NPR News: 05-22-2025 10AM EDT

Summary

NPR News Now: Detailed Summary of the May 22, 2025, Episode

On the May 22, 2025, episode of NPR News Now, host Korva Coleman delivers a comprehensive overview of the day's most pressing news, spanning government legislation, international incidents, economic updates, public safety concerns, and scientific breakthroughs. Below is a detailed summary structured into clear sections, highlighting key discussions, insights, and notable quotes from various contributors.

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1. House Passes Multi-Trillion Dollar Government Spending Bill by Single Republican Vote

Timestamp: 00:16 – 00:44

Korva Coleman opens the episode with significant political news: the U.S. House of Representatives has successfully passed a multi-trillion dollar government spending bill. The bill's passage was narrowly achieved, secured by a single Republican vote. This legislation enjoys the backing of President Donald Trump, who, as reported, convened with Republican holdouts at the White House the previous day to mitigate concerns.

Key concerns among Republicans included potential cuts to Medicaid and food assistance programs and apprehensions regarding the deficit. President Trump is actively urging the Senate to adopt the bill, though challenges persist.

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2. Senate Faces Hurdles in Passing the House-Passed Spending Bill

Timestamp: 00:44 – 01:03

Claudia Grisales provides further insight into the Senate's position on the spending bill. Senate Majority Leader John Thune is confronted with the arduous task of reconciling the House's plan with the diverse concerns of his Senate colleagues. The Senate comprises both fiscal hawks and moderates wary of the proposed Medicaid cuts, signaling that significant modifications to the House bill are anticipated.

Quote:

"They plan to make a lot of changes to this House bill." – Claudia Grisales (00:44)

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3. Tragic Deaths of Israeli Embassy Staffers in Washington, D.C.

Timestamp: 01:03 – 03:09

A poignant and tragic event unfolded in Washington, D.C., where two staffers at the Israeli embassy, identified as Yaron Leshinsky and Sarah Milgram, were shot and killed while exiting an event at a Jewish museum. The suspect apprehended by D.C. police was heard chanting "Free Palestine" during his arrest, highlighting the volatile intersection of politics and violence.

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4. Federal Judge Blocks Trump Administration’s Deportation Plan

Timestamp: 01:35 – 02:09

In immigration news, a federal judge has ruled that the Trump administration violated a court order by deporting certain migrants to third countries that are not their home nations. NPR's Tovia Smith reports that eight migrants were expelled to South Sudan merely 17 hours after being notified of their deportation.

Judge Brian Murphy criticized the administration, stating:

"Officials unquestionably violated his order to ensure due process" (01:35).

Lawyer Tina Real Muto expressed skepticism about the administration's response:

"We think that will be a legal and logistical nightmare. We have concerns." (02:04)

Meanwhile, government attorneys raised issues regarding the safety of ICE agents, describing the deported individuals as:

"Criminal and barbaric monsters." (02:09)

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5. Stock Market Rises Amidst Housing Market Challenges

Timestamp: 02:19 – 04:48

The episode shifts to economic updates, with stock markets showing resilience despite a sluggish housing sector.

Korva Coleman notes that the Dow Jones Industrial Average opened higher, gaining approximately 20 points initially and later rising over 30 points by the end of the segment (03:09, 04:48).

Scott Horsley from NPR highlights that existing home sales continued to decline in April, following a disappointing March. However, home prices have been on an upward trajectory, with the average selling price reaching $414,000. Inventory has seen a 9% increase month-over-month, providing more options for buyers amidst housing affordability challenges exacerbated by interest rates hovering around 6.8%.

Additionally, gasoline prices are experiencing a slight uptick ahead of a potentially record-setting Memorial Day travel weekend. According to AAA, the average price of Regular gas has increased by 3 cents per gallon compared to the previous month but remains lower than last year's prices.

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6. Fires in Memphis and San Diego: Suspected Arson and Plane Crash

Timestamp: 03:09 – 03:48

In local news, two significant fire-related incidents have occurred:

• Memphis, Tennessee: The fire department reports that a blaze at the historic Claiborne Temple, a Black church undergoing renovations, was intentionally set. This church holds historical significance, notably being the site where Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. met with striking sanitation workers in 1968.

• San Diego, California: A small plane crashed directly into a neighborhood overnight, leading to multiple house fires. Assistant Fire Chief Dan Eddy stated:

"We have probably, I'd say on that block itself at least 15 homes that are affected." (03:44)

As of the report, there were no confirmed injuries from the San Diego crash.

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7. Scientific Breakthrough: Origins of Tooth Sensation Traced to Ancient Fish

Timestamp: 03:48 – 04:48

Concluding the episode on a lighter note, NPR's Ari Daniel explores a fascinating scientific discovery regarding the evolution of human teeth.

Yara Haridi, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Chicago, explains that teeth evolved from the bumpy, armored exoskeletons of prehistoric fish. This armor not only served as self-defense but also played a critical role in sensory perception.

