Menu
Sign In Search Podcasts Libraries Charts People & Topics Add Podcast API Blog Pricing
Podcast Image

NPR News Now

NPR News: 05-21-2026 8PM EDT

22 May 2026

Transcription

Transcript generated automatically by AI and may contain errors.

Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?

0.638 - 15.559 Ryland Barton

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Ryland Barton. The U.S. House has canceled a vote tonight on legislation to compel President Trump to withdraw from the war with Iran. Democrats had hoped the vote would be a turning point after the Senate approved the measure earlier this week.

0

Chapter 2: What recent legislation was canceled regarding President Trump's war with Iran?

15.88 - 33.767 Ryland Barton

The White House argues congressional approval isn't required because of the ceasefire with Iran. The White House is rolling back environmental regulations on refrigerants. The move's intended to ease grocery prices, but it also relaxes a rule meant to limit greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change, as NPR's Danielle Kurtzleben reports.

0

33.798 - 48.375 Danielle Kurtzleben

The rule change will give businesses more time to comply with a 2023 rule that aimed to reduce the use of hydrofluorocarbons, which are powerful greenhouse gases. Flanked by grocery store executives and owners, the president claimed that compliance was expensive.

0

48.595 - 59.809 Greg Foran

These people had to live with it, not only refrigerants, but a lot more. And it was making the equipment unaffordable. And the actual benefit was nothing. It just made it worse.

0

60.11 - 74.632 Danielle Kurtzleben

In response to a question about whether businesses will pass the savings on to consumers, Kroger CEO Greg Foran said his company is, quote, right in the middle of doing that at the moment. However, he did not elaborate. Danielle Kurtzleben, NPR News, the White House.

0

74.652 - 94.814 Ryland Barton

The former leader of a Minnesota nonprofit has been sentenced to nearly 42 years in prison for her role in a $250 million fraud case. Amy Bach ran Feeding Our Future, which had claimed it provided millions of meals to children in need during the pandemic. Her lawyer argues she has been unfairly painted as the mastermind. The U.S.

Chapter 3: How is the White House changing environmental regulations on refrigerants?

94.834 - 103.748 Ryland Barton

Commission of Fine Arts approved the design plan for President Trump's 250-foot arch across from the National Mall. NPR's Rachel Triesman reports.

0

103.795 - 118.552 Rachel Triesman

The seven-member commission, appointed by President Trump, approved an earlier design last month with proposed changes. The version that they greenlit was very similar to the original, even keeping the 84-foot gold statues on top that the commission had suggested nixing.

0

119.152 - 140.904 Rachel Triesman

Members of the public shared concerns at the meeting about the arch's scale, tone, and location near Arlington National Cemetery. The commission secretary says they got some 600 written comments overwhelmingly against it. Another federal agency, the National Capital Planning Commission, will consider the Arch at its next meeting in early June. Rachel Triesman, NPR News.

0

140.924 - 156.322 Ryland Barton

And SpaceX has canceled a launch of the latest version of the massive Starship rocket tonight, just as the company prepares an initial public stock offering. When it eventually flies, it will be uncrewed, but a subsequent version could return astronauts to the surface of the moon.

0

156.742 - 179.23 Ryland Barton

The company says Starship is key to launching more satellites for its Starlink wireless internet network, and it plans to use the rocket to lift cargo and eventually as many as 100 people at a time into orbit as part of its goal of colonizing Mars. U.S. stocks ticked higher today following the latest reversal for oil prices. You're listening to NPR News from Washington.

180.863 - 198.74 Ryland Barton

Israel says it has deported hundreds of activists who took part in a flotilla attempting to breach Israel's naval blockade of Gaza. About 420 activists were flown to Istanbul. The flotilla attempted to draw attention to Gaza's conditions. With over 50 boats, Israel called it a PR stunt for Hamas.

199.521 - 211.903 Ryland Barton

A leading national science advocacy group is calling for a public hearing for the nomination of Jim O'Neill to head the National Science Foundation. The agency has been in turmoil recently under the Trump administration. NPR's Katie Riddle reports.

212.203 - 233.719 Katie Riddle

The American Association for the Advancement of Science is the largest general advocacy group of its kind. Its leadership expressed grave concern about Jim O'Neill, President Trump's choice to head one of the most important federal agencies in the country, writing, "...a confirmation hearing is essential if Congress is to determine whether Mr. O'Neill is up to the task."

233.699 - 249.749 Katie Riddle

With experience in Silicon Valley, among other fields, O'Neill does not have a deep science background. The organization stressed that science is already suffering, noting that money is not being distributed to researchers and that scientists are fleeing to other countries, including China.

Comments

There are no comments yet.

Please log in to write the first comment.