NPR News: 05-13-2026 6AM EDT

Summary

NPR News Now: 6AM EDT – May 13, 2026

Host: Korva Coleman
Duration: ~5 minutes

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Episode Overview

This concise episode of NPR News Now provides an early morning briefing on the most significant national and international headlines. Main topics include President Trump's diplomatic mission to China, the impact of tariffs and the Iran war on the US economy, new leadership at ICE, developing primary election results, the situation for Palestinian children in the West Bank, and a tragic update from Mount Everest.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. President Trump’s Trip to China & Focus on Iran ([00:17]–[00:52])

• President Trump is traveling to China for meetings with President Xi Jinping.
  • Accompanied by key business leaders, including the CEOs of Boeing and Nvidia.
  • Emphasis on brokering business agreements amid escalating tensions.
  • The ongoing war in Iran will also be a focus, given China's business ties to Iran and its dependency on Iranian crude oil.

2. Impact of U.S. Tariffs on Consumers and Businesses ([00:52]–[01:31])

• Public Opinion on Tariffs:
  • "Most Americans think U.S. tariffs have been bad for both economies and driven up consumer costs." – Korva Coleman ([00:32])
• Personal Stories:
  • Alisa Kajiwar (physical therapist, Chicago):
    "I think the tariffs are bad. Making a worse deal for a country's trade does not mean we'll get more stuff out of it." ([01:00])
  • David Morgan (former furniture company owner, North Carolina):
    "Business dried up and we didn't have the orders. We filed chapter 11 and sold off a lot of our stuff." ([01:15])
• Poll Insight:
  • Potential solution: Cut tariffs on China in exchange for increased Chinese purchases of U.S. agricultural goods.

3. Economic Effects of the Iran War & Inflation ([01:31]–[02:26])

• Inflation:
  • U.S. consumer prices rose 3.8% in April year-over-year; gas prices especially affected.
  • Korva Coleman notes: "It's not the stock market that's hurting consumers. The government reported yesterday consumer prices rose in April 3.8% compared to... a year ago." ([01:54])
• President Trump on Iran:
  • "The only thing that matters when I'm talking about Iran, they can't have a nuclear weapon. I don't think about American's financial situation. I don't think about anybody. I think about one thing." – President Trump ([01:43])

4. New Acting ICE Director and Immigration Policy Shift ([02:26]–[03:09])

• David Ventrella expected to be named acting head of ICE.
  • Previous experience in both public sector (ICE, contracts) and private sector (Geo Group, immigration detention).
  • Shift toward building up detention/deportation capacity, away from high-profile enforcement surges.
  • ICE added 12,000 employees in the last year; Congress allocated $75 billion (half for detention space).

5. Primary Election Developments ([03:09]–[03:22])

• Nebraska/West Virginia Primaries:
  • Democratic primary for an open House seat in Nebraska is too close to call.
  • Main contenders: State Senator John Kavanaugh and activist Denise Powell.
  • Winner will face Republican Brinker Harding.

6. UNICEF Report: Palestinian Children in Danger ([03:22]–[04:41])

• UNICEF Warnings:
  • At least one Palestinian child killed every week in the occupied West Bank since early 2025.
  • Statistics:
    • 70 children killed (93% by Israeli forces), 850 wounded.
  • Key Quote:
    "Palestinians face an unprecedented number of settler attacks. Incidents documented... include children shot, stabbed, beaten and pepper sprayed." – Ruth Sherlock ([04:09])
  • Education under assault; 99 education-related incidents this year alone.
  • Daily travel to school described as "a walk through fear."

7. Everest Tragedy ([04:41]–[04:56])

• Nepali Sherpa Deaths:
  • Third Sherpa to die in two weeks on Mount Everest.

8. Market Update ([03:09])

• Stock Market:
  • Dow futures are lower in premarket trading.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• President Trump on Iran:
  "The only thing that matters when I'm talking about Iran, they can't have a nuclear weapon. I don't think about American's financial situation..." ([01:43])
• Alisa Kajiwar, on tariffs:
  "I think the tariffs are bad. Making a worse deal for a country's trade does not mean we'll get more stuff out of it." ([01:00])
• David Morgan, on losing his business:
  "Business dried up and we didn't have the orders. We filed chapter 11 and sold off a lot of our stuff." ([01:15])
• Ruth Sherlock, on Palestinian children:
  "UNICEF says daily travel to school has become a walk through fear." ([04:37])

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:17 – President Trump heads to China; focus on Iran war and trade.
• 00:52 – Tariffs impact Americans and U.S.-China trade; poll results.
• 01:31 – Iran war raises U.S. costs; Trump’s priorities; inflation data.
• 02:26 – ICE leadership change and immigration policy update.
• 03:09 – Wall Street premarket update; primary election highlights.
• 03:58 – UNICEF on child casualties in the West Bank.
• 04:41 – Everest Sherpa tragedy.

