NPR News Now - NPR News: 03-17-2025 12PM EDT

Episode Date: March 17, 2025

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When you take a shower or get ready in the morning, how many products are you using? Everything from your shampoo to your lotion. In our study, we found that the average woman used about 19 products every day, and the average man used about seven. These products might come at a cost. The ingredients they contain can be harmful to our health. Listen to the Life Kit podcast from NPR to learn more about the risks of personal care products. Live from NPR News, I'm Lakshmi Singh.

President Trump is deferring questions to his lawyers when asked whether his administration has violated a temporary restraining order for the deportation of Venezuelans over the weekend. Overnight on Air Force One, Trump was asked whether it was appropriate to use the Alien Enemies Act for the deportations given that it had only ever been used during wars. Trump argued what he called criminals had invaded the US, so he says, quote, in that

sense it is war. And Pierre Zadrin-Florido has a reaction from the American Civil Liberties Union. Well, the Trump administration has appealed the judge's order temporarily blocking deportations under the law. The ACLU says it'll fight this vigorously. They insist there is huge danger in allowing the president to invoke wartime authorities during peacetime, that it sets a dangerous precedent. NPR's Adrienne Floody, the reporting also on Air Force One, President Trump disclosed

that he plans to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin tomorrow as the president pursues an end to war between Russia and Ukraine. The president will visit the Kennedy Center this afternoon, chair of the Performing Arts Center's board. Trump plans to get more involved in its programs. Here's NPR's Elizabeth Blair. Not long after taking office, President Trump ousted board chair and major donor David Rubenstein and eventually landed the job himself. He also ousted board members selected by President Biden because he said they didn't share his quote, vision for a golden age of arts and culture.

In its first term, Trump did not attend events at the Kennedy Center, including the Kennedy Center Honors. Past honorees include George Clooney, Rita Moreno, and Barry Gordy. At today's board meeting, The New York Times is reporting he will propose changes to the advisory committee that selects honorees. Elizabeth Blair, NPR News, Washington. The Federal Reserve will hold its latest policy meeting this week, and as NPR's Rafael Namtels, its policy makers are gathering at a time of great turmoil in the markets. After cutting interest rates three times last year, the Fed is widely expected to keep them

on hold for a second consecutive meeting this year. The main reason is still inflation, which is still a little higher than what the Fed would like. And now there are rising concerns about how President Trump's tariffs will impact the economy. The US has introduced a 25% tariff on steel and aluminum imports, and the European Union and Canada have said they will retaliate. Trump is threatening to impose more tariffs, which is all but certain to make things more expensive, potentially making it a lot harder for the Fed to bring

down inflation. From Washington, this is NPR News. Well, U.S. shoppers spent at a slower than expected pace last month at retailers, a two-tenths of a percent growth. The Commerce Department posted for February was better than the month before. January's numbers were revised downward to reflect a 1.2 percent decline in retail sales. But last month's gain was lower than anticipated, raising concerns about the impact of President Trump's economic agenda, including tariffs that it's having on American consumers and businesses. The bracket for the NCAA Division One men's college basketball tournament has been announced. The SEC will send 14 teams

to the dance and and Piers Becky Sullivan reports that is a new record. College sports fans are used to the SEC dominating college football but now the conference is dominating men's college basketball too including the Auburn Tigers who are the tournament's top overall seed. Auburn lost five games this season, four of them to teams who were named number one or two seeds. Duke, Houston, and Florida are the other one seeds. Some of college basketball's most famous programs had mixed records this season. Kansas and UConn were named seven and eight seeds respectively, and the North Carolina Tar Heels are an 11 seed and will have to win a game Tuesday to even reach the round of 64. The first four games tip off Tuesday and Wednesday, though the round of 64 begins Thursday.

Becky Sullivan, NPR News. Here's where U.S. stocks stand. The Nasdaq is down 61 points, the S&P is up 9, and the Dow is up more than 200 points, or nearly half a percent. I'm Lakshmi Singh, NPR News in Washington. This message comes from NYU Langone. I'm Lakshmi Singh, NPR News in Washington.