NPR News: 03-18-2025 1PM EDT

Summary

NPR News Now: March 18, 2025, 1PM EDT

Host: Lakshmi Singh

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Judicial Imppeachment Controversy

Timestamp: 00:13

Lakshmi Singh reports that Chief Justice John Roberts has dismissed the notion of impeaching judges based on their rulings. Responding to President Trump's call to impeach a judge involved in a deportation case, Roberts emphasized the robustness of the appellate review system.

Quote:
“If there's disagreement over a judicial decision, the normal appellate review process exists for that purpose,” — Chief Justice John Roberts [00:13]

Further Details:
President Trump targeted Judge James Boasberg on his social media platform, Truth Social, asserting that judges are hindering his efforts to control illegal immigration. This comes after Judge Boasberg questioned the Justice Department regarding the adherence to the Alien and Enemies Act amidst deportation procedures, especially concerning the transfer of over 200 individuals to El Salvador.

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Trump-Putin Talks on Ukraine Ceasefire

Timestamp: 01:25

President Trump engaged in phone conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, striving to obtain Putin's commitment to a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine. This diplomatic effort underscores ongoing tensions and the international community's push for de-escalation in the region.

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Gaza Conflict Escalation and UN Response

Timestamp: 01:25 - 02:48

Intense fighting resumes in Gaza as Israeli airstrikes intensify, leading to significant casualties and humanitarian concerns.

Key Points:

• The Gaza Health Ministry reports over 400 deaths and more than 500 injuries since the latest airstrikes began.

• UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher expressed grave concerns:

  Quotes:
  “Overnight our worst fears materialized. Airstrikes resumed across the entire Gaza Strip,” — Tom Fletcher [02:07]
  “Palestinians in Gaza are living in abject fear and humanitarian aid is being blocked,” — Tom Fletcher [02:17]

• The United Nations is urging Israel to permit humanitarian aid into Gaza and to return to the ceasefire that had been effective for several months.

• Israel maintains that the resumption of airstrikes is a response to Hamas's refusal to release additional hostages abducted on October 7, 2023.

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Wall Street Update

Timestamp: 02:48 & 04:34

Financial markets experienced a downturn with significant losses across major indices:

• Dow Jones Industrial Average: Down 340 points to 41,500.
• S&P 500: Declined by over 1%.
• Nasdaq: Fell by 1.5%.

These declines reflect broader economic concerns and the impact of ongoing global conflicts.

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M23 Rebels Withdraw from DRC Peace Talks

Timestamp: 03:22

The M23 rebel group, supported by Rwanda, has withdrawn from scheduled peace talks with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), citing sabotage by international institutions.

Details:

• The withdrawal follows the European Union's sanctions on Rwandan army commanders and the M23 leader.
• M23 spokesperson Lawrence Canyuka accused international bodies of deliberately undermining peace efforts, making dialogue unattainable.
• Rwanda has expelled Belgian diplomats, accusing Belgium of bias in the conflict.
• Since the start of the year, M23 has seized control of two strategic cities in eastern DRC, rich in minerals, despite Rwanda's official denial of supporting the group.

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Astronauts Return Home from ISS

Timestamp: 04:00 - 04:34

In a significant development, two astronauts are returning from the International Space Station (ISS) after an extended mission.

Astronauts:

• Butch Wilmore
• Suni Williams

Details:

• The original plan involved returning via a Boeing capsule; however, technical issues necessitated the use of a SpaceX capsule.
• Their splashdown is expected later today in Florida.
• Their prolonged stay was due to the Boeing capsule encountering tech problems, leading NASA to order their return on the alternate spacecraft.

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Additional Wall Street Update

Timestamp: 04:34

Further emphasizing the financial market trends:

• Dow Jones Industrial Average: Down 355 points to 41,486.
• Nasdaq: Decreased by 1.5% or 278 points.
• S&P 500: Off by more than 1%.

These fluctuations highlight the volatile economic environment amid geopolitical tensions.

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Reporting by:
Lakshmi Singh, Ximena Bustillo, Kate Bartlett, and Giles Snyder for NPR News.

