NPR News: 08-03-2025 2AM EDT

Summary

NPR News Now: August 3, 2025, 2AM EDT

Hosted by Dale Willman

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International Trade Negotiations

US-Mexico Trade Talks Extended

Trade negotiations between the United States and Mexico are ongoing, with recent developments highlighting the complexities of bilateral relations. President Donald Trump engaged in discussions with Mexico's President on Thursday, resulting in an agreement to extend the negotiations for an additional 90 days. Despite this extension, not all parties are satisfied with the current direction of trade policies.

Republican Dissent on Tariffs

Republican Congressman Don Bacon expressed his dissatisfaction with President Trump's approach to trade, particularly concerning tariffs. At [00:32], Bacon stated:

"Well, I don't really agree with two thirds of his tariff policy. Some of it I think we do need. China is a bad trade partner. The EU, though, they don't have tariffs, they have barriers. So there needed to be some discussions there, not necessarily a trade war. So I'm not against all tariffs, but I think what the president has done has not been very helpful."

Bacon criticized the administration's tariff strategy, emphasizing the need for more nuanced trade policies rather than broad-based tariffs.

President Trump's New Tariffs

In a move to counteract what he perceives as unfair trade practices, President Trump announced new higher tariffs on goods imported from over 60 countries this week. This decision underscores the administration's ongoing commitment to enforcing stricter trade measures internationally.

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European Union's AI Legislation

Implementation of the EU's AI Act

A year after the European Union (EU) introduced its landmark Artificial Intelligence Act, the next phase of its implementation commenced on Saturday. This legislation aims to ensure the safe and responsible use of artificial intelligence by regulating AI systems based on their potential risk to users.

Key Provisions and Industry Response

Terry Schultz reports on the specifics of the EU's approach:

"The act is aimed at making sure artificial intelligence is used safely and responsibly and regulates AI systems based on their perceived level of potential risk to users. Some of the latest obligations affect providers of General Purpose AI, or GPAI, models, which include X's Grok and OpenAI's ChatGPT. The rules require more transparency on how AI models are trained and better enforcement of copyright protection."

The EU has also established a voluntary code of practice to guide AI providers in complying with these new requirements. Notably, MEDA is the only major provider that has opted not to join the code, raising concerns about industry-wide adherence.

Impact on U.S. Companies in Europe

U.S. companies operating within Europe must now file detailed reports in compliance with these regulations, leading to complaints from some businesses about the increased administrative burden and potential competitive disadvantages.

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Immigration and Deportation Lawsuit

Families Sue ICE Over Deportations

Two families, including three children who are U.S. citizens, were deported from Louisiana to Honduras earlier this year. Now, they are taking legal action against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), alleging violations of their due process rights.

Details of the Lawsuit

Mel Bridges of NPR member station WRKF provides an in-depth look:

"The lawsuit filed by the National Immigration Project and others is on behalf of two New Orleans based Honduran mothers and their three American children, including a five-year-old boy undergoing treatment for kidney cancer. The families were detained in April after the mothers attended a regular ICE check-in."

The lawsuit claims that the mothers were denied access to legal counsel and were not given the opportunity to decide whether their children should be deported. Specifically, one mother wished for her son to remain in the U.S. to continue his cancer treatment. In contrast, the Trump administration maintains that the mothers willingly chose to be deported along with their children.

The plaintiffs are seeking a jury trial and relief from damages, aiming to hold ICE accountable for the alleged procedural shortcomings.

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Violence and Public Safety

Ongoing Search in Montana

A search is currently underway in Montana for an Army veteran, identified as 45-year-old Michael Brown, who is suspected of opening fire at a bar in Anaconda on Friday morning. The attack resulted in the tragic deaths of four individuals.

Current Status and Public Alert

Police have focused their search efforts on a mountainous area in the western region of the state. Although a lockdown was lifted on Saturday, authorities caution residents to remain on high alert. Officials believe that Brown may still be armed and dangerous, urging the community to stay vigilant.

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Environmental Concerns in the DRC

DRC's Plans for Oil Exploration

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has unveiled plans to partition 306 million acres of its territory into oil blocks. This initiative has sparked significant environmental concerns, particularly regarding the preservation of critical habitats for endangered species.

Impact on Biodiversity and Local Communities

Julia Simon reports:

"A new report from Earth Insight, a research group, finds 64% of the area is intact tropical forest. These forests are full of biodiversity, including endangered gorillas, bonobos, and vast amounts of carbon stored in trees and peatlands. They're also home to tens of millions of people, many indigenous."

The proposed oil drilling threatens these pristine environments, endangering both wildlife and the livelihoods of indigenous populations. Additionally, as the global economy shifts towards renewable energy, there are concerns that DRC's investments in fossil fuels could result in stranded assets—resources that may become obsolete and devalued.

