NPR News: 03-20-2025 2PM EDT

Summary

NPR News Now: March 20, 2025 – A Comprehensive Overview

Host: Lakshmi Singh
Release Date: March 20, 2025
Duration: Approximately 5 minutes

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1. President Trump’s Executive Action to Dismantle the U.S. Department of Education

[00:13]
Lakshmi Singh opened the episode with a significant development in U.S. governance: President Donald Trump is poised to sign an executive action aimed at dismantling the U.S. Department of Education. NPR’s Cory Turner provided an in-depth report on this controversial move.

[00:32]
Cory Turner detailed the White House’s strategic steps towards this decision, highlighting that the executive action follows extensive layoffs within the department. These layoffs include early retirement buyouts, the dismissal of newer hires, and a major reduction in force that has effectively halved the department's workforce since Trump assumed office.

[00:45]
The White House released a fact sheet assuring that the executive action would not impact essential federal funding streams designed to support low-income students, children with disabilities, and rural communities. However, Turner pointed out a critical contradiction: “last week's purge included the entire legal staff at the department responsible for making sure that funding is spent according to law and reaches the children who need it most” ([01:00]). This raises concerns about the long-term efficacy and oversight of educational funding.

2. Pentagon’s Effort to Restore Web Pages Affected by Anti-DEI Order

[01:12]
In another significant update, the Pentagon is actively working to restore web pages that were taken down under the Trump administration’s anti-Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) order. NPR’s Tom Bowman reported on the ongoing efforts to reinstate content that highlighted the military’s diverse history.

[01:34]
Tom Bowman explained that the removal of pages documenting American heroes who broke racial and gender barriers, such as Jackie Robinson and the Navajo Code Talkers, sparked public outcry. “They have key words to search, let's say gender or African American or Hispanic,” Bowman noted, describing the selective review process. The Pentagon is painstakingly restoring these pages after realizing their historical significance and the backlash from their absence ([02:01]).

3. Former Hamas Hostage Appeals to the United Nations

[02:01]
As conflict intensifies in Gaza, the podcast highlighted a poignant story of Eli Shirabi, a former hostage of Hamas. NPR’s Michelle Kellerman covered Shirabi’s heartfelt appeal to the United Nations for increased efforts to secure the release of remaining hostages.

[02:22]
Eli Shirabi shared his harrowing experience: “491 days of torment, 491 days of starvation, of being chained underground” ([02:42]). Released under a ceasefire deal that has since unraveled, Shirabi tragically learned that his wife and two daughters were killed during the Hamas-led October 7th attack on Israel.

[02:30]
US Acting Ambassador Dorothy Shea emphasized that President Trump has maintained a firm stance: “Hamas must release all remaining hostages or pay a steep price” ([02:42]). This situation underscores the complex and ongoing humanitarian crisis in the region.

4. Kirsty Coventry Makes History as IOC President

[03:08]
In a landmark achievement, Kirsty Coventry has been elected president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), as reported by Lakshmi Singh. Coventry, a two-time Olympic swimming gold medalist from Zimbabwe, is the first woman and the first African to hold this prestigious position.

[03:24]
Speaking at the announcement, Coventry expressed her humility and excitement: “This is an extraordinary moment. As a 9-year-old girl, I never thought that I would be standing up here one day getting to give back to this incredible movement of ours” ([03:38]). Her election is seen as a progressive step towards greater diversity and inclusion in global sports leadership.

5. Impact of Plastic Ingestion on Seabirds Revealed

[03:38]
Environmental concerns took center stage with new research presented by NPR’s Jonathan Lambert. The study reveals alarming consequences of plastic ingestion in seabirds, specifically sable shearwater chicks.

[04:08]
Jonathan Lambert explained that high levels of plastic were linked to molecular signs of kidney and liver dysfunction in the birds. The ingestion appeared to degrade the chicks’ stomach linings and was associated with neurodegeneration. The research, published in Science Advances, highlighted that “plastics seemed to degrade the stomach lining of the chicks and were even associated with signs of neurodegeneration” ([04:08]). While the exact mechanisms remain unclear, the findings indicate severe potential harm to seemingly healthy seabird populations.

6. Brief Financial Update

[04:46]
In the financial segment, Lakshmi Singh reported that U.S. stocks were lower during that hour, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropping by 48 points ([04:46]). This brief update provides a snapshot of the current market sentiments.

