NPR News: 04-10-2025 11AM EDT

Summary

NPR News Now – April 10, 2025, 11 AM EDT

Hosted by NPR

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Federal Government Budget Blueprint

Speaker: Korva Coleman

The House of Representatives is currently deliberating a budget blueprint for the federal government. House Speaker Mike Johnson is actively seeking support from FISC conservatives, who have expressed concerns that the proposed measure may not sufficiently reduce the national deficit. In response, Johnson asserts that the Republican Party will secure $1.5 trillion in savings. He emphasizes that these savings will safeguard essential programs, including Medicaid. However, Democrats challenge this assertion, arguing that the GOP's plan may jeopardize critical benefits for Americans who rely on them.

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U.S.-China Trade Tensions and Market Impact

Speaker: Korva Coleman

Wall Street continues to experience significant declines, with markets falling further following President Trump's decision to halt some tariffs on multiple countries. In retaliation, the European Union has similarly paused certain tariffs. Nevertheless, President Trump has increased tariffs on China to at least 125%, intensifying the ongoing trade war between the two nations.

Quote:

Peter Navarro [01:14]: "We're in a beautiful position. For the next 90 days. We've got over 75 countries that are going to come in and negotiate with us. And what they're going to have to do without fail is they're going to have to lower their non-tariff barriers because those are the bigger ones than the tariff barriers. And we're going to get a great deal for America and a great deal for the world."

Economic Insights:

Economists warn that the escalating trade war is likely to sustain higher consumer prices. Scott Newman reports that the phenomenon of price stickiness—where prices rise rapidly but decrease slowly or not at all—could mean that tariffs will have a long-term impact on the cost of goods. Kenneth Lewy, Director of the Economic Research Institute of Erie at Penn State University, explains that tariffs can lead to "something known as price stickiness," causing sustained price hikes. Additionally, manufacturers might relocate their supply chains away from the U.S., passing increased costs onto consumers.

Quote:

Rebecca Hersher [02:03]: "When we have policies like tariffs, that's going to lead to an upward ratcheting of prices. If we look at the historical evidence."

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Halting of the National Climate Assessment

Speaker: Korva Coleman

The Trump administration has suspended work on the National Climate Assessment, a crucial document mandated by Congress to provide comprehensive information on how climate change affects the United States. The next assessment was scheduled for release in 2027 and covers critical topics such as sea level rise and changing weather patterns. According to Rebecca Hersher, the cancellation affects a dedicated team of approximately 25 staff members who coordinate with hundreds of scientists contributing to the report. Government officials, speaking anonymously, cited fear of professional retaliation as the reason for their silence.

Quote:

Rebecca Hersher [02:36]: "The report includes the latest information about sea level rise, changing weather patterns and other climate change effects. It's written in plain language so everyone from farmers and fishermen to teachers and judges can use it."

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Market Downturn and International Relations

Speaker: Korva Coleman

In today's stock market, the Dow Jones Industrial Average has plummeted by over 1,000 points, while the NASDAQ has decreased by more than 600 points. Concurrently, the United States and Russia have engaged in a prisoner exchange. Russia has released Ksenia Karolina, who was detained for donating less than $100 to a charity supporting Ukraine. In return, the U.S. has freed Russian-German citizen Arthur Petrov, who faced allegations of illegally exporting military-grade electronics.

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Scientific Advancement in Pain Pathway Research

Speaker: Korva Coleman

In a groundbreaking study published in the journal Nature, scientists have successfully replicated a human pain-sensing pathway using nerve cells grown in a laboratory dish. Dr. Sergio Pasca from Stanford University explains that the team recreated the sequence of pain signal transmission—from nerve endings to the spinal cord, advancing to deeper brain areas, and finally reaching the brain's cortex.

Quote:

Dr. Sergio Pasca [03:56]: "Pain signals start at a nerve ending, then travel to the spinal cord, to an area deep in the brain, and finally to the brain's outer the cortex."

By exposing the nerve endings to a chemical found in chili peppers, the researchers activated the neurons responsible for pain signals. Dr. Pasca highlights the potential applications of this sensory pathway model in testing drugs designed to block pain, offering a new avenue for pain management research.

Quote:

Dr. Sergio Pasca [04:19]: "The neurons that send these signals get activated and they transmit that information to the next station and the next station all the way to the cortex."

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Severe Flooding Across Multiple States

Speaker: Korva Coleman

Multiple states, ranging from Ohio to the Gulf Coast, are under flood warnings following a series of intense storms that began a week ago. The heavy rainfall has caused river levels to surge, reaching major flood stages. In Cincinnati, officials report that the Ohio River has crest at unprecedented levels not seen in decades, resulting in significant flooding in parts of downtown.

