NPR News: 02-09-2025 9PM EST

Summary

NPR News Now: February 10, 2025, 9PM EST

Host: Jeanine Herbst
Producer: NPR

---

1. President Trump Announces Steel and Aluminum Tariffs

Key Points: President Donald Trump revealed plans to impose a 25% tariff on all steel and aluminum imports to the United States. This decision affects not only countries like China but also neighboring allies Canada and Mexico. Additionally, Trump signaled the introduction of reciprocal tariffs on other goods, targeting nations that levy duties on U.S. products.

Notable Quotes:

• Donald Trump (00:57): "But if they are charging us 130 and we're charging them nothing, it's not going to stay that way."
• Donald Trump (00:51): "Very simply, it's if they charge us, we charge them."

Additional Insights: Trump emphasized that no foreign company should possess a majority stake in U.S. Steel, though he expressed openness to Japanese Nippon Steel investing in the iconic American firm. Details regarding the tariffs are slated for a news conference later in the week.

---

2. China Implements Retaliatory Tariffs

Key Points: In response to Trump's earlier imposition of a 10% tariff on Chinese goods, China declared additional tariffs on U.S. exports effective the following day. The new duties include a 10% tax on crude oil and farm equipment, and a 15% tariff on liquefied natural gas and coal, escalating trade tensions between the two economic powerhouses.

---

3. Africana Groups Reject Trump’s Asylum Offer for Afrikaners

Key Points: President Trump extended an offer of refugee status in the U.S. to Afrikaners, descendants of European colonists in South Africa, following an executive order cutting funding to South Africa. However, leading Africana rights group Afroforum, represented by Kelly Creel, firmly declined the offer.

Notable Quotes:

• Kelly Creel (01:56): "We have to state categorically we don't want to move elsewhere."
• Kelly Creel (01:49): "Thanks, but no thanks."

Context: Afrikaner groups have long advocated for U.S. support, citing persecution under South African laws that they argue discriminate against them as a white minority. Despite the executive order, these groups prefer to remain in South Africa rather than relocate.

---

4. Major Winter Storm Hits Northern United States

Key Points: A significant winter storm swept across the upper Midwest, Great Lakes, and Northeast regions, bringing heavy snowfall and icy conditions. Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan reported up to eight inches of snow, with northern New York, Vermont, and Maine experiencing up to a foot. Cities like Boston and New York City saw several inches each, while Philadelphia dealt with hazardous freezing rain.

Notable Quotes:

• Joe Hernandez (02:40): "Forecasters say more winter weather is on the way early this week for parts of the central US and East Coast."

Additional Insights: The storm is gradually diminishing, but meteorologists caution that additional winter weather is anticipated to impact the central United States and the East Coast later in the week.

---

5. Passing of Novelist Tom Robbins

Key Points: Beloved counterculture novelist Tom Robbins passed away at the age of 92 in Washington state. Robbins was renowned for his vivid language, eccentric characters, and imaginative narratives in books like Jitterbug Perfume and Even Cowgirls Get the Blues.

Notable Quotes:

• Donald Trump (03:14): [Note: This appears to be a transcription error; likely intended speaker is Tom Vitale or another NPR reporter discussing Robbins]

• Tom Robbins (03:14): "What could define the work of Tom Robbins was the way he used language brilliantly, playfully, and precisely in best-selling novels."

Legacy: Robbins rejected the label of a "counterculture writer," emphasizing that his work transcended such classifications through his mastery of language. His novels have been translated into Russian, Spanish, and over a dozen other languages, broadening his global impact.

---

6. New York City Closes Live Poultry Markets Due to Bird Flu

Key Points: Governor Kathy Hochul of New York ordered the temporary shutdown of live poultry markets in the city's outer boroughs after cases of bird flu were detected. The closure, effective through February 14th, mandates complete disinfection of the facilities. Markets without positive tests must sell all remaining inventory and close for five days post-cleaning.

Additional Insights: The Wildlife Conservation Society reported the death of three ducks at the Queens Zoo attributed to bird flu, underscoring the virus's spread and the necessity of stringent containment measures to protect both public health and the poultry industry.

---

Conclusion: This episode of NPR News Now covered significant economic decisions by the Trump administration, escalating trade tensions with China, social dynamics within South Africa, severe weather impacts across the United States, the mourning of a literary icon, and public health measures in New York City. Each segment provided listeners with timely and comprehensive updates on pressing national and international issues.

