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.