NPR News: 03-19-2025 6PM EDT

Summary

NPR News Now

Episode: NPR News: 03-19-2025 6PM EDT
Host: Jack Spear
Release Date: March 19, 2025
Description: The latest news in five minutes. Updated hourly.

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1. Legal Battle Over US Institute of Peace Leadership

Timestamp: [00:13]

NPR Host, Jack Spear, introduces a significant legal dispute involving the US Institute of Peace (USIP). A federal judge has refused to temporarily block Doge’s attempt to take over the think tank. This move comes after former members of the congressionally funded institute filed a lawsuit against the government. They allege that their removal from board positions was unlawful and are seeking to reinstate them while preventing Doge from accessing USIP’s resources.

Ryan Lucas provides further insights into the case:

Timestamp: [00:34]

"The lawsuit seeks to reinstate the board members who were removed and to block Doge from further accessing the institute or its systems," explained Ryan Lucas. He detailed that during the federal court hearing in Washington, D.C., U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell expressed strong disapproval of Doge’s aggressive tactics. This included threats of criminal prosecution and the deployment of armed law enforcement to oust senior employees. Despite these concerns, Judge Howell noted inconsistencies within the lawsuit and expressed skepticism about its chances of success. Consequently, she denied the request for a temporary restraining order that would have halted Doge's actions pending the lawsuit’s outcome.

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2. Greenpeace Ordered to Pay for Dakota Access Pipeline Protests

Timestamp: [01:13]

NPR Host, Jack Spear, reports on a landmark decision where a North Dakota jury has ordered Greenpeace to pay hundreds of millions of dollars. The case originates from protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline nearly ten years ago. The jury's verdict raises pivotal questions about the boundaries of free speech and protest rights, particularly whether private entities can seek compensation for delays and obstruction of their projects.

The protests were led by the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, who camped near the construction site for months, garnering international media attention. Energy Transfer, the company responsible for building the pipeline, claimed that Greenpeace's environmental actions inflated construction costs by at least $300 million. The jury's decision holds Greenpeace financially accountable for these increased expenses.

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3. Ukraine-Russia Tensions and Diplomatic Conversations

Timestamp: [02:04]

NPR Host, Jack Spear, shifts focus to international affairs, highlighting a pivotal conversation between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. President Donald Trump. This discussion follows just a day after Trump engaged in an extensive dialogue with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Elmer Beardsley delves deeper into the situation through an interview with a Kyiv resident:

Timestamp: [02:04 - 02:33]

At a local grocery store in Kyiv, 27-year-old Bella expressed her apprehensions:

"Trump seems to be pursuing a deal in favor of Putin, which is making me insecure about what's coming," Bella stated. She revealed sleepless nights caused by drone activities, potentially linked to Iranian-supplied drones, and mentioned, "I've been hearing explosions and how the Shaheds are flying here."

Beardsley summarizes Zelenskyy's stance:

"Zelensky says he is committed to not striking Russian oil depots and energy infrastructure for 30 days. However, Ukraine is seeking a ban on targeting civilian infrastructure, a demand Putin has yet to accept." This nuanced position underscores Ukraine’s efforts to balance strategic defense with humanitarian considerations amidst ongoing tensions.

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4. Midwest Weather Challenges and Stock Market Movements

Timestamp: [02:48]

NPR Host, Jack Spear, updates listeners on the Midwest's struggles with extreme weather. Following recent tornadoes, the region is now bracing for blizzard conditions akin to a "12 punch million." States like Kansas and central Wisconsin are forecasted to receive between a few inches to over a foot of snow. Additionally, residents must remain vigilant against high winds that could exacerbate the situation.

In financial news, Wall Street showed resilience as stock markets rebounded, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average rising by 383 points. This uptick indicates investor confidence despite ongoing regional challenges.

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5. AI Chatbots and Their Psychological Impact in Talk Therapy

Timestamp: [03:29]

NPR Host, Jack Spear, introduces a compelling study about the use of AI chatbots in mental health therapy. Scientists from Yale and Zurich universities have conducted groundbreaking research revealing that chatbots, like OpenAI's ChatGPT, may experience increased anxiety after processing traumatic narratives shared by users.

Ruth Sherlock elaborates on the study's findings:

Timestamp: [03:29 - 04:08]

"Artificial intelligence chatbot ChatGPT was instructed to emulate human emotions. When presented with a questionnaire designed to measure anxiety levels, the chatbot exhibited higher anxiety scores after being exposed to distressing accounts of crime and war," Ruth explains. Ziv Benzion, a clinical neuroscientist at Haifa University and the study's lead, warns of the potential consequences:

"An AI that becomes more anxious can provide biased or skewed responses to individuals seeking mental health support, potentially undermining the therapeutic process." This revelation highlights the need for careful consideration of AI's role and emotional stability in therapeutic settings.

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6. Ben & Jerry’s CEO Removal Sparks Legal Action Against Unilever

Timestamp: [04:08]

NPR Host, Jack Spear, covers a significant corporate dispute involving Ben & Jerry's, the Vermont-based ice cream company renowned for its social activism. The company has filed a federal lawsuit against its parent company, Unilever, alleging the unlawful removal of its CEO, David Stever.