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This episode succinctly captures crucial world and national events shaping the U.S. and global landscape as of May 13, 2026, blending headline news with direct voices and eye-opening statistics.

Transcript

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[Korva Coleman]

In Washington, I'm Korva Coleman. President Trump is en route to China for meetings with President Xi Jinping. He's accompanied by several key business leaders such as the CEOs of Boeing and Nvidia. Trump will try to focus on reaching business agreements. The leaders will also focus on the war in Iran. China is a business ally of Iran's and buys most of Iran's crude oil. A new NPR Chicago Council Ipsos poll finds Most Americans think U.S. tariffs have been bad for both economies and driven up consumer costs. Here, NPR's Frank Langfit reports.

[Frank Langfit]

Alisa Kajiwar is a physical therapist in Greater Chicago. When she bought a Chinese made board game, she noticed tariffs added up to $20 to the price.

[Alisa Kajiwar]

I think the tariffs are bad. Making a worse deal for a country's trade does not mean we'll get more stuff out of it.

[Frank Langfit]

David Morgan lives in North Carolina and supports tariffs. Low wage competition from China sank his furniture company.

[David Morgan]

Business dried up and we didn't have the orders. We filed chapter 11 and sold off a lot of our stuff.

[Frank Langfit]

The poll shows most Americans see a potential solution, cut tariffs on China in exchange for China buying more US Agricultural goods. Frank Langford, NPR News, Washington.

[Korva Coleman]

The effects of the Iran war are driving up costs in the US Too. Before he left for China, President Trump said he did not consider Americans financial situation when he's thinking about the war.

[David Morgan]

The only thing that matters when I'm talking about Iran, they can't have a nuclear weapon. I don't think about American's financial situation. I don't think about anybody. I think about one thing, he added.

[Korva Coleman]

If the stock market goes up or down a little bit, the American people understand it. But it's not the stock market that's hurting consumers. The government reported yesterday consumer prices rose in April 3.8% compared to the same time a year ago. Prices were up for many things, but especially gas. President Trump is expected to name David Ventrella as the next acting director of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency, or Ice Age. NPR's Jimena Bustillo prepared this report.

[Jimena Bustillo]

Ventrella most recently worked for the department overseeing contracts between ICE and various detention facilities. He previously worked for ICE during the Obama and George W. Bush administrations. He left the agency to work for Geo Group, a private prison company that contracts with the federal government for immigration detention. The selection comes as leadership at dhs, led by new Secretary Mark Wade Mullen, are looking to shift away from controversial surges of enforcement and build up detention and deportation capacity. Ventrella will inher much larger workforce. About 12,000 new employees were added in the last year and a bigger budget. Congressional Republicans gave ICE $75 billion last summer, about half to spend on the tension space. Ximena Bustillo, NPR News, Washington.

[Korva Coleman]

On Wall Street, Dow futures are lower in premarket trading. This is npr. Voters in Nebraska and West Virginia held primary elections yesterday. One Democratic primary race for an open U.S. house seat is too close to call in Nebraska, with about 89% of the votes counted, State Senator John Kavanaugh and activist Denise Powell are virtually tied. The winner will face Republican Brinker Harding in the general election. The UN Children's Agency says Palestinian children in the occupied west bank are at dangerous risk from Israeli military operations and settler attacks. UNICEF says at least one child has been killed there every week since the start of last year. NPR's Ruth Sherlock has more.

[Ruth Sherlock]

UNICEF says 70 Palestinian children have been killed in the occupied west bank since January last year, 93% by Israeli forces. Another 850 have been wounded. Palestinians face an unprecedented number of settler attacks. Incidents documented by UNICEF include children shot, stabbed, beaten and pepper sprayed. Education is under what it calls sustained assault, with 99 documented incidences this year alone for thousands of children across the occupied West Bank. UNICEF says daily travel to school has become a walk through fear. Ruth Sherlock, NPR News, Ramallah. In the occupied west bank, officials in

[Korva Coleman]

Nepal say another Nepali Sherpa guide has died while climbing Mount Everest. Three Sherpas have died in the past two weeks while climbing the iconic mountain. I'm Korva Coleman, NPR News, in Washington.

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