NPR News: 05-18-2025 11PM EDT

Summary

NPR News Now: Episode Summary – May 18, 2025

Released May 19, 2025

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Health Update: Former President Joe Biden Diagnosed with Prostate Cancer

[00:17] Host Dale Willman opens the episode with significant news regarding former President Joe Biden. According to NPR's Luke Garrett, Biden has been diagnosed with prostate cancer.

[00:25] Luke Garrett reports that a small nodule detected on Biden's prostate led to his diagnosis last Friday. At 82 years old, Biden's cancer has metastasized to his bones, indicating a more aggressive case. However, the personal office of the former president stated that the cancer is hormone-sensitive, which allows for effective management. Biden and his family are currently reviewing treatment options. Prostate cancer remains the second most common cancer in men, as per the CDC, and is generally treatable. This diagnosis surfaces just days before the release of an exposé book on Biden and amid growing debates over his mental fitness during his presidency.

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Transportation: New Jersey Transit Strike Resolved

[01:07] Dale Willman transitions to transportation news, announcing that New Jersey Transit (NJ Transit) trains will resume operations for the Tuesday morning commute. This comes after a significant labor dispute involving over 450 locomotive engineers.

[01:20] Catalina Gonela provides detailed coverage on the strike, stating that the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen halted all NJ Transit rail services across the state on Friday, affecting nearly 300,000 weekday riders. This was one of the most disruptive strikes in the agency's history and the first major rail shutdown since 1983. The union has reached a tentative contract agreement that includes higher wages, addressing the six-year period without a raise that union members endured. The agreement awaits ratification by union members and approval by NJ Transit's board in June.

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Business & Policy: Verizon Reduces Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Efforts

[02:07] Dale Willman reports on corporate policy changes amidst federal pressure, highlighting Verizon's recent decisions regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).

[02:24] Maria Aspen explains that many large companies, including Verizon, are retracting DEI initiatives previously promised to foster equitable opportunities for employees. This shift follows directives from President Trump, who has declared such programs illegal, and actions by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) urging companies to discontinue them. Specifically, Verizon, in its bid to acquire broadband provider Frontier, informed the FCC it would end many DEI-related policies, including setting diversity hiring goals and removing DEI references from its websites. The FCC approved Verizon's $20 billion deal, notably citing the company's commitment to discontinue DEI practices.

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Political Developments & Natural Disasters: GOP Advances Legislative Agendas; Severe Storms Hit Midwest

[03:12] Dale Willman updates listeners on political maneuvers and natural disasters impacting the Midwest.

On the political front, Republicans on the House Budget Committee have advanced a substantial package focused on tax cuts and border security during a rare Sunday night session. This package had previously stalled during a Friday vote after four conservative Republicans opposed it, advocating for more significant cuts to programs like Medicaid.

Simultaneously, severe storms and tornadoes continue to ravage several Midwestern states, resulting in over two dozen fatalities, with Kentucky bearing the brunt—reporting at least 19 deaths.

[03:55] Karen Zarr of WKY reports from London, Kentucky, where First Baptist Church has become a sanctuary for community members. Despite devastating losses, Pastor Jesse Armstrong led a faith-based celebration to uplift spirits.

[04:09] Pastor Armstrong delivered a poignant message: “God was and he is and he will continue to be” [04:09] This message underscores the community's resilience. Following the storm, the church has served as a central hub for collecting supplies, with Armstrong noting, “There were so many people that came up here to help and I didn't call a single one of them” [04:18] As demand exceeded capacity, Armstrong facilitated additional support by enlisting a nearby church to serve as a second donation center, demonstrating the community's solidarity and proactive response in the face of disaster.

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Sports: Oklahoma Thunder Advances to NBA Western Conference Finals

[04:34] In sports news, Dale Willman announces that the Oklahoma Thunder have secured a spot in the NBA Western Conference Finals after a decisive 125-93 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Sunday. The Nuggets had pushed the series to seven games before their eventual loss. The Thunder, now the top-seeded team, will host the sixth-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves, with the first game scheduled for Tuesday.

