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

Episode Date: March 8, 2025

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

At this year's Oscars, Anorah took home the award for Best Picture, Zoe Saldana and Kieran Culkin also picked up wins, and Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo delivered a show-stopping opening number. For a recap of all the highlights, listen to the Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast from NPR. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jack Spear. Fed Chairman Jerome Powell says when it comes to interest rates, the central bank will likely stand pat in the months ahead. Powell's saying proposed changes by the administration, including to taxes, government spending, immigration

and regulation are not yet clear, though he said overall the U.S. economy is holding up well. Despite elevated levels of uncertainty, the U.S US economy continues to be in a good place. The labor market is solid and inflation has moved closer to our 2% longer run goal. At the Fed we are intently focused on our dual mandate goals given to us by Congress, maximum employment and stable prices. Powell said the net effect of the administration's changes will matter for the US economy and Fed interest rate policy.

Maryland's attorney general is leading a coalition of 20 AGs in a lawsuit over the firing of federal employees. Scott Masione of Member Station WYPR reports the lawsuit argues the Trump administration did not follow laws regulating large-scale federal reductions in workforce. Maryland attorney general Anthony Brown says the firings will cause irreparable burdens and expenses on the states and enforce workers into financial insecurity. According to public reports, the Trump administration has fired roughly 23,000 probationary employees over the past three weeks. Not because they were bad at their jobs or because they didn't do important work, but simply because the president will do anything to eliminate federal workers.

The White House says it's cutting government waste. Brown has followed up with a motion for a temporary restraining order seeking to stop any more firings and to reinstate those who have been dismissed. For NPR News, I'm Scott Massione. Officials in Ukraine say more drone and missile strikes by Russia overnight targeted key energy facilities and the electrical grid. While many of the missiles and drones were intercepted, officials say at least 10 people were hurt.

It comes just days after the US suspended military aid and intelligence to Ukraine, an effort to force the country to accept a peace deal with Russia. Walgreens says it's ending its run as a public company after nearly 100 years. The pharmacy chain has reached a deal to be taken private in a massive leveraged buyout by private equity firm called Sycamore Partners and Piers Alina Salukas-Mor. Walgreens Boots Alliance has been spiraling, losing billions of dollars, sales declining for years. The business of brick and mortar pharmacies has gotten expensive. The chain has expanded a huge physical footprint but now faces intense

competition from Walmart and Amazon and grocery stores plus constant changes to how it gets paid to fill prescriptions. Last year Walgreens said a quarter of its stores did not make money. It's been closing hundreds of locations. The chain's foray into primary care clinics proved too pricey and time consuming. The chain now hopes as a private company without pressure to report quarterly results, it might be able to get more leeway and more time to stage a turnaround. Alina Selouk, NPR News. On Wall Street, stocks closed higher today, though indices were down for the week. This is NPR.

With the spring and summer travel seasons approaching, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is asking doctors and public health officials to be on the lookout for signs of illness that comes with rash and fevers. The health alert comes amid an ongoing measles outbreak in Texas and New Mexico. NPR's Maria Godoy is more. The CDC says thanks to high vaccination rates and strong surveillance programs, the risk for widespread measles in the United States remains low. It emphasizes that the measles mumps rubella vaccine remains the most important tool for

preventing measles. The agency is urging all U.S. residents to make sure they're up to date with their measles vaccinations, especially before traveling anywhere internationally. That includes infants six months or older who are traveling abroad. The CDC says teens and adults in areas with an ongoing measles outbreak who previously only got one dose of measles vaccine should get a second dose. Maria Gadoy, NPR News. Many leaders of the cryptocurrency industry at a first of its kind White House summit today. President Trump said he's committed to helping the industry. Trump says he wants

to make the U.S. a world leader in cryptocurrencies by creating a so-called federal Bitcoin reserve. Trump says the U.S. already has Bitcoin seized to enforcement actions and wants to build on that. The Treasury and Commerce Departments will also explore new pathways to accumulate additional Bitcoin holdings for the reserve provided it's done at no cost to the taxpayers. We don't want any cost to the taxpayers. Trump also promised friendly legislation and less regulation of cryptocurrency under his administration. The

cryptocurrency industry was a significant contributor to Trump's re-election campaign. I'm Jack Spear, NPR News in Washington. This message comes from WISE, the app for doing things in other currencies. Sending or spending Washington.