NPR News: 03-16-2025 3PM EDT

Summary

NPR News Now: March 16, 2025, 3 PM EDT

Host: Nora Ramm
Release Date: March 16, 2025
Description: The latest news in five minutes. Updated hourly.

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1. President Trump Deports Migrants Under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798

President Donald Trump has initiated the deportation of approximately 250 migrants by invoking the Alien Enemies Act of 1798—a rarely used statute that grants the president wartime powers to deport individuals deemed enemies of the state. This move was subject to controversy as a federal judge had previously blocked Trump's use of the law.

• Marco Rubio, Secretary of State, elaborated on the nature of the deportees, stating they are "members of the MS-13 and Trenderogua gangs" (00:37).

• El Salvadorian President Nayib Bukele responded by assuring that the deported individuals would be held "behind bars for one year," as evidenced in a video showing the deportees in handcuffs (00:37).

• Caroline Levitt, Trump’s press secretary, defended the President’s decision, emphasizing the necessity of utilizing the 18th-century law despite it not being invoked since World War II (00:37).

• In a defiant response to the federal judge's blockage, President Bukele tweeted, "oopsies too late," signifying the completion of the deportation process (00:37).

With the migrants now residing in El Salvador, the jurisdiction and potential legal proceedings within U.S. courts remain uncertain.

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2. U.S. Census Bureau Faces Staffing Challenges

The U.S. Census Bureau is grappling with insufficient recruitment and retention of interviewers essential for conducting key national surveys. An internal review by the Commerce Department Inspector General highlighted that the agency has fallen short of its staffing goals, critically affecting data collection processes.

• Hansi Luong reported that "many field representatives don't stay in their jobs for long," attributing this to relatively low pay and challenges in persuading individuals to participate in government surveys (01:33).

• The Inspector General's report recommends that the Census Bureau's director develop a comprehensive plan to address these staffing gaps. As of the report, President Trump has yet to nominate a candidate to fill this pivotal position (01:33).

The deficiency in staffing hampers the Census Bureau's ability to produce accurate economic indicators and other vital statistics, such as the monthly jobs report generated by the Current Population Survey.

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3. Devastating Storms and Fires Ravage Oklahoma

A severe storm system, accompanied by tornadoes and intense fires, has struck the Midwest and Southern United States over the weekend, resulting in significant loss of life and property.

• Natalie Brown, a family resource specialist from Stillwater Public Schools, described the situation as follows: "Wind, but not the fires. And so yesterday as the wind started picking up, the smoke started happening clear on the other side of town and it smelt all the way over here" (02:44).

• The central Oklahoma town of Stillwater, a college hub with approximately 50,000 residents, suffered extensive damage with around 50 homes lost. In the aftermath, residents sought immediate assistance for basic necessities, leading Natalie Brown to establish a triage center for displaced families within 12 hours (02:53).

• Al Ramis from member station KOSU provided additional context, noting that high winds and low humidity were critical factors fueling the widespread fires (02:12).

Tragically, at least 34 individuals have lost their lives in Oklahoma due to the multifaceted natural disasters.

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4. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney Confronts Sovereignty Challenges

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is actively working to strengthen international alliances as he faces President Trump's recent challenges to Canada's sovereignty.

• At his swearing-in ceremony, Carney emphasized Canada's distinct identity, stating, "Canada is fundamentally a different country and will never, ever in any way, shape or form be part of the US" (03:12).

• Demonstrations erupted outside the U.S. Consulate in Greenland, where attendees protested against Trump's ambitions to assume control over the island. Protesters brandished signs reading "Yankees go home" and "No means no, stop threatening us" (03:12).

In response to these events, Carney is scheduled to travel to Paris and London to bolster diplomatic relations and seek support against what he perceives as infringements on national sovereignty.

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5. Johann Strauss's "Blue Danube" to Be Beamed into Space

In an unprecedented cultural and scientific collaboration, Johann Strauss's iconic "Blue Danube" waltz will be transmitted into space, marking the 200th anniversary of the composer's birth.

• Jeff London reported that the Vienna Symphony Orchestra will perform the "Blue Danube" live on May 31st. This performance will be transmitted via electromagnetic waves from a deep space antenna in Cebrero, Spain, effectively sending the composition into space (04:09).

• The European Space Agency (ESA) is partnering with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra to execute this ambitious project. The sound waves are expected to reach NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft, which is currently traversing deep space, approximately 23 hours after transmission (04:09).