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For more updates, stay tuned to NPR News Now.

Transcript

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[Dale Willman]

Live from NPR News, I'm Dale Willman. Former President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. NPR's Luke Garrett reports.

[Luke Garrett]

Last week, former President Biden was evaluated after a small nodule was found on his prostate. The 82 year old was then diagnosed with prostate cancer on Friday. The cancer has metastasized to Biden's bone and is a more aggressive case, according to a statement from the personal office of the former president. The statement says the cancer appears to be hormone sensitive, allowing for effective management, and that Biden and his family are reviewing treatment options. Prostate cancer is the second most common form of cancer, according to the cdc, and is treatable. The diagnosis comes days before the publishing of an expose book on Biden and a growing debate over the former president's mental fitness during the latter portion of his presidency. Luke Garrett, NPR News, Washington.

[Dale Willman]

Trains with New Jersey Transit will be back for Tuesday morning's commute. The union representing its locomotive engineers say they've reached a tentative contract agreement with the agency FOR member station WNYC. Catalina Guniela has more.

[Catalina Gonela]

More than 450 engineers walked off the job Friday, halting all NJ Transit rail service across the state. The shutdown affected nearly 300,000 weekday riders, making it one of the most disruptive strikes in the transit agency's history. The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen says the deal includes higher wages than the proposal union members rejected last month. Engineers have gone six years without a raise. The strike marked NJ Transit's first major rail shutdown since 1983. The contract still needs to be ratified by union members and approved by NJ Transit's board in June. For NPR News, I'm Catalina Gonela in New York City.

[Dale Willman]

Verizon has become the latest big company to scale back on diversity, equity and inclusion under pressure from the federal government. And and not long after it did so, the FCC on Friday gave Verizon its Blessing for a $20 billion deal. NPR's Maria Aspen has more.

[Maria Aspen]

Many big companies are backing away from what's known as DEI after once promising to create more equitable opportunities for all employees. But now President Trump has declared such programs illegal, and the Federal Communications Commission has taken a big role in trying to pressure companies to do away with them. For example, Verizon has been seeking approval to buy Frontier, a broadband provider. So it told the FCC that it would end many of its policies relating to diversity, equity and inclusion. Verizon will no longer set goals to hire more minorities, and it will remove references to DEI from its websites. Now the FCC has approved Verizon's deal, and it specifically cited Verizon's promise to end DEI related practices. Maria Aspen, NPR News, New York.

[Dale Willman]

And you're listening to NPR News. Republicans on the House Budget Committee have managed to advance their massive tax cut and border security package. The action came during a rare Sunday night session. The bill had failed to make it out during a vote on Friday. Four conservative Republicans voted against the bill on Friday, saying they wanted greater cuts to such programs as Medicaid. Cleanup is continuing in several Midwestern states where severe storms and tornadoes Friday night left more than two dozen people dead. Kentucky was hardest hit with at least 19 people killed. Karen Zarr with member station WKY reports.

[Karen Zarr]

At First Baptist Church in London, Kentucky, congregation members celebrated their faith less than 48 hours after some of them lost everything. Pastor Jesse Armstrong's message to them God.

[Jesse Armstrong]

Was and he is and he will continue to be.

[Karen Zarr]

All over this community, the church has become a hub to collect supplies for storm survivors.

[Jesse Armstrong]

There were so many people that came up here to help and I didn't call a single one of them.

[Karen Zarr]

Within hours they were out of room. So Armstrong recruited the church down the street to become a second donation center. For NPR News, I'm Karen Zarr in London.

[Dale Willman]

The Oklahoma Thunder is now in the NBA Western Conference finals after a 125 to 93 win over the Denver Nuggets on Sunday. The Nuggets took it to seven games before losing. The top seeded Thunder will now host the 6 seeded Minnesota Timberwolves with the first game on Tuesday. I'm Dale Wilman, NPR News.

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