NPR News Now - NPR News: 06-03-2025 8PM EDT

Episode Date: June 4, 2025

NPR News: 06-03-2025 8PM EDTLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Before talking to computational social scientist Sandra Matz, I asked her to spy on me. I did some snooping around your online life yesterday night, which was extremely fun to do. Our lack of digital privacy, especially in the age of AI, and what we can do about it. I'm Manusha Zomorodi. That's on the TED Radio Hour Podcast from NPR. minutiae amaroti. That's on the TED Radio Hour podcast from NPR. Jack Spear Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jack Spear. The White House says President Trump has signed an executive order doubling the tariffs on steel imported to the U.S. As NPR's Tamara Keith reports, it'll rise 50% on Wednesday, to 50% Wednesday.

TAMARA KEITH President Trump has made no secret of his love of tariffs. He announced this latest move surrounded by steelworkers outside of Pittsburgh late last week. I said, would you rather have a 40% or a 50%? They said, we'll take 50. I said, I had a feeling you were going to say that. Trump said he is trying to counter dumping of low cost steel from other countries. Which will even further secure the steel industry in the United States. Nobody's going to get around that. Though Trump's national security rationale for these higher tariffs could face a legal challenge.

Tamara Keith, NPR News, The White House. Billionaire Elon Musk, who spearheaded the Trump administration's efforts to eliminate wasteful spending and cut down on federal bureaucracy, apparently is unhappy with President Trump's so-called Big Beautiful bill. The measure, which is touted as reducing taxes and cutting spending, would actually add trillions of dollars to the deficit. And today Musk called the bill a disgusting abomination, calling out House members who supported it.

Senators have said they want to make changes to the measure to protect Medicaid while also ensuring some tax breaks in the bill are made permanent. People across much of Minnesota woke up to hazy skies after smoke blew in from major wildfires in Canada. Matt Sepick of Minnesota Public Radio reports. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency says the air across the eastern half of the state

and part of Wisconsin is unhealthy. Officials are urging people to limit outdoor exertion if possible and wear N95 masks. An air quality alert remains in effect across the region through midday Wednesday. Matt Cepik reporting. South Korean opposition party candidate E.J. My has won snap presidential elections by a comfortable margin. Embarrassed Anthony Koon reports from Seoul that Lee's predecessor was impeached and removed from office for briefly imposing martial law six months ago. In a victory speech, Lee Jae-myong pledged to restore democracy and prevent another military coup.

The first mission you gave me is to overcome the insurrection once and for all," he said. Former President Yoon Song-yol is currently on trial for insurrection and faces a possible death penalty or life sentence if convicted. Anger over the martial law decree helped Lee maintain a solid lead throughout the campaign. Lee has promised pragmatic centrist policies, including maintaining a firm alliance with the U.S. He's also pledged to reach out to North Korea, but he's admitted that an inter-Korean summit seems unlikely anytime soon. Anthony Kuhn, NPR News, Seoul.

Stocks closed higher on Wall Street today. The Dow is up 214 points. The Nasdaq was 156 points. This is NPR. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spent several hours in court today as part of his years-long corruption trial. It's the first time the prime minister has been cross-examined by prosecutors who have accused him of bribery and fraud in three separate but related cases. More from NPR's Carrie Caughn.

Prosecutors spent hours asking Netanyahu about his previous testimony as well as his relationship with powerful media moguls, including one Hollywood producer who Netanyahu is accused of helping with his business interests in exchange for expensive cigars. On the stand, Netanyahu dismissed the charges and said, quote, I didn't do anything that warrants an investigation and I did not commit a single crime. At one point, the prosecution pointed out that he had answered more than 1700 times that he could not remember events during previous testimony. Netanyahu is the first sitting Israeli leader to take the stand as a defendant in a criminal

trial. He's also facing an international arrest warrant for alleged war crimes in Israel's war in Gaza. Keri Kahn, NPR News, Tel Aviv. The outlines of a U.S.-Iran nuclear deal are beginning to emerge, though whether the respective sides will be able to agree remains an open question. President Trump has repeatedly made it clear such a deal is a priority. An agreement could result in the U.S. lifting some of its economic sanctions on Iran in

exchange for an agreement by Tehran to limit or end its enrichment of uranium, which might ultimately be used to construct a nuclear weapon, however failure of each agreement could result in even higher Middle East tensions. Could old futures prices gain ground today? Oil was up 89 cents a barrel to end the session at $63.41 a barrel in New York. I'm Jack Spear, NPR News in Washington. This message comes from NPR News in Washington.