NPR News Now - NPR News: 02-02-2025 5PM EST

Episode Date: February 2, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Janene Hurst. Business groups are pushing back against President Trump's plan to impose stiff new tariffs on imports from Mexico, Canada, and China. NPR's Scott Horsley reports those import taxes are set to take effect Tuesday. President Trump says he's ordering the tariffs in an effort to curb the flow of illegal drugs and immigration. But the U.S. Chamber of Commerce says while Trump is right to focus on those problems, tariffs are not the answer. The Chamber says taxing imports will only upend supply chains and raise prices for American families. Trump

has ordered a 25 percent tax on most goods coming from Mexico and Canada, but he called for a smaller 10 percent tax on Canadian crude oil in an apparent effort to limit any spike in gasoline prices. The tariff on Chinese imports is also set at 10%. All the taxes are set to take effect on Tuesday, leaving a short window for a possible reprieve. Canada and Mexico have promised to respond to tariffs with taxes of their own on U.S. exports. Scott Horsley, NPR News, Washington. The National Science Foundation says it's going to start paying researchers again after a freeze of about a week. Impures' Jonathan Lambert has more.

Jonathan Lambert On Sunday at noon Eastern, the NSF said that the agency will resume distributing funds to scientists who had received grants. They have been unable to access their funds since Tuesday when the agency froze payments as they reviewed how their grants complied with new executive orders, especially those targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion. The freeze left hundreds of people unable to access money allocated for their salary and their research. On Friday, a court issued a temporary restraining order that required the NSF and other agencies that froze funds to resume payment. On Sunday, the NSF complied with that order. While it is still reviewing existing grants for compliance with Trump's executive

orders, NSF clarified that it cannot stop payments because of this review. Jonathan Lambert, NPR News. Danielle Pletka Syria's interim president is visiting Saudi Arabia looking for help to rebuild a country ravaged by more than a decade of war. It's his first foreign trip since becoming the country's new leader. And here's Greg Meyry reports. Greg Meyry, Interim President, Saudi Arabia Interim President, Al-Sharif, flew to Saudi Arabia, a country that could provide the financial assistance that Syria desperately needs. The new Syrian leader has hosted several foreign delegations here in Damascus, but he has not

previously traveled abroad since leading the rebel group that toppled the country's longtime ruler, Bashar al-Assad, back in December. Shiraz is trying to win support from Arab and Western governments. Many isolated Syria while Assad was in power. The new Syrian government says the sanctions imposed on the Assad regime should now be lifted. The war and those sanctions have impoverished the vast majority of Syrians. Greg Myhre, NPR News, Damascus.

And you're listening to NPR News from Washington. After the terrorist attack on New Year's Day in New Orleans, extra security measures are in place for the upcoming Super Bowl and the French Quarter. Brooke Thorington of Member Station WRFK has more. The Department of Homeland Security had upgraded its security assessment of the Super Bowl following the truck attack on Bourbon Street that killed 14 people and left dozens injured. Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry says beginning February 5th, security checkpoints will be set up for the French Quarter and the area

surrounding the Superdome. Coolers and ice chests will be prohibited and any bag or container larger than four and a half inches by six and a half inches will be searched. If an officer at the enhanced security checkpoint in the quarter asks to search your bag, you're free to refuse it, but you are not free to enter. Only emergency vehicles will be allowed in the two zones. For NPR News, I'm Brooke Tharrington. At the weekend box office, DreamWorks Animation's Dog Man took the top spot with an estimated $36 million in ticket sales. That makes it the biggest debut so far this year. The big screen launch for the cartoon K-9 was produced for a modest $40 million,

which means it will easily coast through a profitable run. Only one animated film before has had a better January launch and that was 2016's Kung Fu Panda 3. In second place the horror-comedy Companion with an estimated nine million dollars in ticket sales. I'm Janene Herbst and you're listening to NPR News from Washington.