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Note: Advertisements and non-content segments have been excluded from this summary to focus on the core news topics.

Transcript

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[Lakshmi Singh]

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Lakshmi Singh. The chief justice of the United States, John Roberts, is rejecting the idea of impeaching judges for their decisions. He says if there's disagreement over a judicial decision, quote, the normal appellate review process exists for that purpose. As the head of the federal judiciary, Roberts issued a statement from the court today after President Trump called for the impeachment of a judge presiding over a deportations case. NPR's Jimenez Bustillo says Trump posted on his social media website, Truth Social that judges were standing in the way of him curbing illegal immigration.

[Ximena Bustillo]

The post appears to be directed at Judge James Boasberg, a federal judge in D.C. it was made the morning after Boasberg grilled the Justice Department about whether the government had ignored his order to not deport people using the Alien and Enemies Act. The act is a wartime power that allows a streamlined deportation process. But DOJ lawyers were unable to answer questions about the flights that carried over 200 people to El Salvador around the time Boasberg issued his order. Trump officials said they did not violate the order, but they have also argued the judge is standing in their way. Ximena Bustillo, NPR News.

[Lakshmi Singh]

President Trump has concluded talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Both spoke by phone today as Trump seeks to secure Putin's commitment to a 30 day ceasefire with Ukraine. United nations officials are expressing alarm over the Israeli airstrikes that have resumed in Gaza. The Associated Press capturing video of the injured streaming into a medical facility in Khan Younis. The Gaza Health Ministry says more than 400 people have been killed since the attacks began overnight. NPR's Michelle Kellerman reports that the UN Secretary General and the top UN aid official are calling for resumption of a ceasefire.

[Tom Fletcher]

UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher puts it bluntly.

[Lakshmi Singh]

Overnight our worst fears materialized. Airstrikes resumed across the entire Gaza Strip.

[Kate Bartlett]

Unconfirmed reports of hundreds of people killed.

[Tom Fletcher]

He tells the Security Council that Palestinians in Gaza are living in, quote, abject fear and humanitarian aid is being blocked. Fletcher and the UN Secretary general are calling on Israel to allow in aid and get back to a ceasefire that had been working for a couple of of months. Israel says it resumed airstrikes because Hamas refused to release more of the hostages who were abducted from Israel on October 7th of 2023. Michelle Keleman, NPR News, the State Department.

[Lakshmi Singh]

And again, the Gaza Health Ministry says more than 400 people were killed and more than 500 others were injured. At last check on Wall street, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 340 points at 41,500, the S&P 500 down more than 1%. And the Nasdaq now off 1.5%. From Washington, this is NPR News. Rwandan backed M23 rebels have pulled out of peace talks with the Democratic Republic of Congo. They were supposed to take place today. Here's Kate Bartlett.

[Kate Bartlett]

M23 rebels withdrew from the peace talks one day after the European Union imposed sanctions on Rwandan army commanders and the group's leader. The M23 spokesman, Lawrence Canyuka, wrote on X that international institutions were deliberately working to sabotage peace, making talks impossible. Rwanda has given Belgian diplomats 48 hours to leave the country after cutting diplomatic ties. Kigali said Belgium had taken sides against the country in the conflict. Since the beginning of the year, the M23, which the Rwandan government has denied backing, has taken control of two key cities in mineral rich eastern drc. For NPR News, I'm Kate Bartlett.

[Lakshmi Singh]

In Johannesburg, two astronauts who had an unexpectedly long stay aboard the International Space Station are now on their way back home, splashdown expected later today. Here's NPR's Giles.

[Giles Snyder]

Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams got more than they bargained for when they took a Boeing capsule on a test flight to the orbiting outpost. That Boeing capsule had tech issues, so NASA made the decision to have it returned to Earth empty, leaving Wilmore and Williams aboard the station for nine months. They're returning on a SpaceX capsule. Splashdown, a set and the waters on Florida.

[Lakshmi Singh]

NPR's Giles Snyder reporting. The Dow Jones Industrial Average down three hundred and fifty five points, or more than three quarters of a percent at 41,486. The NASDAQ is down more than 1.5% or 278 points. S&P is off more than 1%. It's NPR.

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