NPR News Now - NPR News: 03-15-2025 11AM EDT

Episode Date: March 15, 2025

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On the embedded podcast. No, no. It's called denying a speech. It's misinformation. Like so many Americans, my dad has gotten swept up in conspiracy theories. These are not conspiracy theories. These are reality. I spent the year following him down the rabbit hole, trying to get him back. Listen to alternate realities on the embedded podcast from NPR.

All episodes available now. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Noor Rahm. The Storm Prediction Center is issuing a rare, high-level warning for severe thunderstorms in the Deep South today after the system led to multiple tornado reports in the central U.S. At least three deaths have been confirmed in Missouri, with more injured. And there are more than 200,000 power outages across six states. NPR's Amy Held reports. Overnight, numerous reports of tornadoes, some destructive, hit parts of Missouri, including

the St. Louis area, Indiana and Arkansas. The system is moving eastward, spurring a highest level five severe weather warning for parts of Mississippi and Alabama. Meteorologist Frank Pereira says such a warning is rare. Those are tornadoes that have the potential to stay on the ground for several miles and produce intense violent swaths of damage. Then there's heavy rain bringing flood risk

to parts of the Tennessee Valley. At the same time, critical fire weather goes on in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Missouri. Dry gusts that have already contributed to dozens of wildfires forcing evacuations. Amy Held, NPR News. Stonks rallied yesterday but couldn't erase the big sell-off earlier in the week. NPR's Scott Horsley reports. The stock market was dragged down again this week by tit-for-tat tariff threats. President

Trump imposed 25% import taxes on steel and aluminum Tuesday. Other countries promised to retaliate, prompting Trump to warn of even bigger tariffs on European wine and spirits. The trade war overshadowed some positive inflation news. The Labor Department said consumer prices rose just 2.8 percent in the last 12 months. Tariffs could interrupt that progress. A survey by the University of Michigan found even Republicans who support the president are rattled by the chaotic rollout of economic policy.

For the week, the S&P 500 index fell 2.25 percent, the Nasdaq dropped 2.4 percent, and the Dow lost more than 3 percent. Scott Horsley in Peer News, Washington. With the help of Democrats, the Senate passed a stop-gap spending bill yesterday to avoid a partial government shutdown. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer had opposed the House-passed measure but changed his mind, saying it was better to pass it than to allow a shutdown in which President Trump could take more power.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer says Western nations are planning to set up a security force for Ukraine to be deployed in the event of any ceasefire with Russia. He said they are committed to Ukrainian security. I think it's really important at this point that we put maximum pressure on Russia. This yes-but is not good enough, and that's why the collective resolve this morning was to put pressure, and we can collectively put pressure on Russia. There were a lot of countries represented this morning, a very strong collective resolve.

Starmor spoke after hosting an online summit with 25 European leaders and allies. There was no representative from the United States. You're listening to NPR News in Washington. Secretary of State Marco Rubio says he's kicking out the new ambassador from South Africa, accusing him of hating America and hating Donald Trump. In a post on X yesterday, Rubio announced the ambassador was, quote, persona non grata. Kate Bartlett reports South Africa responded to his expulsion today. Rubio said the ambassador Ibrahim Rasool was a quote race-baiting politician who hates America. Rubio's ire came after Rasool said at a seminar that MAGA was partially in response to worries

about demographic change and a future when white Americans would no longer be the majority. Vincent Maguena, spokesman for the South African president, called the ambassador's expulsion regrettable. We urge all relevant and impacted stakeholders to maintain their established diplomatic decorum in their engagement with the matter. South Africa has been in Trump's crosshairs since the South African-born adviser Elon Musk falsely accused the government of trying to steal land from white farmers. For NPR News, I'm Kate Bartlett in Johannesburg. Arlington National

Cemetery is removing from its website sections highlighting prominent black, Hispanic and women veterans. An official told NPR the removals were to comply with the directive to remove all articles that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion. Among those removed were biographies of General Colin Powell, the first Black chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the 8666 Postal Corps, the first all-Black female unit to be deployed overseas during World War II. I'm Nora Rahm, NPR News in Washington. This message comes from NYU Langone.

The NYU Langone Health App gives you access to your electronic health record. Keep track of your visits, lab results, and images all in one place. Better health starts with a better health system.