NPR News: 05-14-2026 10PM EDT

Summary

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NPR News Now: 05-14-2026 10PM EDT – Summary

Episode Overview

This concise, five-minute newscast, hosted by Jeanine Herbst, covers major international and domestic events, including high-stakes diplomacy between the U.S. and Cuba, a Supreme Court decision on abortion pill access, South Carolina's urgent redistricting push, nationalist tensions in Jerusalem, and a historic loss for Honda. The reporting offers vivid on-the-ground insights from NPR correspondents around the world.

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Key News Segments & Insights

1. U.S.–Cuba Diplomatic Tensions and Protests

[00:00–00:57]

• CIA Visit to Havana: CIA Director John Radcliffe led a delegation to Havana for intelligence talks with Cuban officials amid “high tensions” between the two nations.
  • The Cuban government asserted it “poses no threat to the United States,” denying foreign intelligence or military bases on its territory.
  • Context: This visit occurs as Cuba faces intensifying internal crises—protests erupted across Havana and the island suffers “critical” fuel shortages, causing ongoing blackouts.
• Notable Quote:
  • "The Cuban government says it demonstrated that Cuba poses no threat to the United States. It insists Cuba does not have any foreign military or intelligence bases on its territory, and it has never supported any hostile activity against the U.S." (Ada Peralta, 00:23)

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2. Supreme Court Maintains Abortion Pill Access

[00:57–01:54]

• Ruling Details: The Supreme Court overruled a lower court, allowing the abortion pill (mifeprestone) to remain available by mail nationwide “for now.”
  • The decision blocks, temporarily, the Fifth Circuit's attempt to stop abortion pills from being mailed.
  • This freeze will remain until legal arguments are fully resolved, possibly at the Supreme Court level.
  • Dissent: Justices Thomas and Alito dissented, with Thomas specifically attacking drugmakers’ rights in states where abortion is illegal.
• Notable Quote:
  • "Thomas took particular aim at the manufacturers of mifeprestone, contending that since abortion is illegal in Louisiana, drugmakers are not entitled to block a court order based on lost profits from their criminal enterprise." (Nina Totenberg, 01:38)

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3. South Carolina Lawmakers Reconvene for Redistricting

[01:54–02:54]

• Legislative Push: Governor McMaster calls a special session (starting tomorrow) to reconsider redistricting maps, targeting the state's only Democratic House seat.
  • The move aligns with “President Trump’s nationwide push ahead of the midterms.”
  • Legislative drama: The state senate narrowly missed the two-thirds vote needed to address redistricting during the regular session.
  • Implications: Early and absentee voting is underway. There’s uncertainty around what redistricting could mean for ballots already cast.
• Notable Quote:
  • "Absentee ballots are already being cast in primaries and in person. Early voting is set to begin May 26, a deadline lawmakers are also using for a new map and legislation to delay the voting. It's unclear what this will mean for ballots that have already been cast." (Gavin Jackson, 02:36)

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4. Ultra-Nationalist March Sparks Tension in Jerusalem

[02:54–04:09]

• Event Details: Tens of thousands participate in Jerusalem’s annual ultra-nationalist march—an event celebrating the Israeli capture of East Jerusalem decades ago.
  • Atmosphere: Marked by “racist and anti Palestinian chants.”
  • Reports of slurs and intimidation along the Muslim corridor, with some marchers wearing slogans (“Gaza is ours forever”), and symbols referring to Greater Israel—including lands beyond modern Israel.
  • Several hundred Israeli human rights activists attempt to shield Palestinians from aggression during the march.
• Notable Quotes:
  • "They are chanting religious chants. They're also chanting anti Arab Arab slurs like 'may your village burn.'" (Daniel Estrin, 03:23)
  • "Many here are waving flags calling for the building of the Jewish temple at the site of the biblical temples, which is where Islam's Al Aqsa Mosque stands today." (Daniel Estrin, 03:39)

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5. Honda Posts First-Ever Annual Loss

[04:09–04:40]

• Financial News: Honda reports a $2.7 billion loss for the past fiscal year—its first annual loss ever.
  • Cause: The automaker abandoned several ambitious electric vehicle initiatives, including a major joint venture with Sony.
  • Analysis: Economists say Honda may have been “too ambitious, acting when markets … were not ready.”
• Notable Quote:
  • "Economists say the company might have been too ambitious acting when markets are still were not ready." (Jeanine Herbst, 04:30)

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Memorable Moments & Quotes

• Interconnected Crises: Ada Peralta’s reporting links diplomatic moves to Cuba’s domestic turmoil, highlighting the overflow of street protests amid fuel shortages.
• Legal Nuance in Real-Time: Nina Totenberg’s segment succinctly conveys both the technical detail and the political stakes of the Supreme Court abortion pill ruling.
• Tension on the Ground: Daniel Estrin’s vivid on-the-ground coverage paints a charged atmosphere in Jerusalem, underscoring deep-seated ethnic and political rifts.

