NPR News: 04-10-2025 8AM EDT

Summary

NPR News Now – April 10, 2025, 8 AM EDT

Host: Korva Coleman
Produced by: NPR

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1. U.S. and European Union Respond to Trade Tariffs

Korva Coleman opens the morning with significant developments in international trade. The European Union has announced it will align with President Donald Trump's recent decision to suspend tariffs on certain U.S. goods for 90 days. This move follows Trump's sudden reversal on tariffs, which were initially imposed on China.

Franco Ordonez reports:

"Just hours after he urged Americans to, quote, be cool about an escalating trade war, Trump reversed course and issued a 90-day pause on a majority of tariffs" (00:37).

An unnamed commentator expresses mixed reactions:

"I thought that people were jumping a little bit out of line. They were getting yippee, you know, they were getting a little bit yippie, a little bit afraid" (00:47).

Despite the suspension, the administration maintained a 10% baseline tariff on imports, significantly lower than the previously threatened rates. Notably, tariffs on China were increased to 125% as a retaliatory measure against Beijing's actions.

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2. U.S.-Russia Prisoner Swap Continues Thawing Relations

In a notable diplomatic gesture, the United States and Russia have executed another prisoner swap, marking the second American release from a Russian prison since Trump's administration resumed its office.

Charles Maynes provides detailed coverage from Moscow:

"According to the deal, Russia released Ksenia Karelina, a dual Russian and American citizen... detained while visiting her parents in Russia in February of last year for donating just over $50 to a Ukrainian aid charity" (01:41).

In exchange, the U.S. freed Arthur Petrov, a dual Russian-German citizen accused of illegally exporting military-grade electronics, violating U.S. sanctions on Russia related to the Ukraine conflict. Trump has emphasized that this swap is part of a broader strategy to improve relations with the Kremlin.

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3. Wrongful Deportation Case Gains Supreme Court Attention

The family of Kilma Abrego Garcia, an immigrant from Maryland erroneously deported to El Salvador, continues to seek his return. Garcia’s wife, Jennifer Vasquez Sura, addressed lawmakers alongside members of the Hispanic Caucus:

"We're not going to give up hope... Do the right thing. History will always remember you" (02:40).

The Supreme Court is now examining Garcia's case, which reveals significant flaws in the Trump administration's immigration enforcement. Despite admitting the mistake, officials maintain that they cannot reverse the deportation since Garcia is no longer in the United States, raising questions about accountability and humanitarian considerations.

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4. Severe Flood Warnings Issued Across Multiple States

The nation faces heightened flood risks as heavy rainfall from recent storms has caused rivers to surge to major flood stages. States from Ohio to the Gulf Coast are under severe flood warnings.

In Cincinnati, officials announced:

"The Ohio River crested yesterday," highlighting the immediate threat to communities and infrastructure (02:21).

Authorities are urging residents to take precautions as emergency services prepare for potential evacuations and disaster response efforts.

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5. Elderly Chimpanzees Relocated to Louisiana Sanctuary

A heartwarming update comes from New Mexico, where all former research chimpanzees from an Air Force base have been successfully relocated to Chimp Haven, a sanctuary in Louisiana.

Nell Greenfield Boyce shares:

"These chimps are so old and frail that the National Institutes of Health had originally said they weren't going to be moved... Last November, though, the NIH reversed course" (03:48).

The 21 chimpanzees, some in their 50s and 60s, are adapting well to their new environment, ensuring they live out their remaining years in comfort. This marks a significant step in ending invasive biomedical research on chimpanzees, with nearly 300 now residing at Chimp Haven.

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6. Chinese Scientists Discover Drier Far Side of the Moon

Advancements in lunar research have revealed that the far side of the moon may possess significantly less moisture than the side facing Earth. Chinese scientists, leveraging data from their historic probe that successfully landed on the moon's far side last year, have studied lunar soil samples extensively.

Korva Coleman reports:

"The researchers say this can help them understand how the moon evolved" (04:32).

This discovery provides new insights into the moon's geological history and could influence future lunar exploration and utilization strategies.

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Conclusion

Today's episode of NPR News Now delivered a comprehensive overview of critical international trade developments, diplomatic prisoner exchanges, pressing immigration issues, severe weather warnings, heartening animal welfare news, and groundbreaking lunar research. Each segment provided in-depth analysis and authoritative commentary, ensuring listeners are well-informed on the latest events shaping the world.

