NPR News: 03-31-2025 4AM EDT

Summary

NPR News Now: March 31, 2025

Host: Dale Willman

---

1. U.S. Tariffs: Trump's Latest Measures

Time Stamp: [00:17]

President Donald Trump has announced that his latest round of tariffs will take effect this week. Speaking to reporters on Air Force One, Trump characterized these tariffs as a retaliatory measure against countries that have previously imposed tariffs on the United States. He emphasized the reciprocal nature of the actions, stating:

“Will be far more generous than those countries were to us, meaning they will be kinder than those countries were to the United States of America over the decades.”
— Donald Trump [00:33]

This move reflects Trump's ongoing strategy to negotiate better trade terms and assert American economic interests on the global stage.

---

2. Israel Issues Evacuation Orders in Gaza

Time Stamp: [00:44]

In the latest developments surrounding the conflict in Gaza, the Israeli military has issued comprehensive evacuation orders for large parts of southern Gaza City and Rafah. This escalation follows a renewed air and ground offensive against Hamas earlier this month. Dale Willman reported:

"The Israeli military issued sweeping evacuation orders today that cover most of the southern Gaza City of Rafah."
— Dale Willman [00:44]

These orders aim to minimize civilian casualties amid the intense military operations, though they contribute to the growing humanitarian crisis in the region.

---

3. Humanitarian Aid Efforts for Myanmar Earthquake

Time Stamp: [01:16]

International humanitarian organizations are ramping up aid deliveries to Myanmar following a devastating earthquake that struck three days ago. Despite these efforts, the World Health Organization (WHO) warns that damaged infrastructure is severely impeding relief operations. Arunode Mukherjee of the BBC reports:

“International relief agencies have warned of an acute shortage of resources. Hospitals are overwhelmed with injured people, putting intense pressure on the already fragile health system.”
— Arunode Mukherjee [01:16]

The WHO has urgently called for additional funds, highlighting the risks of disease outbreaks in overcrowded shelters and the limited access to essential supplies like food and medicine. The International Rescue Committee anticipates that it may take weeks or even months to fully assess the disaster's impact.

---

4. Fire at Republican Party Headquarters in New Mexico Investigated

Time Stamp: [01:53]

A fire broke out at the Republican Party headquarters in New Mexico, prompting a federal investigation. Megan Kamerick from KUNM details the incident:

“Firefighters quickly put out the blaze and no injuries were reported. The FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are investigating...”
— Megan Kamerick [02:15]

Graffiti found at the scene included anti-ICE sentiments, such as “ICE equals KKK state,” suggesting a politically motivated motive. Republican Party Chair Amy Barela condemned the act, stating:

“The fire was fueled by hatred and intolerance.”
— Amy Barela [02:15]

Albuquerque’s Mayor, Democrat Tim Keller, echoed this sentiment, calling politically motivated crimes unacceptable. This incident follows the recent conviction of a former Republican state House candidate involved in shootings targeting Democratic lawmakers.

---

5. Economic Concerns: Asian Stocks Decline, Gold Reaches Record High

Time Stamp: [03:00]

Global markets are experiencing volatility as Asian stocks drop sharply amidst fears of worsening inflation and a slowing U.S. economy. Concurrently, the price of gold has surged to a record high of $3,150 an ounce. Dale Willman provides this update:

“Albuquerque Stocks in Asia are sharply lower today as worries build over a possible worsening inflation and a slowing US Economy. The price of gold, meanwhile, hit a record high of $3,150 an ounce.”
— Dale Willman [03:00]

These economic indicators suggest increasing investor anxiety about future market stability and the potential impact of sustained inflation on global economies.

---

6. Elon Musk Distributes $1 Million to Wisconsin Voters

Time Stamp: [03:00]

Elon Musk made headlines by distributing $1 million in checks to two Wisconsin voters during a rally on Sunday night. Just moments before the event, the Wisconsin Supreme Court declined to hear a last-minute appeal from the Attorney General to stop the distribution. Dale Willman reported:

“Elon Musk gave out $1 million checks to two Wisconsin voters at a rally on Sunday night...”
— Dale Willman [03:00]

The timing is strategic, coinciding with the upcoming Supreme Court election on Tuesday, which could influence the court's ideological balance. Musk's actions are seen as a push towards a more conservative judiciary.

---

7. New York Yankees' Home Run Surge and Bat Debate

Time Stamp: [03:50]

The New York Yankees have been on a home run tear this weekend, striking nine home runs in their second game of the season. Speculation is rife that the team's success is linked to the introduction of a new bat model. Manseed Khurana of NPR explains:

“The Torpedo bat has a larger barrel than most bats, which gives the hitter a greater amount of surface area to hit the ball with.”
— Manseed Khurana [03:50]

Five of the home runs in Saturday's game against the Milwaukee Brewers were hit using this bat, leading to a tied record for most home runs in a single game. Despite scrutiny, a Major League Baseball spokesperson confirmed that the bat complies with league standards and was also used in the previous day's game, which the Yankees won 12-3.

