NPR News: 03-10-2025 12AM EDT

Summary

NPR News Now: Detailed Summary of March 10, 2025 Episode

Host: Dale Willman | Release Date: March 10, 2025

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1. U.S. Government Faces Shutdown Deadline

Congress is grappling with a critical deadline set for Friday night to pass a bill aimed at preventing a partial government shutdown. On Saturday, House Republicans unveiled a 99-page stopgap spending bill. However, uncertainty looms over whether they can secure the necessary votes to enact the plan.

Former President Donald Trump weighed in on the situation, expressing cautious optimism. At [00:37], Trump stated:

"I mean, the Democrats want that. They want to destroy the country. So I can't tell you, but it could happen. It shouldn't have happened and it probably won't. I think the CR is going to get passed. We'll see. But it could happen."

Despite Trump's confidence, he also hinted at economic concerns, noting the possibility of a recession later in the year. The ultimate outcome remains uncertain as negotiations continue.

2. Mark Carney Ascends to Canadian Prime Ministership

In a significant development in Canadian politics, Mark Carney, the former governor of the Bank of Canada, has been elected as the new leader of the Liberal Party, positioning him as the prime minister-designate. This change comes after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his resignation last month.

Dan Karpinchuk reports from Toronto that Carney's foray into politics has been met with overwhelming support:

"With the focus on the challenge from the White House, Carney won handily, with 85% of the members voting for him." [01:11]

Carney's primary rival, former Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, secured only 8% of the vote. Despite lacking direct political experience, Carney has pledged to call a general election soon, aiming to secure a parliamentary seat and counter the Conservatives, who currently lead in the polls. The Canadian Parliament is set to resume on March 24.

3. Russian Special Forces Launch Offensive in Kursk

In a strategic move amidst the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, Russian special forces reportedly infiltrated a gas pipeline in the Kursk region to launch a covert attack on Ukrainian forces. According to a pro-Kremlin blogger, these forces traversed approximately nine miles within the pipeline before executing the assault.

Dale Willman highlighted the significance of this maneuver at [01:49], noting:

"The Russian troops are trying to recapture territory that was taken by Ukrainian forces last August."

This tactic underscores the escalating tensions and tactical innovations in the region, as Russia intensifies efforts to regain lost ground.

4. Unseasonably Warm Weather Across the United States

March has traditionally been a month of erratic weather swings, but this year, temperatures across the U.S. are notably higher than usual. Amy Held from NPR reports:

"Most states can expect to experience at least 70 degrees this week as waves of low pressure from Canada are expected to push temperatures up to 30 degrees above normal in the Dakotas and Minnesota, then move eastward." [02:26]

This widespread warming trend continues into the following week, presenting a stark contrast to the National Weather Service’s earlier predictions of one of the coldest U.S. winters in a decade. Amy Held further connects these unusual weather patterns to broader climate change concerns:

"January went down as the hottest the Earth has ever seen. Heat records keep breaking as humans keep burning fossil fuels, the primary cause of climate change." [02:26]

These insights highlight the ongoing impacts of climate change, challenging previous meteorological forecasts and emphasizing the need for urgent environmental action.

5. Military Intercepts Unauthorized Aircraft Near Trump's Florida Residence

In a display of heightened security measures, Air Force fighter jets intercepted a civilian aircraft flying in restricted airspace near President Donald Trump's Florida residence on Sunday. The jets deployed flares to capture the pilot’s attention. At the time of the incident, President Trump was engaged in a round of golf at his West Palm Beach course.

Dale Willman reported:

"Jets were also used in another intercept on Saturday." [03:12]

This occurrence underscores the vigilant protocols in place to secure presidential airspace, especially given the proximity to the President's private residence.

6. Intriguing Behaviors Observed in Narwhals

Recent drone footage has shed light on the enigmatic behaviors of narwhals, Arctic whales known for their distinctive long tusks. NPR’s Nell Greenfield Boyce reports that these tusks are sometimes used to manipulate fish, though the exact purpose remains unclear.

"The narwhal tusk is a long spiral, like a unicorn horn. Males have them, but most females don't." [03:43]

Scientists, including Courtney Watt from Fisheries and Oceans Canada, suggest that while females can hunt effectively without tusks, males may use them to aid in foraging:

"Think maybe they've learned to use them to assist them with foraging." [04:14]

These observations, published in Frontiers in Marine Science, propose that aside from their primary role in attracting mates, tusks might serve practical purposes in the narwhals’ feeding strategies.

7. Alex Ovechkin Nears NHL All-Time Goal Record

NHL star Alex Ovechkin continued his pursuit of the all-time career goal record by netting his 886th goal on Sunday, bringing him just nine goals shy of surpassing Wayne Gretzky's longstanding record. This achievement occurred during the Washington Capitals' 4-2 victory over Seattle.

