NPR News: 03-10-2025 2AM EDT

Summary

NPR News Now: Episode Summary – March 10, 2025

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

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1. Mark Carney Poised to Lead Canada as New Prime Minister

Timestamp: [00:11] – [00:36]

Mark Carney has been elected as Canada's new Prime Minister following the resignation of Justin Trudeau earlier this year. Carney, the former head of the Bank of Canada and the first non-citizen to lead the Bank of England, secured his position by leading the Liberal Party to victory on Sunday.

In his inaugural remarks, Carney did not mince words about his stance on U.S. tariffs. He sharply criticized President Donald Trump’s trade policies, stating:

"Donald Trump, as we know, has put, as the prime minister just said, unjustified tariffs on what we build, on what we sell, on how we make a living. He's attacking Canadian families, workers and businesses, and we cannot let him succeed."
— Mark Carney [00:36]

Carney emphasized his commitment to building a stronger Canada as a countermeasure against the imposed tariffs, signaling a focus on domestic growth and resilience.

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2. U.S. Economic Outlook and Tariff Implications

Timestamp: [00:36] – [00:57]

Following Carney’s comments, Dale Willman reported on President Trump’s economic projections. Speaking on Fox News, Trump did not dismiss the possibility of a recession this year, attributing it to the significant changes his administration is implementing. He acknowledged:

"There will be a period of economic transition because what his administration is doing is very big."
— President Donald Trump [00:57]

The administration's planned tariffs on various imports have raised concerns among businesses about economic uncertainty, with Trump suggesting that these measures, though aggressive, are necessary for long-term economic restructuring.

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3. Ukraine-Russia Tensions Escalate Amid U.S. Intelligence Withdrawal

Timestamp: [00:57] – [01:35]

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky responded vehemently on social media after the U.S. announced a halt to intelligence sharing with Kyiv. This cessation has emboldened Russia to intensify its attacks on Ukraine.

Eleanor Beardsley reports:

Zelensky detailed the scale of recent Russian assaults on Ukrainian territory:

"Russia had carried out hundreds of attacks against Ukrainians this past week using various types of weapons, including 1200 guided aerial bombs, 870 attack drones, and over 80 missiles of different types."
— President Volodymyr Zelensky [01:35]

He accused Russia of circumventing sanctions by incorporating thousands of foreign-supplied components into their weaponry. Despite the heightened aggression, Zelensky remains hopeful, stating that Ukraine is collaborating with its international partners to secure a just peace with reliable security guarantees.

However, the Institute for the Study of War highlighted that the pause in intelligence sharing is already undermining Ukraine’s defense capabilities, thereby increasing risks for civilians caught in the conflict.

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4. Homeland Security Reforms and Leadership Changes in ICE

Timestamp: [02:16] – [03:11]

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has announced significant leadership changes within the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE), signaling a renewed focus on stringent immigration enforcement.

Juliana Kim reports:

Noem appointed Todd Lyons as the acting director of ICE, a pivotal role in executing President Trump’s aggressive immigration policies. Lyons brings extensive experience from his previous position as the assistant director of field operations in ICE’s enforcement and removal branch, which is crucial for identifying and detaining immigrants without legal status.

Additionally, Madison Sheehan, Noem’s former aide, has been named as ICE’s next deputy director. In response to recent security breaches, Noem revealed plans to increase polygraph testing for ICE employees. She addressed the issue following incidents where two workers leaked sensitive information about the agency's operations.

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5. U.S. Evacuations from South Sudan Amid Renewed Conflict Fears

Timestamp: [03:11] – [04:15]

Amid escalating violence, U.S. citizens are evacuating South Sudan due to fears of a potential return to civil war. The situation deteriorated following a deadly attack on a UN helicopter attempting to evacuate government troops.

Emmanuel Igunza reports:

The U.S. State Department has mandated the evacuation of all non-emergency government personnel from South Sudan as clashes intensify between government forces and those aligned with First Vice President Riek Machar, who remains under house arrest in the capital, Juba. This rivalry echoes the devastating five-year civil war that claimed over half a million lives before a fragile peace was brokered in 2018.

The United Nations has issued warnings that the peace process in South Sudan is teetering on the brink of collapse. Efforts to evacuate U.S. citizens are being funneled through Kenya, the only feasible exit route amid ongoing conflicts in neighboring Sudan and Ethiopia, complicating the humanitarian response.

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6. Wildfire Management on Long Island and Highlights from Sports

Timestamp: [04:15] – [04:55]

Wildfires on Long Island:

Four wildfires have been successfully extinguished on Long Island, New York, which had previously led to the closure of a major highway connecting New York City to the Hamptons. Officials caution that prevailing high winds and dry conditions could predispose the region to additional fires, necessitating vigilant fire management and preventive measures.