---

8. Women's Basketball Advances to Final Four

Time Stamp: [04:28]

In collegiate sports, the women's basketball scene is heating up as the defending champions, South Carolina, advance to the Final Four after a narrow victory over Duke with a score of 54-50. Additionally, UCLA secured a spot by defeating LSU 72-65, marking their first Final Four appearance in the men's tournament. Key performances included:

• Lauren Betts (UCLA): Scored 17 points and grabbed seven rebounds.
• Johnny Broom (Auburn): Added 25 points and 14 rebounds in Auburn's win over Michigan State, 70-64.
• Houston vs. Tennessee: Houston triumphed with a decisive 69-50 victory.

Dale Willman concluded the sports segment, highlighting the excitement and competitive spirit of the ongoing tournaments.

---

This comprehensive summary captures the essential news and discussions from the NPR News Now episode released on March 31, 2025, providing readers with an in-depth overview of the day's top stories.

Transcript

[Advertiser]

This message comes from Intuit. TurboTax now taxes is matching with an expert backed by tech to get you the most money [e-mail] experts only available with TurboTax Live. See guarantee [e-mail] guarantees.

[Dale Willman]

Live from NPR News, I'm Dale Wilman. President Trump's latest round of tariffs are set to take effect this week. Trump Sunday described those tariffs as a payback of sorts to countries who've placed tariffs on the US in the past.

[Donald Trump]

Will be far more generous than those countries were to us, meaning they will be kinder than those countries were to the United States of America over the decades.

[Dale Willman]

Trump was speaking to reporters on board Air Force One. The Israeli military issued sweeping evacuation orders today that cover most of the southern Gaza City of Rafah. Those orders come after Israel renewed its air and ground war against Hamas earlier this month. International humanitarian agencies are now increasing aid deliveries to Myanmar, three days after it was struck by a huge earthquake. But the agency has warned that infrastructure damaged by the quake is hindering deliveries. The BBC's Arunode Makarikji has more.

[Arunode Mukherjee]

International relief agencies have warned of an acute shortage of resources. Hospitals are overwhelmed with injured people, putting intense pressure on the already fragile health system. The World Health Organization has urgently appealed for funds warning of the danger of disease. It says relief shelters are overcrowded and people have scant access to food and medicines. It added that those with trauma injuries were particularly at high risk of infection. Electricity and water supplies remain badly disrupted. The International Rescue Committee says it may take weeks or months to assess the full extent of the disaster.

[Dale Willman]

That's the BBC's Aronode Mukherjee with our report. A fire at the headquarters of the Republican Party of New Mexico is being investigated by federal authorities. As Megan Camerock from member station KUNM reports, GOP representatives say there was also graffiti about U.S. immigration and Customs Enforcement known as ICE.

[Megan Kamerick]

Firefighters quickly put out the blaze and no injuries were reported. The FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are investigating, and an ATF official says they found incendiary materials but did not provide details. A GOP provided photo shows graffiti on the building saying ICE equals KKK state. Republican Party Chair Amy Barela said the fire was fueled by hatred and intolerance. Albuquerque's mayor, Democrat Tim Keller, said politically motivated crimes of any kind are unacceptable. The fire comes a week after a former Republican state House candidate was convicted in a series of shootings at the homes of democr Democratic lawmakers. For NPR News, I'm Megan Kamerick in.

[Dale Willman]

Albuquerque Stocks in Asia are sharply lower today as worries build over a possible worsening inflation and a slowing US Economy. The price of gold, meanwhile, hit a record high of $3,150 an ounce. This is NPR News. Elon Musk gave out $1 million checks to two Wisconsin voters at a rally on Sunday night. Just minutes before the rally began, the state Supreme Court refused to hear a last minute ATT stop Musk from giving out the checks. The state holds a Supreme Court election on Tuesday, and the winner could tilt the court's ideological balance. Musk is pushing for a more conservative court. The New York Yankees are hitting a lot of home runs this weekend. They hit nine in their second game of the season, and some people are speculating it has to do with a new bat being used by some of the players. NPR's Manseed Khurana has more.

[Manseed Khurana]

The Torpedo bat has a larger barrel than most bats, which gives the hitter a greater amount of surface area to hit the ball with. The Yankees tied its record for most home runs in Saturday's game against the Milwaukee Brewers. Five of the home runs were scored using the bat. According to ESPN, the Yankees won the game 29. A spokesperson for Major League Baseball has said the bat does meet the league standards and it was used again in Sunday's game against the brewers, which the Yankees won 12 3. Monte Carna, NPR News.

[Dale Willman]

It's on to the women's final four for defending champion South Carolina after they slip past Duke on Sunday. 54 50. Lauren Betts, meanwhile, had 17 points and seven rebounds as UCLA beat LSU 72 to 65. It'll be the first final for appearance for the UCLA women's team in the men's tournament. Johnny Broom had 25 points and 14 right rebounds as Auburn beat Michigan State 70 64. Houston be Tennessee 69 to 50. I'm Dale Willman, NPR News.

[Advertiser]

This message comes from Mint Mobile. Mint Mobile took what's wrong with wireless and made it right. They offer premium wireless plans for less and all plans include high speed data, unlimited talk and text and nationwide coverage. See for [e-mail] Switch.