NPR News: 03-14-2025 6AM EDT

Summary

NPR News Now: March 14, 2025

Host: Korva Coleman
Release Date: March 14, 2025
Description: The latest news in five minutes. Updated hourly.

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1. Senate Leadership Shifts to Avert Government Shutdown

In a significant political move, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer has unexpectedly shifted his stance to support a Republican-backed stopgap spending bill, aiming to prevent a potential government shutdown. Speaking live from Washington, Korva Coleman reported at [00:16] that Schumer described the GOP spending bill as "awful" but emphasized the dire consequences of a shutdown. Schumer warned that a shutdown could allow President Trump to "wipe out much of the federal government, perhaps for good" ([00:16]).

2. Implications of a Government Shutdown

The proposed shutdown would grant the Trump administration extensive powers to classify federal agencies, programs, and personnel as non-essential, leading to widespread furloughs without guarantees of reemployment. NPR's reporter detailed that "under a shutdown, the Trump administration would have full authority to deem whole agencies, programs and personnel non-essential furloughing staff with no promise they would ever be rehired" ([00:42]).

3. Legal Challenges Against Federal Employee Furloughs

The administration's decision to downsize the federal workforce has faced immediate legal pushback. Two federal judges have ordered the rehire of thousands of federal employees previously dismissed by the Trump administration. At [01:37], NPR's Chris Arnold reported on a contentious hearing where U.S. District Judge William Alsop criticized the administration, stating, “it is a sad day when our government would fire some good employee and say it was based on performance when they know good and well that is a lie.” Alsop emphasized that while downsizing is permissible, it must adhere to legal protocols.

Further legal actions include a ruling by a Maryland federal judge mandating the reinstatement of most probationary federal employees by early Monday afternoon ([02:09]). Additionally, a California federal judge has also ordered the immediate rehiring of thousands of probationary workers, intensifying the administration's challenges.

The Trump administration has announced plans to appeal these decisions, arguing that judges are overstepping by infringing on the executive branch's authority to manage hiring and firing within federal agencies.

4. Trump's Efforts to Restrict Birthright Citizenship

In another controversial move, the Trump administration is escalating its efforts to limit birthright citizenship, a right enshrined in the U.S. Constitution. President Trump signed an executive order aiming to revoke citizenship for individuals born in the United States to parents without legal status or those who are legal permanent residents. NPR's Nina Totenberg elaborated at [02:41] that three federal judges in Washington State, Maryland, and Massachusetts have blocked this order, with appeals courts upholding these injunctions through universal blocks nationwide.

Despite these setbacks, the administration is pressing forward, seeking to bring the matter before the U.S. Supreme Court to challenge the constitutional guarantees of birthright citizenship. Totenberg noted, “the administration went to the Supreme Court asking the justices to allow them to at least begin preparing for implementation of the ban on automatic birthright citizenship” ([02:41]).

5. Aviation Incident at Denver Airport

A concerning aviation incident occurred yesterday at Denver Airport when an engine on a passenger plane caught fire. The Federal Aviation Administration reported that the aircraft, en route from Colorado Springs to Dallas, had to divert to Denver after the malfunction. Fortunately, all passengers and crew escaped safely, though twelve individuals were hospitalized with minor injuries ([03:12]).

6. Russia's Position on Ceasefire in Ukraine

On the international stage, Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed conditional support for a ceasefire in the ongoing Ukraine conflict. While backing the general idea, Putin demands significant concessions, including Ukraine relinquishing territorial claims and ensuring that Ukraine will never join NATO. These prerequisites have stalled U.S. efforts to broker a 30-day truce, despite Ukraine's agreement to such terms ([03:12]).

7. Passing of Renowned Composer Sophia Gubaidulina

The music world mourns the loss of Sophia Gubaidulina, one of the first modern female composers to achieve international acclaim. At the age of 93, Gubaidulina's innovative compositions were celebrated by esteemed conductors, including András Schiff of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. NPR's Tom Huizenga shared insights into her legacy, highlighting her "immediate emotional and almost spiritual effect" on audiences ([04:07]).

Gubaidulina's journey from a humble upbringing in the Soviet Union to international recognition was marked by resilience, including surviving an assassination attempt by a purported KGB agent in 1973. Despite official condemnation of her work during the Soviet era, she continued to compose prolifically after relocating to Germany following the Soviet Union's collapse ([04:26]).

