NPR News Now - NPR News: 03-21-2025 6AM EDT

Episode Date: March 21, 2025

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Public media counts on your support to ensure that the reporting and programs you depend on thrive. Make a recurring donation today to get special access to more than 20 NPR podcasts. Perks like sponsor-free listening, bonus episodes, early access, and more. So start supporting what you love today at plus.npr.org. Live from NPR News 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 Doge must delete any personally identifiable information gathered

so far. NPR's Ashley Lopez has more. In her ruling, Judge Ellen Lipton Hollander wrote that Musk 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 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 DOJ'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. A federal judge will try again today to get answers from the Justice Department about the deportation flights of migrants last weekend. The agency has not been forthcoming. President Trump has called for the impeachment of U.S. District Court Judge James Boesberg.

The judge wants to know if the government has violated his orders. President Trump's executive action to dismantle the U.S. Education Department could lead to less oversight of states and schools. The Gulf States newsroom's Stephen Basaha reports that is causing concern in Alabama. Trump signed the order about an hour before Democratic Congresswoman Terri Sewell spoke at a panel in Utah, Alabama. She got applause when she said she'd do all she could to push back. Not only am I a proud product of the black belt, but I am a proud product of public schools

in the black belt. That region in Alabama is known for its rich soil, high poverty, and history of slavery. Green County Superintendent Corey Jones also worries about federal oversight going away. By taking that federal umbrella away and putting those funds in the state hands, we assume that our governor is going to do the right thing, but there's no guarantee. Jones said more than 40 percent of the district's funds come from the federal government.

For NPR News, I'm Stephen Basaha in Utah, Alabama. President Trump has invoked emergency powers to boost the production of critical minerals in the U.S. These are used in many electronic devices and they're a key component in electric vehicles. Trump also says he will soon sign an agreement with Ukraine on its rare earth minerals. We're doing very well with regard to Ukraine and Russia. And one of the things we are doing is signing a deal very shortly with respect to rare earths with Ukraine, which they have tremendous value in rare earth, and we appreciate that.

Meanwhile, Ukraine and Russia have agreed in principle to a limited ceasefire, but it's not clear when that might take effect. This is NPR. The federal government says that Maryland authorities failed to conduct critical tests on the Francis Scott Key Bridge before it collapsed last year. It was struck by a ship. The National Transportation Safety Board is warning that other US bridges need to be checked for vulnerability. From member station WYPR, Scott Massione has more. 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. Officials with Sudan's army say they have recaptured the presidential palace in the Sudanese capital Khartoum. It's been controlled for the past two years by the rival rebel group, the Rapid Support Forces or the RSF. The Sudanese civil war has killed thousands of people and displaced millions of citizens. The lights are out at London's Heathrow Airport. It's closed for the day.

Flights for hundreds of thousands of passengers have been disrupted. The power was cut to Heathrow Airport after a nearby substation caught fire. I'm Korva Coleman, NPR News in Washington. A lot happens in Washington.