NPR News Now - NPR News: 03-07-2025 9PM EST

Episode Date: March 8, 2025

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Scott Detro Following the news out of Washington, D.C. can be overwhelming. I'm Scott Detro and NPR has a podcast that can help. It's called Trump's Terms, stories about big changes the 47th president is pursuing on his own terms. Each episode is short, usually around five minutes or so. We keep it calm and factual. We help you follow what matters and we leave out what doesn't. Listen to Trump's Term terms from NPR.

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jack Spear. Even as he's paused plan 25% tariffs against Mexico and Canada, President Trump is railing against what he's called tremendously high Canadian tariffs on dairy and lumber products coming into the country from the US. Speaking in the Oval Office today, he said he plans to potentially retaliate. Canada has been ripping us off for years

on tariffs for lumber and for dairy products. 250%, nobody ever talks about that. 250% tariff, which is taking advantage of our farmers, so that's not gonna happen anymore. President Slater's remarks added to the trade pressure against the Canadian government, which Trump has accused of failing to stop the flow of the deadly drug fentanyl across the northern border. That's despite little evidence such trafficking is actually taking place.

An attorney appointed by a federal judge in Manhattan says all corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams should be dropped permanently. Comes after the Justice Department sought to put the criminal case on hold. Here's NPR's Brian Mann. Adams was charged last year with bribery and corruption. He denies any wrongdoing. Under President Trump's leadership, the DOJ moved to shelve the case, a controversial move that led to the resignation of top U.S. attorneys.

Critics say the deal would allow the White House to threaten New York City's mayor with renewed prosecution if Adams doesn't help round up migrants who lack legal status. The judge asked attorney Paul Clement to write a legal brief examining the case. Clement now says the charges should be tossed out for good to avoid, quote, the appearance, if not the reality, that the Trump administration might use the threat of prosecution to pressure an elected official. Judge Dale Ho has promised a swift ruling. Brian Manon, PR News, New York. The Trump administration says it's ending collective bargaining for thousands of workers at the Transportation Security Administration.

MPR's Joel Rose reports. The Department of Homeland Security says it's eliminating the collective bargaining agreement for 47,000 TSA officers who are responsible for protecting the U.S. aviation system. In a statement, DHS said that agreement was hindering the TSA officers who are responsible for protecting the US aviation system. In a statement, DHS said that agreement was hindering the TSA's mission of keeping Americans safe and accused the TSA's union of protecting poor performers and devoting too many hours to union work. In response, the union called DHS's claims completely fabricated and promised to push back on what it called an unprovoked attack.

The Biden administration reached a deal last year with the TSA union to expand workers' rights and raise pay, which top Democrats say has helped to lower the agency's high attrition rate. Joel Rose, NPR News, Washington. President Trump has signed an executive order aimed at a program that forgives student loans for people in public service careers. Critics say the order appears aimed at targeting organizations that work on causes the administration does not approve of. Public service loan forgiveness program is for government or non-profit employees, including teachers and public health workers

who have made 10 years of loan payments, allowing for the remainder of their debt to be wiped out. Stocks closed higher on Wall Street today that dial up 222 points. This is NPR. Democrats apparently frustrated that their strategy of pointing out authoritarian actions by the Trump administration is not gaining more traction with many Americans, say they intend to turn their focus to high prices. That includes still high prices for eggs brought on by the bird flu and other price pressures being faced by voters. The increased attention by Democrats on pocketbook issues like the cost of groceries comes as the parties determine it needs to make changes to win back the hearts and minds of working-class voters, many of whom voted for Trump last fall.

Actor Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arcawa have likely died of natural causes several days apart in their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Alas, house four of member station KUNM as more. Chief medical examiner Heather Jarrell performed an autopsy on Arakawa and found she died of hantavirus while Hackman died of heart disease and Alzheimer's. Hantavirus is contracted from rodents and has a mortality rate in the southwest of up to 50%. Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza said that Arakawa was last seen on February 11th on surveillance cameras running errands. Jarrell said likely Arakawa died first. Based on pacemaker activity, Hackman probably died around February 18th. She added that due

to his advanced Alzheimer's, it's possible he was not aware that his wife was deceased. The sheriff said the investigation would remain open pending obtaining cell phone data and a necropsy of a dog also found dead. For NPR News, I'm Alice Fordham in Santa Fe. This weekend is that once a year event known as daylight saving time. The main benefit is extra sunlight during the evening hours. There's still lots of debate on the topic though. About 70 countries currently use daylight saving time. This is NPR. This message comes from WISE, the app for doing things in other currencies, sending countries currently use daylight saving time. This is NPR.