NPR News: 03-13-2025 11AM EDT

Summary

NPR News Now: March 13, 2025, 11 AM EDT

NPR’s Korva Coleman and Eleanor Beardsley bring you a comprehensive overview of today's top stories, covering international diplomacy, U.S. political maneuvers, public health achievements, judicial elections, and significant weather events.

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International Diplomacy: Ceasefire Talks Between Russia and Ukraine

Korva Coleman opens the hour with developments in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. U.S. officials are actively engaged in Moscow to negotiate a potential ceasefire. While Ukraine has shown willingness to agree, a high-ranking adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin remains skeptical about a temporary truce.

Eleanor Beardsley reports:

"Putin has already made strong demands," highlighting the complexity of the negotiations (00:37).

Analysis from Samuel Cherup of the Rand Corporation suggests that Putin's expectations may be unrealistic:

"You can expect Russia to come in with initial positions that are quite maximalist, but ultimately the territorial control is going to be determined by the battlefield and not at the negotiating table" (00:59).

Cherup anticipates that the disputed regions—Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson—may remain contested:

"The regions will likely be frozen, with neither side recognizing the other's claims" (01:15).

This standoff underscores the challenges in achieving a lasting peace in the region, with both sides holding firm to their territorial claims.

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U.S. Political Landscape: Education Department Layoffs

Shifting to domestic affairs, Korva Coleman reports significant personnel changes within the U.S. Department of Education. The Trump administration is proceeding with plans to dismiss approximately half of the department's staff.

President Trump has asserted that:

"The best employees will be kept on at the agency" (01:22).

However, NPR's Cory Turner provides a critical perspective:

"There were nearly 1,000 Education Department employees who were fired," noting that the layoffs were executed in large groups without consideration of individual performance (01:40).

Turner elaborates:

"They cut people in large groups with nothing in common but the kind of work that they were doing, civil rights enforcement, education research" (01:40).

This mass dismissal has sparked concerns about the administration's approach to staffing and the potential impact on critical functions within the department.

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Public Health: Decline in Drug Overdose Deaths

In a positive turn for public health, Korva Coleman highlights a new CDC report showing a significant decrease in drug overdose deaths across the United States.

Brian Mann reports:

"Roughly 84,000 people are dying every 12 months from overdoses," but notes a substantial reduction from previous years, with current numbers down by approximately 30,000 annually (02:04).

Key points from Mann include:

• Peak of the Crisis: In 2023, overdose deaths peaked at over 114,000, primarily due to fentanyl and other opioids.
• Regional Improvements: States like North Carolina and Virginia have seen reductions of over 40% compared to the previous year.
• Potential Causes: One theory attributes the decline to increased availability of naloxone (Narcan), an effective overdose-reversing medication, facilitated by the Biden administration.

Mann emphasizes the unprecedented nature of this improvement and the ongoing debate about the factors contributing to this public health success (02:23).

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Judicial Appointments and Elections: Wisconsin Supreme Court Race Influenced by Elon Musk

Korva Coleman continues with updates on the Senate's decision to withdraw President Trump's nominee, former Florida Congressman Dave Weldon, from leading the CDC, citing inadequate support for confirmation.

Simultaneously, judicial elections in Wisconsin are drawing national attention due to significant financial backing from billionaire Elon Musk. Chuck Kuernbach reports on the intense campaign dynamics:

"Two groups funded by Elon Musk have spent more than $10 million supporting judicial candidate Brad Schimmel" (03:56).

Schimmel, a circuit judge and former Republican attorney general, faces opposition from Circuit Judge Susan Crawford, who accuses Musk of exerting undue influence:

"Musk has basically taken over Schimmel's campaign" (03:56).

During a debate at Marquette University, Crawford highlighted the extent of Musk's involvement:

"He's got paid canvassers who are knocking on doors, handing out flyers that say support the Trump agenda" (04:14).

Schimmel responded by distancing himself from presidential endorsements:

"If President Trump or anyone defies Wisconsin law and I end up with a case in front of me, I'll hold them accountable as I would anybody" (04:25).

With the election set for April 1st, the outcome will determine whether liberals or conservatives hold the majority on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, a balance that could have significant implications for the state's judicial landscape.

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Weather Alert: Atmospheric River Hits California

Concluding the roundup, Korva Coleman informs listeners about severe weather conditions affecting California. Forecasters predict a powerful atmospheric river bringing intense precipitation to the state.

Key impacts include:

• Heavy Snowfall: Eastern California mountains are expected to receive feet of snow, posing risks for transportation and infrastructure.
• Flooding Risks: Lower elevations may experience significant flooding due to the volume of rainfall (04:37).