Quote:

"They lived in mucky, shallow bottomed seas. They probably needed every inch of sensation." – Yara Haridi (04:30)

Through experiments on both extinct and extant animals, Haridi and her team demonstrated that this armor enabled ancient fish to sense their aquatic environment, a trait that has been inherited by human teeth, allowing us to feel cold and pain.

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Closing Economic Update

Before concluding, Korva Coleman reiterates the Dow Jones Industrial Average's continued rise:

"On Wall Street, the Dow is now up more than 30 points." (04:48)

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This episode of NPR News Now provides listeners with a nuanced understanding of current events, from pivotal legislative developments and international incidents to economic trends and scientific advancements. The inclusion of expert commentary and direct quotes enriches the narrative, offering depth and clarity on each topic.

Transcript

[Sponsor Voice]

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[Korva Coleman]

From NPR News in Washington, I'm Korva Coleman. The House has managed to pass the multi trillion dollar government spending bill this morning. It won by a single Republican vote. The the bill is backed by President Trump, who met yesterday with Republican holdouts at the White House. Several were concerned about cutting Medicaid and food assistance programs. Others are worried about the deficit. Trump is now urging the Senate to pass the bill, but NPR's Claudia Grisales says the legislation has a long way to go in that chamber.

[Claudia Grisales]

Senate Majority Leader John Thune is going to face a tough task threading the needle between this House plan and concerns from his own members. That includes fiscal hawks in that chamber as well as moderates who have concerns about those Medicaid cuts. So they've already made clear they plan to make a lot of changes to this House bill.

[Korva Coleman]

NPR's Claudia Grisales reporting. Police in Washington, D.C. say that two staffers at the Israeli embassy were shot and killed last night as they left an event at a Jewish museum. D.C. police say they arrested a suspect who chanted Free Palestine when he was in handcuffs. The Israeli government has identified the staffers as Yaron Leshinsky and Sarah Milgram. A federal judge has ruled the Trump administration has violated his court order against deporting certain migrants to third countries that are not their own. NPR's Tovia Smith reports.

[Tovia Smith]

Eight migrants were flown out of the US 17 hours after they were told they were being deported to South Sudan. Government lawyers argue that was enough time for them to raise concerns about their safety, but none did. In a stern rebuke, federal Judge Brian Murphy said officials unquestionably violated his order to ensure due process, and he wants DHS to hear any concerns from the men now either back in the US or where they are, which remains unclear. Tina Real Muto, a lawyer for the migrants, is skeptical.

[Tina Real Muto]

We think that will be a legal and logistical nightmare. We have concerns.

[Tovia Smith]

Government attorneys, meantime, raised concerns for the safety of the ICE agents holding what officials have described as criminal and barbaric monsters. Tovia Smith, NPR News, Boston.

[Korva Coleman]

Stocks opened higher this morning after another lackluster month of home sales. NPR's Scott Horsley reports. The Dow Jones industrial average rose about 20 points in early trading.

[Scott Horsley]

The national association of Realtors says sales of existing homes were down again in April after an already disappointing March. Home prices continue to climb, however, with an average selling price last month of $414,000. There are more homes on the market for would be buyers to choose from. The number of homes for sale jumped 9% between March and April. Housing affordability is still a challenge, though, with interest rates hovering around 6.8% g. Gasoline prices are inching higher ahead of what's expected to be a record setting Memorial Day travel weekend. AAA says the average price of Regular gas is up 3 cents a gallon from a month ago, but still down from this time last year. Scott Horsley, NPR News, Washington.

[Korva Coleman]

On Wall street, the dow is now up 25 points. You're listening to NPR News. The fire department in Memphis, Tennessee, says a fire that broke out late last month at a historic black church was intentionally set. The Claiborne Temple was undergoing renovations. The Reverend Martin Luther King King, Jr. Was at this church to meet with striking sanitation workers in 1968. Officials in San Diego say a small plane crashed directly into a neighborhood overnight. Assistant Fire Chief Dan Eddy says several houses are on fire.

[Tina Real Muto]

We have probably, I'd say on that block itself at least 15 homes that are affected.

[Korva Coleman]

It's not known if there are any injuries. The sensation that we get in our teeth causing them to ache. Well, NPR's Ari Daniel reports. It appears to come from ancient fish.

[Ari Daniel]

Scientists have been reasonably sure our teeth evolved from the bumpy, armored exoskeletons of prehistoric fish. Yara Haridi is an evolutionary biologist at the University of Chicago.

[Yara Haridi]

It becomes very advantageous to have pointy things around your mouth.

[Ari Daniel]

But researchers didn't know whether there was more to the bumps than self defense. Haridi and her colleagues have now shown through experiments on both extinct and living animals that that armor likely allowed the AP ancient fish to sense the water around them.

[Yara Haridi]

They lived in mucky, shallow bottomed seas. They probably needed every inch of sensation.

[Ari Daniel]

They could get hundreds of millions of years later. Our teeth, which originated from that armor, have inherited the ability to sense cold and pain as well. Ari Daniel, NPR News.

[Korva Coleman]

Again on Wall street, the Dow is now up more than 30 points. I'm Korva Coleman, NPR News, in Washington.

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