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Sports Updates

MLB Speedway Classic Postponed

The Major League Baseball (MLB) Speedway Classic scheduled for Saturday was suspended due to rain. This game was poised to be the first-ever regular-season MLB game played in the state. The match between the Atlanta Braves and the Cincinnati Reds was interrupted before the first pitch and faced delays upon commencement. The game is now rescheduled for Sunday afternoon.

PGA Tour: Cameron Young Leads

In golf, Cameron Young maintains a five-stroke lead as he heads into the final round of the PGA event underway in Greensboro, N.C. On Saturday, Young secured his position by making a pair of late birdies, extending his lead over Nico Echevaria to five shots. No other competitor is within striking distance, as the next closest contender trails by eight shots. Young is recognized as the best player without a win on the main PGA Tour, having finished as a runner-up seven times.

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

Transcript

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[Dale Willman]

[e-mail] Live from NPR News, I'm Dale Willman. Trade negotiations between the US And Mexico are continuing. President Trump spoke with Mexico's president on Thursday, and both sides agreed to extend the discussions for another 90 days. Republican Congressman Don Bacon, meanwhile, says he's unhappy with much of Trump's trade trade policies.

[Unnamed Republican Congressman]

Well, I don't really agree with two thirds of his tariff policy. Some of it I think we do need. China is a bad trade partner. The eu, though, they don't have tariffs, they have barriers. So there needed to be some discussions there, not necessarily a trade war. So I'm not against all tariffs, but I think what the president has done has not been very helpful.

[Dale Willman]

Trump, meanwhile, announced new higher tariffs for more than 60 countries this week. Major portions of the European Union's new legislation governing artificial intelligence have now come into force. Terry Schultz reports.

[Terry Schultz]

A year after the EU's AI act went into effect, the next stage in implementing the landmark legislation began Saturday. The act is aimed at making sure artificial intelligence is used safely and responsibly and regulates AI systems based on their perceived level of potential risk to users. Some of the latest obligations affect providers of General Purpose AI, or GPAI, models, which include X's Grok and OpenAI's ChatGPT. The rules require more transparency on how AI models are trained and better enforcement of copyright protection. The EU has created a code of practice with the help of experts to give providers guidance on complying with the new requirements. Signing up to the code is voluntary. MEDA is the only major provider that has refused to do so. For NPR News, I'm Terry Schultz.

[Dale Willman]

U.S. companies operating in Europe, meanwhile, must also file the regulations, which has led to complaints from some businesses. Two families, including three children who are US Citizens were deported from Louisiana to Honduras earlier this year. Now they're suing ICE for allegedly violating their due process rights by deporting them without a trial. Mel Bridges of member station WRKF has more.

[Mel Bridges]

The lawsuit filed by the National Immigration Project and others is on behalf of two New Orleans based Honduran mothers and their three American children, including a five year old boy undergoing treatment for kidney cancer. The families were detained in April after the mothers attended a regular ICE check in. The suit alleges the mothers were not given access to legal counsel or allowed to choose whether their children would be deported. The lawsuit says one of the mothers wanted her son to stay so he could keep receiving cancer treatment. The Trump administration has said the mothers chose to have their children deported with them. The lawsuit asks for a jury trial and relief from damages. For NPR News, I'm Mel Bridges in Baton Rouge.

[Dale Willman]

A search is continuing in Montana at this hour for an army veteran who they say opened fire at a bar in Anaconda Friday morning, killing four people. Police say the search is focused on a mountainous area in the western part of the state. While a lockdown was lifted on Saturday, police say residents in the area should remain on high alert. They say 45 year old Michael Brown may still be armed and dangerous. You're listening to NPR News. The Democratic Republic of the Congo, also known as drc, has plans to carve up more than half the country into blocks for fossil fuels. As NPR's Julia Simon reports, this means drilling in crucial habitats for gorillas.

[Julia Simon]

The DRC recently opened 306 million acres for oil blocks. A new report from Earth Insight, a research group, finds 64% of the area is intact tropical forest. These forests are full of biodiversity, including endangered gorillas, bonobos and vast amounts of carbon stored in trees and peatlands. They're also home to tens of millions of people, many indigenous. The economics of large new oil developments like this are also in question as the world transitions away from fossil fuels to renewable energy, batteries and geothermal. Countries like DRC could be stuck with stranded assets, that is, assets with little value. Julia Simon, NPR News.

[Dale Willman]

Major League Baseball Speedway Classic was suspended on Saturday because of rain. The game is the first ever regular season game played in the state. The game between the Atlanta Braves and the Cincinnati Reds was stopped by rain before there even was a first pitch. Once it finally began, it was stopped again. The game will now take place Sunday afternoon. Cameron Young holds a five stroke lead going into Sunday's final round at the PGA event underway in Greensboro, N.C. on Saturday, he made a pair of late birdies to walk away with a five shot lead over at Nico Echeveria. No one else is closer than eight shots. Young is considered to be the best player without a win on the main PGA Tour. He has finished as runner up seven times. I'm Dale Willman, NPR News.

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