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Conclusion

This episode of NPR News Now delivered a spectrum of critical updates, from significant governmental changes and international diplomatic efforts to groundbreaking achievements in sports leadership and urgent environmental research. By incorporating notable quotes and detailed reporting, the summary encapsulates the key discussions and insights, offering listeners a thorough understanding of the day's most pressing issues.

Transcript

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[Lakshmi Singh]

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Lakshmi Singh. President Trump is expected to sign an executive action this afternoon to start dismantling the U.S. department of Education. NPR's Cory Turner reports. The White House has been moving toward this moment since it publicly disclosed its intentions last month.

[Cory Turner]

The anticipated signing comes a week after sweeping layoffs at the Education Department between early retirement buyouts, the firing of newer hires and last week's big reduction in force. The department will soon be down to roughly half the size it was when Trump took office. The White House insisted in a fact sheet to NPR that the executive action would not cut key federal funding streams that help schools serve low income students, kids with disabilities and rural communities. But last week's purge included the entire legal staff at the department responsible for making sure that funding is spent according to law and reaches the children who need it most. Cory Turner, NPR News.

[Lakshmi Singh]

The Pentagon is now trying to figure out which of the web pages it took down because of the Trump administration's anti DEI order should be put back up. NPR's Tom Bowman reports. Some pages have been restored following public outcry over the removal of pages that highlight the military's stories of American heroes, including those who broke racial and gender barriers.

[Tom Bowman]

They have key words to search, let's say gender or African American or Hispanic. So some of this was taken down to review it. And then they decided it took a while to do because it's, you know, labor intensive. So many people were noticing, well, where's Jackie Robinson of Tuskegee Airmen? What have you done with Navajo code talkers? And then the explanation was we're not going to completely eliminate those or take those down. We're going to put them back after we review it.

[Lakshmi Singh]

NPR's Tom Bowman reporting. As fighting resumes in Gaza, a former hostage held by Hamas is appealing to the United nations to do more to secure the release of all remaining hostages. NPR's Michelle Kellerman reports. The U.S. is blaming Hamas for not accepting a deal that it says would have prevented deadly Israeli strikes.

[Eli Shirabi]

Eli Shirabi says he came back from hell to tell his story to the Security Council about his time in captivity in Gaza.

[Dorothy Shea]

Where was the United Nations? 491 days of torment, 491 days of starvation, of being chained underground.

[Eli Shirabi]

The 53 year old was released under a ceasefire deal that has since collapsed and only learned when he got out that his wife and two daughters were killed in The Hamas led October 7th attack on Israel. US Acting Ambassador Dorothy Shea says President Trump has been clear that Hamas must release all remaining hostages or pay a quote, steep price. Michelle Kellerman, NPR News, the State Department.

[Lakshmi Singh]

From Washington, this is NPR News. Kirsty Coventry has been elected president of the International Olympic Committee. She's the first woman and the first African chosen for perhaps the most prominent role in global sports.

[Kirsty Coventry]

This is an extraordinary moment. As a 9 year old girl, I never thought that I would be standing up here one day getting to give back to this incredible movement of ours.

[Lakshmi Singh]

Coventry was the only female among seven candidates for IOC president. The Zimbabwean sports minister and two time Olympic swimming gold medalist secured enough votes in the first round of the IOC contest that was widely expected to go several rounds. New research suggests that ingesting plastic has consequences for seemingly healthy seabirds. NPR's Jonathan Lambert explains high levels of plastic were associated with signs of organ failure.

[Jonathan Lambert]

Much of what scientists know about how plastic harms wildlife comes from studying dead animals. To figure out how live animals might be impacted, researchers drew blood from visibly healthy sable shearwater chicks with varying amounts of plastic in their gut. Chicks with lots of plastics showed molecular signs of kidney and liver dysfunction. Plastics seemed to degrade the stomach lining of the chicks and were even associated with signs of neurodegeneration. The study published in Science Advances, can't say how plastics caused these changes or whether the birds will ultimately be harmed by them. Jonathan Lambert, NPR News.

[Lakshmi Singh]

U.S. stocks lower this hour. The Dow's off 48 points. It's NPR News.

[Carvana]

Listen to this podcast sponsor free on Amazon Music with a Prime membership or any podcast app by subscribing to npr news now +@ +npr.org that's +npr.org.