NPR News: 02-02-2025 9AM EST

Summary

NPR News Now: February 2, 2025, 9AM EST

Host: Giles Snyder
Source: NPR
Release Date: February 2, 2025

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1. President Trump's New Tariffs Spark Mixed Reactions

At the outset of the episode, Giles Snyder reports on President Trump's recent decision to impose significant tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China. The move has elicited immediate international backlash, with Canada and Mexico announcing retaliatory tariffs. Additionally, China has indicated its intent to challenge the tariffs by filing a lawsuit with the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Scott Horsley provides further insight into the domestic response, highlighting a divided U.S. perspective:

"House passed along a lot of supportive statements from Republican allies like Tommy Tuberville and Marsha Blackburn, but business groups are less enthusiastic."
(00:39)

Business organizations, notably the Chamber of Commerce, have voiced opposition:

"Tariffs are not the answer," the Chamber of Commerce stated.
(00:39)

Democrats are also raising concerns, warning that these import taxes could lead to higher prices for working families. An op-ed in the Wall Street Journal features a rare bipartisan agreement from former GOP Senator Phil Graham and former Democratic Treasury Secretary Larry Summers, both of whom argue that tariffs are detrimental to the economy.

President Trump defends the tariffs as a strategy to compel the targeted countries to address illegal drug flows and immigration into the United States.

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2. Elon Musk’s X Sues Major Corporations Over Ad Boycotts

Elon Musk's social media platform, X, is embroiled in legal battles as it files a lawsuit against Lego, Tyson Foods, and Shell Brands International. Bobby Allen reports that X alleges these corporations conspired against the platform by participating in a 2022 advertising boycott.

In the lawsuit, X's legal team claims:

"Companies took part in a brand safety protest that deprived the platform of billions of dollars in ad revenue."
(01:32)

Initially targeting the World Federation of Advertisers, CBS, and Twitch, the lawsuit has since expanded to include half a dozen additional entities. Musk, who serves as a top advisor in the Trump administration, contends that many large advertisers have yet to return to X.

This legal action coincides with other significant corporate disputes, including Meta and ABC settling lawsuits filed by Trump prior to his presidency. Senator Elizabeth Warren criticizes Meta's $25 million settlement to Trump as seemingly bribery:

"Meta's $25 million settlement to Trump looks like a bribe."
(01:32)

The Trump administration has not yet responded to NPR's inquiries on the matter.

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3. Deadly Market Attack in Sudan's Oderban

Turning to international news, Kate Bartlett reports from Johannesburg about a tragic attack in Sudan's Oderban city:

"The Ministry of Health said 54 people were killed and 158 wounded in the attack on the open market in the city that lies on the River Nile."
(02:22)

The assault, which involved shelling, primarily claimed the lives of women and children. Doctors Without Borders described the scene as "utter carnage," with local hospitals overwhelmed by victims and morgues filled with the deceased. The Sudanese government has attributed the attack to the rebel militia, the Rapid Support Forces, though the group has denied involvement. This incident is part of an ongoing conflict that erupted in 2023, resulting in tens of thousands of fatalities.

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4. First Airstrikes of Trump's Second Term Target ISIS in Somalia

In a significant military development, President Trump has authorized the first airstrikes of his second term, targeting ISIS militants in Somalia. Defense Secretary Pete Hekma confirmed that the operations were coordinated with Somalia's government and that the Pentagon's initial assessment indicates that several ISIS operatives were killed:

"The strikes were coordinated with Somalia's government, and our initial assessment is that several ISIS operatives were killed."
(02:55)

This move marks a renewed focus on combating ISIS forces in the Horn of Africa, reflecting ongoing efforts to stabilize the region.

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5. Fatal Air Ambulance Crash in Philadelphia

A tragic accident in Philadelphia has resulted in the death of seven individuals. Giles Snyder details the incident:

"Authorities in Philadelphia have confirmed the death of a seventh person in Friday night's fiery crash of an air ambulance in a crowded neighborhood."
(02:55)

The crash occurred in a busy area, killing six people inside the plane, who were en route to Mexico, and one person in a car. Investigators anticipate that recovering and analyzing the debris may take several weeks.

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6. Indiana Faces Legal Challenges Over Execution Drug Purchases

Indiana is under legal scrutiny as journalists file a lawsuit concerning the state's procurement of pentobarbital for lethal injections. George Hale reports:

"Last year, the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press filed a lawsuit on behalf of the Indiana Capital Chronicle, a nonprofit newsroom based in Indianapolis."
(03:48)

The Capital Chronicle alleges that the Indiana corrections department has not disclosed the expenditure details for the drug. Although a 2017 state law protects the identities of execution drug suppliers, the newsroom is not seeking the suppliers' names but rather the costs incurred:

"We never asked for who provided it. We just asked for the cost of it."
(04:13)

In December, Indiana resumed using pentobarbital for the first time in 15 years and is planning another execution within the year.

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7. Grammy Awards Highlight Amidst LA Wildfire Recovery

The episode concludes with a look at the upcoming Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, where Beyoncé leads the nominations with 11, bringing her career total to 99 nominations—the highest in Grammy history.