Sports Update – Arnold Palmer Golf Invitational:

In sports news, Russell Henley triumphed at the Arnold Palmer Golf Invitational in Orlando, overcoming a three-stroke deficit. His remarkable performance included a birdie on the 14th hole, an impressive 50-foot chip-in for an eagle on the 15th, and two consecutive pars in the final stretch. Henley’s victory marks the most significant win of his career to date, narrowly edging out Colin Morikawa, who led for most of the tournament but finished one stroke behind.

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This summary encapsulates the key discussions, insights, and developments covered in the March 10, 2025 episode of NPR News Now, providing listeners with a comprehensive overview of the latest news events.

Transcript

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[Dale Willman]

Visit pemco.com prevention live from NPR News, I'm Dale Willman. Mark Carney will become Canada's new prime minister following the resignation earlier this year of Justin Trudeau. Carney was elected Sunday to lead the country's Liberal Party. Carney was the head of the bank of Canada and was also the first non citizen to run the the bank of England. After the election, Carney was quick to attack U.S. tariffs on Canada.

[Mark Carney]

Donald Trump, as we know, has put, as the prime minister just said, unjustified tariffs on what we build, on what we sell, on how we make a living. He's attacking Canadian families, workers and businesses, and we cannot let him succeed.

[Dale Willman]

Carney said he will do that by helping to build a stronger Canada. President Trump is dismissing concerns by businesses over the uncertainty of being caused by his planned tariffs on many imports. Speaking on Fox News on Sunday, he would not rule out the possibility of a recession this year. He said there will be a period of economic transition because what his administration is doing is very big. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky lashed out on social media Sunday after the US Said it would stop sharing intelligence with Kyiv. Russia stepped up attacks on Ukraine after that announcement by the Trump administration. NPR's Eleanor Beardsley has this report.

[Eleanor Beardsley]

In a post on X, Zelensky said Russia had carried out hundreds of attacks against Ukrainians this past week using various types of weapons, he said, including 1200 guided aerial bombs, 870 attack drones and over 80 missiles of different types. Zelensky said each weapon contained thousands of components supplied by the circumvention of sanctions. But he said Ukraine is working with its partners to bring a just peace with reliable security guarantees closer. The Institute for the Study of War says the pause in intelligence exchange is already making it harder for Ukraine to defend itself and putting civilians at greater risk. Eleanor Beardsley, NPR News, Lviv, Ukraine.

[Dale Willman]

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has announced new leadership for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency, also known as ICE. NPR's Juliana Kim has more.

[Juliana Kim]

In a statement, Noem said she's appointing Todd Lyons as the acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a key role in President Trump's plans to aggressively crack down on immigration. Lyons had previously served as the assistant director of field Operation in ICE's enforcement and removal operations, the branch responsible for identifying arresting and detaining immigrants without legal status. Noem also said she's appointing her former aide Madison Sheehan as ICE's next deputy director on Sunday, Noem also told CBS's Face the Nation that she's ramping up polygraph tests for her department's employees, days after she said two workers leaked information about her department's operations. Juliana Kim, NPR News.

[Dale Willman]

And you're listening to NPR News. U.S. citizens in South Sudan are evacuating that country as fears continue to grow over a potential return to civil war. There's been heavy fighting in the country since Friday's deadly attack on a UN Helicopter that was attempting to evacuate evacuate some government troops. Emmanuel Igunza reports.

[Emmanuel Igunza]

The State Department ordered all non emergency U.S. government personnel in South Sudan to leave as the security situation worsens. There's been heavy fighting between government forces and troops allied to the first vice president, Riek Machar, who is under house arrest in the capital, Juba. Rivalry between President Salva K and Machar led to a five year civil war that killed more than half a million people before a fragile peace deal was signed in 2018. The UN is warning that the peace process in South Sudan could collapse anytime. The US Is attempting to evacuate its citizens through Kenya, the only viable route out amid ongoing conflicts in neighboring Sudan and Ethiopia. For NPR News, I'm Emanalegunza in Nairobi, Kenya.

[Dale Willman]

Four wildfires on Long island in New York have now been put out. The fires forced the closing of a major highway that connects New York City to the Hamptons, but officials say high winds and dry conditions could leave the region vulnerable to additional fires. Russell Henley rallied on Sunday to win the Arnold Palmer Golf Invitational in Orlando after being down three strokes. He birdied the 14th hole, chipped in from 50ft in the 15th for an eagle and had two pars in the back stretch to seal the win. Colin Morikawa had led for much of the day, but he finished one stroke back. The win was Henley's biggest so far of his career. I'm Dale Willman, NPR News.

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