NPR News Now - NPR News: 03-19-2025 11AM EDT

Episode Date: March 19, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Korova Coleman. President Trump is speaking now on the phone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. They're likely discussing Trump's call yesterday with Russian President Vladimir Putin. This comes as Trump has canceled a U.S.-funded project to gather evidence of Russian war crimes in Ukraine. NPR's Michelle Kullerman reports. The State Department confirms that it terminated a contract that supports the Ukraine Conflict Observatory.

It did not explain why or respond to an allegation by a Democratic congressman who says he has reason to believe that some of the data from the program was permanently deleted. The Ohio Democrat Greg Lansman is sending a letter to his Secretary of State Marco Rubio warning, quote, this vital resource cannot be lost. As part of the contract, researchers at Yale University have been collecting evidence about tens of thousands of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia, evidence that's supposed to be used in war crimes trials.

Michelle Kelliman, NPR News, the State Department. Thousands of people in Israel have been protesting as the Israeli government restarted the war with Hamas in Gaza. Airstrikes have killed at least 400 Palestinians this week. And Piers Kat Lonsdorf reports many Israelis want negotiations to proceed. In central Tel Aviv, protesters flooded the streets, carrying posters with the faces of Israeli hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza

and calling for a deal to have them all released immediately. If there's no deal, we will burn the country down, one group chanted, banging drums and marching. Polls show a majority of Israelis are against the end of the ceasefire and want talks to resume to get the remaining 59 hostages back. Many feel that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is forsaking the hostages in Gaza by returning to war and instead yielding to far-right members of his government who have been pushing to defeat Hamas.

Kat Lansdorf, NPR News, Tel Aviv. President Trump says his administration is appealing recent court decisions that have halted or reversed his executive actions. But as MPR's Tamara Keith reports, the president says he will follow court orders. President Trump has been highly critical of federal judges who he says are trying to usurp his presidential powers. He's even suggested impeachment, drawing a rebuke from Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts.

But when pressed by Laura Ingraham of Fox News, Trump said his administration would follow the orders. I never did defy a court order. And you wouldn't in the future. No, you can't do that. However, we have bad judges. We have very bad judges. And these are judges that shouldn't be allowed. I think they, I think at a certain point you have to start looking at what do you do when you have a rogue judge. Trump said he is confident the Supreme Court will ultimately side with him. Tamara Keith, NPR News. On Wall Street, the Dow is up more than 200 points. The NASDAQ is up more than 100. This is NPR.

The Trump administration is threatening to pull federal funding from New York's transit authority. The government is demanding information about funding from New York's transit authority. The government is demanding information about crime on the city's subways. At the same time, the Trump administration is trying to stop New York's new congestion fee on motorists who drive into the city. A recent memo by the Trump administration has told federal agencies that segregated facilities, such as restaurants, waiting rooms, and drinking fountains, are no longer explicitly banned in contracts. Businesses must still follow anti-discrimination laws. But NPR's Selena Simmons Duffin reports

legal experts say this move is significant. The change came in a public memo issued last month by the General Services Administration, which was prompted by President Trump's executive orders on diversity, equity, and inclusion, and the one about gender identity. It includes a list of nine clauses to exclude in future contracts. One of them explicitly prohibits contractors from having segregated facilities, like restaurants and housing and drinking fountains.

Melissa Murray is a law professor at NYU. She says businesses still have to comply with laws that ban segregation and discrimination. So it's symbolic, but it's incredibly meaningful in its symbolism. She notes these civil rights protections from the federal government have been on the books since the 1960s.

Selena Simmons Duffin, NPR News, Washington. There are Blizzard warnings up from Eastern Colorado to eastern Minnesota this morning. Forecasters say heavy snow will spread over the central plains today. So will powerful winds. I'm Korva Coleman, NPR News in Washington.