NPR News: 04-10-2025 10PM EDT

Summary

NPR News Now: April 10, 2025, 10 PM EDT

Hosted by NPR’s Jack Spear, this episode of NPR News Now provides a comprehensive overview of the latest national and international developments. From immigration cases and international trade tensions to significant archaeological discoveries and economic indicators, here are the key stories covered.

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1. Trump Administration’s Deportation Case Against Mahmoud Khalil

[00:16] Host Jack Spear opens the episode by detailing the Trump administration's efforts to deport Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate student and pro-Palestinian activist. Khalil, a lawful permanent resident, is currently detained in Louisiana, where an immigration judge is scheduled to hear his case the following day.

[00:34] NPR’s Joel Rose reports on the administration's submission of a two-page memo signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The memo does not allege any criminal activity but accuses Khalil of participating in "anti-Semitic protests and disruptive activities," asserting that his continued presence in the U.S. would undermine foreign policy efforts to combat anti-Semitism.

Quote:
"The memo accuses Khalil of participating in, quote, anti-Semitic protests and disruptive activities and says that allowing him to stay would undermine US Foreign policy to combat anti Semitism."
— Joel Rose, [00:34]

Khalil's legal team contends that the administration is targeting him for exercising his First Amendment rights, arguing that his speech is protected and should not warrant deportation.

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2. Escalating Trade Tensions Between the U.S., China, and the European Union

[01:13] Jack Spear transitions to international trade, highlighting the Trump administration's strategy to engage in trade talks with up to 75 nations while simultaneously intensifying tensions with China. The U.S. has increased tariffs on Chinese goods to 145%, prompting retaliatory tariffs of 84% from China on American imports.

[01:58] Terry Schultz reports from Brussels on the European Union's response. After President Trump delayed a second round of tariffs on EU exports—a potential 20% tax on $23 billion worth of goods—the EU has announced a 90-day pause on imposing tariffs. This decision aims to encourage negotiations but leaves the EU prepared to implement the tariffs if talks fail.

Quote:
"We believe these types of tariffs are harmful, counterproductive and on the other hand, to show that when it comes to these types of escalations we're not going to be pushed around."
— Olaf Gill, European Commission Spokesperson, [02:20]

The EU's President Ursula von der Leyen emphasized the bloc's willingness to engage in dialogue, as reported by Schultz, reflecting the delicate balance between maintaining economic relationships and protecting regional interests.

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3. U.S. Economic Indicators and Stock Market Volatility

[02:38] Jack Spear provides an update on the U.S. economy, noting that consumer prices rose by 2.4% in March compared to the previous year, as reported by the Labor Department. This increase is attributed to lower gas prices and a reduction in core inflation.

Despite these signs of controlled inflation, the stock market remains volatile. Following a significant rise the previous day, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell by over 1,000 points, and the NASDAQ dropped by 777 points, indicating investor uncertainty.

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4. Tragic Helicopter Crash in the Hudson River

In a somber report, Jack Spear covers the fatal helicopter crash over the Hudson River that resulted in the deaths of five individuals, including a family of five from Spain and a sightseeing helicopter pilot. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has launched an investigation to determine the cause of the accident. Authorities have recovered the victims' bodies, and details surrounding the incident remain forthcoming.

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5. NOAA Layoffs Under the Trump Administration

[03:46] Alejandro Barunda discusses the ongoing layoffs at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Initially, hundreds of probationary employees were let go earlier in the year as part of federal government cuts initiated by the Trump administration. Although these employees were briefly rehired due to a court order, the order has since been overturned, leading to another round of firings.

Quote:
"Experts say the loss of so many people, along with other major disruptions to the agency is already impacting services like weather forecasting."
— Alejandro Barunda, [03:46]

The layoffs span various departments within NOAA, affecting critical operations such as climate research, fisheries management, and weather forecasting. NOAA has yet to respond to NPR's requests for comment, and the implications of these workforce reductions are beginning to be felt in the agency’s ability to deliver essential services.

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6. Archaeological Discovery of a Denisov Jawbone in Taiwan

[04:30] In a groundbreaking archaeological discovery, researchers in Taiwan have uncovered the jawbone of an early human ancestor belonging to the Denisovans—an extinct group closely related to both Neanderthals and modern humans. This finding, published in the journal Science, expands the known geographical range of Denisovans and provides new insights into their interactions with other hominin species.

