by Brittney Melton

May 13, 2025

Good morning. The 2025 Tiny Desk Contest winner is Ruby Ibarra, who wowed the judges with her entry "Bakunawa." She will soon take her talents on the road for a 10-city tour alongside Tiny Desk alums. Here’s the other news we’re following today:

A 90-day, temporary trade deal between the U.S. and China has resulted in a scramble to bring merchandise across the Pacific Ocean. As part of the deal, taxes on Chinese imports to the U.S. dropped from 145% to 30%, while the tariff China charges on U.S. goods fell from 125% to 10%. With no one knowing what will happen after the deal expires, many importers are not taking any chances.

Chinese-made cars are lined up in rows at the port in Nanjing, in China's eastern Jiangsu province. Behind the cars are stacks of cargo shipping containers in a variety of colors.

STR/AFP via Getty Images

🎧 NPR’s Scott Horsley tells Up First that the importers he’s talked to about the drop in tariffs showed determination and a feeling that it’s time to return to work. A huge number of U.S. businesses rely on Chinese factories for their merchandise. Bonnie Ross, a clothing importer, says many are expected to rush to bring in their merchandise, but the capacity of the factories, the cargo ships and ports is limited. The crunch for time could lead to high shipping costs on top of the 30% tariffs. The big drop in tariffs shows a sign of how unpredictable the tariff landscape is under the Trump administration, Horsley says.

President Trump has landed in Saudi Arabia, beginning his four-day trip to the Middle East. This is his first overseas state visit of his second term, and it’s a high-stakes trip with huge business deals on the table. The visit comes as Gulf Arab states are hyper-focused on transforming their economies.

🎧 Gulf leaders, knowing that Trump is a transactional president, acknowledge that if they deliver on big weapons purchases and other investments in the U.S., Trump will provide something in return for their security. Trump’s personal ties to the area are linked to his family’s business interests. The region is seeing a launch of new projects from the Trump Organization, including a Trump hotel tower in Dubai and a golf course in Qatar. NPR’s Aya Batrawy says this trip is a convergence of personal ties and interests of all countries involved.

Opening statements in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ sex trafficking trial took place yesterday in New York City, after the prosecution and defense narrowed the jury pool down to 12 people, plus six alternates. Combs faces charges of sex trafficking, transporting to engage in prostitution and racketeering conspiracy. The trial is expected to last for eight weeks.

🎧 NPR’s Isabella Gomez Sarmiento, who was in the courtroom, says the prosecution alleged Combs ran his businesses as a criminal enterprise, allowing him to carry out and cover up crimes, including arson and bribery. They also stated he used his status and power to violently force two ex-girlfriends into a number of sexual acts they didn’t want to do. The defense admitted Combs has a temper and can be physical. However, it argued that those ex-girlfriends were in consensual relationships with him and unrelated to his businesses. Combs' ex-partner and singer, Cassie Ventura, is expected to be a central part of the case. Allegations that Combs supplied Ventura with drugs, beat her and forced her to have sex with male escorts were included in the opening statements.

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Anti-abortion activists pray and protest with their heads down and eyes closed in front of the Greenville Women's Clinic in Greenville, S.C. They have multiple large signs including one that says "Abolish Abortion; Glory of God" and another that says "Which baby was conceived in rape?’" displaying two babies that look the same in the womb.

Jim Urquhart for NPR

Many Americans draw the line at the idea of charging women who get abortions with homicide. However, since Roe v. Wade was overturned, some Republican lawmakers have become increasingly open to the idea. Jason Storms, the national director of the anti-abortion rights group called Operation Save America, is working to persuade more legislators about its policy. Storms and aligned activists, who call themselves “abortion abolitionists,” lobby legislators at statehouses to support hardline anti-abortion bills. At least 14 states saw bills filed during the current or most recent legislative sessions that would establish fertilized eggs as full legal persons and classify abortion as homicide. Storms says even within some of the most restrictive bills, some states are still falling short.

➡️ Since Roe, estimates of abortion in the U.S. have increased. Storms believes the threat of harsh penalties for the mothers, and not just the doctor performing the abortion, could close the “loophole.”
➡️ It may be challenging to win legislators over to this measure, because it could undermine popular IVF services.
➡️ The abolitionist movement believes the Bible instructs Christians to defy state or federal laws that are “immoral.” They are working at a hyper-local level to encourage officials to defy laws that protect abortion access.
➡️ Focusing on local officials can be highly effective because it means information that women receive about abortion resources can be limited to pregnancy crisis centers. Those centers are often Christian-run establishments deterring women from abortions.

A silver knife blade rests on a red cutting board that has numerous scratches

MyImages_Micha/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Scientists are growing increasingly worried about microplastics finding their way into our bodies through food and kitchen tools, potentially harming our health. Possible routes for the exposure come from chopping on plastic cutting boards, heating up plastic containers and tossing plastic detergent pods in the dishwasher. Here’s what you should know about microplastics and some ways you can reduce your reliance on plastic in your kitchen:

🔪 The tiny particles have been found in many parts of the human body, including the heart, lungs and placenta. There’s not a lot known about how it impacts humans, but some studies have indicated that animals suffer ill health effects due to the presence of microplastics.
🔪 Don’t attempt to replace all your plastic in the kitchen at once. Instead, try replacing them one by one as they need to be replaced.
🔪 Instead of using a plastic cutting board, use a wooden one. A recent study stated that the plastic option is a "potentially significant source of microplastics in human food."
🔪 Consider using reusable cloth produce bags instead of plastic ones at the farmer's market or grocery stores.

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The Angel Oak tree on Johns Island near Charleston, S.C., with multiple easels stationed around it.

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Olivia and Liam are the two most popular names for newborns currently, but oak-based names like Oakley are gaining traction.

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NBC Sports announced yesterday that basketball legend Michael Jordan will contribute to its programming at the start of the new NBA season in October.

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This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.

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