NPR News Now - NPR News: 04-08-2025 9PM EDT

Episode Date: April 9, 2025

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This message comes from Mint Mobile. Mint Mobile took what's wrong with wireless and made it right. They offer premium wireless plans for less and all plans include high-speed data, unlimited talk and text, and nationwide coverage. See for yourself at mintmobile.com slash switch. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jack Spear. Ahead of the imposition of in some some cases, double-digit tariffs, President Donald Trump today talked about asking some law firms he made deals with to provide pro-bono help with negotiations. Trump's remarks coming as he signed executive actions aimed at reviving the coal industry.

At the event, the president's saying they're working on bespoke trade agreements with any country that wants to make a deal. We're doing very well in making, I call them tailored deals, not off the rack. These are tailored, highly tailored deals. Right now Japan is flying here to make a deal. South Korea is flying here to make a deal and others are flying here. Meanwhile, the looming trade tariffs led to more confusion on the part of world leaders, corporate CEOs and investors.

The broad market is now barely above a bear market, down 19% from the record set back in February. The IRS has reached agreement with immigration authorities to share tax information about some immigrants without legal status. MPR's Joel Rose reports this marks a major change in how tax records can be used. In a court filing, a top IRS official shared a memorandum of understanding between the tax collector and US immigration and customs enforcement that was executed on Monday. Under the terms of the deal, ICE officers can ask the IRS for information about immigrants who have final orders of removal or are under criminal investigation. The court filing came in a

lawsuit brought by immigrant advocacy groups that are seeking to block any information sharing between the IRS and ICE. Immigrants without legal status pay billions of dollars in taxes. Tax experts warned that the change could undermine immigrants' trust in the IRS, pushing them to seek jobs where they are paid under the table. Joel Rose, NPR News, Washington. The House of Representatives held a hearing today on U.S. competitiveness and artificial intelligence. MBR's Emily Fang reports House Democrats took the opportunity to criticize the Trump administration for canceling federal science and health grants and laying off thousands

of government scientists. Democratic lawmakers noted that while the US says it prioritizes semiconductors and AI, it has also eliminated programs and funding that were set up to support related research. Luz Rivas is a California Democrat and an MIT trained engineer. Instead of uplifting this work in the national interest, this administration has cut federal funding for research and fired science staff. At the hearing, there was bipartisan consensus that the US needs to do more to incentivize innovation and artificial intelligence, especially in light of advances from Chinese companies.

Emily Fang and Pira News, Washington. After days of heavy rain, swollen rivers are continuing to overflow their banks and parts of Kentucky. Flood waters are slowly receding in Frankfort, Kentucky, with residents there hoping to return by late tomorrow. High river levels are just the latest threat from a series of storms that have killed at least 23 people in the South and Midwest. Stocks lost ground on Wall Street today. The Dow fell another 320 points.

This is NPR. Three US citizens convicted of participating in a failed coup attempt in the Democratic Republic of Congo have had their death sentences commuted to life in prison and they are now being returned to the US. Sen. Piers Emanuel Akinwoto reports that it comes amid moves by the DRC to improve ties and negotiate a minerals deal with the US. The three Americans convicted of a failed coup attempt last May will serve out their life sentences in the US according to the DRC president's office. Tami Bruce,

a spokesperson for the US State Department, said the government was aware of their transfer into US custody. Among the three Americans was 22-year-old Marcel Malanga, the son of DRC opposition figure and coup leader Christian Malanga, who was killed in the coup attempt. Their repatriation comes amid negotiations between the DRC and the US on a minerals deal, in exchange for help fighting Rwanda-backed rebels that have seized territory in the east of the country. Emmanuel Akinwotu, NPR News. A NASA astronaut and two Russian cosmonauts have arrived at the International Space Station. The trio ferried there by Russian spacecraft sent to orbit by a Soyuz rocket yesterday.

Johnny Kim and the two Russians docking with the International Space Station earlier today as part of an eight-month mission. NASA says the U.S. astronaut will conduct scientific investigations and technology demonstrations to help prepare crews for future space missions. Good old futures prices continue to slide, reaching four-year lows as inflation fears mount over a looming conflict between the world's two biggest economies, the U.S. and China, oil fell a dollar and twelve cents a barrel in New York. I'm Jack Spear, NPR News in Washington. This message comes from Mint Mobile. Mint Mobile took what's wrong with wireless and

made it right. They offer premium wireless plans for less, and all plans include high-speed data, unlimited talk and text, and nationwide coverage. See for yourself at mintmobile.com switch.