However, the festivities are overshadowed by ongoing recovery efforts from recent wildfires:

"The Grammys are being held as crews clean up from those wildfires that devastated whole neighborhoods in LA."
(04:31)

Officials confirmed that the two largest fires, the Palisades and Eaton fires, are now fully contained, allowing Grammy preparations to proceed amidst the city's efforts to rebuild.

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Reporter Credits:

• Giles Snyder: Washington and Philadelphia
• Scott Horsley: Economic and Political Analysis
• Bobby Allen: Tech and Legal Developments
• Kate Bartlett: International Conflicts
• George Hale: Legal Journalism in Indiana

Produced by: NPR News

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This summary provides an overview of the key news stories discussed in the February 2, 2025, episode of NPR News Now. For detailed coverage, please refer to the full podcast episode.

Transcript

[NPR Sponsor]

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[Giles Snyder]

In Washington, I'm Giles Snyder. President Trump's decision to impose stiff tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China is getting an immediate reaction. Canada and Mexico are planning retaliatory tariffs, and China says it will file a lawsuit with the World Trade Organization. NPR's Scott Horsley says the reaction is more mixed within the U.S. the White.

[Scott Horsley]

House passed along a lot of supportive statements from Republican allies like Tommy Tubervill and Marsha Blackburn, but business groups are less enthusiastic. The Chamber of Commerce put out a statement saying tariffs are not the answer. Democrats are warning these import taxes will drive up prices for working families. And the Wall Street Journal published an op ed from former GOP Senator Phil Graham and former Democratic Treasury Secretary Larry Summ. Those two don't agree on much, but they both say tariffs are bad for the economy.

[Giles Snyder]

President Trump has said the tariffs are a way to get the three countries to crack down on the illegal flow of drugs and immigration into the US Elon Musk's social media platform X is suing Lego, Tyson Foods and shell Brands International. NPR's Bobby Allen reports that the suit claims the corporations conspired against X by participating in a 2022 advertising boycott.

[Bobby Allen]

In the suit, lawyers for X say that companies took part in a brand safety protest that deprived the platform of billions of dollars in ad revenue. The suit was originally filed against the World Federation of Advertisers and CBS and video streamer Twitch, but has now been expanded to include half a dozen others. Musk, a top advisor in the Trump administration, says many big advertisers haven't returned to X. It comes as other companies, including Meta and abc, pay out millions of dollars to settle Trump suits filed before he took office. Critics, including Senator Elizabeth Warren, said Meta's $25 million settlement to Trump looks like a bribe. The Trump administration didn't immediately return a request for comment. Bobby Allen, NPR News.

[Giles Snyder]

Overseas now to Sudan, where more than 50 people were killed at a market in the Sudanese city of Oderban and shelling blamed on rebels. Kate Bartlett reports that the casualties include many women and children.

[Kate Bartlett]

The Ministry of Health said 54 people were killed and 158 wounded in the attack on the open market in the city that lies on the River Nile. Doctors Without Borders said in a statement that it was a scene of utter carnage. The NGO said that the hospital they support there was filled with victims and the morgue packed with dead bodies. The government blamed the rebel militia, the Rapid Support Forces, for the attack, which they denied. The war between the two forces broke out in 2023 and has killed tens of thousands of people. For NPR News, I'm Kate Bartlett in Johannesburg.

[Giles Snyder]

President Trump has ordered the first airstrikes of his second term in office, the strikes aimed against ISIS militants in Somalia. Defense Secretary Pete Hexa says they were coordinated with Somalia's government and that an initial Pentagon assessment assesses that several ISIS operatives were killed. This is npr. Authorities in Philadelphia have confirmed the death of a seventh person in Friday night's fiery crash of an air ambulance in a crowded neighborhood. Officials say the person was in a car when the plane crashed, killing six people who were flying home to Mexico. Investigators say it could take weeks to recover the debris. Journalists are taking Indiana to court over secrecy surrounding the state's purchase of a drug used in lethal injections. George Hale of member station WFIU reports that the supply of pentobarbital made it possible for Indiana to restart executions.

[George Hale]

Last year, the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press filed a lawsuit on behalf of the Indiana Capital Chronicle, a non profit newsroom based in Indianapolis. The news outlet accuses the state corrections department of failing to disclose how much it spent on the drugs. Indiana's legislature passed a law in 2017 protecting the identity of execution drug suppliers. But editor in Chief Nikki Kelly says the Chronicle isn't asking for names.

[NPR Sponsor]

We never asked for who provided it. We just asked for the cost of it.

[George Hale]

In December, Indiana used pintobarbital in a lethal injection for the first time in 15 years. The state is seeking to execute another prisoner this year. For NPR News, GEORGE I'm George Hale in Bloomington. Indiana.

[Giles Snyder]

Grammy Awards are to be handed out in Los Angeles tonight. Beyonce leads the nominations with 11. She now has a career total of 99, making her the most nominated artist in Grammy history. The Grammys are being held as crews clean up from those wildfires that devastated whole neighborhoods in la. Officials said this weekend that the two biggest the Palisades and Eaton fires, are fully contained. This is NPR News.

[NPR Sponsor]

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