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Lakshmi Singh (0:13)
Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Lakshmi Singh. The European Union is pushing back against President Trump's 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum that took effect today, escalating tensions about a global trade war. Rebecca Rossman reports. The EU has announced countermeasures measures targeting up to $28 billion worth of U.S. goods to start at the beginning of April.
Rebecca Rossman (0:37)
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the EU regrets Trump's decision, calling the tariffs bad for business and even worse for consumers. As part of its response, Brussels is placing 25% tariffs of its own on U.S. exports, including bourbon jeans and Harley Davidson motorcycles. Von der Leyen states the EU is acting to protect itself, but remains open to negotiations. The Trump administration argues the tariffs are necessary to protect US Metal producers from what it calls surging exports from foreign competitors. But with global markets already on edge, concerns about a deepening trade war and possible recession in the United States are growing. Rebecca Rossman, NPR News, Paris.
Lakshmi Singh (1:23)
Well, it's now up to the US Senate to decide where it stands on a stopgap measure that would keep government funding through the end of September. Failure to do so means a partial government shutdown after Friday night. Senate Democrats such as Chris Coons of Delaware are weighing the options to back a continuing resolution they've opposed or let a shutdown happen or as he believes, continue.
Chris Coons (1:42)
A government shutdown is already underway and it's being done piecemeal, without planning, without any kindness or decency to folks who've served veterans and help keep our nation safe, help run our Social Security Agency. So first, the argument for not giving President Trump and Elon Musk more power to do more bad, to move money around at will, to shut down more organizations and to give it our vote. Our support, I think, is clear.
Lakshmi Singh (2:14)
Coons, speaking with NPR's Morning Edition, consumer prices in the US were up 2.8% in February compared to the same month a year earlier. NPR's Scott Horsley says that's less than what economists were expecting.
Scott Horsley (2:26)
Prices rose just 2/10 of a percent between January and February, a smaller increase than the month before and less than forecasters had expected. Falling gasoline prices last month helped keep the overall inflation rate in check. Grocery prices were also flat, although egg prices continue to climb at a double digit pace. Egg prices have been soaring as avian flu weighs on the nation's flock of egg laying hens, stripping out volatile food and energy prices. So called core inflation over the last 12 months was 3.1%. The cooling inflation rate should come as a relief to watchdogs at the federal nevertheless, the central bank is expected to hold interest rates steady when policymakers meet next week. Scott Horsley, NPR News, Washington.