This endeavor pays homage to Stanley Kubrick's film 2001: A Space Odyssey, where the "Blue Danube Waltz" is prominently featured, thereby bridging the realms of classical music and space exploration.

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This summary was generated based on the NPR News Now episode released on March 16, 2025. For detailed coverage and additional updates, listeners are encouraged to tune into the NPR News Now broadcast.

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Timestamps:

• 00:37
• 01:33
• 02:12
• 02:44
• 02:53
• 03:12
• 04:09

Transcript

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[Nora Ramm]

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Nora Ramm. President Trump deported about 250 migrants this weekend after invoking the Alien enemies Act of 1798, a rarely used law that gives wartime deportation powers to the president. A federal judge had blocked Trump's use of the law. NPR's Luke Garrett reports.

[Marco Rubio]

Secretary of State Marco Rubio says the U.S. deported hundreds of people who he says are members of the MS.13 and Trenderogua gangs. On Sunday, Rubio posted on X that El Salvadorian President Nayib Bukele will take these migrants to very good jails at a fair price. The president of El Salvador then posted a video of the deportees in handcuffs and said the deportees would be held behind bars for one year. Bukele also responded to reports of a federal judge blocking the deportations with a post saying, quote, oopsies too late. On Sunday, Trump's press secretary, Caroline Levitt, defended the president's use of the 18th century law, not invoked since World War II. With the migrants now in El Salvador, it's unclear what jurisdiction U.S. courts will have. Luke Garrett, NPR News, Washington.

[Nora Ramm]

The U.S. census Bureau's internal watchdog says the agency has not been recruiting and retaining enough interviewers for key National Surveys. NPR's Hansi Luong has more.

[Hansi Luong]

The economic indicators and other statistics the Census Bureau produces rely on survey responses that are often collected in person or over the phone by field representatives. A review by the Commerce Department Inspector general's office has found that the Census Bureau has not met its staffing goal for those interviewers, including for the Current Population Survey that produces the monthly jobs report. Many field representatives don't stay in their jobs for long, the inspector general's office found, in part because the pay is often relatively low and it can be difficult to persuade people to participate in a government survey. The inspector general's report recommends that a plan for addressing staffing gaps be developed by the Census Bureau's director. President Trump has not yet named a nominee to fill that position. On Zi Luang, NPR News, Washington.

[Nora Ramm]

A major storm system, including tornadoes, hit much of the Midwest and Southern US this weekend. At least 34 people have died in Oklahoma. High winds and low humidity have fueled dozens of fires. Al Ramis from member station KOSU reports.

[Natalie Brown]

The central Oklahoma town of Stillwater was one of the worst damaged by Friday's rampant fires. It's a college town, home to about 50,000 people, surrounded by vast swaths of dry plains. Natalie Brown is Stillwater Public Schools family resource specialist. She says people were prepared for the.

[Lionel Ramos]

Wind, but not the fires. And so yesterday as the wind started picking up, the smoke started happening clear on the other side of town and it smelt all the way over here.

[Natalie Brown]

Less than 12 hours later, Brown would find herself setting up a small triage center for displaced families in Stillwater. About 50 homes were lost in town throughout the day. People stopped by to pick up a toothbrush, shoes, an outfit, whatever they needed to start over. For NPR News, I'm Lionel Ramos.

[Nora Ramm]

This is NPR News in Washington. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is heading to Paris and London to shore up alliances as he faces President Trump's attacks on Canada's sovereignty. At his swearing in ceremony last week, Carney said that Canada is fundamentally a different country and will never, ever in any way, shape or form be part of the US Hundreds of people demonstrated outside the US Consulate in Greenland this weekend showing their opposition to President Trump's desire to take over their island. They carried signs that said Yankees go home and no means no, stop threatening us. To mark the 200th anniversary of the birth of composer Johann Strauss, his most famous composition, the Blue Danube, will be beamed into space. A collaboration between the European Space Agency and the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, the live performance will be transmitted in the cosmos in May. Jeff London reports.

[Jeff London]

Stanley Kubrick's film 2001 A Space Odyssey made the Blue Danube Waltz synonymous with. Now it's becoming a reality. When the Vienna Symphony plays the Johann Strauss Waltz live on the evening of May 31st. It will be transmitted by electromagnetic wave at the speed of light from a deep space antenna in Cebrero, Spain. According to the European Space Agency, the sound will reach NASA's Voyager 1 in deep space space 23 hours later. For NPR News, I'm Jeff London.

[Nora Ramm]

And I'm Nora Ramm, NPR News in Washington.

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