NPR News: 03-21-2025 10AM EDT

Summary

NPR News Now: March 21, 2025, 10 AM EDT

1. Judge Blocks Elon Musk’s Doge Entity from Accessing Social Security Data

At 00:16, Korva Coleman reports a significant legal decision in Maryland where a federal judge has barred Elon Musk's Doge entity from accessing personal data held by the Social Security Administration (SSA). NPR’s Ashley Lopez provides details, stating that Judge Ellen Lipton Hollander criticized Musk’s team for embarking on what she described as “a fishing expedition” based largely on mere “suspicion of fraud” (00:33). The judge highlighted that Musk’s team was granted “unbridled access” to sensitive information, including Social Security numbers, medical records, and financial data of millions of Americans. While the court has restricted Doge’s access to much of this information, it affirmed that the SSA can still provide data that complies with federal privacy laws.

2. President Trump Advances Plans to Eliminate the Department of Education

At 01:12, President Trump is moving forward with an executive action aimed at eliminating the Department of Education. Although the department was established by Congress and can only be officially dissolved by legislative action, Trump is executing a significant reduction by slashing nearly half of its staff. The initiative has garnered strong support from Republican allies, including Indiana Governor Mike Braun, who expressed his support at 01:32: “I’m a believer in competition. I like choice, and I especially like parents being in the driver’s seat of their own kids’ education, not the federal government trying to tell us how to do that.”

However, this move faces staunch opposition from a coalition of 21 Democratic attorneys general who have filed a lawsuit to prevent the staff reductions and potential dismantling of the department.

3. Israel’s Supreme Court Halts Firing of Shin Bet Chief Amid Accusations of Power Grab

At 01:44, international focus shifts to Israel, where the Supreme Court has temporarily blocked the dismissal of Shin Bet’s chief, Ronan Barr. This decision comes amidst allegations that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is attempting a power grab by removing the domestic intelligence leader. The move has sparked widespread protests, with thousands of Israelis demonstrating against the firing. The Supreme Court's intervention ensures that Barr remains in his position until an appeal can be heard, delaying Netanyahu’s plans and maintaining the stability of Israel’s intelligence operations.

4. Escalating Ukraine-Russia Conflict Precedes Ceasefire Talks

At 02:34, tension continues to mount between Ukraine and Russia, with both nations accusing each other of targeting energy infrastructure. Ukraine has reported that Russian airstrikes have devastated residential areas in the Zaporizhzhya and Odessa provinces, resulting in significant civilian casualties, including children. Annealing the complexity of the situation, Ukraine asserts that it will "never cede these territories to Russia," pointing to President Vladimir Putin’s annexation attempts of partially occupied regions. NPR’s Eleanor Beardsley notes that experts predict any potential peace agreement might resemble the prolonged stalemate seen on the Korean Peninsula, with the front lines frozen and a heavily fortified border remaining.

5. Major Disruptions at Heathrow and Power Outages in Nebraska

At 03:12, Korva Coleman highlights a major disruption in international air travel as a large fire at a substation near London's Heathrow Airport has led to a power outage, closing the airport and affecting hundreds of thousands of passengers. The crisis has caused numerous flights to be diverted to other airports worldwide. Concurrently, over 30,000 customers in Eastern Nebraska are still without power, a situation exacerbated by a powerful blizzard earlier in the week that toppled power lines and disrupted electricity supplies.

6. Therapy Dogs Help Improve Mental Health of First-Year College Students

From 03:59, NPR shares an uplifting story from Washington State University, where new research indicates that interactions with therapy dogs significantly benefit first-year college students' mental health. Patricia Pendry, a WSU professor involved in the study, explains: “Students who met and spent time with dogs over their first semester also had marked improvements in self-compassion” (04:18). Lauren Patterson from Northwest Public Broadcasting adds that providing opportunities to engage with registered therapy animals “is actually a wonderful way to help them adjust to that first semester.” This intervention not only reduces stress and depression but also offers an affordable means of support for students who may be missing their pets from home.

7. Wall Street Experiences Significant Decline

At 04:47, Korva Coleman reports a downturn in the financial markets, noting that Wall Street stocks are experiencing a significant decline. The Dow Jones Industrial Average has dropped by several points, reflecting investor apprehension amid ongoing economic uncertainties.

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This detailed summary encapsulates the key discussions and insights from the March 21, 2025, episode of "NPR News Now," providing listeners with a comprehensive overview of the day's major news stories.