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Conclusion

Today's NPR News Now provided a comprehensive overview of pressing national and international issues, from fiscal policy debates and trade tensions impacting global markets to advancements in scientific research and urgent environmental concerns. The ongoing developments in government budgeting, international relations, economic stability, and climate action underscore the complex challenges facing the United States today.

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Transcript

[NPR Announcer]

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[Korva Coleman]

In Washington, I'm Korva Coleman. The House is now voting on a budget blueprint for the federal government. House Speaker Mike Johnson has been working to win support from FISC conservatives. They've said they're worried the measure doesn't do enough to cut the deficit. Johnson says the GOP will identify $1.5 trillion in savings. He says it will protect essential programs such as Medicaid. Democrats say that's not possible under the GOP plan. They say Americans who need these benefits could lose them. Markets continue to fall on Wall Street a day after President Trump paused some of his tariffs on dozens of nations in reaction, the European Union says it will pause some of its tariffs for the same amount of time, but Trump increased tariffs on China to at least 125%. White House trade advisor Peter Navarro continues to insist tariffs are key to American prosperity.

[Peter Navarro]

We're in a beautiful position. For the next 90 days. We've got over 75 countries that are going to come in and negotiate with us. And what they're going to have to do without fail is they're going to have to lower their non tariff barriers because those are the bigger ones than the tariff barriers. And we're going to get a great deal for America and a great deal for the world.

[Korva Coleman]

Meanwhile, economists say the escalating trade war between the U.S. and China is likely to keep prices higher. NPR's Scott Newman reports consumers are likely to see some of those prices stay higher for good.

[Kenneth Lewy]

Something known as price stickiness is an economic concept describing how prices that go up quickly come down slowly or not at all. Kenneth Lewy is director of the Economic Research Institute of Erie at Penn State University.

[Rebecca Hersher]

When we have policies like tariffs, that's going to lead to an upward ratcheting of prices. If we look at the historical evidence.

[Kenneth Lewy]

One factor could be manufacturers eventually shifting their supply chains away from the US At a cost they would likely pass on to consumers. Scott Newman, NPR News, Washington.

[Korva Coleman]

The Trump administration has halted work on the national climate assessment. As NPR's Rebecca Hersher reports, it's the most comprehensive source of information on how climate change affects the U.S. the National.

[Rebecca Hersher]

Climate Assessment is required by Congress, and the next one was expected in 2027. The report includes the latest information about sea level rise, changing weather patterns and other climate change effects. It's written in plain language so everyone from farmers and fishermen to teachers and judges can use it. A small staff of about 25 people helps coordinate the hundreds of scientists who write the now, the federal government has canceled the contract that paid for those staff, according to two government officials with direct knowledge of the cuts. They agreed to speak to NPR on the condition of anonymity because they fear professional retaliation. Rebecca Hersher, NPR News.

[Korva Coleman]

On Wall street, the Dow is down more than 1,000 points. The NASDAQ is down more than 600. This is NPR. The United States and Russia have exchanged prisoners. Russia has released Ksenia Karolina. She was jailed in Russia after giving less than 100 dol to a charity that sent relief aid to Ukraine. Russia says the US has released Russian German citizen Arthur Petrov. He was accused in the US of illegally exporting military grade electronics. Scientists have replicated a pathway that senses pain using human nerve cells grown in a dish. NPR's John Hamilton reports on a study in the journal Nature.

[Dr. Sergio Pasca]

Pain signals start at a nerve ending, then travel to the spinal cord, to an area deep in the brain, and finally to the brain's outer the cortex. A team at Stanford recreated this pathway using clusters of human neurons designed to mimic each stop along the way. Dr. Sergio Pasca says then they exposed the nerve endings on one cluster to a chemical found in chili peppers.

The neurons that sends these signals get activated and they transmit that information to the next station and the next station all the way to the cortex.

Paschka says this sensory pathway in a dish could be used to test drugs meant to block pain. John Hamilton, NPR News.

[Korva Coleman]

There are flood warnings up in several states this morning, from Ohio to the Gulf Coast. This follows several days of storms that started a week ago. The exceptionally heavy rain from the storm has surged into rivers, pushing them to major flood stage. Officials in Cincinnati say the Ohio river crested there yesterday at levels not seen in decades. Parts of downtown Cincinnati are flooded. This is npr.

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