NPR News Now - NPR News: 03-15-2025 6AM EDT

Episode Date: March 15, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Giles Snyder. The threat of severe storms moving into the deep south today following a strong storm system that swept through the Midwest. Multiple tornadoes were reported in Missouri, where more than 150,000 customers are without power this morning. Photos on social media show major damage in Cave City, Arkansas. The Senate has passed a short term spending bill that avoids a government

shutdown and funds government operations for six months. It now goes to President Trump for his signature. Zempierre Selena Moore reports the bill was passed largely along party lines, but a handful of Democrats were crucial to getting

the bill over the finish line. Senate Republicans hold a majority in the chamber, but they needed Democratic votes to overcome a filibuster and get the measure to a final vote. For that procedural vote, a total of 10 Democrats sided with Republicans to advance the bill. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer was one of them and argued that allowing the GOP to pass their bill was a better move than shutting down the government. The CR bill is a bad bill. But as bad as the CR is, I believe that allowing Donald Trump to take even more power via a government shutdown

is a far worse option. But that decision has caused rifts within the Democratic Party. Elena Moore and PR News Washington. Speaking at the Justice Department, President Trump blasted former officials and lawyers who investigated him during his years out of power. Our predecessors turned this Department of Justice into the Department of Injustice,

but I stand before you today to declare that those days are over and they are never going to come back. They're never coming back. Trump delivered a campaign-style speech at the department's Washington, D.C. headquarters, the Justice Department indicted Trump twice, accusing him of illegally storing classified documents at Mar-a-Lago and plotting to overturn his defeat in the 2020 election. Both cases were dropped after Trump won the November election. He has since sought greater control over the traditionally independent department. To West Virginia now, where lawmakers have voted to ban a number of synthetic food dyes, including Red 40 from West Virginia Public Broadcasting,

Brianna Heaney reports. The bill bans a series of additives from preservatives to food dyes. Jason Barrett, a Republican state senator, said he wants to send a message that West Virginians deserve higher food quality standards. The children and the people of West Virginia deserve food that is just as safe as it is in other countries. Opponents of the bill say that it could require grocery stores to replace around 60% of items, possibly with imported items, which could make certain foods more expensive and harder to get. The bill now is on its way to the governor's desk.

School nutrition programs would be affected starting this year. And sale of products with these additives would be banned starting in 2028. For NPR News, I'm Brianna Heeney in Charleston, West Virginia. This is NPR. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is hosting an online meeting today on Ukraine, the meeting aimed at showing wide support for Ukraine ahead of any peace deal and to increase pressure on Russian leader Vladimir Putin, who Starmer accuses of delaying an end to the fighting. More than two dozen world leaders are expected to attend, no one from the U.S., though.

Russian President Putin is demanding that any remaining Ukrainian forces operating in a border region of Russia lay down their arms, MPR's Charles Maynes reports. At issue is the status of Ukrainian forces, who launched an incursion into Russia's border region of Kursk seven months ago. Moscow's had little luck driving them out until recently. Putin says his forces now have the Ukrainians surrounded, acclaimed Kiev disputes, meanwhile President Trump has called on Putin to spare the lives of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers, something Putin says he would do if Kiev gives the orders for the men to lay down arms and face justice.

Ukraine's toehold in Kursk has emerged in early tests of American efforts to negotiate a ceasefire between Moscow and Kiev, with Russian officials presenting Ukraine's support for the U.S. proposal as a naked bid to prevent the soldiers' demise. Charles Maynes, NPR News. The Serbian capital of Belgrade is preparing for a major student-led protest against the government of President Aleksandar Vucic today. Tens of thousands have turned up at similar rallies in three other major Serbian cities. A protest began late last year following the deaths of 15 people in the collapse of a roof at a railway station.

Protestors blame government corruption. I'm Giles Snyder. This message comes from NYU Langone. The NYU Langone Health app gives you access to your electronic health record. Keep track of your visits, lab results, and images all in one place. Better health starts with a better health system.