NPR News: 03-13-2025 12PM EDT

Summary

NPR News Now: March 13, 2025, 12PM EDT

Host: Lakshmi Singh
Source: NPR News Now
Release Date: March 13, 2025

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1. President Trump's Escalating Trade War: Tariffs on European Alcohol and Egg Prices

Speaker: Scott Horsley
Timestamp: [00:16]

President Donald Trump continues to intensify his trade war with the European Union. In a recent series of social media posts, Trump announced his intention to impose a 200% tariff on European wines and spirits. This aggressive move is a retaliatory measure following the EU's decision to tax American products, including Kentucky bourbon, in response to Trump's earlier tariffs on steel and aluminum. Despite being a teetotaler, Trump claims that this strategy will benefit domestic winemakers.

Adding to the trade tensions, Trump also addressed consumer prices, stating, "The price of eggs has come down since I took office" ([00:29]). However, new inflation data revealed a contrary reality, showing that egg prices surged by over 10% in February. This discrepancy highlights ongoing debates over the administration's economic policies and their impact on everyday consumers.

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2. CDC Leadership Nomination Stalls as Dr. David Weldon Withdraws

Speaker: Ping Wang
Timestamp: [01:04]

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) faces a leadership vacuum as President Trump's nominee, Dr. David Weldon, has withdrawn his candidacy for the agency's top position. Scheduled for a Senate confirmation hearing, Weldon's nomination was abruptly canceled when it became clear he lacked the necessary support in the Senate.

In response, Trump announced his new pick, Walden, via Truth Social in November. Walden's extensive background as a medical doctor, army veteran, and politician was initially praised. However, his tenure has been marred by scrutiny over his stance on vaccines, including debunked claims linking vaccines to autism. This controversy has cast doubts on his suitability to lead the CDC during critical public health challenges ([01:13]).

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3. Surge in Measles Cases Alarms Health Officials Worldwide

Speaker: Lakshmi Singh
Timestamp: [01:51]

Measles outbreaks are on the rise in multiple regions, sparking urgent calls for increased vaccination efforts. In the United States, Texas and other states are experiencing a significant uptick in measles cases, prompting medical officials to urge immediate vaccinations to curb the spread.

Internationally, Europe is grappling with its highest number of measles cases in over 25 years. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF, the continent saw a doubling of measles cases last year, primarily due to declining vaccination rates following the COVID-19 pandemic. This resurgence underscores the critical need for sustained immunization programs to prevent further outbreaks.

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4. Egypt Responds to President Trump's Gaza Relocation Statements

Speaker: Ayah Batrawi
Timestamp: [02:32]

President Trump's proposals regarding Gaza have stirred significant international reactions. While Trump publicly stated, "nobody's expelling any Palestinians" from Gaza ([02:32]), his plan for permanent relocation—a softer term for what many perceive as forced displacement—has raised concerns. Israel's far-right government has been moving forward with initiatives to displace Palestinians, aligning with Trump's broader strategy.

In response, Egypt has expressed appreciation for Trump's reassurances that Palestinians will not be expelled. Moreover, Egypt has proactively developed its own reconstruction plan for Gaza, which emphasizes keeping Palestinians on their land. This plan was presented by Arab diplomats to Trump's Middle East envoy in Qatar, demonstrating a regional commitment to supporting Palestinian residency within Gaza ([02:32]).

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5. Southern Baptist Convention Faces Declining Membership Across the U.S.

Speaker: Jason DeRose
Timestamp: [03:12]

The Southern Baptist Convention, the largest Protestant group in the United States, is experiencing membership declines across nearly all regions. A recent analysis by Lifeway Research highlights that only a small percentage of congregations in New England have seen growth, with overall membership gains being minimal compared to significant losses elsewhere.

Specifically, Southern Baptist congregations have shrunk by 18% on the West Coast, 15% in the Great Plains, and 8% in the South, where the denomination is predominantly concentrated ([03:29]). Despite these declines, Southern Baptists remain the largest Protestant group in the country, boasting approximately 13 million members. This trend mirrors a broader decline in religious affiliation and participation among Christian groups in the United States over recent decades.

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6. Pope Francis Celebrates 12 Years as Pontiff Amid Health Concerns and Lent Observances

Speaker: Lakshmi Singh
Timestamp: [04:13]

Pope Francis marked the 12th anniversary of his pontificate while hospitalized due to pneumonia. The Associated Press reports that the 88-year-old pontiff has received encouraging updates regarding his recovery, though he remains under medical care. His health journey comes at a significant time as Catholics and other Christians worldwide observe the Lent season, culminating in Easter.

Pope Francis' hospitalization has garnered a multitude of well-wishes from believers around the globe, reflecting his enduring influence and the deep connections he has fostered within the Christian community.

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7. U.S. Stock Markets Experience Sharp Declines

Speaker: Lakshmi Singh
Timestamp: [04:13]

In today's financial news, U.S. stock markets are witnessing substantial downturns. The Dow Jones Industrial Average has plummeted by more than 1% (433 points), currently standing at 40,905. Similarly, the S&P 500 has dipped over 1%, and the Nasdaq has seen a 1.5% decline. These drops reflect growing investor concerns and may be influenced by recent economic data and geopolitical tensions discussed earlier in the episode.

