NPR News Now - NPR News: 03-26-2025 7PM EDT

Episode Date: March 26, 2025

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These days, there's so much news, it can be hard to keep up with what it all means for you, your family, and your community. The Consider This podcast from NPR features our award-winning journalism. Six days a week, we bring you a deep dive on a news story and provide the context and analysis that helps you make sense of the news. We get behind the headlines. We get to the truth. Listen to the Consider This podcast from NPR. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jack Spear. The fallout continues from the revelation senior Trump administration officials somehow added a journalist to a signal group chat in which they discuss secret plans for military

strikes in Yemen. At a White House hearing today, Democrats disputed the administration's claims the information wasn't classified and called for people to be held accountable. Here's NPR's Ryan Lucas. Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee pushed Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and CIA Director John Ratcliffe for answers, particularly after the full group chat chain was made public by The Atlantic. It showed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth texting details on timing, weapons

and attack sequencing of the U.S. airstrikes in Yemen. Here's Colorado Democrat Jason Crowe. Nobody is willing to come to us and say this was wrong. This was a breach of security and we won't do it again. Crowe, who is a former U.S. Army Ranger, said the refusal to accept responsibility is outrageous and a leadership failure, and he called on Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to resign. Ryan Lucas, NPR News, Washington. NPR CEO Catherine Barr chairs the board of the Signal Foundation, the nonprofit that

supports the app. The Social Security Administration says it is revising a new policy that would have required some beneficiaries to prove their identity in person. NPR's Ashley Lopez reports agency officials say they're responding to pushback. Social security officials say they have listened to concerns raised by beneficiaries, members of Congress, as well as advocates in the past week.

Agency officials had announced that starting at the end of the month, people who cannot prove their identity using the agency's online system would be required to show up in person when seeking benefits or changing direct deposit information. But now, in a newly released statement, officials say they're delaying the policy for two weeks and they're exempting people who receive Medicare and disability benefits as well as supplemental income help for the poor. The new identity requirements will only apply to retirements, survivor or auxiliary benefits.

Ashley Lopez, NPR News. A new law on the books in West Virginia bans certain additives from foods in schools starting in August and statewide in 2028. West Virginia Public Broadcasting's Brianna Heeney has more. Analysts say West Virginia will have the most stringent restrictions on food additives, such as Red Die 40, when the bill fully takes effect in 2028 with an estimated 60% of food currently for sale in the state's grocery stores likely needing to come off the shelves. State Senator Jason Barrett said he is proud to see West Virginia leading the way on this

legislation. I think Western is going to be the first state of many states here in the near future to pass similar legislation. 13 other states have proposed similar legislation. Last year, California banned many of the same additives in public schools. For NPR News, I'm Brianna Heeney in Charleston, West Virginia. On Wall Street, the Dow was down 132 points. The Nasdaq fell 372 points. This is NPR.

After roughly a decade of looking for synergies and not finding many, Dollar Tree is offloading its Family Dollar chain to a group of private equity firms. The deal is valued at about a billion dollars. Dollar Tree says selling Family Dollar will allow it to focus more on its core operations. Dollar Tree stores are mostly in suburban locations while Family Dollar is more concentrated in urban areas. Dollar Tree bought Family Dollar in 2015 for nine billion dollars. This spring a pair of all-star Broadway plays are breaking box office records. Othello with Denzel Washington and Good Night and Good Luck written by and starring George Clooney. That show brought in 3.3 million last week, the most ever for a Broadway play.

Jeff London reports. There are reasons these plays are bringing in so much money. They're featuring Hollywood stars in limited runs and they're charging premium ticket prices. The top for Good Night and Good Luck, which is still in previews, is $799, while Othello's highest ticket price is $921. The Clooney Show is booked in the Winter Garden, a 1,500-seat house which was home to Cats and Mamma Mia!, Othello's in a smaller theater.

Both shows had an average ticket price of around $300 last week. For NPR News, I'm Jeff London in New York. Crude oil futures prices moved higher today amid new government data showing crude and fuel inventories fell last week. Oil was up 65 cents a barrel to settle at 69.65 a barrel in New York. I'm Jack Spear, NPR News in Washington. 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 7. These products might come

at a cost. The ingredients they contain can be harmful to our health. Listen to the LifeKit podcast from NPR to learn more about the risks of personal care products.