Quote:
"Relatively little is known about the group that apparently interacted with both Neanderthals and Homo sapiens."
— Jack Spear, [04:30]

The discovery sheds light on the complex evolutionary history of early humans and the extent of Denisovan influence across different regions.

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For more updates and in-depth coverage, stay tuned to NPR News Now.

Transcript

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[Jack Spear]

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jack Spear. The Trump administration has laid out the evidence in its deportation case against Columbia University student and activist Mahmoud Khalil. NPR's Joel Rose reports. An immigration judge in Louisiana, where Khalil is being detained will hold a hearing in the case tomorrow.

[Joel Rose]

Facing a deadline from the immigration judge to reveal their evidence against Khalil, the Trump administration submitted a two page memo signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The memo does not allege any criminal conduct by Khalil, a Columbia University grad student and lawful permanent resident who played a prominent role in pro Palestinian protests last year. Rubio's memo accuses Khalil of participating in, quote, anti Semitic protests and disruptive activities and says that allowing him to stay would undermine US Foreign policy to combat anti Semitism. Khalil's lawyers say the filing makes clear the administration is targeting Khalil for speech that is protected under the First Amendment. Joel Rose, NPR News, Washington.

[Jack Spear]

The Trump administration now says it is working to determine what it hopes to obtain trade talks with as many as 75 nations in coming weeks. At the same time, the administration appears to also be working out next steps with China. Even as it puts in place punishing taxes on Chinese goods coming into the U.S. u.S. Is upping tariffs to 145% against China. China has retaliatory tariffs of 84% on imports from the U.S. the U.S. and China are the world's two biggest economies. The European Union has decided to hold off on imposing tariffs on US Goods after President Trump decided to delay a second round of tariffs on the bloc, which would have been 20% on all exports. From Brussels, Terry Schultz reports more than $23 billion worth of trade from the US was due to be hit with trade penalties next week.

[Terry Schultz]

In response, we want to give negotiations a chance, european Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wrote in a post on X in announcing a 90 day pause in imposition of tariffs on US imports to the EU. But she added, the bloc remains ready to go ahead with the measures if the US doesn't want to talk things out. Commission spokesperson Olaf Gill explains the two track approach.

[Olaf Gill]

We believe these types of tariffs are harmful, counterproductive and on the other hand, to show that when it comes to these types of escalations we're not going to be pushed around.

[Terry Schultz]

The measures suspended by the EU are in response to Trump's first round of tariffs on steel and aluminum, which he has not removed. For NPR News, I'm Terry Scholz in Brussels.

[Jack Spear]

Ahead of the imposition of the administration's tariffs, inflation was relatively reined in last month, though economists say that could change when we get to the numbers from this month. According to the Labor Department, consumer prices rose just 2.4% in March from the same period a year ago. One major factor was lower gas prices, stripping out volatile food and energy. Core inflation was also down. Thousand point plus. Swings on Wall street appear to be the norm at the moment. And that happened again today after yesterday's big run up. Stocks went the other way. The Dow falling more than 1,000 points. The NASDAQ was down 777 points. You're listening to NPR. A family of five from Spain along with a pilot of a sightseeing helicopter were killed today after the chopper appears to have broken apart in midair, plunging into the Hudson River. What caused the crash is still not known. The bodies of the victims have been recovered. The National Transportation Safety Board says it will investigate. Hundreds of employees at the national oceanic and Atmospheric Administration were fired in February. They were technically rehired because of a court order, but that's been overturned and NOAA staffers have been fired again. Appears Alejandro Barunda has more.

[Alejandro Barunda]

The Trump administration started cutting within the federal government earlier this year. Early cuts were to probationary employees, meaning recent hires or people who had recently been promoted. Hundreds of NOAA employees fit that bill. They worked across the agency. From scientific research about climate to managing the country's fisheries to weather forecasting. Many have now received notice that they have once again been fired. That's according to NOAA staff who spoke to NPR anonymously out of fear of retribution. Experts say the loss of so many people, along with other major disruptions to the agency is already impacting services like weather forecasting. NOAA has not responded to NPR's request for comment. Alejandro Barunda, NPR News.

[Jack Spear]

Researchers in Taiwan say they found the jawbone of an early human ancestor, the jawbone from the extinct group of human cousins known as Denisov. Relatively little is known about the group that apparently interacted with both Neanderthals and Homo sapiens. Latest identification expands the area where those groups lived. The findings were published today in the journal Science. I'm Jack Spear for NPR News in Washington.

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