NPR News Now - NPR News: 05-08-2025 9AM EDT

Episode Date: May 8, 2025

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Does the idea of listening to political news freak you out? Well, don't sweat it. The NPR Politics podcast makes politics a breeze. Every episode will break down the day's headlines into totally normal language and make sure that you walk away understanding what the day's news might mean for you. Take a deep breath and give politics another chance with the NPR Politics podcast, available wherever you get your podcasts. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Korva Coleman. President Trump says the U.S. has

reached a trade deal with the British government. He says there'll be a formal announcement next hour. And Pierce Daniel Kurtzleben reports this would be the first trade deal since Trump imposed an array of tariffs on goods worldwide. In a social media post, Trump described the deal with the United Kingdom as, quote, full and comprehensive. Earlier this year, Trump announced tariffs on goods from most countries, including high tariffs on some major trading partners. He soon paused those, imposing a blanket 10% tariff on most goods, saying he would negotiate tariffs country by country. This agreement with the UK would be the first such deal since those tariffs. Trump said in his post that many other deals are, quote, in serious stages of negotiation.

Trump's highest tariffs of 145% are on Chinese goods. China has retaliated with high tariffs on US goods. US and Chinese officials are scheduled to meet this weekend to discuss their trade war. Danielle Kurtzleben, NPR News. Catholic cardinals will try again today to select a trade war. Danielle Kurtzleben, NPR News. Danielle Pletka Catholic cardinals will try again today to select a new pope. For the second day in a row, they sent up black smoke from the Sistine Chapel's chimney at the Vatican. The cardinals will remain in seclusion until a new pontiff is chosen. There have been fresh attacks today between Pakistan and India. Pakistan's army

spokesman says his country shot down a dozen Indian military drones that had killed a civilian and injured four Pakistani soldiers. NPR's Amkar Khandaker reports this comes after India's most significant missile attacks on Pakistan in more than 50 years. Spokesperson Ahmad Sharif says the drones were hovering over major cities, including Rawalpindi, the location of the Pakistani army headquarters. This is a serious, serious provocation.

The latest accusations come after India struck multiple targets across Pakistan on Tuesday in what it says is retaliation for a militant attack in late April, where gunmen killed 26 people. Pakistan denies any connection to that attack and says it will defend itself. Omkarn Khandekar, NPR News, Mumbai. The sex crimes trial of former film mogul Harvey Weinstein continues today in New York. In this retrial, a new accuser has taken the witness stand against Weinstein. Ilya Meretz has this report.

Prosecutors say Kaya Sokola was about 20 years old when Weinstein assaulted her in a hotel in 2006. It's one of three criminal counts against him. On the witness stand, Sokola described winning a modeling competition in her native Poland at just 14 years old and soon traveling to Paris and New York for work. She'll be back on the stand Thursday. Six female accusers testified at Weinstein's first New York trial in the year 2020, but only three are expected this time, and Sokola is the only new accuser the jurors will hear from. Weinstein maintains he's innocent. His previous conviction was overturned on procedural grounds. For NPR News, I'm Ilya Maritz in New York. O'Brien You're listening to NPR News from Washington.

Police in New York detained scores of demonstrators at Columbia University yesterday. The pro-palestin listening to NPR News from Washington. Police in New York detained scores of demonstrators at Columbia University yesterday. The pro-Palestinian demonstrators were protesting the war in Gaza. They took over a library. Columbia University says two officers were injured in the incident. Some video indicates the protesters damaged some library structures. The Trump administration has targeted international students at several universities in the U.S. who have criticized Israel or been in pro-Palestinian demonstrations.

Weight Watchers has filed for bankruptcy protection. The international company is built on providing social support in losing weight. But NPR's Yuki Noguchi reports it is burdened with debt as customers turn to more weight loss medications. Yuki Noguchi, NPR's Yuki Noguchi, Newsweek. Weight Watchers was started by a housewife struggling with overeating in the 1960s. It gained a worldwide following using a method to track food intake using a point system and encouraging members to attend regular support meetings to stay on track.

But in recent years, the company struggled to keep up as new obesity medications like Wigovia and ZetBound entered the market. Weight Watchers hopes to shed over a billion dollars in debt in a Chapter 11 bankruptcy while it continues operations. The company is trying to pivot by focusing more on offering telehealth prescriptions for the newer drugs. Yuki Noguchi, NPR News.

The Michigan State House has passed a measure offering $100 million in aid to the state's Upper Peninsula. It was hit with a major ice storm in March. Some people lost power for two weeks. Millions of Michigan trees were broken in half. I'm Korva Coleman, NPR News.