Dale Willman highlighted the milestone:

"It was the 33rd goal of the season for the 39-year-old." [04:32]

Ovechkin's remarkable performance solidifies his legacy as one of hockey's most prolific scorers, with fans and analysts keenly watching as he edges closer to history.

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Note: Advertisements and non-content segments have been excluded from this summary to focus on the core news topics discussed in the episode.

Transcript

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[Dale Willman]

Visit pemco.com prevention live from NPR News, I'm Dale Willman. Congress is facing a deadline of Friday night to pass a bill to prevent portions of the government from shutting down. On Saturday, House Republicans released a 99 page stopgap spending bill, but it's unclear if they have the votes to pass that plan. President Trump Sunday expressed confidence that a shutdown can be avoided with some qualification could happen.

[Donald Trump]

I mean, the Democrats want that. They want to destroy the country. So I can't tell you, but it could happen. It shouldn't have happened and it probably won't. I think the CR is going to get passed. We'll see. But it could happen.

[Dale Willman]

You never know later in the day. Trump also did not rule out the possibility of a possible recession later this year. The former governor of the bank of Canada has become the new leader of that country's Liberal Party and is now the prime minister designate. And as Dan Carpentek reports, Mark Carney hinted strongly that a general election is on the way.

[Dan Karpinchuk]

Carney has flirted with politics several times, but never actually taken the plunge until Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced early last month that he would be resigning. During the Liberal Party gathering in Toronto, Carney said he would stand shoulder to shoulder with his fellow candidates in fighting the next election. With the focus on the challenge from the White House, Carney won handily, with 85% of the members voting for him. Former Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland came in second with 8%. Carney has not been tested politically. He has repeatedly pledged to call an election soon so he can win a seat in Parliament and fight the Conservatives who are leading in the polls. Parliament resumes on March 24. For NPR News, I'm Dan Karpinchuk in Toronto.

[Dale Willman]

Russian special forces apparently walked inside a gas pipeline this weekend in order to attack Ukrainian forces from behind. According to reports from a pro Kremlin blogger, the Russian forces walked about nine miles inside the pipeline. The attack occurred in Russia's Kursk region, where the Russian troops are trying to recapture territory that was taken by Ukrainian forces last August. March is known for wild swings in weather, but it's not even mid month and the forecast is unusually mild for many parts of the U.S. ampere's Amy held reports on an upcoming widespread warming.

[Amy Held]

Trend most states can expect to experience at least 70 degrees this week as waves of low pressure from Canada are expected to push temperatures up to 30 degrees above normal in the Dakotas and Minnesota, then move eastward. Warmth that could be sustained above normal temperatures also forecast in much of the eastern US Next week. In sharp contrast to what the National Weather Service says was likely the coldest winter the US has seen in at least a decade, thanks to unusual Arctic air blasts that made the US an outlier globally. January went down as the hottest the Earth has ever seen. Heat records keep breaking as humans keep burning fossil fuels, the primary cause of climate change. Amy Held, NPR News.

[Dale Willman]

And you're listening to NPR News. Air Force fighter jets intercepted a civilian aircraft Sunday that was flying in the restricted airspace near President Trump's Florida home. They deployed flares to get the pilot's attention. Trump was finishing a round of golf at his West Palm beach course at the time of the incident. Jets were also used in another intercept on Saturday. Drone footage of narwhals shows that these Arctic whales sometimes use their long tusks to manipulate fish. But as NPR's Nell Greenfield Boyce reports, it's not clear just why they do this.

[Nell Greenfield Boyce]

The narwhal tusk is a long spiral, like a unicorn horn. Males have them, but most females don't. Recently, researchers have been spying on narwhals with drones. They've seen narwhals chasing fish and using their tusks to mess with them, flipping them, hitting them. It seems like play, but they could stun or kill fish this way. Courtney Watt is a scientist with Fisheries and Oceans Canada. She says females hunt just fine, so tusks aren't necessary for food, but I.

[Courtney Watt]

Think maybe they've learned to use them to assist them with foraging.

[Nell Greenfield Boyce]

The new observations are in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science. Scientists think the main job of a narwhals tusk is to impress females when males are competing for a mate. Nell Greenfield Boyce, NPR News.

[Dale Willman]

Alex Ovechkin is drawing closer to the all time NHL career goal record. He scored his 886 goals Sunday as the Washington Capitals beat Seattle 4, 2. That means he needs just nine more goals to beat the record currently held by Wayne Gretzky. It was the 33rd goal of the season for the 39 year old. I'm Dale Willman, NPR News.

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