Residents are advised to stay informed and take necessary precautions to mitigate the effects of this natural phenomenon.

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Stay informed with NPR News Now for the latest updates on these stories and more.

Timestamp Reference:

• MM:SS refers to the minute and second in the podcast where the quote or information was mentioned.

Transcript

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[Korva Coleman]

In Washington, I'm Korva Coleman. U.S. officials are in Moscow discussing a potential ceasefire with Russia and Ukraine. Ukraine has signed on to this, but a top adviser to Russian President Putin is dismissing a potential 30 day truce. The adviser says a ceasefire is just a break for you. Ukrainian troops. NPR's Eleanor Beardsley reports Putin has already made strong demands.

[Eleanor Beardsley]

Russian President Vladimir Putin says four Ukrainian regions officially annexed in a Russian referendum two years ago must be handed over, never mind that Russia doesn't completely control them on the ground. Samuel Cherup is an analyst of Russia at the Rand Corporation. He says it's not likely Putin will get the entirety of the regions of Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson.

[Samuel Cherup]

You can expect Russia to come in with initial positions that are quite maximalist, but ultimately the territorial control is going to be determined by the battlefield and not at the negotiating table.

[Eleanor Beardsley]

He says the regions will likely be frozen, with neither side recognizing the other's claims. Eleanor Beardsley, NPR News, Keev.

[Korva Coleman]

The Trump administration is moving ahead with its decision to fire about half of the staff at the U.S. department of Education. President Trump says the best employees will be kept on at the agency. But NPR's Cory Turner says a review shows hundreds of people are being fired in groups.

[Cory Turner]

I am right now looking at a spreadsheet of nearly 1000 Education Department employees who were fired and the jobs they did. And these layoffs were the opposite of a thoughtful case by case, person by person, thinning based on past performance. They cut people in large groups with nothing in common but the kind of work that they were doing, civil rights enforcement, education research.

[Korva Coleman]

NPR's Cory Turner reporting. A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows drug overdose Deaths in the U.S. continue to drop at an unprecedented pace. NPR's Brian Mann reports. The latest data show roughly 30,000 fewer people are dying per year.

[Brian Mann]

According to the CDC, roughly 84,000 people are dying every 12 months from overdoses. That's still a lot, but it's a huge drop from the peak in 2023 when fentanyl and other drug killed more than 114,000 people in the U.S. many states are now seeing drug deaths decline by more than 30%, with North Carolina and Virginia experiencing 40% fewer deaths, compared with just a year earlier. CDC researchers call the improvement unprecedented. There's a debate underway over what caused this massive public health success. One theory is the Biden administration helped ease the fentanyl crisis by making the medication naloxone, also known as Narcan, far more widely available. The easy to use NAS spray reverses most fentanyl overdoses. Brian Mann, NPR News, New York.

[Korva Coleman]

You're listening to NPR News from Washington. A Senate committee has canceled the confirmation hearing for President Trump's nominee to run the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The panel says former Florida Congressman Dave Weldon's nomination is withdrawn. A person familiar with the matter tells NPR Weldon did not have the votes to be confirmed in the Senate. Two candidates campaigning for a seat on Wisconsin's state Supreme Court held a debate last night. The judicial election will determine whether liberals or conservatives hold the majority on Wisconsin's Supreme Court. From member station wuwm, Chuck Kuernbach reports. The candidates sparred over how much money billionaire Elon Musk has poured into one of the candidates races.

[Chuck Kuernbach]

Two groups funded by Elon Musk have spent more than $10 million supporting judicial candidate Brad Schimmel, a circuit judge and former Republican attorney general. Schimmel's opponent, Circuit Judge Susan Crawford, told a debate at Marquette University that Musk has basically taken over Schimmel's campaign.

[Eleanor Beardsley]

He's got paid canvassers who are knocking on doors, handing out flyers that say support the Trump agenda.

[Chuck Kuernbach]

Schimmel replied, if President Trump or anyone.

[Samuel Cherup]

Defies Wisconsin law and I end up with a case in front of me, I'll hold them accountable as I would anybody.

[Chuck Kuernbach]

The Wisconsin supreme court election is April 1st. For NPR News, I'm Chuck Kwernbach in Milwaukee.

[Korva Coleman]

Forecasters say California is getting a powerful atmospheric river. It's pouring heavy precipitation across the state. The eastern California mountains will get feet of snow. Lower levels could get flooding. I'm Korva Coleman, NPR News, in Washington.

[Cory Turner]

Listen to this podcast sponsor free on Amazon Music with a Prime membership or any podcast app, by subscribing to NPR news now us@+npr.org that's +npr.org.