NPR News Now - NPR News: 02-01-2025 3PM EST

Episode Date: February 1, 2025

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Noor Ram, NPR News. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Noor Ram. President Trump says he ordered airstrikes against ISIS operatives in Somalia this morning. The defense secretary says the strikes took place in the Golis Mountains. NPR's Deepa Shivaram has more. The White House declined to provide further information on the strikes, like how many ISIS operatives were killed. But Defense Secretary Pete Hegsett said in a statement that the Pentagon's

initial assessment is that no civilians were harmed in the strikes and that the strikes send a quote clear signal that the U S is ready to find and eliminate terrorists who threatened the U S and its allies. Hegsett says the strike was coordinated with the Somali government on his platform. Truth social president Trump said he ordered the military airstrikes on a quote, senior ISIS attack planner, who he didn't name and quote, other terrorists. He also criticized former president Biden for not acting quickly enough to target this ISIS leader, though the Biden White House did conduct other airstrikes in Somalia targeting

both Al Qaeda and ISIS. Deepa Sivaram, NPR News. Hamas released three hostages today who had been held captive since Hamas-led militants attacked Israel in October of 2023. Among the three was an Israeli-American. New trade penalties are expected to go into effect today against Canada, Mexico and China. The White House said yesterday President Trump plans to impose a 25 percent tariff against imports from Canada and Mexico and 10 percent on goods from China. NPR's Scott Horsley reports this will raise prices for U.S. consumers.

Mexico supplies more than a quarter of all the fresh fruit and vegetables we eat in the U.S. Canada supplies a lot of crude oil to Midwestern oil refineries. All those are going to be subject to tariffs. Although Trump did hint the tax rate on Canadian oil could be less than 25%. Whatever the rate, experience shows much of the cost is gonna be borne by businesses and shoppers here in the United States. NPR's Scott Horsley. Marco Rubio leaves today for Central America on his first trip as Secretary of State. His first stop is Panama, where he expected to deliver the message the U.S. wants to reclaim control

over the Panama Canal. Officials confirm everyone on board a medical transport plane was killed in last night's crash in Philadelphia. It came down in a heavily populated neighborhood, killing one person and injuring 19 others on the ground. For Member Station WHYY, Emily Neal reports. A pediatric patient, her mother, and four other passengers were killed when the medical jet came down and exploded in northeast Philadelphia just a minute into its flight, city officials say. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the flight was headed to Tijuana, Mexico, with a planned stop in Missouri. The city says many people on the ground were injured on streets and in parking lots, administration, the flight was headed to Tijuana, Mexico with a planned stop in Missouri.

The city says many people on the ground were injured on streets and in parking lots, cars, and homes. An investigation into the crash is ongoing. For NPR News, I'm Emily Neal in Philadelphia. This is NPR News. President Trump has fired Rohit Chopra, the director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. His tenure saw the imposition of limits on overdraft penalties and the removal of medical debt from credit reports. After Trump won the presidency last year, Jamie Harrison decided not to seek another

term as chair of the Democratic National Committee. Today members elected a new leader, Ken Martin, who heads the Democratic Party in Minnesota. He said Democrats will not be divided during his tenure. The Sundance Film Festival announced his 2025 awards in Park City, Utah yesterday. NPR's Bob Mandelo says some of the leading prizes went to films that haven't yet found distributors.

The top jury prize in the US dramatic competition went to the satirical comedy Atropia, about a military war games training village in the California desert that's populated entirely by actors. The audience award for that same category went to Twinless, about a man struggling to process the death of his identical twin. Like many of the other independently produced features, neither film had been picked up for distribution. As of the ceremony, it's been a sluggish sale season for Sundance.

This year's 41st edition of the festival screened almost 90 feature films and more than 50 shorts, selected from more than 15,000 submissions. Bob Mandelo, NPR News. Fire officials in California report two major wildfires that began January 7th are now 100% contained. Between them, the Palisades Fire and the Eaton Fire burned more than 37,000 acres. I'm Nora Rahm, NPR News in Washington.