Transcript

[Unknown Sponsor]

Support for NPR and the following message come from Bolen Branch. Change your sleep with the softness of Bolen Branch's 100% organic cotton sheets. Feel the difference with 15% off your first set of [e-mail] with code NPR exclusions apply. See site for details.

[Jeanine Herbst]

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jeanine Herbst. President Trump told reporters traveling with him on board Air Force One that tomorrow he'll be announcing a 25% tariff on all steel and aluminum imports coming to the United States. NPR's Asma Khalid has more.

[Asma Khalid]

The president said these steel and aluminum tariffs will apply to everybody, even neighboring Canada and Mexico. Trump also said he'll be announcing reciprocal tariffs on other items that would apply to countries that impose duties on US Goods.

[Donald Trump]

Very simply, it's if they charge us, we charge them.

[Asma Khalid]

He said he plans to roll out details at a news conference later this week.

[Donald Trump]

But if they are charging us 130 and we're charging them nothing, it's not going to stay that way.

[Asma Khalid]

Trump also told reporters that no foreign company should have a majority stake in US Steel, but he did encourage Japan's Nippon Steel to make an investment in the revered American company. Asma Khalid, NPR News.

[Jeanine Herbst]

Meanwhile, China says it will implement additional tariffs on U.S. goods tomorrow in retaliation for Trump imposing a 10% tariff on Chinese goods. Chinese new duties include 10% on crude oil and farm equipment and 15% on liquefied natural gas and coal. From the U.S. africana groups are rejecting President Trump's offer of being given refugee status in the US Kate Bartlett reports the groups say they'd rather stay put in South Africa.

[Kelly Creel]

Thanks, but no thanks. That was the response of Kelly Creel, who heads Africana rights group Afroforum.

[Donald Trump]

We have to state categorically we don't want to move elsewhere.

[Kelly Creel]

Gabriel made the remarks at a hastily organized press conference after Trump signed an executive order cutting funding to South Africa and offering Afrikaners asylum. Afrikaners are descendants of Dutch and other European colonists. Afrikaner groups have long lobbied Washington for support, saying South African laws discriminate against them and that they are being persecuted as a white minority. For NPR News, I'm Kate Bartlett in Johannesburg.

[Jeanine Herbst]

A large swath of the northern U.S. woke up to snow and ice this morning. As NPR's Joe Hernandez reports, a major winter storm swept through the region this weekend, and more winter weather is coming.

[Joe Hernandez]

The storm passed through the upper Midwest, the Great Lakes region and then the Northeast. Eight inches of snow fell in areas of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan. Parts of northern New York, Vermont and Maine saw as much as a foot. Boston and New York City both had several inches of snow, too. And in Philadelphia overnight, freezing rain left streets and sidewalks slippery Sunday morning, though the storm was tapering off on Sunday. Forecasters say more winter weather is on the way early this week for parts of the central US And East Coast. Joe Hernandez, NPR News.

[Jeanine Herbst]

You're listening to NPR News from Washington. Novelist Tom Robbins has died at the age of 92. The acclaimed author was best known for books such as Jitterbug Perfume and Even Cowgirls get the Blues. As Tom Vitale reports, Robbins died at his home in Washington state this weekend.

[Donald Trump]

Tom Robbins was known for novels filled with colorful language, eccentric characters and bizarre situations that helped define him as a counterculture writer starting in the early 1970s. But Robbins told NPR thought that label pigeonholed his writing unfairly. I wouldn't have missed, say, the 60s for a billion dollars, but neither I nor my life's work can be defined by counterculture sensibilities. What could define the work of Tom Robbins, he said, was the way he used language brilliantly, playfully and precisely in best selling novels. That must have been both a joy and a challenge for the people who translated them into Russian, Spanish and more than a dozen other languages. For NPR News, I'm Tom Vit in New York.

[Jeanine Herbst]

New York Governor Kathy Hochul ordered a temporary closure of live poultry markets after bird flu was found in the outer boroughs of New York City. Her order on Friday directed the markets to close through February 14th as the facilities undergo complete disinfection process. The order calls for markets that haven't tested positive for bird flu to sell all inventory and shut down for five days after the cleaning process. Meanwhile, the Wildlife Conservation Society says three ducks died at the Queens Zoo because of bird flu. I'm Jeanine Herbst, NPR News, in Washington.

[Unknown Sponsor]

Support for NPR and the following message come from Bolen Branch. Change your sleep with the softness of bole and Branch's 100% organic cotton sheets. Feel the difference with 15% off your first set of [e-mail] with code. NPR exclusions apply. See site for details.