NPR News Now - NPR News: 03-03-2025 11PM EST

Episode Date: March 4, 2025

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When she teaches her students how to write a song, musician Scarlett Keys says they need to ask themselves certain questions. What is the thing that keeps you up at night? What's the thing you can't stop thinking about? As songwriters, we are repurposing human tropes and a new viewpoint with new words, with new music. The people and technology behind the soundtracks of our lives. That's on the TED Radio Hour podcast from NPR.

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Shae Stevens. President Trump's new tariffs on Canada and China take effect an hour from now, along with the doubling of 10 percent tariffs on China. NPR's Asma Khalid reports. Trump was asked by a reporter if there's any wiggle room left to negotiate a deal out of these tariffs, and he flatly said no. The tariffs, you know, they're all set. They go into effect tomorrow. Last month, Trump agreed to a 30-day pause on his tariff threat as Canada and Mexico

took steps to combat the flow of fentanyl and illegal immigration. But that pause is ending. Canada and Mexico are two of the United States' biggest trading partners, and there are concerns these tariffs could rattle the economy. The Trump administration is also slapping an additional 10 percent on goods from China, raising those tariffs to at least 20 percent. Asma Khalid, NPR News, The White House. The Trump administration reportedly has ordered a temporary suspension of U.S. military aid

to Ukraine. According to a White House official, President Trump wants to review the aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution. Meanwhile, European nations are trying to forge a coalition to support Ukraine's war against Russia. DOJ has fired dozens of technology experts from a team that focused on making government digital services more efficient. NPR's Frank Langford reports. The team is known as 18F. Among their projects were these, a digital tool that

allows taxpayers to upload documents directly to the IRS instead of having to write a letter, and another that makes it easier to get a passport. However, over the weekend, a government official who used used to work for Tesla, told the 18F team they had to go, with stated reasons to reduce the workforce and, as part of a quote, broader strategy to improve efficiency. One of the affected workers, who asked not to be identified for fear of retaliation, said he thought Doge was purging the team because they had the technical savvy to recognize and check bad decisions by the Trump administration. Frank Langford, NPR News, Washington.

Senate Republicans have confirmed billionaire Linda McMahon to become the next Education Secretary. More from NPR's Cory Turner. McMahon's confirmation vote broke along party lines. At her confirmation hearing, she told lawmakers she would faithfully execute President Trump's plans to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education. The department notably provides funding to help schools serve two vulnerable student groups, those living in low income neighborhoods and children with disabilities. McMahon told lawmakers she would not seek to cut that funding, but she would try to have responsibility for it moved to other federal

agencies. In a recent NPR-PBS News Marist poll, 63% of Americans polled said they opposed or strongly opposed getting rid of the Education Department. Corey Turner to NPR. For the second time in less than a month, defense secretary Pete Hegseth is reversing the renaming of a military base, this time in Georgia. He says that Fort Moore should again be called Fort Benning in honor of Corporal Fred G. Benning. The move comes weeks after Hegseth ordered the renaming of Fort Bragg in North Carolina. Several military bases with names that honored Confederate generals were renamed during the Biden administration.

The theater communications group representing nonprofit theaters across the U.S. has released a report on its second year of recovery from the COVID pandemic. Details from Jeff London in New York. Jeff London The report outlines both the recovery and the challenges facing nonprofit theaters in the U.S. Using a sample of 137 companies, the report finds that the industry contributed over $3.6 billion to the economy and attracted more than 27 million audience members.

Earned income increased by 94% over 2022, though that's still lower than 2019, the last year before the pandemic. Total expenses were up while staffing was down, and more than half of theaters reported a negative change in donations that can be used for general expenses. It's the lowest figure since 2009 and indicates financial strain across the field. For NPR News, I'm Jeff London in New York. Wall Street stocks closed lower on looming U.S. tariffs. The Dow Jones Industrial plunged 649 points. The Nasdaq lost 497 points and the S&P lost 104. This is NPR News.