NPR News: 03-15-2025 7AM EDT

Summary

NPR News Now: March 15, 2025, 7 AM EDT

Host: Giles Snyder

Live from NPR News in Washington, Giles Snyder brings you the latest updates covering a range of national and international issues affecting communities across the United States and beyond.

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Severe Weather Disrupts St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations in the South

Timestamp: 00:17

Forecasters have issued warnings about dangerous weather heading into the Deep South, following multiple tornado reports in the Midwest. Significant tornado damage has been reported in Cave City, Arkansas, prompting concerns over safety and local festivities.

Pat Shingleton, one of the lead organizers of Baton Rouge's longest-running St. Patrick’s Day parade, shared insights on the impact of the severe weather:

• [00:41] Pat Shingleton: "The threat of high wind and tornadoes in some areas led organizers... to reschedule for Sunday."

This marks the first time in the parade's 40-year history that weather has forced a schedule change. While the rescheduled parade will be smaller, it will still feature traditional elements such as floats and a bagpipe group. Additionally, tornado threats have led to the cancellation of other parades in New Orleans and Huntsville.

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Department of Education Shutdown Sparks Legal Battles

Timestamp: 01:19

President Trump's administration continues its efforts to dismantle the Department of Education, facing substantial opposition from Democratic-led states. More than a dozen states have filed legal actions against the administration's move to lay off half of the agency's staff.

Windsor Johnston reports on the situation:

• [01:33] Windsor Johnston: "The Department of Education has already closed seven of its 12 civil rights offices, including its location in San Francisco..."

These offices play a crucial role in supporting students with disabilities and those facing harassment based on race, ethnicity, and gender. Critics argue that only Congress holds the authority to abolish such an agency, emphasizing the department's essential role in safeguarding the education and well-being of children, particularly those from low-income families. The administration's actions align with a long-standing Republican objective but have ignited widespread protests and debates over the future of education policy and civil rights protections.

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U.S. Diplomatic Efforts Amidst Gaza Ceasefire Negotiations

Timestamp: 02:16

The White House has criticized Hamas for making unreasonable demands in the ongoing negotiations to extend a ceasefire in Gaza. According to Steve Witkoff, the U.S. Middle East envoy:

• [02:16] Steve Witkoff: "Hamas is privately making impractical demands and that time is not on Hamas's side."

Hamas has publicly stated its willingness to release one American hostage and the bodies of four other hostages. Meanwhile, Governor Tim Walz of Minnesota, a former Democratic vice presidential nominee, is actively engaging with communities through town hall meetings. These efforts come as Republican members of Congress face increasingly hostile crowds during their events.

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Controversy Over Diversity Programs and Executive Orders

Timestamp: 03:10

A federal appeals court has temporarily lifted a block on President Trump's executive order aimed at banning diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs within federal agencies and businesses holding government contracts. This decision permits the enforcement of the order while legal challenges continue.

Giles Snyder highlights ongoing political maneuvers:

• [03:10] Giles Snyder: "Wells is to hold town hall meetings in Republican districts in Nebraska and Wisconsin this weekend."

These developments are part of a broader national debate over DEI initiatives and their role in public and private sectors.

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Student Protest at Walla Walla University Highlights LGBTQ Rights Issues

Timestamp: 03:49

At Walla Walla University, affiliated with the Seventh-day Adventist Church, students are protesting the banning of a student from running for student body president due to his same-sex relationship. Jenny Peiser, Legal Director at Lambda Legal, provides context:

• [03:49] Jenny Peiser: "Either way, recent cuts to the agency that oversees Title IX violations mean that enforcement could be hard to come by."

The university maintains that campus leaders must "advocate for and model Seventh-day Advent" beliefs and behaviors, placing the issue in a legal gray area. With the Department of Education's capacity to enforce Title IX diminished, the situation raises significant concerns about the protection of LGBTQ rights on campus.

• [04:16] Windsor Johnston: "Become a sort of a vacuum."

• [04:19] Jenny Peiser: "If there's no civil rights enforcers, there's no Department of Education, it's all now."

These developments underscore the challenges faced by LGBTQ students in institutions with strong religious affiliations and limited oversight.

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Astronaut Replacements on Their Way to the International Space Station

Timestamp: 04:31

NASA announces that replacements for the two astronauts who have been stranded on the International Space Station (ISS) for nine months are en route. Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are expected to arrive at the ISS later tonight and return to Earth next week, after an unexpected malfunction with the Boeing Starliner capsule extended their mission from the planned one week.

Giles Snyder emphasizes the resilience and adaptability of the space mission team:

• [04:31] Giles Snyder: "They were only supposed to remain aboard the station for a week, but the Boeing Starliner capsule they were testing malfunctioned."