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Conclusion

This episode of NPR News Now provided a comprehensive overview of critical national and international issues, ranging from President Trump's ongoing trade policies and health sector leadership challenges to public health crises like the measles outbreak and shifts in religious affiliations. Additionally, significant geopolitical developments concerning Gaza and influential figures such as Pope Francis were discussed, alongside notable movements in the U.S. stock markets. Each segment offered insightful analysis and updates, ensuring listeners are well-informed about the latest happenings shaping our world.

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Notable Quotes:

• “The price of eggs has come down since I took office.” – President Donald Trump ([00:29])

• “Nobody's expelling any Palestinians.” – President Donald Trump ([02:32])

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Sources:
Transcript from NPR News Now Episode: NPR News: 03-13-2025 12PM EDT

Transcript

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[Lakshmi Singh]

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Lakshmi Singh. President Trump's trade war is turning into a sort of Bar Fight. NPR's Scott Horsley reports on Trump's latest vow to tax imported alcohol.

[Pemco Mutual Insurance Company]

In a social media post, President Trump threatened to impose a 200% tariff on European wines and spirits. The move comes after the European Union said as of April 1st it will tax Kentucky bourbon and other American products in retaliation for Trump's own steel and aluminum tariffs. The president, who's a teetotaler himself, insists the trade battle will be good for domestic winemakers. In another social media post, Trump claimed the price of eggs has come down since he took office. In fact, new inflation data out this week shows egg prices jumped more than 10% in Fe. Scott Horsley, NPR News, Washington.

[Lakshmi Singh]

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will have to wait a little longer for a new leader. NPR's Ping Wang reports. The White House withdrew its nominee for the post.

[Ping Wang]

Dr. David Weldon had been scheduled to appear before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, labor and pensions at 10am just before 9:30 in the morning, the committee sent out a notice that the confirmation hearing had been canceled. A White House official not authorized to speak publicly told NPR that Weldon did not have the votes needed for confirmation. In the Senate, President Trump announced Walden as his pick to lead CDC on Truth Social in November, praising Walden's experience as a medical doctor, army veteran, politician and family man. In the months since, Walden's record on vaccines has been scrutinized, including debunked claims that linked vaccines with autism. Ping Huang, NPR News.

[Lakshmi Singh]

Measles cases are still rising in Texas and other states, prompting medical officials to encourage vaccinations. Europe, meanwhile, is dealing with the highest number of measles cases in more than 25 years. The world Health Organization and UNICEF report that last year the number of cases on the continent doubled after vaccination levels fell post COVID pandemic. Egypt says it welcomes President Trump's latest remarks that Palestinians won't be expelled from the Gaza Strip. This comes after Trump repeatedly said the US should take over Gaza and displace its 2 million Palestinians permanently outside the territory to countries such as Egypt. Here's NPR's Ayah Batrawi.

[Ayah Batrawi]

President Trump's been touting his plan for Gaza for weeks now. But in the Oval Office, when asked by a reporter, he said, quote, nobody's expelling any Palestinians. Trump, however, had never called his plan one of expulsion. He'd said it was a plan for permanent relocation, using softer terms that Israel's far right government have also adopted as Israel moves ahead with plans to facilitate the displacement of Palestinians outside Gaza. Still, Egypt says it appreciates Trump's latest remarks about not expelling people from Gaza. And Egypt had already pushed back by drafting its own reconstruction plan for Gaza that keeps Palestinians on the land. Arab diplomats presented the plan to Trump's Mideast envoy in Qatar this week. Aya Baltrawi, NPR News.

[Lakshmi Singh]

This is npr. The largest Protestant group in the United States has lost members in nearly every region of the country. NPR's Jason DeRose reports on a new analysis of Southern Baptist Convention data.

[Jason DeRose]

Lifeway Research found the only place the conservative evangelical Christian group gained members was in New England, but only a tiny percentage of its congregations are based there. Elsewhere in the U.S. losses were significant. The analysis shows that between 2018 and 2023, Southern Baptist congregations on the West coast shrank by 18%. In the Great Plains, congregations were down 15%. And in the south, from Texas to Kentucky, where Southern Baptists are largely concentrated, congregations lost 8% of their membership. As with most Christian groups in the U.S. overall numbers have declined in recent decades. But Southern Baptists are still the largest Protestant group in the with roughly 13 million members. Jason DeRose, NPR News.

[Lakshmi Singh]

Pope Francis marked the 12th anniversary of his pontificate in the hospital where he has been hospitalized for the past month with pneumonia. The Associated Press reports the 88 year old has received increasingly positive news on his recovery, though he's still receiving a flurry of well wishes. As Catholics and other Christians worldwide observe the Lent season leading to Easter. U.S. stocks are trading sharply lower this hour. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is down more than 1%, or 433 points, at 40,905. The S&P is down more than 1%. The Nasdaq is now down 1.5%. This is NPR News.

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