According to Ben & Jerry's statement:

"Unilever informed the board on March 3rd that they were removing and replacing CEO David Stever," the company asserts. They argue that this action violates the merger agreement, which mandates that any decisions regarding the removal of a CEO must involve consultation with an advisory committee from Ben & Jerry's board. This lawsuit underscores the tensions between maintaining corporate autonomy and the influence of large multinational parent companies.

In related economic news, crude oil futures saw an increase, rising by 26 cents per barrel to reach $67.16 a barrel. This uptick followed new government data indicating a rise in fuel demand, reflecting broader economic trends.

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Conclusion

This episode of NPR News Now provides a comprehensive overview of pressing legal battles, international diplomatic tensions, environmental protests, technological advancements in mental health, extreme weather impacts, and significant corporate disputes. Through detailed reporting and insightful interviews, listeners gain a nuanced understanding of the complex issues shaping our world on March 19, 2025.

Transcript

[Carvana]

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[Jack Spear]

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jack Spear. A federal judge is denying a request to temporarily block Doge's takeover of the US Institute of Peace, or usip. Some former members of the congressionally funded think tank have sued the government, alleging they were unlawfully removed from their position. More from NPR's Ryan Lucas.

[Ryan Lucas]

The lawsuit seeks to reinstate the board members who were removed and to block Doge from further accessing the institute or its systems. At a hearing in federal court in Washington, D.C. u.S. District Judge Beryl Howell said she was very offended by how Doge has moved to take over usip. That includes threatening criminal prosecution and showing up with armed law enforcement to remove senior employees from the building. But Judge Howell says there is confusion in the lawsuit and and that she has concerns about its likelihood of success on the merits. She therefore denied the former USIP board member's request for a temporary restraining order blocking Doge's actions while the lawsuit proceeds. Ryan Lucas, NPR News, Washington.

[Jack Spear]

A North Dakota jury has found Greenpeace must pay hundreds of millions of dollars in a case stemming from protests over the Dakota Access pipeline nearly a decade ago. The case raised questions about the limits of free speech and protest rights and whether private companies can claim restitution for blocked or delayed project. Demonstrators led by the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe camped out for months, drawing worldwide media attention to the project. Energy Transfer, which built the pipeline, claimed the environmental group's actions raised the cost of construction by at least $300 million. And now a jury says Greenpeace is on the hook for that. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he had a frank and substantive conversation with President Trump today, just a day after Trump spoke for more than two hours with Russian President Vladimir Putin. NPR's Elmer Beardsley has more.

[Elena Beardsley]

At a Kyiv grocery store, 27 year old Bella, who didn't want to give her last name for fear of retaliation, says Trump seems to be pursuing a deal in favor of Putin.

[Bella]

Which is making me insecure about what's coming, but at the same time, I don't know. I have to accept what's going on and contribute to what I can.

[Elena Beardsley]

She says drones, possibly those supplied by Iran, kept her up last night.

[Bella]

So I've been hearing explosions and I've been hearing how the Shaheds are flying here.

[Elena Beardsley]

Zelensky says he is committed to not striking Russian oil depots and energy infrastructure for 30 days. But he says Ukraine wants a ban on striking civilian infrastructure, which Putin has not yet agreed to. Eleanor Beardsley, NPR News, Kyiv.

[Jack Spear]

Parts of the Midwest are still reeling from tornadoes last week, and now they're getting what amounts to a 12 punch million. Parts of the Midwest and Great Plains face blizzard conditions as well as the risk of high winds. Kansas and central Wisconsin could see anywhere from a few inches to upwards of a foot of snow. Stocks gained ground on Wall Street. The Dow rose 383 points. This is NPR. More people are turning to AI chatbots for talk therapy, but a new collaborative study by scientists at Yale and Zurich universities finds chatbots can become traumatized by the stories they hear. NPR's Ruth Sherlock explains scientists told OpenAI's.

[Ruth Sherlock]

Artificial intelligence chatbot ChatGPT to pretend to be a human being with emotions. They then gave the chatbot a questionnaire used to assess anxiety levels in humans and found that the chatbot scored higher as in became more anxious after being exposed to traumatic accounts about crime or war. Ziv Benzion, now at Haifi University, is a clinical neuroscientist who led the study. He warns this finding matters because a more more anxious AI can give biased or skewed responses to humans who may be struggling with mental health and have turned to the AI for therapy. Ruth Sherlock, NPR News, Rome.

[Jack Spear]

The maker of Cherry Chunky Monkey, an American Dream, Vermont based ice cream company Ben and Jerry's says it believes its CEO was unlawfully removed by parent Unilever because of the company's liberal social activism. After federal court filing today, the company says Unilever informed the board March 3rd it was removing and replacing CEO David Stever. Ben and Jerry says that's a violation of its merger agreement with the giant multinational, which states any decision regarding a CEO's removal should follow consultation with an advisory committee from the company board. Crude oil futures prices moved higher in some new government data showing demand for fuel picking up oil up 26 cents a barrel to $67.16 a barrel. In New York, I'm Jack Spear, NPR News, in Washington.

[Carvana]

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