This successful deployment of replacement astronauts ensures the continuation of critical research and maintenance on the ISS.

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Conclusion

Today's NPR News Now episode delivered a comprehensive overview of pressing issues, from severe weather disrupting beloved cultural events to significant political battles over education and civil rights. International tensions persist with delicate ceasefire negotiations in Gaza, while domestic debates over diversity programs and LGBTQ rights continue to shape the national conversation. Additionally, NASA's ongoing missions highlight the ever-present human endeavor to explore and advance in space.

Stay informed with NPR News Now for concise and up-to-date coverage of the stories that matter.

Transcript

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[Giles Snyder]

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Giles Snyder. Forecasters are warning of dangerous weather moving into the Deep south today after multiple tornadoes were reported in the Midwest. There are reports of major tornado damage in Cave City, Arkansas. Matt Bloom of member station WWNO reports a forecast has thrown a wrench in St. Patrick's Day celebrations across the South.

[Pat Shingleton]

The threat of high wind and tornadoes in some areas led organizers of Baton rouge's longest running St Patrick's Day parades to reschedule for Sunday. Pat Shingleton is one of the lead organizers. He says this is the first time in the parade's 40 year history they've moved due to weather.

[Giles Snyder]

You do what you got to do. It's a great event. It's great for the city. People love it.

[Pat Shingleton]

Shingleton says the parade will be smaller because of the schedule change, but it will still have floats and a bagpipe group. The threat of weather and tornado watches in some areas has also canceled parades scheduled in New Orleans and Huntsville. For NPR News, I'm Matt Bloom.

[Giles Snyder]

President Trump's efforts to dismantle the Department of Education continues to be met with intense backlash. NPR's Windsor Johnston reports that more than a dozen Democratic led states have fil legal action against laying off half the agency's staff.

[Windsor Johnston]

The Department of Education has already closed seven of its 12 civil rights offices, including its location in San Francisco. That office supported students with disabilities and those facing harassment based on race, ethnicity and gender. Critics argue that only Congress has the authority to abolish an agency like the dhs, stressing the department's role in protecting the health, safety and education of children, especially kids from low income families. The administration's efforts fulfill a long expressed Republican goal, but have also sparked widespread protests across the nation and debates over the future of education policy and civil rights protections. Windsor Johnston, NPR News.

[Giles Snyder]

The White House says that Hamas is making unreasonable demands in negotiations to extend a ceasefire in Gaza. Hamas has said publicly that it is willing to release the one American hostage still alive in Gaza, as well as the bodies of four other hostages. In a statement, US Middle east envoy Steve Witkoff says that Hamas is privately making impractical demands and that time is not on Hamas's side. Minnesota governor and former Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz is on the road this weekend holding town hall meetings as Republican members of Congress have been facing hostile crowds. In Des Moines, Walls responded to questions about President Trump's first two months in office and Elon Musk's effort to reduce the size of government.

[Advertiser]

Elected officials need to hear what people are irritated about. And I would argue that Democratic officials should hear the primal scream that's coming from America is do something, damn it. This is wrong. This is wrong.

[Giles Snyder]

Wells is to hold town hall meetings in Republican districts in Nebraska and Wisconsin this weekend. This is npr. A federal appeals court has temporarily lifted a block on President Trump's executive order that seeks to ban diversity, equity and inclusion programs at federal agencies and businesses with government contracts. The decision allows the order to be enforced while a lawsuit plays out. Some students at a Christian university in southeastern Washington state are protesting after a student was banned from running for student body president, allegedly for being in a same sex relationship. Northwest Public Broadcasting Susan Shane has that story.

[Susan Shane]

Walla Walla University is affiliated with the Seventh Day Adventist Church, so the issue falls into a legal gray area, says Jenny Peiser. She's the legal director at Lambda Legal, a nonprofit focused on LGBTQ rights. Either way, recent cuts to the agency that oversees Title IX violations mean that enforcement could be hard to come by. Here's Pizer. If there's no civil rights enforcers, there's no Department of education, it's all now.

[Windsor Johnston]

Become a sort of a vacuum.

[Susan Shane]

In an email, a Walla Walla University representative said campus leaders must advocate for and model Seventh Day Advent beliefs and behaviors. For NPR News, I'm Susan Shane in College Place, Washington.

[Giles Snyder]

The replacements for the two astronauts who've been stuck on the International Space Station for the past nine months are on their way to the orbiting outpost. They are to arrive at the ISS late tonight. Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are now expected to be back on Earth next week. They were only supposed to remain aboard the station for a week, but the Boeing Starliner capsule they were testing malfunctioned. Giles. I'm Giles Snyder. This is NPR News.

[Advertiser]

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