Transcript

[Pemco Mutual Insurance Company]

This message comes from Pemco Mutual Insurance Company. Their mission is to help customers worry less and live more. So they're sharing prevention tips that empower you to prevent some of life's pitfalls before they happen. Visit pemco.com prevention live from NPR News.

[Korva Coleman]

In Washington, I'm Korva Coleman. A federal judge in Maryland has blocked Elon Musk's Doge entity from accessing personal data stored at the Social Security Administration. The judge also ruled Doach must delete any personally identifiable information gathered so far. NPR's Ashley Lopez reports.

[Ashley Lopez]

In her ruling, Judge Ellen Lipton Hollander wrote that Musk's team has essentially been engaged in what she called a fishing expedition at the Social Security Administration. And this expedition, she wrote, has been based on little more than suspicion of fraud. The judge also noted that the agency gave members of Musk's team, quote, unbridled access to the personal and private data of millions of Americans. That includes Social Security numbers, medical records, and bank and credit card information. And while the court has now limited Doge's access to much of that information, it does say that the agency is still allowed to hand over data that adheres to federal privacy laws. Ashley Lopez, NPR News.

[Korva Coleman]

President Trump is moving ahead with his executive action to eliminate the Department of Education. The agency was created by Congress, and only Congress can fully get rid of it. But Trump is slashing the Education Department staff by nearly half. He's getting strong backing from supporters, including Indiana Republican Governor Mike Braun.

[Mike Braun]

I'm a believer in competition. I like choice, and I especially like parents being in the driver's seat of their own kids education, not the federal government trying to tell us how to do that.

[Korva Coleman]

However, A group of 21 Democratic attorneys general is suing to stop these actions. Israel's Supreme Court has temporarily blocked the dismissal of the country's domestic intelligence chief. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had moved to fire Shin Bet's chief, Ronan Barr. Critics allege this is part of a power grab by Netanyahu. Thousands of Israelis have demonstrated against the firing. The Israeli Supreme Court's decision will block the dismissal of the Shin Bet leader until an appeal can be heard. Ukraine and Russia are accusing each other of continuing to attack energy infrastructure. This comes ahead of ceasefire talks that are supposed to take place soon in Saudi Arabia. NPR's Eleanor Beardsley reports. Ukraine says Russia also shelled civilian areas in two regions overnight.

[Eleanor Beardsley]

Ukraine says Moscow's airstrikes destroyed residential neighborhoods in Zaporizhzhya and Odessa provinces Friday, smashing civilian homes and injuring at least six people, including a child. Zaporizhzhia is one of the four Ukrainian regions partially occupied by Russian forces that President Vladimir Putin annexed in a referendum two years ago. He says Russia must have these provinces in any peace deal, even though it doesn't fully control three of them. Ukraine says it will never cede these territories to Russia. Experts say any peace deal would likely mean freezing the front line where it is and creating a Korean Peninsula type situation in Europe. Eleanor Beardsley, NPR News, Kyiv.

[Korva Coleman]

This is npr. There's a significant interruption in international airline flights today. A major airline hub is closed, London's Heathrow Airport. Power was cut after a large fire broke out at a nearby substation. Hundreds of thousands of passengers are affected. Some travelers have even been diverted to other countries. More than 30,000 customers in Eastern Nebraska are still out of power. Earlier this week, a powerful blizzard stormed through and snapped power lines and disrupted electricity supplies. During their first year of college, students often experience a decline in their mental health. From Northwest Public Broadcasting, Lauren Patterson explains how new research shows spending time with therapy dogs might help.

[Patricia Pendry]

Rather than petting a dog right before a test, students at Washington State University spent time with therapy dogs for longer sessions over their first semester. New research showed students who spent time with therapy dogs were less stressed and depressed than students who didn't. Patricia Pendry is a WSU professor who worked on the study.

[Lauren Patterson]

We find that giving them the opportunity to engage with registered therapy animals is actually a wonderful way to help them adjust to that first semester.

[Patricia Pendry]

Students who met and spent time with dogs over their first semester also had marked improvements in self compassion, she says. It's also a relatively inexpensive way to offer students who might be missing their pets from home more support, Pendry says. For NPR News, I'm Lauren Patterson in Pullman, Washington.

[Korva Coleman]

Stocks are significantly lower on Wall Street. The Dow is down points. This is npr.

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