NPR News Now - NPR News: 04-19-2025 8PM EDT

Episode Date: April 20, 2025

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If buying a home feels out of reach, you might have more options than you think. You might be able to, especially if you have a little bit of money saved up and if you qualify for a low down payment mortgage, maybe even with some down payment assistance. It definitely could be a possibility for you. Listen to the Life Kit podcast from NPR for first time home buyer tips. Live from NPR News in WashingtonCHOR, WASHINGTON. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed not to allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon.

He made the statement in a pre-recorded message that aired on Israeli TV today. It comes on the same day that Iran and the U.S. wrapped up a second round of indirect talks aimed at discussing Iran's nuclear program. And here's Hadil Al-Shulchi has more. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he would not give up or back down on preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. His statement came hours after Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Rakhchi and U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Wittkopf met in Rome for a second round of indirect talks mediated by

Oman. After the talks, the Omani Foreign Ministry said that the two sides agreed to enter a next phase aimed at reaching a deal that would lift U.S. sanctions on Iran and allow the country to develop quote, peaceful nuclear energy only. Last week, President Trump said Israel would lead in any military action against Iran to prevent it from obtaining a nuclear weapon. Hadeel Alshalchi, NPR News, Tel Aviv. Large crowds filled a Birmingham, Alabama park today to take part in nationwide protests

against the actions by the Trump administration. Noelle Ananan of member station WBHM in Birmingham has more. Oh, oh, with liberation. Protesters chanted, sang along to a cover of This Land is Your Land by Woody Guthrie, and booed recent moves made by the Trump administration. Several attendees, including Carol Bender, say they worry that the president is behaving like a dictator and ignoring the law. I'm here today to protect and to save our democracy.

What's been going on under this administration is frightening. The Birmingham protesters were joined Noelle Annenen, New York Times, New York Times, New York Times, New York Times, New York Times, New York Times, New York Times, New York Times, New York Times, New York Times, New York Times, New York Times, New York Times, New York Times, New York Times, New York Times, New York Times, New York Times, New York Times, New York Times, New York Times, New York Times, New York Times, New York Times, New York Times, New York Times, New York Times, New York Times, New York Times, New York Times, New York Times, New York Times, New York Times, New York Times, New York Times, New York Times, New York Times, New York Times, New York Times, New York Times, New York Times, New York Times, New York Times, New York Times, New York Times, New York Times, New York Times, New York Times, New York Times, New York Times, New York Times, New Times, New York Times, New York Times, New York Times, New York Times, New Times, New York Times, New York Times, New York Times, New York Times, New

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Times, New Times, New Times, New Times, New Times, New Times, New Times, New Times, New Times, New for bargains shipped from China are warning about rising prices. They're facing a major shakeup of how they do business thanks to U.S. trade changes. And here's Alina Seljuk has more. Xi and Temu built their U.S. businesses around a tax loophole, which allowed them to send clothes and home goods to American shoppers totally duty-free.

That's unlike most retailers who tend to ship in bulk from overseas to a US warehouse and pay import taxes. Xi and Temu ship straight from China to your door and they get an exemption meant for small packages, no import tax. Many groups and companies and bipartisan politicians have long called for this loophole to close. President Biden began that, President Trump is ending it, and that means Xi and Temu will soon have to pay tariffs up to 145 percent. And the companies say their prices will start going up after April 25th. Alina Seluk, NPR News. And you're listening to NPR News from Washington. This Easter, a small town in Tennessee is celebrating their 200th annual Egg Fight competition.

For Member Station WTS, Chad Barrett says the Egg Fight started as a competition between two farming families. The Peters Hollow Egg Fight in Elizabethan began in the early 1800s. Event organizer Jamie Peters told me it all started when residents of nearby Hollers got in a debate on whose chickens laid the hardest eggs. Egg fight contestants sit in a circle and tap eggs top and bottom with the person beside them until the winner remains with an unbroken egg. Only hen eggs are allowed, but longtime host Norman Peters says people have gotten crafty

over the years. We've had a couple of questionable eggs, like guinea eggs. Because of their hard shells, Peter says you couldn't break a guinea egg with a rock. For NPR News, I'm Chad Barrett in Johnson City. President Trump says he will allow commercial fishing in one of the world's largest ocean reserves, saying he wants to make the U.S. the world's dominant seafood leader. But the area, west of Hawaii, has many endangered species, including whales and sea turtles, tropical seabirds, and coral. Trump issued the executive

order opening up the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument, about 750 miles west of Hawaii, and in another EO, ordered the Commerce Department to loosen regulations on commercial fishing. The Trump administration says that this move to open up the area for commercial fishing will help that industry, but some disagree saying protected areas can allow space for fish to spawn more successfully. I'm Janene Herbst, NPR News in Washington. Hey, it's A. Martinez. Even as the host of a news show, it can be hard to keep up with the headlines. That is why we make the Up First Podcast. Every morning in under 15 minutes, we cover three major stories with context and analysis from reporters around the world.

So you can catch up on lo que está pasando while getting ready, making desayuno, or going to work. So listen to the Up First Podcast from NPR.