NPR News Now - NPR News: 05-30-2025 5PM EDT

Episode Date: May 30, 2025

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As NPR's daily economics podcast, the indicator has been asking businesses how tariffs are affecting their bottom line. I paid 800,000 today. You paid $800,000 in tariffs today. Yes. Wow. And what that means for your bottom line. Listen to the indicator from Planet Money.

Find us wherever you get your podcasts. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jack Spear. President Trump is traveling to Pittsburgh today to celebrate a deal between U.S. Steel and the Japanese company Nippon Steel. As NPR's Tamara Keith explains, there are still a lot of missing details. When he was in office, former President Biden blocked the acquisition on national security grounds and as a candidate, Trump promised to do the same, saying a Japanese company shouldn't own the iconic American brand.

But Trump has now changed his tune, announcing in a social media post last week that he supports the, quote, planned partnership. It'll be controlled by the United States. Otherwise I wouldn't make the deal. That was Trump on Sunday before boarding Air Force One. He was asked about the management structure. We'll see what the final is, but they're going to invest millions of dollars in steel,

and it's a good company. More details may come at today's rally. Tamara Keith, NPR News. His short but turbulent involvement in the US government coming to an end. President Trump today gave billionaire Elon Musk a send off at the White House. Trump praising Musk for his role as government cost cutter in chief. Musk sported a Doge Father t-shirt and stood by as Trump did most of the talking. Musk returns to running his companies at a

time his association with politics has clearly damaged the brand of his electric vehicle company Tesla. In Kentucky one person was killed at least seven others injured today when a powerful tornado touched down just before seven this morning in the central part of the state. John McGarry member station WEKU has more. The lead forecaster for the National Weather Service in Louisville says radar for the storm showed strong tornadic and debris signatures. The Washington County Sheriff's Office says a young child was found after a search and rescue mission and taken to an area hospital, but the child's condition has not been released. Two weeks ago, deadly tornadoes swept through the southern part of the state,

one of them killing 19 people in Laurel and Pulaski Counties, about a two-hour drive from Washington County. In the past few years, Kentucky has experienced several natural disasters, including historic floods and the 2021 tornado that killed 57 people. For NPR News, I'm John McGarry. Inflation was lower in April than forecasters anticipated. NPR's Scott Horsley has more. Consumer prices in April were up 2.1 percent from a year ago. According to the Commerce Department's inflation yardstick, which is closely watched by the

Federal Reserve, stripping out food and energy prices, core inflation was 2.5 percent, which is the lowest it's been in more than four years. Consumers spent less money on goods last month while socking more money into savings. Spending on services was up in April. The nation's trade deficit fell sharply last month as President Trump's worldwide tariffs kicked in. Imports plunged nearly 20 percent between March and April while exports inched up 3.4 percent.

Scott Horsley, NPR News, Washington. You're listening to NPR. PBS has now joined NPR in filing suit against the Trump administration. PBS and a public television station in rural Minnesota filing suit today over the President's executive order demanding the Corporation for Public Broadcasting kill all funding for the network. The suit contends the order is unlawful, exceeding Trump's authority as President, and violates constitutional protections of free speech because he's made it clear he does not like PBS's news coverage

and programming. NPR and three of its member stations filed a lawsuit of their own earlier this week. France will ban smoking on beaches and public gardens and near schools beginning July 1st as part of an effort to protect young people and limit the influence of smokers on them. NPR's Eleanor Beardsley reports it's part of a plan to widen the space for denormalizing tobacco use. Health Minister Catherine Vautrin said the freedom to smoke ends where children's rights to breathe clean air begins. Middle and high schools will also be affected by the ban which will prevent students from smoking in front of their schools. While an American visiting France may be struck by the prevalence of smokers,

especially young people puffing away on cafe terraces, smoking is actually at its lowest level since the 1990s. Tobacco sales fell more than 11% last year and only 16% of 17 year olds reported smoking compared to 25% six years ago. Failure to comply with the ban could result in a fine of a hundred and forty dollars. E-cigarettes which are on the rise will not be included.

Eleanor Beardsley, NPR News, Paris. Oil fell 15 cents a barrel to 60.79 a barrel in New York. I'm Jack Spear, NPR News in Washington.