NPR News Now - NPR News: 03-19-2025 3AM EDT

Episode Date: March 19, 2025

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Hey, it's A Martinez. A lot of short daily news podcasts focus on one story, but sometimes you need un poquito más. For Up First on NPR, we bring you the three top world headlines every single day in under 15 minutes because no one story can capture all that's happening in este mundo tan grande on any given morning. So listen to the Up First Podcast from NPR. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Shae Stevens. U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Roberts is rejecting calls for the impeachment of a judge who ruled against President Trump's deportation plans. University of Richmond law professor Carl Tobias says judicial impeachments for any reason are extremely rare.

It's only been for high crimes and misdemeanors and usually it is something like bribery or some other clear criminal activity and no judge has ever been impeached, much less convicted by the Senate for making decisions with which presidents and members of the Senate and House disagree. Tobias as Chief Justice Roberts is likely trying to lower the rhetoric ahead of appeals of rulings on deportations and other cases. A U.S. government broadcaster is suing the agency that oversees it. The lawsuit alleges U.S. officials violated federal law and the Constitution by cutting off the plaintiff's congressionally approved funding. Details from NPR's Emily Fang.

The broadcaster Radio Free Europe, Radio Liberty, is among a cluster of platforms which reach more than 400 million weekly listeners worldwide, often in authoritarian countries, where the broadcasters were influential vehicles for American soft power. The broadcasters were funded through something called the U.S. Agency for Global Media, with money appropriated by Congress. President Trump ordered that agency to dismantle the broadcaster and other platforms, including Voice of America, last Friday, which Radio for Europe, Radio Liberty argues only Congress can do.

The broadcaster's president, Stephen Capus, said in a statement, quote, This is not the time to cede terrain to the propaganda and censorship of America's adversaries. Emily Fang, NPR News, Washington. In a telephone call on Tuesday, President Trump and his Russian counterpart Putin made an agreement on a partial ceasefire for Ukraine. As NPR's Charles Mains reports, the two leaders failed to agree on Trump's more expansive ceasefire and peace proposals. Both the White House and the Kremlin praised talks between Putin and Trump as an open and

frank two-and-a-half- hour exchange focused on Ukraine and US-Russian relations. The most significant outcome, Putin agreed to a 30-day halt on strikes on all energy infrastructure in Ukraine. However, the talks fell short on Trump's proposal for a wider ceasefire on all land, sea and air attacks, a proposal Kiev had previously accepted. A Kremlin statement maintains any broader resolution would hinge on an end to all Western military aid and intelligence support to Ukraine, but that's an unlikely scenario given Kiev

currently receives backing from not only the U.S. but its allies in Europe. Charles Maynes, NPR News. U.S. futures are flat in after-hours trading on Wall Street. This is NPR. Organizers of the Vancouver International Auto Show have removed Tesla from the event, citing security reasons, in wake of ongoing protests over owner Elon Musk's actions in Washington. Executive Director Eric Nichol says Tesla had been given multiple opportunities to withdraw itself because of concerns for the safety of event workers, exhibitors, and attendees.

Officials in Miami Beach are considering whether to evict and end funding for an art house theater that's showing a controversial documentary. As NPR's Greg Allen reports, the film depicts the destruction of a Palestinian community on the West Bank. The film No Other, won an Oscar for best documentary, but has been criticized by Israeli officials as one-sided and as a quote, carefully crafted piece of demagoguery. In Miami Beach, Mayor Stephen Miner asked an arts theater that leased space in a city-owned building to cancel its plans to screen it. After the theater refused, he drew up a proposal to cancel their lease and withdraw $40,000 in grant funding.

He says the documentary is anti-Semitic. plans to screen it. After the theater refused, he drew up a proposal to cancel their lease and withdraw $40,000 in grant funding. He says the documentary is anti-Semitic. Miami Beach's city commissioners set the vote on the issue later today. Greg Allen, NPR News, Miami Beach. The mayor of Istanbul, a key rival of President Erdogan, has been arrested as part of an investigation into corruption and alleged ties to terrorism. The arrest came a day after Turkish police

searched the official's home and a university invalidated his diploma. A state-run news agency says Turkish prosecutors have issued arrest warrants for dozens others who have been named in the investigation. This is NPR News. A lot happens in Washington every day, from the White House to Capitol Hill the investigation. This is NPR News.