NPR News: 05-16-2025 10PM EDT

Summary

NPR News Now: May 17, 2025, 10 PM EDT

The latest news in five minutes. Updated hourly.

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Supreme Court Blocks Deportation of Migrants in Texas

[00:18 - 02:05]

Host Introduction: Jack Spear opens the episode by highlighting a significant Supreme Court decision impacting immigration enforcement.

Detailed Report: Sergio Martinez Beltran reports that the U.S. Supreme Court has temporarily halted the Trump administration's efforts to deport a group of Venezuelan migrants in Texas under the 18th-century Alien Enemies Act. The administration had rapidly initiated deportations, labeling the individuals as gang members.

Key Points:

• The Court ruled that the administration failed to provide sufficient notice to the detainees, granting them more time to contest their deportation than the approximately 24-hour window initially given.
• Notable Quote: “[The] detainees are entitled to more notice than the roughly 24 hours the government gave the Venezuelan men at the center of this case,” stated Beltran at [00:40].
• Conservative Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas dissented, arguing against the temporary block.
• The ruling does not address the legality of invoking the Alien Enemies Act itself but allows the government to pursue deportations under other lawful authorities.

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Texas House Votes to Repeal Law Banning Homosexual Conduct

[01:17 - 02:15]

Host Introduction: Jack Spear transitions to a landmark legislative development in Texas concerning LGBTQ+ rights.

Detailed Report: Andrew Schneider reports that the Texas House of Representatives has successfully voted to repeal a longstanding law that criminalizes consensual homosexual conduct. Although the law has been unenforceable since the 2003 Supreme Court decision in Lawrence v. Texas, it remained technically on the books due to persistent conservative opposition.

Key Points:

• The repeal bill was authored by Democratic state Representative Venton Jones, one of the first Black gay members of the Texas Legislature.
• Notable Quotes:
  • Representative Jones emphasized the importance of voting based on rights rather than personal agreement, stating, "I'm not asking you to vote based on whether or not you agree with the Lawrence v. Texas ruling. Instead, I'm asking you to vote on a law that strengthens the fundamental civil liberties and individual freedoms that all Texans deserve" [01:54 - 02:02].
• The bill passed the House by a narrow margin of 59 to 56, with several Republicans joining Democrats to secure the vote.
• Schneider adds, "The bill passed the House on its final reading by a vote of 59 to 56, with a handful of Republicans joining forces with Democrats" [02:05 - 02:15].
• Despite the House approval, the bill faces significant challenges in the state Senate.

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Major Cable Companies Announce Multi-Billion Dollar Merger

[02:15 - 03:02]

Host Introduction: Jack Spear introduces a major development in the telecommunications industry, setting the stage for Marlon Hyde’s in-depth coverage.

Detailed Report: Marlon Hyde reports that Cox Communications and Charter Communications are set to merge in a deal valued at over $34 billion, aiming to create one of the largest TV and Internet providers in the United States.

Key Points:

• Cox Communications is the third-largest cable television company in the U.S., serving over 6.5 million customers with digital cable, Internet, telephone, and home security services.
• Charter Communications, known as Spectrum, boasts more than 32 million customers across 41 states.
• If approved by regulators, the merged entity will operate under the Cox Communications name within a year of closing.
• Hyde notes the industry's struggle to compete with cheaper streaming services as a driving factor behind the merger.

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Severe Storms and Tornado Cause Fatalities Near St. Louis

[03:02 - 03:54]

Host Introduction: Jack Spear briefs listeners on severe weather events affecting the St. Louis area, highlighting ongoing search and rescue efforts.

Detailed Report: At least four fatalities have been reported following severe storms and a possible tornado that struck near St. Louis. The National Weather Service confirmed that a tornado touched down in Clayton, Missouri, between 2:30 and 2:50 PM.

Key Points:

• The storms caused significant property damage, including ripped-off roofs, siding, and downed trees and power lines.
• St. Louis Mayor Kara Spencer confirmed the deaths during a media briefing.
• Authorities are actively searching for additional victims as recovery efforts continue.

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Pope Leo XIV’s First Address to Diplomats

[03:54 - 04:37]

Host Introduction: Jack Spear transitions to international news, focusing on Pope Leo XIV’s inaugural speech to global diplomats.

Detailed Report: Ruth Sherlock reports on Pope Leo XIV’s address to ambassadors at the Vatican, where he articulated the Church’s stance on various social issues and highlighted a compassionate approach toward migrants.

Key Points:

• Support for Migrants: “The dignity must be respected,” the Pope declared, emphasizing his background as a descendant of immigrants and advocating for compassion and solidarity with displaced individuals [03:54 - 04:02].
• Social Issues: The Pope reaffirmed the Church’s traditional views on marriage as a union between a man and a woman and maintained the Church’s position against abortion.
• He called for “respect for the dignity of every person, especially the most frail and vulnerable, from the unborn to the elderly, from the sick to the unemployed, citizens and immigrants alike” [03:58 - 04:37].

