NPR News: 07-25-2026 3AM EDT
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What happened at the White House Correspondents Dinner and how did President Trump respond?
Live from NPR News, I'm Dale Willman. President Trump spoke at the White House Correspondents Dinner Friday night. The dinner was delayed in April after a gunman ran past security, causing the event to be postponed. Trump has frequently sparred with the media, but instead of offering criticism, this time he brought jokes.
Everyone's looking really good tonight, and I know it was not easy-finding shoes to go along with your bulletproof vest, which many people didn't want to wear because they'd rather die than look 20 pounds heavier. You know that, right?
His sometimes off-color speech lasted for more than an hour. President Trump's latest set of tariffs comes at a challenging time for the U.S. economy, and they're raising concerns about the cost of living among American households. Ampere's Rafael Nam has more.
How will the new Trump tariffs affect U.S. consumer prices and businesses?
The White House frames the sweeping new tariffs ranging from 10 to 12.5 percent as a matter of human rights and market fairness. Although they are not significantly higher than the temporary ones they are replacing, economists caution they will likely have a negative economic impact. The Budget Lab at Yale University estimates it could drive up consumer inflation by 0.7 percentage points and will be equivalent to a tax of nearly $1,100 a year on American households. That's at a time when many families are already struggling with high gas prices and paying more at the grocery store. And it will continue the uncertainty being felt by American businesses.
Rafael Nam, NPR News. Paramount and Warner Brothers are hitting pause on their proposed merger. As NPR's Chloe Veltman reports, Paramount agreed Friday to delay closing the deal for months following mounting pressure from antitrust lawsuits.
Attorneys general from 12 states, including California, New York and Arizona, allege the proposed merger violates a core federal antitrust law, prohibiting mergers or acquisitions where the effect would lessen competition or create a monopoly. The Writers Guild of America challenged the massive deal too.
Why was the Paramount–Warner Bros. merger paused and what legal challenges does it face?
Earlier this week, a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order freezing Paramount's acquisition. Now the company has agreed not to close the $111 billion deal until June 1, 2027, or five days after lawsuits are resolved, whichever is earlier. In a statement to NPR, Paramount called the agreement a significant win and said going to trial will be, quote, the fastest and clearest way to prove that this transaction is good for competition, good for consumers and good for creators. A trial date has not yet been set. Chloe Veltman, NPR News.
Health officials say the U.S. has seen more cases of measles so far this year than all of last year. There have been 35 new outbreaks, with cases reported in at least 43 states as well as Washington, D.C. The CDC says there have been more than 2,300 cases in all, and health officials say the number of cases may be much larger because of declining vaccination rates. You're listening to NPR News.
Why are measles cases rising in the U.S. and how widespread is the outbreak?
Wildfires are continuing to burn across southwestern France and central Spain this weekend. Officials have now evacuated 200,000 people from their homes. The fires have consumed large areas of land since Wednesday, and officials say high winds are complicating efforts to bring the blazes under control. The fires are burning as a major heat wave lingers over the region, bringing high temperatures as well as dry conditions. Investor concerns over AI and the war with Iran created a rough week on Wall Street, as NPR's Stephen Massaha reports.
How are heat waves and wildfires impacting southwestern France and central Spain?
The tech-heavy Nasdaq ended the week down more than 2%.
Earning calls from major tech companies led to worries they were spending too much on AI. Tesla stocks in particular dropped almost 18 percent from the start of the week. The price of Brent crude also briefly went past $100 a barrel. That was after another global oil route was threatened when Iran-backed Houthi rebels attacked oil tankers in the Red Sea.
What market forces drove Wall Street volatility and which companies were hit hardest?
The war is also driving up the cost of borrowing. The average 30-year mortgage reached 6.58% this week, the highest in 11 months.
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Chapters
6 chapters
1
What happened at the White House Correspondents Dinner and how did President Trump respond?
0:01–0:46
2
How will the new Trump tariffs affect U.S. consumer prices and businesses?
0:46–2:00
3
Why was the Paramount–Warner Bros. merger paused and what legal challenges does it face?
2:00–3:01
4
Why are measles cases rising in the U.S. and how widespread is the outbreak?
3:01–3:34
5
How are heat waves and wildfires impacting southwestern France and central Spain?
3:34–3:59
6
What market forces drove Wall Street volatility and which companies were hit hardest?
3:59–4:57