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• U.S.–Cuba Relations: 00:00–00:57
• Abortion Pill Ruling: 00:57–01:54
• South Carolina Redistricting: 01:54–02:54
• Jerusalem Ultra-Nationalist March: 02:54–04:09
• Honda Annual Loss: 04:09–04:40

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For those seeking clarity on today’s top global news, this episode offers punchy, fact-driven reporting with a balance of international focus and U.S. domestic developments—the hallmark of NPR News Now.

Transcript

[A]

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jeanine Herbst. The CIA director has wrapped up a visit to Havana, where he talked about intelligence cooperation. NPR's Ada Peralta reports. This comes at a time when tensions between the US And Cuba are running high.

[B]

In a statement, the Cuban government says CIA Director John Radcliffe flew to Havana with a delegation to meet with his counterpart at the Ministry of the Interior as part of the political dialogue. The Cuban government says it demonstrated that Cuba poses no threat to the United States. It insists Cuba does not have any foreign military or intelligence bases on its territory, and it has never supported any hostile activity against the U.S. the visit comes as the situation on the island becomes critical. Protesters took to the street across Savannah on Wednesday night, and Cuba's energy minister says they have run out of fuel, meaning blackouts are likely to continue across the country. Ada Peralta, NPR News, Mexico City.

[A]

The Supreme Court today allowed the abortion pill to remain available by mail nationwide, overruling for now at least a lower court decision that had blocked the pill from being sent through the mail everywhere in the country. NPR's Nina Totenberg reports.

[C]

In a one paragraph order, the high court froze a decision by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals that had made it illegal to send the abortion pill, known formally as miferistone, through the mail. The justices, however, reversed that ruling until the case is fully litigated up through the Supreme Court if necessary. Two justices, Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito, filed dissenting opinions. Thomas took particular aim at the manufacturers of mifeprestone, contending that since abortion is illegal in Louisiana, drugmakers are not entitled to block a court order based on lost profits from their criminal enterprise. Nina Totenberg, NPR News, Washington.

[A]

South Carolina's governor ordered state lawmakers back for a special session starting tomorrow to consider redistricting amid President Trump's nationwide push ahead of the midterm elections. South Carolina Public Radio's Gavin Jackson reports. Some Republicans want to flip the state's only Democratic held House seat on Tuesday.

[D]

The Republican controlled state Senate fell narrowly short of the two thirds support needed to extend a legislative session already underway and take up redistricting now. Republican Governor McMaster, who was an early supporter of Trump's in 2016, has called lawmakers back to start a new session which could flip the state's sole Democratic majority district, represented by Congressman Jim Clyburn, to a Republican majority. Absentee ballots are already being cast in primaries and in person. Early voting is set to begin May 26, a deadline lawmakers are also using for a new map and legislation to delay the voting. It's unclear what this will mean for ballots that have already been cast. For NPR News, I'm Gavin Jackson in Columbia, South Carolina.

[A]

And you're listening to NPR News from Washington. Tens of thousands of Israelis streamed through Jerusalem in an annual ultra nationalist march marked by racist and anti Palestinian chants. This event is in celebration of Israel's capture of east Jerusalem nearly 60 years ago. NPR's Daniel Estrin reports from the Old City of Jerusalem.

[E]

Orthodox Jewish boys and young men are streaming through the Muslim corridor of the Old City. They are chanting religious chants. They're also chanting anti Arab Arab slurs like mayor village burn. And you can see here symbols inspired by Israel's wars and Israel occupying lands throughout the region. Many people are wearing stickers that say Gaza is ours forever. Some are wearing necklaces with the map of what's called Greater Israel, including lands in today's Lebanon, Iraq and Jordan. Many here are waving flags calling for the building of the Jewish temple at the site of the biblical temples, which is where Islam's Al Aqsa Mosque stands today. Several hundred Israeli human rights activists been in the city trying to protect Palestinians in the streets as young Israelis attack them. Daniel Estrin, NPR News, Jerusalem.

[A]

Honda says it has a full year loss for the first time ever, losing $2.7 billion in the last fiscal year because of costly electric vehicle strategy. The Japanese automaker abandoned many of its plans for EV models, including those in the works and a joint venture with Sony. Economists say the company might have been too ambitious acting when markets are still were not ready. I'm Jeanine Herbst, and you're listening to NPR News from Washington.

[F]

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