NPR News Now - NPR News: 03-04-2025 10AM EST

Episode Date: March 4, 2025

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Hey, it's Amartinez. I work on a news show. And yeah, the news can feel like a lot on any given day. But you just can't ignore las noticias when important world-changing events are happening. So that is where the Up First podcast comes in. Every single morning in under 15 minutes, we take the news and boil it down to three essential stories so you can keep up without feeling stressed out. Listen to the Upfirst podcast from NPR. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Korva Coleman. Stocks continue to slide this morning as President Trump's new tariffs start to bite. NPR's Scott Horsley reports the Dow Jones Industrial Average tumbled more than 600 points in early training.

Investors are nervous the new tax on imports from Mexico and Canada will raise prices on a wide range of products, including lumber, liquor, fresh produce and petroleum. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has urged the administration to reconsider its trade policy and swiftly reverse the tariffs. Trump has also added another 10 percent tax on imports from China. He complains the three big U.S. trading partners aren't doing enough to stop the flow of illegal fentanyl.

Canada and China reject those charges. Both have responded with tariffs of their own on U.S. exports, including agricultural products. Farmers, who are often the target of such retaliation, worry about losing access to important international markets. Scott Horsley in Pierre News, Washington. President Trump is expected to highlight his new terrorist tonight. He'll give an address to a joint session of Congress. The president has suspended U.S. military aid to Ukraine. This follows last Friday's disastrous meeting between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr

Zelensky at the White House. Trump claims that Zelensky is insufficiently grateful for U.S. help as Ukraine resists Russia's invasion. And Biaersz Joanna Kikissus says it's not yet clear if Trump will cut off intelligence sharing too. This is the worst case scenario for Ukrainians since the U.S. has been the country's strongest single ally since Russia's full-scale invasion three years ago. And it's painful for Ukrainians because President Zelensky has repeatedly thanked the U.S. for helping his country, and Ukrainians say they

are fighting to preserve American-style liberty and democracy. And Piers Joanna Kikissis reporting. The U.S. Supreme Court hears arguments this hour involving Mexico and American gun manufacturers. And P's Nina Totenberg reports Mexico argues U.S. gun makers are facilitating an illegal invasion of weapons into its country. Mexico is suing Smith & Wesson and other gun makers for $10 billion in damages, claiming that they're turning a blind eye

to hundreds of thousands of high-powered weapons made in the U.S. and trafficked illegally into the hands of Mexican cartels. Jonathan Lowy, co-counsel for Mexico, maintains that 90% of gun dealers act legally, but the rest do not. Those bad actors sell to obvious cartel traffickers in bulk sales. But Lawrence Keene, counsel for the Firearms Industry Trade Association, counters that manufacturers can't be held accountable for the actions of dealers. If that was all that was

required Budweiser would be responsible for a drunk driving accident. A decision in the case is expected by summer. Nina Totenberg, NPR News, Washington. You're listening to NPR. The Senate has confirmed billionaire Linda McMahon to be the next Education Secretary. She served as the chief of the Small Business Administration during President Trump's first term. McMahon says she'll carry out his plans to dismantle the Education Department. A majority of LGBTQ Americans now identify as religiously unaffiliated. That's nearly twice the rate of the general U.S. population.

NPR's Jason Derose reports that is among the findings of a new survey from the Public Religion Research Institute. According to PRRI's American Values Atlas, 52% of LGBTQ Americans don't consider themselves part of any religion. The survey found 28% of all Americans don't consider themselves part of any religion. The survey found 28% of all U.S. adults to be religiously unaffiliated. Other findings, a small increase in the share of people from more conservative religious backgrounds who favor marriage equality.

Nearly 4 in 10 white evangelical Protestants now support same-sex marriage rights. That's up from about three in ten a decade ago The survey of more than 22,000 US adults found the country much more evenly divided on transgender rights Including gender-affirming care for minors Jason DeRose NPR news officials in Australia say a man who? Continuously donated blood and plasma throughout his life has died at the age of 88. Australian James Harrison is credited with saving the lives of 2.4 million babies over half a century.

His plasma had a rare antibody. It helped save the baby's lives. I'm Corva Coleman, NPR News in Washington.