NPR News Now - NPR News: 03-03-2025 7PM EST

Episode Date: March 4, 2025

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This message comes from Wondery. Scam Factory, the explosive new podcast series, exposes a multi-billion dollar criminal empire where thousands are being forced to scam others under the threat of death. Follow Scam Factory wherever you get your podcasts. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jack Spear. President Trump will deliver an address to a joint session of Congress tomorrow. He's been in office for six weeks and has launched a blitz of action since returning to the White House for his second term. If you're going to lay more previews, what to expect. Though similar, this won't be a State of the Union address. Those happen after a president's

first year in office. This joint address lets a newly sworn in president lay out their agenda. And Trump's first few weeks have been busy. His administration has taken steps to dramatically reshape the federal government, crack down on illegal immigration, and redefine the U.S. role abroad. His supporters are thrilled, his detractors dismayed. Trump's remarks are set to kick off at 9 p.m. Eastern. Alaina Moore, NPR News, Washington. The Senate has voted to confirm former professional wrestling executive Linda McMahon as the nation's next education chief. Putting her in charge of the department, President Donald Trump has said he wants to dismantle.

As secretary, McMahon will be tasked with winding down the Department of Education. Trump has signed sweeping executive orders to rid America's schools of diversity programs and accommodations for transgender students. Israel has decided to stop letting all supplies and aid into Gaza. That's after the first phase of the ceasefire agreement ran out over the weekend. More from MPR's Kat Lonsdorf. In a speech last night, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu laid out the plan, which has new terms that were not in the original agreement. Israel has accepted President Trump's envoy, Steve Witkoff's plan to extend the temporary

ceasefire by 50 days. Israeli officials have been referring to it as the Witkoff plan, saying that President Trump's Mideast envoy, Steve Witkoff, was the one who came up with it. It's unclear when the plan was presented. In a statement on the militant group's Telegram, Hamas says the newest proposal is an attempt to evade the original deal. Israel has blocked all further goods into Gaza in response. That says the Muslim holy month of Ramadan has just begun.

Hamas says this blockade is, quote, blackmail to agree to this new plan. Kat Lonsdorf and Pure News, Tel Aviv. President Trump says 25 percent tariffs on Canada and Mexico will take effect tomorrow. He told reporters there's no room for the two countries to negotiate another extension. MPR's Kamila Domenosky says the tariffs are expected to be a big blow to the auto industry. The auto industry is particularly vulnerable to these tariffs because plants in Canada, Mexico and the U.S. send parts back and forth across borders. Companies have plans to reduce their added costs, but analysts still expect the tariffs

to add some $3,000 on average to vehicle prices. Trump called for companies to move production to the U.S. to avoid tariffs, but even plants in the U.S. are going to face higher costs for parts, and companies say that the uncertainty around how long these tariffs will last makes it hard to plan permanent changes. Camila Domenoski, NPR News. A major sell-off to start the week on Wall Street. The Dow fell 649 points. You're listening to NPR. A stunning plea deal from an Illinois man slated to stand trial on charges. He shot and killed seven people and injured dozens more when he opened fire on a 2022 Independence Day parade in Chicago's suburb. Robert Cremio withdrawing his early or not guilty plea just moments before opening statements were set to

begin in his trial. Judd says with the deal there will be no further trial or motions in the case with sentence except for April. He's charged with 21 counts of first-degree murder with a maximum sentence on each count of life in prison. People around the world are glued to a live stream of two beloved eagles in a nest in the mountains east of Los Angeles. Viewers are waiting to see if the birds' eggs will hatch this year. Madison Aumet of Member Station KVCR is more. Eagles Jackie and Chado have attracted a devoted following over the years as a camera high in a pine tree overlooking Big Bear Lake has streamed their antics 24-7. In January, Jackie laid three eggs. Now, two

have started to pip, the process when the eaglets begin to poke through their shells. Sandy Steers runs the live stream. She has her fingers crossed that the eaglets will emerge soon. It's definitely a much higher probability once they hit, especially the one that's so active and seeing it moving and everything Last year ended in heartbreak for viewers when none of Jackie's three eggs hatched Steers says the hatching process can take about three days She says if the eaglets make it this time local third graders will get to pick their names for NPR news I'm Madison Aument critical futures prices fell 2% today to a 12-week low on tariff worries coupled by an

announcement OPEC plus Russia intend to proceed with a planned output increase. I'm Jack Spear, NPR News in Washington. There's a lot of news happening. You want to understand it better, but let's be honest, you don't want it to be your entire life either. Well, that's sort of like our show, Here and Now, Anytime. Every weekday on our podcast, we talk to people all over the country about everything from political analysis to climate resilience, video games. We even talk about dumpster diving on this show. Check out Here and Now Anytime, a daily podcast from NPR and WBUR.