NPR News Now - NPR News: 06-01-2025 9PM EDT

Episode Date: June 2, 2025

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Know that fizzy feeling you get when you read something really good, watch the movie everyone's been talking about, or catch the show that the internet can't get over? At the Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast, we chase that feeling four times a week. We'll serve you recommendations and commentary on the buzziest movies, TV, music, and more. From lowbrow to highbrow to the stuff in between, catch the Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast from NPR. stuff in between, catch the pop culture happy hour podcast from NPR. Janine Herbst Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Janine Herbst. In Boulder, Colorado, authorities say six people have been hospitalized ages 67 to 88 after witnesses say a man used a makeshift flamethrower to launch a flammable device

into a crowd that meets weekly at an outdoor mall in support of hostages held by Hamas and that he yelled free Palestine as he did it. Mohammed Saver Solomon is in custody and was slightly injured. FBI Special Agent in Charge Mark Michaldeck says this wasn't random. It is clear that this is a targeted act of violence and the FBI is investigating this as an act of terrorism. Police say the area will remain closed tomorrow as the investigation continues. The White House economic team says President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are

expected to talk after Trump accused China of violating a trade agreement. The deal, struck in Geneva in May, reduced U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods from 145 percent down to 30 percent. And here's Luke Garrett has more. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Besson says China is withholding critical rare earth metals. He tells CBS News that's a violation of last month's agreement to lower tariffs and give both countries 90 days to reach a trade deal. What China is doing is they are holding back products that are essential for the industrial supply chains.

Besson says he's not sure if this was intentional or not, but the two world leaders are set to discuss the matter. I am confident that when President Trump and Party Chairman Xi have a call, that this will be ironed out. National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett tells ABC News that once this dispute with China is resolved, then trade deals with other countries can move forward. Luke Garrett, NPR News, Washington. Russia launched a missile strike on a training unit of the Ukrainian armed forces. MPs Hannah Palamarenko reports from Kyiv that the attack killed 12 soldiers and wounded more than 60 others.

The Ukrainian ground forces reported a missile attack on one of their training units. They also emphasized that no formations or mass meetings of personnel were held during the missile attack. Later Sunday, Major General Mikhail Andropatiy, commander of the ground forces of the armed forces of Ukraine, submitted his resignation. He wrote on social media that this was his conscious step dictated by, quote, a personal sense of responsibility for the tragedy at the training ground that killed soldiers.

A commission has now been set up and an internal investigation has been ordered to determine the circumstances and causes of the loss of personnel. Hanna Palamarenko, NPR News, Kyiv. Meanwhile, Ukrainian drones hit deep into Russia today, hitting several airfields and destroying more than 40 military planes. You're listening to NPR News from Washington. The U.S. Forest Service sent an air tanker and is mobilizing 150 firefighters to Canada

to help fight dozens of wildfires. Thousands of people have been evacuated because of the fires mostly burning in the province of Manitoba, and officials are warning of worsening air quality as the smoke pushes south and into parts of the United States. A pop star from the 1960s has gone viral. And here's Neda Ulubi reports on Connie Francis' song that was recorded more than six decades ago that recently hit the top of the TikTok music charts. The song was not even a hit back in 1961,

but its fan club now includes the likes of Kim Kardashian and Kylie Jenner. Those celebrities are among the more than 600,000 people who've posted TikToks featuring the song. Connie Francis told People magazine she did not even remember recording it. The 87-year-old singer just set up her own TikTok account to ride the wave of her social media renaissance. It's just one more career milestone for Frances, the first woman to top the Billboard Hot 100 and who sold more than 40 million records

before she turned 25. Nettie Ulubi, NPR News. Nettie Ulubi, NPR News. The NBA Finals are set. The Indiana Pacers will face the Oklahoma City Thunder, which has had one of the best regular seasons of all time. Game one is Wednesday night in Oklahoma City. Asian markets are trading lower at this hour than Nikkei. The main market in Japan is down about 1.3 percent. I'm Janine Herbst, NPR News in Washington.

This message comes from WISE, the app for doing things and other currencies. I'm Janene Herbst, NPR News in Washington.