NPR News Now - NPR News: 03-08-2025 1AM EST

Episode Date: March 8, 2025

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Public media counts on your support to ensure that the reporting and programs you depend on thrive. Make a recurring donation today to get special access to more than 20 NPR podcasts, perks like sponsor-free listening, bonus episodes, early access, and more. So start supporting what you love today at plus.npr.org. Live from NPR News, I'm Dale Willman. Maryland's attorney general is leading a coalition of 20 attorneys general in a lawsuit over the firing of federal employees. Scott Marcioni of Member Station W Y P R reports the lawsuit argues that the Trump administration did not follow laws regulating large scale federal reductions in force.

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. Thousands of people turned out for protests in Washington, D.C. and New York on Friday in support of the country's scientists. They called on the Trump administration to restore funding for science research and firings and stop hiring freezes. Public health researcher Dr. Atul Gawande says he's concerned that everything that's been happening to government-funded science could lead to a major crisis. They scan for examples. They can distort and ridicule. They ask no one what their work actually is. The scientists say research on Alzheimer's and many other diseases is at risk with those

cuts. Wall Street ended a volatile week on fraud apis. President Trump implemented and then again delayed some of his tariffs. Amperes Maria Aspin reports that while stocks closed higher, it was a down week overall. American businesses are feeling the whiplash of President Trump's on-again, off-again tariffs against Canada, Mexico, and China. So are investors. Major stock indices plunged when the tariffs went into effect, then rallied the first time Trump gave a partial reprieve, but still ended down for the week. NYU professor Anna Tavis says that business owners don't like this news onslaught any more than consumers. Businesses don't like uncertainty. And some businesses are really worried about the tariffs becoming permanent, especially the automakers, retailers,

and other consumer-facing companies that would be directly affected. Best Buy CEO warned this week that price increases for American consumers are, quote, highly likely. Maria Aspin, NPR News, New York. The Dow gained 222 points on Friday. The tech heavy Nasdaq added 126 points. The S&P was up 31 points The measles outbreak in West Texas in New Mexico is continuing Texas officials say their state now has

198 cases since the first case was reported in late January while in New Mexico the numbers have tripled to 30 infections You're listening to NPR news You're listening to NPR News. Actor Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa likely died of natural causes several days apart in their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Alice Fordham of member station KUNM has more on that story. 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. Demonstrations are expected around the world on Saturday as once again the world marks International Women's Day. Demonstrators will once again call for equal pay and reproductive rights along with justice for women. The day has been commemorated since

1977. It's an official national holiday in 20 countries. Cuba is the only nation in the Americas which has made it a holiday. Officials in Oregon removed a Ford station wagon from the Columbia River on Friday it's thought the car belonged to an Oregon family that disappeared while on a trip 66 years ago the car belonged to Ken and Barbara Martin it was found last fall by a diver that had been searching for the vehicle for seven years no remains were found within the car I'm Dale Wilman, NPR News.