radio's Paul Flav reports. They're also seeking to have the lower court judge's contempt order against the state of Texas reinstated.

[Paul Flav]

The plaintiff's team says the conservative Fifth Circuit Appeals court misapplied key legal standards when it ordered Judge Janice Jack removed from the case she has overseen for 13 years. The court said Jack showed signs of bias against the state of Texas in her statements, manner and rulings. Jack levied $100,000 a day contempt fines against the head of Texas Health and Human Services Commission over failures for investigating facilities that house people with intellectual disabilities. The state said the process was flawed and got the contempt order nullified. Attorneys fighting the state want the Supreme Court to determine whether Jack and the contempt find should be reinstated. I'm Paul Flav in San Antonio.

[Korva Coleman]

The Food and Drug Administration says 10 people have been hospitalized by the bacterial infection listeria. This has been traced to prepared foods made by Fresh and Ready Foods. The company makes sandwiches and snack items. These were sold in Arizona, California, Nevada and Washington state at the end of last month. They have all been recalled. I'm Corva Coleman, NPR News.

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