8. Market Update

In pre-market trading, stock futures are indicating a higher trend, suggesting positive movement on Wall Street ([04:49]).

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This summary provides a comprehensive overview of the key topics discussed in the NPR News Now episode released on March 14, 2025. For detailed information, listeners are encouraged to tune into the full podcast.

Transcript

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[Korva Coleman]

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Korva Coleman. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer has stunned colleagues. He's changed his mind and he'll now support a Republican backed stopgap spending bill. It if it passes, the government will avoid a partial shutdown. Late tonight, Schumer describes the GOP spending bill as awful. But he says a shutdown would give President Trump the chance to wipe out much of the federal government, perhaps for good.

[NPR Reporter]

Under a shutdown, the Trump administration would have full authority to deem whole agencies, programs and personnel non essential furloughing staff with no promise they would ever be rehired.

[Korva Coleman]

Some Democrats are pointing to President Trump's moves to close the Education Department and fire half of its staff. Yesterday, two federal judges ordered the Trump administration to rehire thousands of federal employees who had been fired. Last night, a federal judge in Maryland ruled that most federal employees who are on probation must be reinstated by early Monday afternoon. U.S. district Judge James Bredar says he'll consider further action. Meanwhile, NPR's Chris Arnold reports that hours earlier, a separate federal judge in California also ordered the Trump administration to immediately bring back thousands of probationary workers.

[Chris Arnold]

It was a contentious hearing. U.S. district Judge William Alsop said workers were lied to about why they were fired. He said, quote, it is a sad day when our government would fire some good employee and and say it was based on performance when they know good and well that is a lie. He also said it wasn't legal that a single office in the administration ordered a host of other agencies to fire workers. The judge said in the hearing that the administration can do a downsizing, but it has to follow the law. Chris Arnold, NPR News.

[Korva Coleman]

The Trump administration says it will appeal and claims judges are trying to illegally take the power of hiring and firing away from the executive branch. The Trump administration is going to the U.S. supreme Court to push its demand to limit birthright citizenship. This right is guaranteed by the US Constitution. President Trump signed an executive order trying to deny US Citizenship to people born in this country, to parents without legal status or parents who are legal permanent residents. NPR's Nina Totenberg has more.

[Nina Totenberg]

Three federal judges blocked the Trump order in cases brought in Washington State, Maryland, and Massachusetts. Three separate appeals courts refused to unblock those court orders. In each case, the court issued a universal injunction, meaning that the Trump plan has been blocked throughout the country. So the administration went to the Supreme Court asking the justices to allow them to at least begin preparing for implementation of the ban on automatic birthright citizenship. Nina Totenberg, NPR News, Washington.

[Korva Coleman]

You're listening to NPR News. The Federal Aviation Administration says an engine on a passenger plane caught fire yesterday in Denver Airport. Officials say the plane was flying from Colorado Springs to Dallas when it diverted to Denver. The jet's engine caught fire after it landed. Everyone escaped, but 12 people were sent to the hospital with minor injuries. Russian President Vladimir Putin says that he backs the general idea of a ceasefire in Ukraine, but he wants a lot of things before he'll agree to one. U.S. officials are trying to persuade Putin to accept a 30 day truce. Ukraine has already agreed to this, but a Putin aide says Ukraine first has to give up territory and then promise that it will never join NATO. One of the first modern women composers to reach international acclaim has died at the age of 93. NPR's Tom Huizenga has more on the.

[Tom Huizenga]

Russian composer Sophia Gubaidoulina's bold music was embraced by the most exacting conductors, including Boston Symphony Orchestra music director Andras Nelson's.

[NPR Music Reporter]

The Music of Sophia. It has this immediate emotional and almost spiritual effect.

[Tom Huizenga]

Sophia Gubaidulina grew up poor in the rural Tata region of the Soviet Union. Early on, she impressed composer Dmitri Shostakovich. But in 1973, a supposed KGB agent tried to strangle her. Her music was officially condemned. After the Soviet government fell, she moved to Germany quietly fulfilling her commissions and accepting her many awards. Tom Huizenga, NPR News.

[Korva Coleman]

On Wall street and pre market trading, stock futures are higher. This is npr.

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