NPR News Now - NPR News: 03-04-2025 7AM EST

Episode Date: March 4, 2025

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James Baldwin was an activist, an orator, a style icon, but on NPR's Book of the Day, we'll dissect the thing he was most known for, his writing. That last clause kind of reads like a horror story. Right? There's something deeply, deeply ominous about the way that that opening paragraph closes. Celebrate Black History Month with us as we examine some of his best works on NPR's Book of the Day podcast. Live from NPR News in Washington, on Korova Coleman, President Trump's threatened across the board tariffs have gone into effect overnight against Canada and Mexico. They're worth 25 percent. An additional 10 percent tariff on Chinese goods has also started. Trump says this is to stop

illegal immigration and drug trafficking. Critics disagree and say the real effect of tariffs will be to drive up prices for American consumers. NPR's Jackie Northam says some countries are starting to respond. Mexican officials told NPR that an official response will come from President Claudio Sheinbaum later this morning. Earlier on Monday she pleaded for quote serenity and patience. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau immediately pledged to impose 25% import taxes on about $100 billion worth of US goods.

You know, everything from clothing and lumber to Florida orange juice and Kentucky bourbon. NPR's Jackie Northam reporting, US stock markets plunged yesterday by hundreds of points. Meanwhile, President Trump has suspended U.S. military aid to Ukraine. NPR's Lauren Fraher reports from London, some European leaders say they are ready to step up to fill the gap. A French government minister says Trump's decision, quote, strengthens the hand of the aggressor, Russia. The U.K UK's opposition leader calls it profoundly worrying.

Hours before the US announcement, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer was still reassuring allies of Trump's commitment to Ukraine. His office says he's engaging with key allies in the wake of this decision. European defence stocks have rallied on the idea that Europe could fill the weapons gap. The head of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen says Europe is ready to step up and enter a quote, era of rearmament. She's outlining plans for about $840 billion in new European defense spending and will host a summit on this later this week. Lauren Freyer, NPR News, London. The Trump administration is firing a team of more than 80 technologists. They were focused on making government digital services more user-friendly and efficient. NPR's Frank Langford reports the fired workers say they were managing what the DOJ entity

claims that it is trying to do. 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 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 Doach 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. On Wall Street, Dow futures are lower. This is NPR. Parades are stepping off this morning in New Orleans in celebration of Mardi Gras, but

authorities are watching the weather very closely. Forecasters say New Orleans will get very powerful winds today and a line of severe storms could roll through later this afternoon. This could make it dangerous for Mardi Gras parade goers. Rural America is facing a doctor shortage. Some states are now trying to make it easier for foreign-trained physicians to get their medical licenses. Ariel Zients with our partner KFF Health News has more. At least nine states have passed laws

to allow some foreign-trained physicians to practice medicine in the U.S. without completing an American residency program. The hope is to recruit experienced doctors to quickly fill gaps in rural communities. But some researchers think it might not be enough to reverse the shortage. Erin Freyer is a health policy expert at the University of North Carolina. I think the potential is there, but we need to see how this pans out. Fayer says the foreign-trained doctors could still have trouble getting hired where they're most needed. Hospitals in some states would have to designate a supervisor for them, and they generally won't be eligible to work as specialists.

That was Ariel Zions with our partner, KFF Health News. Officials in Australia say that 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 that helped save the baby's lives. This is NPR.