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This summary encapsulates the key discussions and insights from the April 10, 2025, episode of NPR News Now. For more detailed coverage, listeners are encouraged to tune into the full episode.

Transcript

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[Korva Coleman]

In Washington, I'm Korva Coleman. The European Union has announced it will match President Trump's decision. It will pause a set of tariffs on certain U.S. goods for 90 days. Trump's latest tariffs had only been in effect for a few hours yesterday when he announced he was suspending them for three months. But as NPR's Franco Ordonez reports, Trump chose to boost tariffs on China.

[Franco Ordonez]

Just hours after he urged Americans to, quote, be cool about an escalating trade war, Trump reversed course and issued a 90 day pause on a majority of terrorists.

[Unnamed Commentator]

I thought that people were jumping a little bit out of line. They were getting yippee, you know, they were getting a little bit yippie, a little bit afraid.

[Franco Ordonez]

He later downplayed those concerns, claiming this was their strategy all along. The administration is keeping a baseline 10% tariff on imports, but that's much less than tariffs he was threatening on dozens of countries. Yet while he paused most of those increased tariffs, he doubled down on Beijing, raising China's tariff to 125%. He said it was punishment when China announced their own retaliatory. Franco Ordonez, NPR News, the White House.

[Korva Coleman]

The US And Russia say they have carried out another prisoner swap. The exchange marks the second American freed from a Russian prison since President Trump returned to the White House. NPR's Charles mainnes reports from Moscow. Trump vowed to improve relations with the Kremlin.

[Charles Maynes]

According to the deal, Russia released Ksenia Karelina, a dual Russian and American citizen who'd been serving out a 12 year sentence in a Russian prison colony. A native of Russia's Ural Mountains who later moved to Los Angeles, the ballet dancer was detained while visiting her parents in Russia in February of last year. The reason? Karolina had donated just over $50 to a Ukrainian aid charity. She was later convicted of financing the UKRA Ukrainian army under the exchange. Russia's FSB says the US Freed Arthur Petrov, a dual Russian German citizen accused of illegally exporting military grade electronics in violation of US Sanctions on Russia over its actions in Ukraine. Charles Maynes, NPR News, Moscow.

[Korva Coleman]

The family of an immigrant in Maryland who was forcibly deported to El Salvador by mistake is continuing to demand his release. The wife of Kilma Abrego Garcia joined members of the Hispanic Caucus yesterday on Capitol Hill. Jennifer Vasquez Sura Said says her husband was abducted a month ago by the Trump administration.

[Jennifer Vasquez Sura]

We're not going to give up hope to the Supreme Court justice. Do the right thing. History will always remember you.

[Korva Coleman]

The U.S. supreme Court is examining Abrego Garcia's case. He was legally permitted to be in the United States. The Trump administration admits it made a mistake in deporting him to El Salvador, but officials say they cannot and will not do anything because he is no LONGER in the U.S. this is NPR. There are flood warnings up in several states from Ohio to the Gulf Coast. This follows several days of storms that started a week ago. Now the exceptionally heavy rain has surged into rivers, pushing many to major flood stage. Officials in Cincinnati say the Ohio river crested there yesterday. All of the former research chimpanzees that have been living on an Air Force base in New Mexico have finally arrived at a chimp sanctuary in Louisiana. As NPR's Nell Greenfield Boyce reports, many of these chimps are in their 50s and 60s.

[Nell Greenfield Boyce]

These chimps are so old and frail that the National Institutes of Health had originally said they weren't going to be moved to the federal chimp sanctuary, that the change would be too stressful. Last November, though, the NIH reversed course. Over the last few months, workers carefully transported 21 chimps to their new home, which is called Chimp Haven. Raina Smith is the CEO. All of those chimps are really doing well, settling in at Chimp Haven and just starting to thrive. The NIH stopped using chimps for invasive biomedical research a decade ago. Almost all of its chimps, nearly 300, now live at this sanctuary. A small number are still at two facilities in Texas. Nell Greenfield Boyce, NPR News.

[Korva Coleman]

Chinese scientists think the far side of the moon may be a lot more dry than the side that faces the Earth. They studied lunar dirt from a Chinese probe that landed on the far side of the moon last year, the first human craft to do so. The researchers say this can help them understand how the moon evolved. I'm Korva Coleman, NPR News.

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