NPR News Now: March 19, 2025

1. Supreme Court Resists Impeachment Efforts Against Judge

Timestamp: 00:14

In a significant development, U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Roberts has dismissed calls to impeach a judge who ruled against President Donald Trump's deportation policies. Shea Stevens reported from Washington:

"U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Roberts is rejecting calls for the impeachment of a judge who ruled against President Trump's deportation plans."

University of Richmond law professor, Carl Tobias, provided further insight into the rarity of such actions:

Timestamp: 00:34

"It's only been for high crimes and misdemeanors, and usually it is something like bribery or some other clear criminal activity. And no judge has ever been impeached, much less convicted by the Senate for making decisions with which presidents and members of the Senate and House disagree."

Tobias suggests that Chief Justice Roberts aims to de-escalate tensions preceding upcoming appeals on deportation and related cases.

2. Broadcasting Giant Sues U.S. Oversight Agency Over Funding Cuts

Timestamp: 00:59

Shea Stevens introduced a lawsuit filed by a prominent U.S. government broadcaster against its supervising agency. Emily Fang provided detailed coverage:

"The broadcaster, Radio Free Europe, Radio Liberty, is among a cluster of platforms which reach more than 400 million weekly listeners worldwide, often in authoritarian countries where the broadcasters were influential vehicles for American soft power."

The lawsuit alleges that U.S. officials breached federal law and the Constitution by halting congressionally approved funding. Stephen Kapis, president of Radio Liberty, strongly opposed President Trump's directive:

Timestamp: 01:22

"This is not the time to cede terrain to the propaganda and censorship of America's adversaries."

3. Trump and Putin Negotiate Partial Ceasefire Amid Ukraine Conflict

Timestamp: 02:08

A telephone dialogue between President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin has led to a tentative partial ceasefire in the ongoing Ukraine conflict, as reported by Shea Stevens and detailed by Charles Maynes:

"Both the White House and the Kremlin praised talks between Putin and Trump as an open and frank two and a half hour exchange focused on Ukraine and U.S.-Russian relations."

Key Outcome:

Timestamp: 02:24

"Putin agreed to a 30-day halt on strikes on all energy infrastructure in Ukraine."

However, the talks did not achieve Trump's broader ceasefire ambitions. The Kremlin stated that any extensive resolution is contingent upon ending all Western military and intelligence support to Ukraine, a scenario deemed unlikely due to ongoing backing from the U.S. and European allies.

4. Tesla Excluded from Vancouver Auto Show; Miami Beach Faces Theater Funding Controversy

Timestamp: 03:04

The Vancouver International Auto Show organizers have decided to exclude Tesla, citing security concerns linked to protests over Elon Musk's actions. Shea Stevens highlighted the decision:

"Organizers of the Vancouver International Auto show have removed Tesla from the event citing security reasons in wake of ongoing protests over owner Elon Musk's actions."

In Miami Beach, controversy arises over an art house theater's screening of the documentary "No Other Land", which depicts the destruction of a Palestinian community in the West Bank. Greg Allen reported:

Timestamp: 03:53

"The film 'No Other Land' won an Oscar for best documentary but has been criticized by Israeli officials as one sided and is a, quote, carefully crafted piece of demagoguery."

Mayor Stephen Miner has threatened to revoke the theater's lease and withdraw $40,000 in grant funding unless it cancels the screening, labeling the documentary as anti-Semitic. The Miami Beach city commission is expected to vote on the matter later in the day.

5. Istanbul’s Mayor Arrested Amid Corruption and Terrorism Allegations

Timestamp: 04:23

In a major political upheaval, the mayor of Istanbul, a prominent rival of President Erdogan, has been detained following an investigation into corruption and alleged links to terrorism. The arrest followed a police search of the mayor’s residence and the invalidation of his university diploma. A state-run news agency reported that Turkish prosecutors have issued arrest warrants for dozens more individuals implicated in the probe, signaling a broad crackdown.

This summary provides an overview of the key topics discussed in the NPR News Now episode released on March 19, 2025. For comprehensive details, listeners are encouraged to tune into the full episode.