NPR News Now - NPR News: 04-05-2025 9AM EDT

Episode Date: April 5, 2025

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99% of the U.S. population lives within listening range of at least one public media station. And everyone can listen to NPR podcasts free of charge. That means you get completely unpaywalled access to stories, prize-winning reporting, and shows that represent the voices in every corner of the country. Hear the bigger picture every day on NPR. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Giles Snyder. The debate over President Trump's tax cuts is now moving to the House. Overnight, Senate Republicans approved a budget blueprint that extends Trump's 2017 cuts and

sharply reduces government spending. Alabama Senator Katie Britt read the vote tally following a session that lasted well into the early morning hours. On this vote, the yeas are 51, the nays are 48. The concurrent resolution as amended is adopted. The vote fell along mostly party lines. However, two Republican senators voted with a united Democratic caucus. Senators Susan Collins of Maine and Rand Paul of Kentucky voted against the measure. That sets the course for what President Trump has called a big, beautiful bill. The U.S. began collecting President Trump's new 10 percent baseline tariff on all foreign imports

today. It took effect overnight. Trump's Wednesday announcement to the baseline and higher tariffs on dozens of countries has led to steep losses on global stock markets. President Trump has given TikTok another lifeline, as St.Pierre's Bobby Allen reports. White House negotiators were all set to make a big announcement about TikTok. They planned to say a new entity would be formed called TikTok America, and that TikTok's algorithm would be licensed from Beijing owner ByteDance. Additional security measures would be in place to protect Americans' data. But then China backed out.

According to a person directly involved in the talks, Beijing pulled its support of the agreement in response to Trump's 34 percent tariffs on China. The hope, according to the source, is to extract some tariff relief from Washington. In a rare statement, ByteDance said there are key matters that need to be resolved and that any deal requires approval from the Chinese government. Bobby Allen, NPR News. The United Nations is calling for more support for Myanmar where the death toll from last week's earthquake has now topped more than 3,300. The top UN aid official made his appeal during a visit today to Mandalay.

Meanwhile, a former USAID official has told Reuters that three USAID workers were fired while in the quake zone. Palestinian medical officials say they've obtained video footage that refutes Israel's claims about the killing of 15 aid workers in Gaza last week, and Pierce Daniel Estrin has more from Tel Aviv. The UN says rescue crews in Gaza recently discovered the bodies of 15 aid workers. Israel's military says it targeted the vehicles because they appeared suspicious and were operating in the dark without emergency lights.

The Palestine Red Crescent Society released a video. It says a paramedic filmed on his phone found with his body. There's heavy gunfire. The rescue vehicles have headlights and red emergency lights on. A man's voice says, Mom, forgive me. This is the path I chose to help people. Israel says a high-level military investigation is taking place

to determine whether to open a criminal investigation into misconduct. Daniel Estrin, NPR News, Tel Aviv. And you're listening to NPR News. Hundreds of protests against President Trump listening to NPR News. Hundreds of protests against President Trump are planned in all 50 states today. NPR's Amy Held reports that Trump's opponents have been struggling to strategically mobilize. Half a million people are signed up for more than 1,200 protests. Some 150 groups, including unions, veterans, and civil rights organizations are behind

today's mass action called Hands Off, as organizers work to distill disparate voices to a unifying message. Trump's cuts help his billionaire friends and hurt the average American. In D.C., Julia Camino is a student loan recipient who credits the Department of Education for helping her achieve her education. So I'm here to say that the executive order is attacking it. The funding cuts, the attacks on Title IX, all of that, they will hurt students like me. The main protest is happening near the White House on the National Mall. Amy Held and PR News. Another round of torrential rain expected today in parts of the Midwest and

South. Regions already soaked by days of severe storms that in some cases spun off tornadoes. There were a series of flash flood emergencies last night in Missouri, Texas, and Arkansas. The final four games in the NCAA Men's Division I basketball tournament are to be decided today. Florida said to play Auburn and Houston plays Duke for the right to play for the national title on Monday. The women's title game is tomorrow between UConn and defending champion South Carolina, which advanced last night, beating Texas 74-57. I'm Gile Snyder.

This is NPR News from Washington. Lyle Snyder Psychologist Dolly Chugg studies the lengths we will go to protect the way we see ourselves. Dolly Chugg We care about whether we're seen as a good person, whether others see us as a good person, and whether we feel like good people. Lyle Snyder Ideas about our self-image. That's on the TED Radio Hour podcast from NPR.