NPR News Now - NPR News: 03-23-2025 8PM EDT

Episode Date: March 24, 2025

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These days, there's so much news, it can be hard to keep up with what it all means for you, your family, and your community. The Consider This podcast from NPR features our award-winning journalism. Six days a week, we bring you a deep dive on a news story and provide the context and analysis that helps you make sense of the news. We get behind the headlines. We get to the truth. Listen to the Consider This podcast from NPR. Livezer Johnston Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Winzer Johnston. Ceasefire negotiations got underway in Saudi Arabia today between Ukrainian and American delegations ahead of talks on Monday between the U.S. and Russia. NPR's Eleanor Beardsley reports President Trump says he wants to end the war, but Moscow

launched massive drone attacks on Kiev this weekend that killed at least three people. Air defenses battled a massive drone attack Saturday night in Kiev. On Sunday, the city mourned. People gathered at an apartment block that was struck and where people died. 19-year-old Tatiana, who doesn't want to give her last name, says it could happen to any of us. Last three months, it's everyday bombing. And it's every day, like every night.

It's a terrible sound. And you're just laying in your bed and thinking, oh, my God, this bomb going to my house or near. In his nightly speech Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said it should be clear to everyone that Russia is the one who is dragging this war out. He called on Ukraine's allies to put more pressure on Russia to end the war. Eleanor Beardsley in Pierre News, Kyiv. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin

Netanyahu today. The State Department says Rubio reiterated U.S. support for Israel's ongoing military operations in Gaza. Rubio also said the administration remains committed to restoring freedom of navigation in the Red Sea. One of the largest unions of U.S. postal workers is holding rallies across the country today to protest the Trump administration's proposals to transform the U.S.P.S. NPR's Hansi Loong reports Trump officials have floated the idea of bringing the independent mail agency under White House control.

U.S. mail is not for sale. Members of the National Association of Letter Carriers in cities including Silver Spring, Maryland demonstrated against comments last month by President Trump. He cited trouble finances at USPS and said his administration is considering having the Commerce Department take control of what Congress set up to be an independent postal service. Legal experts say that would likely violate federal law. NALC union steward Kevin Abernathy says he's also concerned about talk of privatizing the country's mail service. If they call up and sell the postal service, we will lose small businesses, seniors, veterans,

royal families, and everyday customers who trust us to deliver. The union of rural letter carriers is set to rally Tuesday on Capitol Hill. Hansi Luang and Pierre Noux, Silver Spring, Maryland. White House says Second Lady Usha Vance will travel to Greenland this week to visit historical sites. President Trump has repeatedly said he wants the U.S. to buy the island. The Prime Minister of Greenland has sharply criticized Trump for his proposal, noting that the island is not for sale.

This is NPR News. Hockey fans are watching the Washington Capitals closely, specifically its star Alex Ovechkin. He needs only seven more goals in the Capitals' final 12 games this season to pass Wayne Gretzky in scoring the most goals in a career. New research shows that Se seals can perceive internal oxygen levels to keep themselves from drowning. NPR's Jonathan Lambert reports it's the first time that such an ability has been demonstrated in animals. When humans hold their breath, the urge to breathe is driven by a buildup of carbon dioxide

in our blood, not oxygen. That's the case for virtually all other mammals, but not for gray seals, according to a study published in the journal Science. Researchers varied the amount of oxygen and carbon dioxide captive gray seals could breathe, and then watched how long they stayed underwater to find food. The higher the oxygen levels, the longer seals stayed under. But carbon dioxide levels had little effect, suggesting seals evolved a new way of not drowning. Jonathan Lambert, NPR News. Late night talk show host Conan O'Brien will receive the Mark Twain Prize for American

humor at the Kennedy Center tonight. He was named the latest recipient of the honor in January. About three weeks before President Trump ousted the longtime president and replaced board members who'd been appointed by Democrats. The board then named Trump chairman of the traditionally nonpartisan organization. I'm Windsor Johnston, and you're listening to NPR News from Washington.