NPR News Now - NPR News: 03-07-2025 8AM EST

Episode Date: March 7, 2025

NPR News: 03-07-2025 8AM ESTLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Here on Shortwave, we believe that science is for everyone and that every question is worth asking, no matter your age. My name is Willie and my question is, is magic real? Our podcast is for the curious at heart. Come embrace your inner child when you listen now to ShoreWave from NPR. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Korva Coleman. The latest numbers on employment in the U.S. are due out this morning from the Labor Department. As NPR's Scott Horsley reports, they're expected to show a modest uptick in hiring in the month

of February. U.S. employers added 143,000 jobs in January when cold, snowy weather blanketed much of the country and discouraged a lot of outdoor work, the weather in February was somewhat warmer, and forecasters think today's report will show somewhat stronger hiring during the month. That won't reflect the chill that fell over the federal workforce last month. As the Trump administration began making widespread job cuts, most of those cuts came in the second half of the month after the jobs tally was conducted.

Federal employees make up about one and a half percent of the overall U.S. workforce. Business surveys suggest that uncertainty surrounding trade policy could be a drag on private sector hiring going forward. Scott Horsley in Pierre News, Washington. President Trump has again paused the tariffs he just imposed this week on imported goods from Canada and Mexico. He's now delayed these for another month. They could be revived April 2nd.

That's when Trump has vowed to impose reciprocal tariffs on goods from even more countries. And separate tariffs on aluminum and steel imports are still supposed to take effect next week. A federal judge is ordering the Trump administration to make payments to foreign aid groups within the next few days. NPR's Fatma Tanis reports the case had gone all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. Judge Amir Ali with the D.C. District Court said the government had until Monday to make some of the payments it owes to global health groups for work they did before the administration's foreign aid freeze.

This is the second deadline ordered by the judge. Last week, the government blew through the first one imposed by the court and appealed to the Supreme Court to block the deadline. The Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected the government's request and said it had to abide by the lower court's ruling. The government owes some $2 billion in back pay pay and Judge Ali said he would issue a more detailed order on when the government must pay all that it owes including to groups not involved in the lawsuit. Fatma Tanis, NPR News. Israel continues to block all food, fuel and water from reaching Gaza. It's been

six days now. Israel imposed the blockade to pressure Hamas to accept a different ceasefire deal than the one both parties previously agreed to accept. President Trump's Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff came up with a different plan and Piers Ea Batraoui explains the differences between the two ceasefire plans. The original deal agreed to would have ended the war now, basically an agreement to lasting truce and then all remaining Israeli hostages still alive would be freed over the next six weeks, and Israeli troops would withdraw from Gaza and more Palestinian prisoners would be freed. In contrast, the Witkoff plan would have Hamas release half the remaining hostages still held

in Gaza now, with only the promise to negotiate a lasting end to the war after six weeks. This is NPR News. end to the war after six weeks. This is NPR News. The Vatican says Pope Francis continues to rest in a Rome hospital where he is being treated for pneumonia. He released a very brief audio message last night, speaking in a labored voice the pope thanked well-wishers.

Officials in New Mexico say an unvaccinated adult has died after testing positive for the measles. The death happened just over the border from Texas, where a measles outbreak continues to grow. And Piers Maria Godoy has more. New Mexico health officials are still investigating the individual's cause of death, but they confirm that the person tested positive for measles. Last week, Texas health officials reported the death of an unvaccinated child.

Doctors stress the best defense against measles is vaccination. Dr. Adam Ratner, an infectious disease specialist, says misinformation online suggests vitamin A can prevent measles, but that's wrong. What is circulating online now are people who are giving vitamin A at high doses over long periods of time to try to prevent children from getting measles. And that can be quite dangerous. He says vitamin A can build up in the body and can be toxic to the liver. Maria Godoy, NPR News. Officials who warn the public about the danger of avalanches say that the mass firings of federal workers will affect specialized weather forecasters. Some staffers who track life-threatening avalanches could be fired.

Transportation officials around the country need avalanche guidance to protect motorists on roads. Authorities in Alaska say three skiers were killed this week by an avalanche. I'm Corva Coleman, NPR News.