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Moody’s Downgrades U.S. Sovereign Credit Rating

[04:37 - 04:56]

Host Introduction: Jack Spear highlights a significant change in the United States' financial standing as assessed by major credit rating agencies.

Detailed Report: Moody’s has downgraded the U.S. sovereign credit rating from AAA to AA1, citing rising national debt levels. This move follows similar actions by other agencies, including Fitch's downgrade in August 2023 and Standard & Poor’s downgrade in 2011.

Key Points:

• The downgrade reflects concerns over the sustainability of the U.S. debt amidst increasing fiscal challenges.
• This marks a continued trend of reassessment by credit rating agencies regarding the U.S. economy's long-term stability.

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Stay informed with NPR News Now for the latest updates every hour.

Transcript

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[Jack Spear]

News in Washington, I'm jack spear. The U.S. supreme Court has temporarily blocked the Trump administration from deporting a group of migrants in Texas under the Alien enemies acting. The 18th century Wartime power was invoked by Trump to quickly deport Venezuelans deems are members of a gang. Imperial Sergio Martinez Beltran is more.

[Sergio Martinez Beltran]

The Supreme Court says the Trump administration did not give the men at a detention center in northern Texas enough time to challenge their deportations under the Alien Enemies Act. The unsigned order says detainees are entitled to more notice than the roughly 24 hours the government gave the Venezuelan men at the center of this case. Conservative Justices Samo Alito and Clarence Thomas dissented. This ruling did not address the question of whether Trump's invocation of the Alien Enemies act was legal. The high court did say that this order does not stop the government from removing people from the US under other lawful authorities. Sergio Martinez Beltran, NPR News, Austin.

[Jack Spear]

The Texas House of Representatives has voted to repeal a law banning homosexual conduct. Houston Public Media's Andrew Snyder reports. The bill faces steep odds in the state Senate, even though the original law has been unenforceable since the U.S. supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional more than 20 years ago.

[Andrew Schneider]

The Supreme Court ruled in 2003 that state laws criminalizing consensual sex between people of the same sex were unconstitutional, but the Texas law has survived on the books due to conservative resistance. Democratic state Representative Venton Jones, one of the first black gay members of the Texas Legislature, wrote the bill to repeal it.

[Sergio Martinez Beltran]

I'm not asking you to vote based on whether or not you agree with.

[Andrew Schneider]

The Lawrence v. Texas ruling.

[Sergio Martinez Beltran]

Instead, I'm asking you to vote on.

[Marlon Hyde]

A law that strengthens the fundamental civil.

[Sergio Martinez Beltran]

Liberties and individual freedoms that all Texans deserve.

[Andrew Schneider]

The bill passed the House on its final reading by a vote of 59 to 56, with a handful of Republicans joining forces with Democrats. I'm Andrew Schneider in Houston.

[Jack Spear]

Two of the country's top cable companies are announcing a multi billion dollar merger. As Marlon Hyde of member station WABE reports, the cable industry has been struggling to compete with cheaper streaming services.

[Marlon Hyde]

Cox Communications, which has its headquarters in Atlanta, is merging with Charter Communications in a deal valued at more than $34 billion. Cox is the third largest cable television company in the country with more than 6.5 million digital cable, Internet, telephone and home security customers. Charter, better known as Spectrum, has more than 32 million customers in 41 states. If approved by regulators, the merger would create one of the biggest TV and Internet providers in the US the combined company will change its name to Cox Communications within a year after closing. For NPR News, I'm Marlon Hodde in Atlanta.

[Jack Spear]

Stocks gained ground on Wall street to close out a winning week. The dow was up 331 points to 42,654. The Nasdaq gained 98 points today. You're listening to NPR. At least four people are reported to have been killed, and authorities were searching for possible additional victims after severe storms and a possible tornado hit an area near St. Louis. The storms tore roofs from homes, ripped off siding and downed trees and power lines. National Weather Service radar indicated a tornado touched down between 2:30 and 2:50pm in Clayton, Missouri. St. Louis Mayor Kara Spencer confirmed the deaths in a media briefing. Pope Leo XIV made his first address to diplomats around the world. In his speech to ambassadors appointed to the Vatican, NPR's Ruth Sherlock says the pope expressed his position on a wide range of topics.

[Ruth Sherlock]

The pope spoke in support of migrants, saying their dignity must be respected. Pope Leo, 14th, who is both a US and Peruvian citizen, described himself as a, quote, descendant of immigrants and called for compassion and solidarity with displaced people. He addressed social issues, too, stating the church's more traditional position on marriage, affirming it as a stable union between a man and a woman. He reaffirmed the church's position against abortion. He said there must be, quote, respect for the dignity of every person, especially the most frail and vulnerable, from the unborn to the elderly, from the sick to the unemployed, citizens and immigrants alike. Ruth Sherlock, NPR News, rome.

[Jack Spear]

Citing rising U.S. debt levels, credit rating agency Moody's has joined others in downgrading the U.S. sovereign credit rating from AAA to AA1. Rival Fitch in August of 2023 also cut the U.S. sovereign debt rating. Standard and Poor's did so in 2011. This is NPR.

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