NPR News Now - NPR News: 03-21-2025 1AM EDT

Episode Date: March 21, 2025

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There's a lot of news happening. You want to understand it better, but let's be honest, you don't want it to be your entire life either. Well, that's sort of like our show, Here and Now Anytime. Every weekday on our podcast, we talk to people all over the country about everything from political analysis to climate resilience, video games. We even talk about dumpster diving on this show. Check out Here and Now Anytime, a daily podcast from NPR and WBUR. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Shae Stevens. President Trump has signed an executive order calling for the shutdown of the U.S. Department of Education, a move that would

require congressional approval. Trump says education policy belongs under the authority of states and local governments. It sounds strange, doesn't it? Department of Education, we're going to eliminate it. And everybody knows it's right. And the Democrats know it's right, and I hope they're going to be voting for it, because ultimately it may come before them. But everybody knows it's right.

And we have to get our children educated. Trump says that Pell grants and funding for children with special needs would continue, but under the management of other federal agencies. U.S. District Court Judge James Boasberg says he's still awaiting more details on the deportation flights that transported Venezuelans to El Salvador last weekend. Boasberg has given government lawyers multiple deadlines to respond or submit a claim that complying with his orders would harm state secrets. DOJ argues that the judge's initial order

was improper and that his continued questioning is inappropriate. Federal regulators say that Maryland has failed to conduct critical safety tests on Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge before a cargo ship caused the span to collapse last year. Scott Mazzione from Member Station, WYPR, reports. The National Transportation Safety Board's top official says the Maryland Transportation Authority failed to follow standards in assessing vulnerabilities to the Francis Scott Key Bridge. The board ran its own calculations and says when a cargo ship hit it last March, the bridge's risk of collapse was far higher than what is acceptable. NTSB Chair Jennifer Homidy says the state missed an opportunity to avert disaster.

The MDTA would have been able to proactively identify strategies to reduce the risk of a collapse and loss of lives associated with a vessel collision with the bridge." The NTSB says the Chesapeake Bay Bridge has never been evaluated and has identified 68 other U.S. bridges across the nation that need assessment. For NPR News, I'm Scott Massione. Ilana Musk is suing the Indian government over alleged censorship of content on X. More from NPR's Bobby Allen. Lawyers from Musk's ex-allege the Indian government is allowing local police officers and other authorities to issue takedown orders of posts on the social media site.

The country does have strict content regulations, but Musk's suit argues the rules amount to digital authoritarianism that violate India's own laws. Ex, formerly Twitter, has had legal disputes with Indian officials before. Those culminated with Indian police raiding the New Delhi offices of Twitter when it refused to comply with takedown requests. Now Musk is escalating the fight with India, X's third largest market. The lawsuit was something of a surprise since Musk is also trying to negotiate ways to bring Tesla and his Starlink satellite business into India. This is NPR. Hundreds of Texas residents were

temporarily evacuated Thursday because of a wildfire burning in a national forest near Houston. Fire officials say the blaze consumed nearly four square miles in Montgomery and San Jacinto counties. It was caused by a controlled burn on private property. There were no reports of injuries or widespread damage from the blaze, which is now 45% contained. Meanwhile, crews are still battling dozens of wildfires in Arkansas and Florida. The University of Houston and Auburn University have advanced to the second round of the NCAA men's basketball tournament. Details from Greg Eklund. The Houston Cougars led by as many

as 40 points in route to a 78 to 40 victory over SIU Edwardsville. SIUE senior guard Rayshon Taylor says he didn't want his career to end with a lopsided loss but is proud to be part of a team that made its first ever NCAA tournament appearance. When I look back on it I'm definitely mad about the game I don't I don't like to lose but I'm'm never going to hold my head down ever. The Auburn Tigers, the other top seed playing in Lexington, Kentucky, eliminated Alabama State 83 to 63.

Auburn, which entered the NCAA tournament with three losses in its final four games, will play Creighton University in the second round. For NPR News, I'm Greg Eklund. The International Olympic Committee has a new president. 41-year-old Christy Coventry of Zimbabwe becomes the first woman and first African to head the IOC. Coventry won two gold medals in the 200-meter backstroke at the 2004 and 2008 games. This is NPR News.