NPR News Now - NPR News: 08-07-2025 2PM EDT

Episode Date: August 7, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Windsor Johnston. President Trump's sweeping tariffs targeting nearly 70 countries went into effect today. NPR's Rafael NOM reports that most nations have been hit with levies of 10% to 41% on U.S. imports. The widespread tariffs could raise over $2 billion for the U.S. over the next decade or so. That could help reduce the country's deficits, and the price. President has even suggested potentially handing out tariff rebate checks to Americans. But economists are concerned about the potential effects of tariffs on the U.S. economy. Companies will likely have to pass at least some of the costs to consumers, meaning

Americans will be paying higher prices. The labor market could also weaken, since businesses could grow more cautious about adding workers. President Trump still believes tariffs will be good for the U.S. It will take months, possibly years, to know their net effect. Rafael N.P.R. News. The Kremlin says Russian President Vladimir Putin could soon hold talks with President Trump. NPRs Charles Mainz reports this would be the first such meeting since Russia invaded Ukraine more than three years ago. According to Kremlin aide, Yuri Ushakov, the Trump-Putin meeting could take place as soon

as next week, with the location venue agreed upon but to be announced at a later date. Ushakov said the meeting was proposed by White House envoy Steve Whitkoff during three hours of talks with Putin this week, focused on ending Russia's war in Ukraine. Ushakov said Wittkov also suggested three-way talks could include Ukrainian leader Volomir Zelensky, but indicated Moscow had not endorsed the idea. Still Russian markets and its currency, the ruble rose on the news, which came just a day before a Trump-imposed Friday deadline for the Kremlin to end its war in Ukraine or face new secondary sanctions and tariffs on key Russian energy exports. Charles Baines, NPR News, Moscow. A new obesity drug is on the horizon. A study of Eli Lilly's experimental pill shows patients lost weight, but the results still fell short of Wall Street's expectations.

The company's shares are down in midday trading. NPR, Cindy Lupkin, reports. Eli Lilly is testing its new obesity drug pill, or for Glypron, and hopes to begin selling it next year. The company announced results of a clinical trial of more than 3,000, thousand people taking the pill for more than a year. Patients taking the highest dose lost an average of 27 pounds or 12% of their body weight. Eli Lilly says side effects included nausea, constipation, and diarrhea.

The company says it plans to submit the once-daily pill to the Food and Drug Administration for review by the end of the year. Sydney Lubkin, NPR News. Stocks are trading lower on Wall Street at this hour. The Dow was down 296 points. The NASDAQ down two. This is NPR News in Washington. Two Pennsylvania state troopers were shot today in Susquehanna County.

Governor Josh Shapiro confirmed the incident which happened near the village of Thompson about 40 miles north of Scranton. Authorities say the condition of the officers is still unknown. Scientists have figured out a mysterious disease that's been harming West Coast marine life. NPR's Lauren Summer reports the ailment has been causing C-Stars to die off. Sea Star Wasting Syndrome is a pretty grisly way to go. It basically dissolves sea stars, turning them to goo. For more than a decade, it's spread along the West Coast, causing a cascade of impacts. Without sea stars, sea urchins have boomed. They eat kelp, which is causing Pacific kelp forest to disappear. Now scientists have identified the bacteria that causes the disease, which they published in Magdronal Nature, Ecology, and Evolution. That could help researchers breed resistant sea stars and release them to the wild. Lauren Summer, NPR News. United Airlines says residual delays could stretch into the weekend after a nationwide ground stop

last night. A technology failure affected the airline's major hubs in a number of cities, including Houston, Chicago, and Newark. Officials say the system that handles the weight and balance calculations and flight tracking glitched, forcing hundreds of cancellations and delays. The FAA says the failure was not the result of assignment. cyber attack. Stocks continue to trade lower on Wall Street at this hour. The Dow was down 295 points. The S&P down 18. This is NPR News.